GB2035914A - Utility vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

A roll-on roll-off container, is adapted to float in water, the upper surface of the container being formed as a deck with means for access to the interior of the container. The container is provided with equipment appropriate to the intended utility. Containers adapted and equipped for fire-fighting, as ambulances, as receptacles for aqueous rubbish, and for substances and liquids dangerous to the environment are described. The container may be towed or may be self-driven when water-borne. It can be carried on land by a container vehicle from which it can be launched at an appropriate place. Launching is facilitated by rollers 24 on the vehicle cooperating with longitudinal rails 22 on the container. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Utility vessel The invention relates to a utility vessel which may be used for fire-fighting purposes, as an ambulance, or a water-borne receptacle.

German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2651247 describes a container which is a seagoing pontoon, the basal surface of which is 1218 x 243 cm2., overland transport of the pontoon only being possible by means of special transport vehicles. The pontoons as such can be combined to form floating docks, bridges or transport pontoons.

It is an object of the present invention to develop a utility vessel which can be carried by a known container vehicle as for example a roll-on roll-off dump truck, and which can be used for relief action as for example in water accidents.

According to the present invention there is provided a utility vessel, wherein the vessel comprises a roll-on roll-off container adapted to float in water, the upper surface of the container being formed as a deck with means for access to the interior of the container, and wherein the container is provided with equipment appropriate to the intended utility.

Thus the present invention essentially resides in an adapted container such as for example a roll-on roll-off container or tipping hopper of standard dimensions, that can be transported on a standard container vehicle such as for example a roll-off dumper.

The container may be unloaded from the vehicle by rolling it off when the vehicle is tipped, or the container may be removed from the vehicle by rolling attachments connected to a cable pulling device. In the same manner the container can also be loaded onto the vehicle. The container has several easily exchangeable accessories for the varied utility purposes.

The container is preferably formed with buoyant front, rear and side walls and with a buoyant bottom. In addition, two longitudinal rails are preferably fixed to the exterior of the bottom of the container so that they can be engaged by corresponding rollers of the vehicle.

Thus the container can be transported in an easy manner by a standard container vehicle on the road or rail. It can be quickly adapted to the different service purposes. In particular it can be moved to the waterside by the quickest route on a container land vehicle.

Thereafter it can be unloaded by simply letting it roll off on the longitudinal rails at the bottom of the container, whereupon it can be carefully launched, for example by a rope winch on the container vehicle.

Thus a container equipped for fire fighting on water can be transported to the place of action without necessitating any complicated reloading or special equipment for the transfer of the container from the vehicle into the water. The container has on board equipment for fire fighting. Thus the container, equipped for for fire fighting, can be termed a "Mini-Fire Tug". Due to the simple change from overland transport to waterborne action, it is possible to bring the container into use quickly especially in rivers with a plurality of weirs.

A similar quick action is possible if the interior of the container is equipped as an ambulance for emergency treatment for the sick or injured.

The buoyant container is preferably equipped with an own motor drive in the form of propelling screw at the lower section of the rear wall, the screw preferably being in the form of a steering propeller. Thus no separate drive in the water, for example by a tug, is required. Thereby the speed of action and independence of the container can be considerably improved.

In a preferred embodiment, a removable drive motor and a removable swivelling device for for the propelling screw are provided in the rear lower portion of the interior of the container. Also a removable driver's stand may be provided in the upper rear portion from which stand a driver may steer the container and actuate the swivelling device of the propelling screw.

Preferably, the propelling screw is mounted so that it can be removed or pivotted upwardly so as not be be in the way during overland transport. Approximately in the middle of the rear wall of the container there can be arranged a plate pivotal from a position in which it lies parallel to the back wall into a horizontal position in which it lies normal to the the back wall and lies somewhat above water level, the platform serving for example for the installation or the pivotting of the propelling screw.

Preferably at least one ladder is detachably mounted on at least one side wall of the container, by means of which ladder the container can be mounted. If desired, this ladder can be swung up in order to facilitate boarding of another boat or ship.

As already mentioned, the buoyant container can be equipped in a different manner for different utility purposes, and the same container can easily be re-equipped from one use to the other. In this manner it is possible to to obviate the need for a large number of containers each equipped for a different purpose.

Thus the main part of the interior of the container can be arranged as an emergency treatment room for an ambulance, as a receptacle for aqueous rubbish, sludge, rubble, sand or the like, or as a receptable for substances and liquids dangerous to the environment. In the latter case separation and overflow devices can be provided for returning the water to the environment. Aiso a separator for separating the dangerous substances from the harmless ones can be mounted so that only the dangerous substances must be carried off.

