GB1605378A - An elongate object handling arrangement - Google Patents

Description

(54) AN ELONGATE OBJECT HANDLING ARRANGEMENT I(We, VOSPER ThORNYCROFT (UK) us, a British Company of Paulsgrove, Portsmouth P06 4QA, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the melhod by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following Statement:- This invention relates to an elongate object handling arrangement An example of a tubular object which has to be handled and transported is a torpedo. For example, warships are often equipped with helicopters intended to be loaded with torpedoes. It is normal to provide in the ship a torpedo stowage compunent in which the torpedoes are stored and when required the torpedoes are removed from the compartment, serviced and then loaded into a helicopter.

Servicing is required to add attachments to the torpedoes such as the parachute and release mechanism and any other flight-in-air material.

In a conventional arrangement there are provided a stack of sideways movable bogeys each carrying two torpedoes and movable along rails. In order to transfer one of the torpedoes to a helicopter or other craft, portable extension rails are erected in line with the rails supponing the bogey carrying the torpedo which is to be transferred. The bogey is then moved sideways out of the stack of bogeys and one of the torpedoes is lifted off that bogey. The bogey is then moved back into position and the portable extension rails are dismantled. The torpedo is then lowered on to a transport trolley which is generally elongate and shaped to support a tubular object such as a torpedo and the transport trolley is then moved to a servicing position. The torpedo is then transferred to a servicing trolley on which it is serviced. The serviced torpedo is then transferred back to the transport trolley which is then moved to the waiting helicopter where the torpedo is transferred from the transport trolley lo the helicopter.

This arrangement for handling torpedoes requires a large number of operations to transfer a torpedo from the torpedo storage compartment to the waiting helicopter thereby requiring a relatively long time.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved elongate object handling arrangement According to this invention there is provided an elongate object handling arrangement comprising a trolley having no handles and on which an elongate object to be stored is intended to be rested during storage and a bogey having handles, the bogey and trolley cooperating securing devices for securing the bogey and trolley together to form an assembly having wheels at least one of which is provided by the bogey and usable to move an elongate object resting on the trolley from one position to another, the trolley having two wheels which serve as wheels of the assembly formed when the bogey and trolley are secured together and a further wheel which is inactive when the trolley is secured to the bogey.

Preferably, the co-operating means are such as to permit some relative pivotal movement of the trolley and of the bogey.

Where the elongate object is tubular (e.g. a torpedo) it is preferred that the trolley is such as to permit servicing of the tubular object resting on it Preferably, the bogey comprises two wheels which form wheels of the assembly formed when the trolley and bogey are secured together.

Preferably, the bogey has a subsidiary wheel which is inactive when the bogey is secured to the trolley to form the assembly.

A torpedo handling arrangement in accordance with this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification and to the accompanying drawings (Figures 5 to 8) of which: Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, a plan view and a side view of a trolley; Figures 3 and 4 are, respectively, a plan view and a side view of a bogey; Figures 5 and 6 are, respectively, a sectional elevation and a plan view of a torpedo storage compartment; Figure 7 is a sectional devation on line 7-7 of Figure 5; and Figure 8 is a further sectional elevation of the storage compartment illustrating the.removal of a torpedo in an upper rack and showing a main servicing position for a trolley.

Referring first to Figure 1 and 2, a trolley has a frame consisting of a lenglh of tubing 1 bent to a Shape and interconnected by a part cylindrical support plate 2 which depends downwardly. A torpedo to be stored rests on the plate 2 and it is held in position by two strap assemblies 3; each strap assembly comprises a pair of straps 4 which can be coupled together by a conventional buckle 5.

An axle 6 is supported by the frame 1 adjacent to one end of the support plate2 and carries rotatably, at its ends, main wheels 7. A length of tubing 8 which is bent to the shape of a part circle interconnects the tubing 1 adjacent to the other end of the support plate 2 and carries rotatably an auxiliary wheel 9. In the attitude shown in Figure 2 in which the trolley of the hole is horizontal the lower surface of the wheel 9 is above that of the lower surfaces of the wheels 7.

Adjacent to the base of the "U8' shaped frame 1 a depending bar 10 interconnects the two limbs of the tubing 1 and carries a pair of spaced vertically disposed and longitudinally extending plates 11 which are formed with aligned holes 12.

