GB2341144A

GB2341144A - Vessel provided with a roof which comprises a folding cover

Info

Publication number: GB2341144A
Application number: GB9930363A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jozef Peter Hendrikus Linssen
Original assignee: Linssen Holding BV
Current assignee: Linssen Holding BV
Priority date: 1997-06-27
Filing date: 1998-06-24
Publication date: 2000-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 2018-06-24
Also published as: WO1999000292A1; GB9930363D0; AU8133498A; NL1006422C2; GB2341144B

Abstract

A vessel provided with a roof which comprises a folding cover, which cover can be moved from a folded position to an unfolded position, and vice versa. In the unfolded position an edge of said cover abuts against a section which is secured to the vessel, which section (4) is arranged in the form of a U. The section comprises two section portions (36, 37) forming legs and one section portion (38) forming a web, which connects said legs near their ends. The edge of the cover is provided with a cable, which is positioned within said section in the unfolded position of the cover, whereby the cable can be tensioned in said section with the aid of tensioning means (20, 21).

Description

I VESSEL PROVIDED WITH A ROOF WHICH COMPRISES A FOLDING COVER The

invention relates to a vessel provided with a roof which comprises a folding cover, which cover can be moved from a folded position to an unfolded position, and vice versa, in which unfolded position an edge of said cover abuts against a section which is secured to the vessel, which section is arranged in the form of a U and which comprises two section portions forming legs and one section portion forming a web, which connects said legs near their ends.

In a similar vessel, which is known from German utility model No. 9303384.2, a cockpit is present under the folding roof. In the folded position of the roof the cockpit is situated in the outside, as it were, and in the unfolded position of the cover it is situated inside the vessel. In the unfolded position the cover must stop rain water, but also, at sea, waves washing over the vessel. At sea the cover must be capable of withstanding waves comprising a few cubic metres of water. With the known vessel, the attachment between the cover and the section is inadequate, so that said vessel is not seaworthy.

The object of the invention is to provide a vessel wherein a watertight connection between the cover and the section can be provided in a simple manner.

This objective is accomplished with the vessel in that the edge of the cover is provided with a cable, which is positioned within the U-shaped section in the unfolded position of the cover, whereby the cable can be tensioned in said U-shaped section with the aid of tensioning means.

Once the cover has been moved to the unfolded position,.

the cable is tensioned with the aid of said tensioning means, as a result of which the entire edge of the cover is pulled tightly against the U shaped section, thus providing an adequate water seal.

It is noted that US-RE-26.363 discloses a vessel comprising a canvas cover wherein a cable extends in a closed loop along the entire circumference of the cover. With the vessel according to the invention, the cable extends along the edge that abuts against the U- shaped section, with one end of said cable being present near each end of a section portion forming a leg.

2 The objective of the invention is also accomplished in that the section portion forming the web is provided with a flange extending between the section portions forming legs, whilst the cover is provided with a locking mechanism which comprises a hook which is capable of pivoting movement with respect to said flange and of vertical movement from a first position, in which the hook is spaced from the flange, to a second position, in which the hook abuts against the underside of the flange.

The cover is pulled tightly against the section by means of said hook.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a vessel as referred to in the introduction, whereby the headroom which said vessel requires can be temporarily reduced.

This objective is accomplished with the vessel according is to the invention in that the vessel is provided with a support bar, which is disposed at the ends of the legs remote from the web, whereby the cover is positioned within said support bar in its folded condition, which support bar can pivot in a direction away from said section.

A considerable reduction of the headroom which the vessel requires is achieved by swinging back the support bar. Preferably the support bar is swung back to a position in which its upper side is level with the section.

Another object of the invention is to improve the drainage of the roof of the vessel.

This objective is accomplished with the vessel according to the invention in that the section portions are each provided with a drainage duct, which drainage ducts open into a drainage channel near the.

ends of the legs remote from the web.

The water f 1 owi ng f rom the cover i nto the drai nage ducts in the section portions is drained via said drainage ducts and discharged into the surface water near the water line.