In order to enable the invention to be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example some embodiments thereof, and in which: Figure 1 shows a container equipped for fire fighting and mounted on a truck, Figure 2 shows a container equipped for fire fighting and provided with its own drive, and also mounted on a truck, Figure 3 shows a buoyant container adapted as an ambulance for the transportation of sick or injured persons and mounted on a truck, Figure 4 shows a buoyant container adapted to hold aqueous rubbish, sludge, rubble, sand or the like and mounted on a truck, Figure 5shows a buoyant container adapted to hold substances and liquids dangerous to the environment and mounted on a truck, Figure 6 is a perspective view of a container from below showing the construction of longitudinal rails on the bottom plate of the container, and Figure 7 shows the construction of a slewing mechanism for a propelling screw of a container provided with its own drive.

In the drawings, identical parts are marked with the same reference numbers.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a container 1 2 loaded on the loading platform of a container vehicle 10, which is shown for example as a roll-off dump truck.

The container 1 2 is equipped for fire fighting purposes and does not have its own drive.

In water it can be transported in a simple manner by a tug boat or the like. The front, rear and side walls 14, 1 6 and 1 8 respectively, as well as the bottom 20 of the container, are of buoyant construction. As shown in Fig. 6, the bottom 20 has on its exterior two longitudinal rails 22 for engaging rollers 24 provided at the bottom of the vehicle 10.

The loading platform of the container vehicle 10 shown in Fig. 1 can be tipped about a transverse axis, whereby the container 1 2 can roll off from the vehicle to the rear, the two longitudinal rails 22 of the container 1 2 running on the rollers 24 mounted on the vehicle.

Inside the container there is a pump 49, for example a centrifugal pump, driven by a Diesel engine. The pump 49, when the container is floating in the water, is arranged to draw water from the ambient water via a sea box 41, in order to fight the fire. This operation can be controlled from a control console 54. At the rear wall 16, the container is provided with a hinged platform 46 on which it is possible to stand. A ladder 37 is mounted on at least one side wall of the container 1 2 and is mounted so that it can be easily removed, or can also serve as a bridge for the container 1 2 to another vessel or a jetty. In addition, a detchable protective grating (not shown) is arranged on the upper side of the container 12.At the front end of the container 1 2 there is an intake tube 56 for drawing in air for cooling purposes, and at the rear end of the container there is arranged a tube 58 for the exhaust air. Approximately in the middle of the container 1 2 there is also arranged a suction tubee 55 for the Diesel engine.

Instead of drawing in water via the sea box 41, the water required for fire-fighting purposes can also be taken from reservoirs or storage tanks provided in the container, e.g.

when fighting fires on land. The water from the sea box or storage tanks is pumped into a delivery system which can comprise mounted fire extinguishing nozzles as well as several pressure outlets to which standard fire extinguishing hoses can be connected. The suction outlets of the delivery system can be used to pump out the bilges of ships and floating tanks, or, on land, pump out flooded basements, pits, and the like.

If required, the container 1 2 can also be equipped with foam tanks. The tubes 55, 56 and 58 can be formed as slip-on shafts or tubes. In addition to the above menntioned accessories, other customary devices, for example a battery case or additional tanks, can be provided on or in the container 12.

The deck of the container 1 2 has a gastight entrance hatchway provided with a bolted hatchway cover through which the container can be entered especially for demounting and mounting the pump units. The deck also has four double bollards for attaching the container to a tug or transport board and for mooring purposes, inlets for fuel and foaming agents, attachment means to enable the container to be transport by helicopter, and a hinged guard rail and/or a ladder.

Fig. 2 shows a self-driven container 12 for fire fighting. There is also shown a retractable fire-extinguishing gun 44. The water for extinguishing is pumped, via a sea box 40, into the delivery system by a pump 38, which is drivable by a pump motor 42. In all other respects the basic equipment of the container corresponds to that of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Additionally this container, when required, is equipped with one or two drive motors 32, preferably Diesel motors, and one to two propelling screws 30 formed as steering propellers or hinged screw-Z-drives. At the rear end of the container 1 2 there is arranged a let in driver's stand 36, from which, via a control console 47, the drive and the fire extinguishing gun 44 can be controlled.The driver's stand 36 is closed by a hatch that will be opened during operation, and has a protective shield for the operator.

Immediately next to the driver's stand 36 an anchor with a sufficiently long chain is mounted on the deck in order to prevent the container from drifting should the drive break down. The propelling screw(s) 30 is or are arranged at the lower end of the rear wall 1 6 so as to lie completely below the water level when the container is afloat, and can be swung upward about a horizontal axis or can be completely removed for overland transport.

The hinged plate 46, arranged approximately in the centre of the rear wall 1 6 can be used for mounting and the swinging the propelling screw 30.