The bogey shown in Figures 3 and 4 has a frame consisting of two generally parallel lengths of tubing 15 interconnected by cross bars 16 and 17 also in the form of tubing. At one end the lenglhs of tubing 15 are interconnected by an axle 18 which carries rotatably a pair of main wheels 19; at their other ends the lengths of tubing 15 are bent to form handles 20. The cross-bar 16 carries a horizontal plate 21 carrying a pair of upwardly projecting vertical plates 22 which are spaced apart and have a pair of aligned apertures. A bolt 23 is shown as extending through these apertures but is removable and is held by a chain 24 secured at one end to the plate 21. The plate 21 carries an auxiliary wheel 25 which is rotatable about a horizontal axis. As shown in Figure 4 the lower surface of the wheel 25 is in line with those of the wheels 19.

Each lengLh of tubing 15 is in two parts 27 and 28 pivoted together at 29; a chain 30 holds the parts 27 and 28 together. A spring operated brake 31 is provided for each of the wheels 19 and comprises a spring 32 which holds a brake member 33 against an inncr rim of the wheel 19. Each brake 30 has a cable release, the cable being indicated at 34 with an operating handle 35 carried by the associated handle 20 so as to be manually operable.

In use, to altach the bogey illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 to the trolley shown in Figures 1 and 2 the bogey is manipulated using its handles 20 and its bakes 30 while the pin 23 is removed to bring the left hand end of the bogey into such a position in relation to the right hand end of the trolley that the two plates 11 pass between the two plates 22 until all four apenures of the plates 11 and 22 are in registcr.

Assuming the trolley is not moved and the bogey along is moved (this is the condition in practice) in order to manipulate the bogey into the correct position relative to the trolley it is necessary to lift the handles so that the bogey as a whole rotates about the axis 18. The pin 23 is inserted through the plates 11 and 22 whereupon the trolley and bogey become a single assembly.

The operative wheels of the assembly of the trolley and bogey are then wheels 7 of the trolley shown in Figures 1 and 2 and the wheels 19 of the bogey shown in Figures 3 and 4.

When the bogey is moved while separate from the trolley all its wheels 19 and 25 are operative.

The storage compartment 40 shown in Flgures 5 to 8 and has a matrix of fow rows of four columns of elongate torpedo storage bays 41 which are approximately square in cross section. Each receiving bay 41 has two rails 42 along which the wheels 7 are intended to roll and a single slightly raised and shorter rail 43 along which the wheel 9 is intended to roll. In Figures 5, 6, and 7 a torpedo 44 is shown in one of the lower bays 41 in outline as are the trolley and bogey; it will be seen that the wheels 7 are inserted first when a trolley on which there rests a torpedo is loaded into position.

In order to load a trolley into a storage bay 41, if it is to be inserted into one of the lowest bays 41 the bogey is manipulated to push the trolley into that bay 41 until the wheels 7 engage wheel stops 52 some relative lateral pivoting of the bogey and trolley being permiued by the manner in which the bogey and uolley are secured together. If the trolley with the torpedo resting upon it is to be inserted into one of the upper bays 41 this is achieved by first manipulating the bogey to bring the trolley to the required position on the floor and then separating the bogey from the trolley. The trolley with the associated torpedo are then lifted by a hand operated hoist 53 (Fig. 8).

Temporary rails 46 are then erected in line with the rails 42 of the bay 41 in which the trolley is to be inserted and below the trolley, the temporary rails 46 being indicated in Figures 5 to 8; the temporary rails 46 are supported by a removable cross beam 48, other possible positions of the cross beam being indicated at 49 and 50. In Figures 5 and 6, cross beam 48 is shown whereas cross beam 49 is shown in Figures 7 and 8; in all four Figures the torpedo on the rails 46 is denoted at 51. The trolley is then pushed into the bay 41 during which action the wheels 7 roll along the temporary rails 46 and then the permanent rails 42 and the wheel 9 rolls along the rail 43 until the trolley with its associated torpedo is in position. Each torpedo is kept in position by a keep bar.

The hoist 53 can be assembled to that it depends from one of four rollers 54 having respective lift lines 55 each line with one of the four columns of storage positions. In Fig. 8, the hoist is shown in centred position. As already explained, during storage, the torpedo 51 with its trolley are lifted above the respective temporary rail position and the rails 46 are assembled beneath the trolley and then the trolley is lowered onto the rails 46. During the removal of a torpedo the reverse procedure is followed.

To transfer a torpedo from the trolley storage compartment into a helicopter a bogey is attached to the trolley (this assumes that the trolley is in one of the lowest row of bays 41) and the assembly of the trolley and the bogey is pulled out to a main servicing position indicated at 47 in Figure 8. The trolley is such that the torpedo on it can be serviced while resting on the trolley.