The invention will be explained in more detail hereafter with respect to the drawings, wherein:

Figures 1A - 1F show various positions during the folding and unfolding of the folding cover of a vessel according to the invention; 3 Figure 2 shows a vessel according to the invention, which comprises a steel cable, which is attached to the canvas; Figures 3A - 3C show various views of the vessel shown in Figure 2; Figures 4A and 4B show a vessel according to the invention, which comprises a locking mechanism according to the invention; Figures 5A and 5B show the locking mechanism of Figure 4B in unlocked position and in locked position respectively; Figures 6A - 6D show a vessel according to the invention, which comprises a swing-back support bar and a mast in various positions thereof; and Figures 7A and 7B show a vessel according to the invention, which comprises a water drainage system.

Like parts are numbered alike in the figures.

Figures 1A - IF show various positions of a folding cover of a roof of a vessel, wherein only that part which is relevant for the invention is shown. The vessel comprises a frame 2, which is secured to the hull of the vessel, with glass windows 3 present therein. Frame 2 is U-shaped, seen in plan view (see Figure 3B), and it comprises a section 4 which is arranged in the form of a U. Frame 2 is disposed in such a manner that the open side of the U-shaped frame faces towards the rear side of the vessel. The vessel is furthermore provided near the open side of the U-shaped frame with a support bar 5, on the upper side of which an instrument mast 6 is mounted. Linkages 7 are disposed in the support bar 5 on either side of the U-shaped frame, which linkages 7 extend above section 4. A canvas 8, which is built up of a number of layers, is attached to linkages 7. Linkages 7 and the canvas 8 attached thereto together forlp a folding cover 9. Each linkage 7 comprises a support 10, which is secured to support bar 5, a plate 11, which is pivotally connected thereto, which plate can pivot in a direction indicated by arrow PI and in a direction opposite thereto, two links 12, 13 which are pivotally connected to plate 11, a link 14, which is pivotally connected to links 12, 13, two links 15, 16, which are pivotally connected to link 13, and a link 17, which is pivotally connected to links 15, 16. Roof I is provided with two linkages 7 which are arranged in parallel relationship and which extend parallel to the legs of U-shaped frame 2. The ends of opposite links 12, 15, 16 are interconnected by means of a curved link (not shown). The 4 linkages are furthermore provided with a first draw link 12' and a second draw link 13'. Canvas 8 is attached to the support bar 5 with one end, it extends over links 12 - 17 and is connected with its other end to links 16 and to the curved link that extends therebetween. The two linkages can be pivoted from the position shown in Figure IA, via the positions shown in Figures 1B, IC, ID and IE respectively, to the position shown in Figure IF by driving means (not shown). When the linkages 7 pivot from the unfolded position shown in Figure IA to the folded position shown in Figure IF, canvas 8 is folded up between the links. In the position which is shown in Figure IF, the linkages 7 and the canvas 8 attached thereto are completely positioned within support bar 5. The cockpit (not shown) is disposed within frame 2, so that the cockpit is present under the folding cover 9 in the position which is shown in Figure 1A, whilst it is located in the outside, as it were, in the position which is shown in Figure IF.

Figure 2 is a larger-scale representation of the position shown in Figure IC of roof 1 of the vessel according to the invention. Canvas 8 is provided with a steel cable 19 along the edge 18 which abuts against section 4 in the position shown in Figure 1A, which steel cable 19 is accommodated in a tubular part 19' (see Figure 3C) of canvas 8. Steel cable 19 is connected to tensioning means 20 with both ends, which tensioning means are disposed near supports 10 in support bar 5. Tensioning means 20 comprise a cylinder 21, which is attached to support bar 5, a piston 22, which can move within said cylinder, and two double pulleys 23, 24, whereby double pulley 23 is connected to an end of piston 22 that faces away from cylinder 21, whilst double pulley 24 is rigidly connected to support bar 5. Cable 19 is passed over a first pulley of double pulley 24, then extends towards the first pulley of double pulley 23 as cable portion 25, following that it extends via cable portion 26 to the second pulley of double pulley 24, and subsequently it extends to the second pulley of double pulley 23, where the end of the cable is passed over the second pulley of double pulley 23 and is connected to cable portion 27.

Before explaining the operation of the folding cover 9, first the construction of section 4 with reference to Figure 3C will be discussed. Section 4 comprises a baseplate 30, a tubular section 31 secured thereto, and a finishing strip 32, which is fixed to said baseplate at some distance from said tubular section. Present on tubular section 31 is a (preferably metal) strip 33, which extends in the direction of strip 32, leaving clear a passage 34. Strip 33, tubular section 31 and baseplate 30 together form a trough-shaped passage 35, which is in open communication with passage 34. As is shown in Figure 3B, section 4 comprises two section portions 36, 37 forming legs, a section portion 38 forming a web, which connects the two section portions 36, 37 near their ends. Section portions 36 - 38 each comprise the construction shown in Figure 3C, wherein the tubular section 31 is disposed at the side that faces towards the other section portions, whilst finishing strip 32 is disposed on a side facing away from the other section portions.

