WO2003047958A1

WO2003047958A1 - Arrangement at a travelling crane

Info

Publication number: WO2003047958A1
Application number: PCT/NO2002/000441
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lars Magnus Solstad
Original assignee: Lars Magnus Solstad
Priority date: 2001-12-03
Filing date: 2002-11-25
Publication date: 2003-06-12
Also published as: AU2002365861A1; GB2398062A; GB0411866D0; NO20015914L; GB2398062B; NO20015914D0; NO325335B1

Abstract

An arrangement at a travelling crane (12) on a floating vessel (14), where the travelling crane (12) is connected to suitable movement devices, e.g. wheels (28), designed to move along rails (30), guides or tracks provided along two opposite and parallel sides of the deck (16) of a vessel (14). The gin pole (24) of the crane (12) is equipped with at least one trolley (80) that moves along this, and which is connected to a deck robot (10). The robot (10) is constructed with at least one movable arm (96, 98) equipped with a suitable tool (110, 112) for carrying out operations on or by the deck (16). This allows the travelling crane (12) and its robot(s) (10) to be moved around the deck (16) in order to carry out work which would otherwise be performed manually.

Description

ARRANGEMENT AT A TRAVELLING CRANE

This invention regards an arrangement at a travelling crane. The arrangement is used for carrying out various operations on the deck of a floating vessel such as a supply boat, an anchor handling vessel, a freighter, a barge, a drilling ship or a drilling platform.

Said operations may include e.g. connection or disconnection of containers, equipment, pipes etc. during lifting of these, but they may also include anchor handling and various other odd jobs on deck, e.g. clearing of the deck, assembly or disassembly of equipment, rearrangement of deck cargo or lashing of deck cargo, which includes attaching/detaching wires, slings, straps, ropes to or around the deck cargo in question, e.g. containers. Such operations are very common among other things in connection with offshore petroleum production, for which the required equipment is often heavy and/or bulky, thus needing to be transported and handled onboard floating vessels.

According to prior art, many such operations are performed

P10540de-05.11.2002 manually. However, such work may be both demanding and dangerous, especially when performed under inclement weather conditions offshore. As such, there have been many accidents over the years, and this forms the background for the present invention.

Thus the primary object of the invention is to provide an arrangement that may wholly or in part replace the manual, and at times dangerous, work of the deck crew, thus avoiding or at least reducing the number of personal injuries.

The object is achieved by using, on the deck of the vessel, at least one deck robot arranged so as to be movable along the gin pole of a travelling crane. Preferably, the manoeuvring of both the deck robot(s) and the travelling crane is steered by remote control from a protected location on the vessel, e.g. from the wheel house/bridge of the vessel or from another suitable location on the vessel. For monitoring and control of the deck robot(s) and the travelling crane, use may be made of appropriate means of a type that is known per se, for instance control and regulating systems, surveillance cameras, light sources, laser-based range finders, loud speaker systems and any other required known auxiliary equipment. For operation and control, the deck robot(s) and the travelling crane must also be connected to one or more suitable power source(s) such as electrical and/or hydraulic power packs. The power source in question is placed in a suitable position relative to the robot(s) and the travelling crane. In this manner, the power

P10540de-05.ll.2002 source may be appropriately placed either on or by the deck robot(s) or the travelling crane, or the power source may be placed at a suitable distance from these. Furthermore, use is made of the appropriate cables, pipes, hoses and connecting means for supplying motors, actuators, drivers and/or any other relevant equipment with the required power. The transmission of control signals for the deck robot(s) and the travelling crane is preferably wireless, and is preferably in the form of radio frequency signals.

In order to be able to partially or fully take over the role of the deck crew on the deck of the vessel, the deck robot(s) and the travelling crane must also be able to carry out at least approximately the same operations as those performed by a person on deck. Consequently, the robot(s) and the travelling crane must together be able to travel to the relevant working area on or by the deck. Then such a robot must be able with the required precision, strength and manoeuvrability to grip or capture the item in question, and also hold and finally release the item. In this connection, the travelling crane carries out the rough motoric movements, while the robot carries out the fine motoric movements . For this purpose, the deck robot is constructed with at least one articulated and/or movable arm and an appropriate tool provided for this in order to allow the operation in question to be carried out.