After servicing of the torpedo, the assembly is wheeled to a position adjacent to the waiting helicopter and the torpedo is then transferred from the trolley to the helicopter.

It was assumed previously that torpedoes will always be removed from the lowest row of bays and it is envisaged that when a trolley and its associated torpedo are removed from the lowest row of bays 41 that row of bays 41 will be restocked from the upper rows. For this purpose the temporary rails 46 will have to be assembled a trolley slid out onlo the temporary rails, transferred by hoist to the floor and manipulated into position using a bogey.

When the temporary rails 46 are not in position there is a secondary servicing position for a uolley between the position 47 shown in Figure 8 and the bays 41 shown on the right of Figure 8.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An elongate object handling arrangement comprising a trolley having no handles and on which an elongate object to be stored is intended to be rested during storage and a bogey having handles, the bogey and trolley having co-operating securing devices for securing the bogey and trolley together to form an assembly having wheels at least one of which is provided by the bogey and usable to move an elongate object resting on the trolley from one position to another, the trolley having two wheels which serve as wheels of the assembly formed when the bogey and trolley are secured together and a further wheel which is inactive when the trolley is secured to the bogey.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conperating means are such as to permit some relative pivotal movement of the trolley and of the bogey.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the trolley is intended to support a tubular elongate object and is such as to permit servicing of that object when resting on iL 4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein the trolley comprises two parallel bars secured together by cross bars and a support plate.

5. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the bogey comprises two wheels which form wheels of the assembly formed when the trolley and bogey are secured together.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bogey has a subsidiary wheel which is inactive when the bogey is secured to the trolley to form the assembly.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein each of the said two wheels is provided with a manually operable brake.

8. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handles of the bogey are each in two parts the two parts being securable in relation to each other in a plurality of relative positions.

9. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bogey comprises two parallel bars secured by cross bars.

10. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim wherein either the bogey or the trolley has tow depending plates and the other has one depending plate, the plate having apertures which can be aligned and through which a locking device can be passed.

11. An elongate object handling arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (11)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. followed. To transfer a torpedo from the trolley storage compartment into a helicopter a bogey is attached to the trolley (this assumes that the trolley is in one of the lowest row of bays 41) and the assembly of the trolley and the bogey is pulled out to a main servicing position indicated at 47 in Figure 8. The trolley is such that the torpedo on it can be serviced while resting on the trolley. After servicing of the torpedo, the assembly is wheeled to a position adjacent to the waiting helicopter and the torpedo is then transferred from the trolley to the helicopter. It was assumed previously that torpedoes will always be removed from the lowest row of bays and it is envisaged that when a trolley and its associated torpedo are removed from the lowest row of bays 41 that row of bays 41 will be restocked from the upper rows. For this purpose the temporary rails 46 will have to be assembled a trolley slid out onlo the temporary rails, transferred by hoist to the floor and manipulated into position using a bogey. When the temporary rails 46 are not in position there is a secondary servicing position for a uolley between the position 47 shown in Figure 8 and the bays 41 shown on the right of Figure 8. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An elongate object handling arrangement comprising a trolley having no handles and on which an elongate object to be stored is intended to be rested during storage and a bogey having handles, the bogey and trolley having co-operating securing devices for securing the bogey and trolley together to form an assembly having wheels at least one of which is provided by the bogey and usable to move an elongate object resting on the trolley from one position to another, the trolley having two wheels which serve as wheels of the assembly formed when the bogey and trolley are secured together and a further wheel which is inactive when the trolley is secured to the bogey.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conperating means are such as to permit some relative pivotal movement of the trolley and of the bogey.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the trolley is intended to support a tubular elongate object and is such as to permit servicing of that object when resting on iL

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein the trolley comprises two parallel bars secured together by cross bars and a support plate.

5. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the bogey comprises two wheels which form wheels of the assembly formed when the trolley and bogey are secured together.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bogey has a subsidiary wheel which is inactive when the bogey is secured to the trolley to form the assembly.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein each of the said two wheels is provided with a manually operable brake.

8. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handles of the bogey are each in two parts the two parts being securable in relation to each other in a plurality of relative positions.

9. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bogey comprises two parallel bars secured by cross bars.

10. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim wherein either the bogey or the trolley has tow depending plates and the other has one depending plate, the plate having apertures which can be aligned and through which a locking device can be passed.

11. An elongate object handling arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.