The operation of the folding cover 9 according to the invention as shown in Figure 2 and Figures 3A - 3C is as follows. When linkages 7 pivot from the unfolded position to the folded position, pistons 22 are first telescoped out of the cylinders 21 of the tensioning mechanisms 20, in the direction indicated by arrow P2. As a result of this, also the double pulleys 23 are moved in the direction indicated by arrow P2, so that each end of steel cable 19 is moved in the direction indicated by arrow P2, over a distance which is three times as large, as a result of which the tension of cable 19 in the trough-shaped passage 35 is released. Cover 9 can then be folded in the manner which is shown in Figures 1A - IF. When cover 9 is being unfolded from the position shown in Figure IF, the edge of canvas 8 falls into trough-shaped passage 35 via passage 34 when the position shown in Figure 1A is reached. Then the pistons are telescoped into cylinder 21 in a direction opposed to the direction indicated by arrow P2, as a result of which steel cable 19 is tensioned and canvas 8 is pulled against strip 33 and against the links of linkages 7. Since the steel cable 19 is positioned under the strips.

33, steel cable 19 cannot come loose. If a relatively large amount of water, for example I M3, lands on canvas 8 during use of the vessel at sea, canvas 8, which is stretched tightly against section 4, will prevent said water from finding its way into the vessel.

Figures 4A - 4B and Figures 5A - 5B show a locking mechanism 40, by means of which a link 41 present between links 16 is detachably connected to section 4. Strip 33 of section 4 is fixed near locking mechanism 40 by means of a metal strip 42, some distance away from tubular section 31, and extends on either side of strip 42. Locking mechanism 40 is provided with a plate 43 which is rigidly connected to 6 link 41, to which plate a cylinder 44 is pivotally connected in a point some distance from link 41. Said cylinder comprises a piston rod 45, which is movable within the cylinder. Locking mechanism 40 is furthermore provided with a U-shaped hook 46, which comprises an elongated part 47 and a short part 48 extending transversel-y thereto at one end. Elongated part 47 is pivotally connected at an end remote from said short part 48 to an end of piston rod 45 that faces away from cylinder 44. The elongated part 47 is furthermore pivotally connected, via a pin 48, to a link 49, which is pivotally connected to plate 43 at an end remote from elongated part 47. Link 41 is furthermore provided with a rubber sealing strip 50 on a side facing towards strip 33. The operation of the locking mechanism 40, of which there are preferably two or three present along the length of link 41, is as follows. When the cover, upon being unfolded, reaches its unfolded position, locking mechanism 40 occupies the unlocked position shown in Figure 5A. Then the piston rod 45 is moved in cylinder 44 in the direction indicated by arrow P3, as a result of which the end of elongated part 47 that is connected to piston rod 45 is likewise moved in the direction indicated by arrow P3. Elongated part 47 is pivoted about pivot pin 48 thereby, cylinder 44 will pivot in the direction indicated by arrow P4 and link 49 will be pivoted in the direction indicated by arrow P5.

Short part 48 of hook 46 is thereby pivoted to a position under strip 33 and also moved in the direction of the underside 51 of strip 33. As soon as part 48 abuts against the underside 51 of strip 33, link 41 and the locking mechanism 40 attached thereto will be moved in a direction indicated by arrow P6, whereby seal 50 is pressed against strip 33 and an adequate water seal i s obtained between I ink 41 and strip 33. Pref erabl y steel cable 19 is tensioned at the same time, so that an adequate water.

seal is provided by the tensioned steel cable 19 as well as by the pressed down sealing strip 50.