The travelling crane is constructed so as by means of suitable movement devices to be able to travel along two

P10540de-05.11.2002 opposite and parallel sides of the deck of the vessel. At the same time, the horizontal gin pole of the crane projects across the width of the deck. Thus each respective end portion of the gin pole is directly or indirectly connected to said movement devices, which are supported in/to/on rails, guides or tracks that extend along the relevant deck side. The support may be provided by means of wheels/cogwheels that are movably anchored in/to/on said rails, guides or cogwheel railways. Moreover, the travelling crane is provided with and propelled by suitable propulsion means, e.g. by a motor connected to the crane or by a remote motor, relative to the crane, which motor is connected to the crane via intermediate cogwheel chains.

Said rails, guides or tracks may as an example be anchored in/to/on horizontal beams placed at an appropriate height above and along the deck side in question, which presupposes that each deck side be provided with a suitable constructional support for supporting said beam at a distance above the deck. Alternatively, the rails, guides or tracks may be arranged in or on the deck along the deck side in question, which presupposes that each respective end portion of the gin pole be equipped with a vertical supporting column, the lower portion of which is equipped with suitable wheels movably anchored in/to/on said rails, guides or tracks .

The gin pole of the travelling crane should also be designed with a suitable device for raising or lowering the gin pole

P10540de-05.11.2002 relative to the deck. As an example, the device may be in the form of a hydraulic cylinder placed between the gin pole and said rails, guides or tracks. Alternatively, a mechanical device may be provided in said position, consisting of a cogwheel connected to and rotated along a vertical toothed rack, the cogwheel being driven by e.g. an electric or hydraulic motor, whereby the gin pole may be raised or lowered.

Although the travelling crane to a certain extent is designed to be raised above items or cargo on the deck, some tall items may obstruct the movements of the crane. In other instances, the gin pole of the travelling crane may constitute an obstacle to operations on the deck. Both problems may be solved by designing the gin pole to be dividable in the longitudinal direction, thereby allowing the gin pole to be split into two independent longitudinal portions. Furthermore, each respective longitudinal portion should be designed to be rotatable in the horizontal plane, so that the respective gin pole portions may be swung out in parallel with the deck side in question. If so required, the respective gin pole portions may then be moved past the present obstacle(s) on the deck, whereupon the two gin pole portions may be rejoined. Dividing the gin pole of the travelling crane into two longitudinal portions assumes that the longitudinal portions may be detachably joined, while said rotation of the longitudinal portions assumes that the end portions, and perhaps the supporting columns, of the respective gin pole portions are equipped with an appropriate rotating device. Such a rotating device is described in the

P10540de-05. ,11.2002 appended example of an embodiment.

Upon splitting the gin pole, each pole portion will be supported at one end, while the other end of the pole portion is suspended freely above the deck. Each portion of the gin pole is thereby subjected to a turning moment (torque) as a result of the net weight of the pole portion and any other loads on the gin pole. Such loads and moments must be included in calculations of strength when designing the travelling crane. As an example, said turning moment may be countered e.g. by disposing a vertically folding support at the free end of the respective pole portions, which supports may when required be brought into contact with the deck of the vessel and optionally moved relative to the deck. The support may for instance be constituted by a folding and telescoping stay, the lower and free end of which is equipped with a wheel, and where this stay may be folded down from the pole portion and arranged supportingly against the deck of the vessel. Alternatively, said turning moment may be countered e.g. by providing the respective pole portions with a suitable counterweight disposed by the support area for the pole portion, cf. the example embodiment, or optionally by designing each pole portion with a displacement device that can displace the pole portion horizontally in towards and past the support area for the pole portion, thereby reducing or eliminating said turning moment.

Whether the gin pole is dividable or not, it is designed in a manner such that a deck robot may preferably travel along the

P10540de-05.ll.2002 entire length of the pole. This may be achieved by connecting the robot, or each respective robot, to a suitable suspension arranged for a trolley that travels along the gin pole, the trolley being designed to move along suitable rails, guides or tracks such as toothed racks or cogwheel railways provided for the gin pole. At its lower portion, the suspension is preferably equipped with a suitable frame, plate, disc or similar structure to which the deck robot and any other required equipment is connected. Such equipment may for instance consist of power sources, actuators, motors and moving and/or rotating joints or components. Preferably, the frame, disc and/or suspension is designed to be rotatable in the horizontal plane and relative to the trolley and the gin pole.

As an alternative, each gin pole portion may be equipped with a trolley and a deck robot each. By doing so, one pole portion with its associated deck robot may upon splitting of the gin pole, be moved along one side of the deck, while the other pole portion with its associated deck robot may be moved independently of the first-mentioned pole portion. The two deck robots may thereby, if necessary, perform completely independent operations on the deck of the vessel. In principle therefore, each pole portion with its associated deck robot may form a self-contained unit that travels on rails, guides or tracks along the deck side in question.