When the fire extinguishing gun 44 is used in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the buoyant container 12, the reaction of the water jet will cause a lateral displacement and a torsion of the container 1 2 in the water, which may possibly be equalized by the propelling screw 30. In order to counteract this tendency, a broad rudder of known construction (not shown in the drawing) can be provided. This rudder can be arranged in a tube which crosses the bottom of the container and in which a propeller customary for such rudder is arranged, being driven either by a reversible electro-motor or by the pump.

Fig. 3 shows a buoyant container 1 2 adapted as an ambulance for transporting sick or injured persons. Inside the container 1 2 there is provided a room for the accommodation of persons, accessible from the deck through a hatch, which room, if required, can be designed as an emergency treatment facility. This container is self-driven and can be used on water in those cases where the rescue or salvage of persons is impossible from the land. This container can likewise be put into action at places, where access is difficult from the roads, by means of a helicopter.

Fig. 4 shows a self-driven buoyant container 1 2 designed as a receptacle for aqueous rubbish, sludge, rubble, sand or the like.

This container 1 2 is preferably used where the direct transhipment to a landcraft is impossible, is likewise not possible by using barges, or is unprofitable in view of the small quantities involved.

At a river bank, the container 1 2 can be launched from the vehicle and transported to the place of action. In the shown embodiment, however, it has its own drive 30, making it independent of a separate drive.

The container 1 2 when filled is transported back to the vehicle, which will take it up and transport it to a suitable place where the contents can be deposited or stored. All other details essentially correspond to the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 shows a self-driven buoyant container 1 2 designed as a receptable for substances and liquids dangerous to the environment, the container having a drive 30 and other equipment, which essentially corresponds to that described above. In addition, the container has a pump station 48 and separators or oil traps 50 and 52.

The container is arranged to suck up contaminated water which can be directly transferred by the pump into a second buoyant container according to Fig. 3 or, for example in the case where the water is contaminated with oil, the oil can be separated. The other equipment essentially corresponds to that described in conjuction with Fig. 2.

It is to be appreciated that other embodiments of the containers 1 2 shown in the drawings may be made, and such embodiments may include, for example, a container equipped for carrying out technical assistance or repairs. Such a container could for example be equipped with diving apparatus and compressors, with tools, with small machining apparatus, with pumps, etc., the nature and scope of the equipment being adapted to specific requirements.

As indicated above, Fig. 6 shows the bottom plate 20 of a container with two longitudinal rails 22. When the container is used in water, the longitudinal rails present the advantages that they serve to protect the bottom of the container from damage from below, for example due to sunken objects or shallows, and that the rails serve as a keel to improve the stability when driving on water.

Fig. 7 is a detail showing a swivelling device 34 for the propelling screw 30. In the upper part of this swivelling device there is an actuating system adappted to be operated from the driver's stand 36, and to transfer a swivelling motion view links or the like to the propelling screw 30 in order to steer the container.

As compared to comparable containers or special vehicles for diverse service purposes, for example as compared to fire tugs, oil protection boats, ambulance boats, workshop boats and the like, the present container can be cheap to build and operate, can be made simple to operate and require few personnel.

It can have various forms of propulsion and can be brought quickly, into use in many situations, including military ones, directly from transport vehicles. The container can also be transported by air by means of helicopters.

Claims (14)

1. A utility vessel, wherein the vessel comprises a roll-on roll-off container adapted to float in water, the upper surface of the container being formed as a deck with means for access to the interior of the container, and wherein the container is provided with equipment appropriate to the intended utility.

2. A vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is formed with a buoyant front, rear and side walls and with a buoyant bottom, and wherein rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the container are fixed to the exterior of the bottom.

3. A vessel as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the container is provided with drive means for propelling it when afloat.

4. A vessel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vessel is equipped as a fire-fighting vessel.

5. A vessel as claimed in claim 4, wherein the equipment includes a pump, a motor for driving the pump, a sea box through which the pump can draw ambient water for firefighting purposes, means for directing such water at a fire, and control means operable from a control console.

6. A vessel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vessel is equipped as an ambulance.

7. A vessel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vessel is equipped as a receptacle for substances and liquids dangerous to the environment and with means for drawing such substances and liquids into the interior of the vessel.

8. A vessel as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vessel is equipped with at least one separator.

9. A vessel as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container has a platform pivotally mounted substantially centrally of the back wall, the platform being pivotable from a verticle position in which it lies parallel to said back wall to a horizontal position in which it lies normal to said back wall.

10. A vessel as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one ladder is detachably mounted on at least one wall of the container.

11. A vessel as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the deck is provided with mooring and/or towing facilities.

12. A vessel as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is fitted with a rudder.

1 3. A vessel as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein tubes projecting above the deck are provided for the intake and exhaust of cooling air and as an air intake for drive means, if present.

14. A utility vessel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 6 or any one of Figs. 2 to 5 taken in conjuction with Figs. 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

1 5. The combination of a utility vessel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 and a wheeled vehicle adapted to transport the vessel.