Figures 6A - 6D show a vessel according to the invention, which comprises a swing-back support bar 5 and a mast 6 which is pivotally connected thereto. The vessel is to that end provided with two linkages 60, which each comprises two links 61, 62, which are each pivotally connected to the vessel with one end 63, 64, and which are pivotally connected to support bar 5 with another end 65, 66. Link 62 is furthermore pivotally connected to one end of a piston 68 which is movable within a cylinder 67. Mast 6 is furthermore pivotally connected to support 7 bar 5. The operation of the vessel which is shown in Figure 6A - 6D is as follows. Once the folding cover 9 has taken up the position shown in Figure 1F, mast 6 is pivoted in a direction indicated by arrow P7, until mast 6 occupies the position shown in Figure 1B. Then piston 68 is telescoped out of cylinder 67 in a direction indicated by arrow P8, as a result of which support bar 5 and the mast 6 secured thereto are pivoted in a direction indicated by arrow P9, taking up the position shown in Figure 6D via the position which is shown in Figure 6C. In the position which is shown in Figure 6D, support bar 5 is positioned substantially level with section 4, thus minimising the headroom which the vessel 5 req'uires. The folding cover will always be positioned within support bar when said support bar 5 is being pivoted.

Figures 7A - 7B show a vessel according to the invention, which is provided with drainage ducts 70, which ducts are present in section 4 and which are bounded by baseplate 30, tubular section 31 and finishing strip 32. The drainage ducts 70 are in open communication near support bar 5 with a drainage channel 71 which is present in frame 2, which drainage channel 71 is furthermore in communication with drainage channels present in the vessel. Water falling on cover 9 will flow from cover 9 into the surface water in the directions indicated by arrow P9.

8

Claims

I. A vessel provided with a roof which comprises a folding cover, which cover can be moved from a folded position to an unfolded position, and vice versa, in which unfolded position an edge of said cover abuts against a section which is secured to the vessel, which section is arranged in the form of a U and which comprises two section portions forming legs and one section portion forming a web, which connects said legs near their ends, characterized in that the edge of the cover is provided with a cable, which is positioned within the U-shaped section in the unfolded position of the cover, whereby the cable can be tensioned in said U-shaped section with the aid of tensioning means.
2. A vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that said tensioning means are disposed near at least one end of a section portion forming a leg remote from said web.
3. A vessel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each section portion is provided with a trough-shaped passage, which is open on a side remote from the other section portions, whereby said cable can be tensioned in said trough-shaped passages.
4. A vessel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said trough-shaped passage also comprises a drainage duct.
5. A vessel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tensioning means comprise a piston which is capable of movement within a cylinder, whereby one end of the piston facing away from said cylinder is connected to one end of said cable.
6. A vessel according to any one of the preceding claims,.

characterized in that said tensioning means are provided with a number of pulleys, over which the cable is passed.
7. A vessel provided with a roof which comprises a folding cover, which cover can be moved from a folded position to an unfolded position, and vice versa, in which unfolded position an edge of said cover abuts against a section which is secured to the vessel, which section is arranged in the form of a U and which comprises two section portions forming legs and one section portion forming a web, which connects said legs near their ends, characterized in that the section portion forming the web is provided with a flange extending between the section portions 9 forming legs, whilst the cover is provided with a locking mechanism which comprises a hook which is capable of pivoting movement with respect to said flange and of vertical movement from a first position, in which the hook is spaced from the flange, to a second position, in which the hook abuts against the underside of the flange.
8. A vessel according to claim 7, characterized in that a sealing tape is provided between said cover and said flange, which sealing tape is clamped between said cover and said flange in said second position.
9. A vessel provided with a roof which comprises a folding cover, which cover can be moved from a folded position to an unfolded position, and vice versa, in which unfolded position an edge of said cover abuts against a section which is secured to the vessel, which section is arranged in the form of a U and which comprises two section portions is forming legs and one section portion forming a web, which connects said legs near their ends, characterized in that the vessel is provided with a support bar, which is disposed at the ends of the legs remote from the web, whereby the cover is positioned within said support bar in its folded condition, which support bar can pivot in a direction away from said section.
10. A vessel according to claim 9, characterized in that said support bar is provided with a separately pivotable mast.
11. A vessel provided with a roof which comprises a folding cover, which cover can be moved from a folded position to an unfolded position, and vice versa, in which unfolded position an edge of said cover abuts against a section which is secured to the vessel, which section is arranged in the form of a U and which comprises two section portion.

forming legs and one section portion forming a web, which connects said legs near their ends, characterized in that the section portions are each provided with a drainage duct, which drainage ducts open into a drainage channel near the ends of the legs remote from the web.