As mentioned previously, a deck robot is equipped with at least one articulated and/or movable arm. In order to perform

P10540de-05. ,11.2002 the required movements, the at least one arm is connected to or equipped with the necessary motors, actuators, hydraulic cylinders, joints, stays, spindles and equipment, which are known per se, the robot preferably being steered by remote control from a protected location on the vessel. The at least one robot arm may optionally also be attached in a movable manner relative to the frame or disc to which it is attached, e.g. by the robot arm being attached to a plate that, by use of a suitable actuator, may be moved in towards or out from the frame or disc, or possibly be rotated relative to this. At its free end, the at least one robot arm is furthermore provided with a suitable tool for carrying out the operation(s) in question. Such a tool may be e.g. a grappler that may be closed or opened around an item, or an electromagnet in the form of a magnetic foot that may be used for picking up and holding suitable items, or possibly other types of tools. Preferably, the free end of the robot arm is equipped with a suitable quick release foot to/from which said tools may easily be connected/disconnected.

However, it is clear that such a deck robot may be constructed in various manners, and that it is designed according to the operations for which it is to be used on the deck of the vessel. Therefore, different embodiments of the deck robot are deemed to be professional.

An assembly of a travelling crane and at least one deck robot according to the preceding description allows the travelling crane and the robot(s) to be moved about on the deck of the

P10540de-05.11.2002 vessel with a large degree of freedom and flexibility, and preferably by use of remote control, in order there to carry out various operations that would otherwise be performed manually.

The following describes a non-limiting example of an embodiment of the invention. At the same time, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an elevation of a partial longitudinal section through the deck of a supply boat, where a travelling crane according to the invention is arranged rising above several containers in a forward position on the boat deck;

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the supply boat as shown in figure 1 , showing the two supporting columns of the crane arranged so as to be movable in rails along the sides of the boat deck;

Figure 3 also shows an elevation of a partial longitudinal section through the supply boat, but here the travelling crane is arranged in a rear position on the boat deck;

Figure 4 shows a plan view of the supply boat as shown in figure 3 ;

Figure 5 shows an elevation of the supply boat, where the travelling crane is shown as rising above the tallest container on the boat deck;

P10540de-05.11.2002 Figure 6 shows a plan view of the supply boat, where the gin pole of the travelling crane has been split into two pole portions that have been swung out to the sides of the boat deck;

Figure 7 shows an elevation "of the two pole portions of the travelling crane connected to each other, where a deck robot is suspended from the gin pole via a trolley and carries out an operation on the boat deck;

Figure 8 shows a plan view of the travelling crane as shown in figure 7, the figure showing construction details of a slide device arranged in one of the supporting beams of the gin pole, the figure being a partial section through this beam, and where, incidentally, both supporting beams are constructed with such slide devices;

Figure 9 shows an elevation on a larger scale of a partial section through construction details of said slide device, and where the slide device is placed in a position in which the two pole portions of the gin pole are joined;

Figure 10 also shows an elevation of a partial section through said slide device, but where the slide device in this figure is placed in a retracted position in one pole portion, this pole portion thereby being disconnected from the other pole portion, and where a second broken-out section of the figure shows construction details of one of the supporting columns of the gin pole, both supporting columns being

P10540de-05.11.2002 designed with the same construction details;

Figure 11 shows an elevation of a section through one of the supporting columns of the gin pole, where said construction details are shown on a larger scale, the details effecting raising, lowering and rotation of the supporting column;

Figure 12 shows a horizontal section XII-XII through the supporting column, cf. fig. 11, where the figure shows an assembly of the vertically travelling jackets of the column and a spline connection between these;

Figure 13 shows a vertical section XIII-XIII through the gin pole, cf. fig. 7 and fig. 8, where the figure among other things shows the trolley of the gin pole and an associated winch, with the deck robot carrying out an operation on the boat deck;

Figure 14 shows an elevation of a longitudinal section through the gin pole and the robot depending from this, with the figure in principle showing the same as figure 13, but seen from another aspect;

Figure 15 shows a horizontal section XV-XV through a vertical assembly pipe from said trolley, cf. fig. 13 and fig. 14, the figure showing the assembly pipe as being rotatably connected to a horizontal rotatable disc from which the deck robot is suspended;

P10540de-05.11.2002 Figure 16 shows an elevation equivalent to that in figure 14, but where the movable arms of the robot are shown in a different posture;

Figure 17 shows the travelling crane and the deck robot in an elevation seen from the stern of the supply boat; and

Figure* 18 shows an elevation of the travelling crane and the deck robot when this is in the idle position in which its arms are retracted up under the gin pole of the crane.

In the drawings and in the following description of the example embodiment, the technical details and solutions have been illustrated in a slightly distorted manner and described in a simplified manner. However, such details and solutions are deemed to be of a professional nature. For this reason, not all required technical equipment has been shown, as this will not introduce anything of a novel character. As an example, such equipment may comprise regulating and control equipment, power packs, communication links, couplings, motors, actuators, hydraulic cylinders, movable and/or rotatable joints or components, stays, spindles and various other equipment.

In the example embodiment, a remote-controlled deck robot 10 connected to a remote-controlled travelling crane 12 is used for performing various operations on the deck 16 of a supply boat 14. Such operations may consist in e.g. connecting or disconnecting containers 18, 18' or various other unspecified

• P10540de-05.ll.2002 packages 20 on the deck 16.

The travelling crane 12 consists of two supporting columns 22, 22' and an intermediate gin pole 24 attached to these. Moreover, the gin pole 24 is dividable in the longitudinal direction. The lower portion of each supporting column is equipped with respective wheel guards 26, 26' in which is provided a set of appropriate wheels 28. Each set of wheels 28 is movably anchored to longitudinal rails 30 on either side of the deck 16, thereby enabling the travelling crane 12 to move along the deck 16. In addition, the wheels 28 are provided with teeth that match teeth provided for the rails 30, and the travelling crane 12 is propelled by propulsion means provided for this (teeth and propulsion means are not shown in the drawings ) .

Furthermore, each supporting column 22, 22' is designed to rotate in the horizontal plane and to be raised or lowered in the vertical plane. Thereby, the gin pole 24 and the deck robot 10 movably connected to this may if required also be rotated in the horizontal plane and raised or lowered relative to the deck 16. To exemplify this, figure 5 shows the gin pole 24 raised above a tall container 18', while figure 6 shows the two pole portions 32, 34 of the gin pole 24 swung out to either side of the deck 16. These relative movements are made possible by the use of movement devices provided for the supporting columns 22, 22'. These construction details are shown in the form of sections through supporting column 22 in figures 10, 11 and 12.

P10540de-05..11.2002 The latter figures show the supporting column to consist of an outer cylindrical jacket 36 rigidly attached to the gin pole 24. Placed concentrically in the jacket 36 is an inner cylindrical jacket 38 that may be displaced in the axial

5 direction relative to the outer jacket 36. In order to ensure that the two jackets 36, 38 do not move in the peripheral direction relative to each other, but are only displaced in the axial/vertical direction relative to each other, the outer jacket 36 is provided with internal, axial sliding o grooves 40, while the inner jacket 38 is provided with complementary external, axial sliding bars 42, cf. fig. 12; such a union also being termed a spline connection. This relative movement between the jackets 36, 38 is effected by a hydraulic cylinder 44 arranged concentrically inside the s jacket 38. In this connection, the piston rod 46 of the cylinder 44 is attached to the gin pole 24 via an upper boss 48 rigidly mounted inside the outer jacket 36, while the opposite end of the cylinder 44 is attached to a lower boss 50 rigidly mounted to a lower portion of the inner jacket 38. o The underside of the boss 50 is equipped with a rigidly mounted and vertically extending turning shaft 52, while the outside of the boss 50 is mounted to a cogwheel rim 53. The cogwheel rim 53 is connected to a cogwheel 54 connected to an electric motor 56, and the electric motor 56 is connected to 5 a column base 58, the lower portion of which is connected to said wheel guard 26. Moreover, the base 58 is constructed with an internal concentric bore 60 in which is arranged two roller bearings 62, 62', e.g. spherical or conical roller bearings, through which the turning shaft 52 passes, and so o the outer jacket 36 may be rotated relative to the inner

P10540de-05.11.2002 jacket 38.

The gin pole 24 consists of two parallel, horizontal and hollow spaced-apart beams 64, 66 supported on supporting columns 22, 22'. The beams are also split into two longitudinal portions, the longitudinal portions constituting the two pole portions 32, 34 of the gin pole 24. Connection or disconnection of the pole portions 32, 34 is effected by means of a slide device disposed in the respective beams 64, 66. Figures 8, 9 and 10 show sectional views of the slide device 67 in the beam 64. The slide device 67 is constituted by an elongated slide block 68 arranged in the internal cavity 70 of the beam 64, and which may be slid back and forth in the cavity 70 by a hydraulic cylinder 72 placed therein, and its piston rod 74, where the piston rod 74 is coupled to the slide block 68 and the cylinder 72 to the beam 64. Upon mutual connection or disconnection of the two pole portions 32, 34, the piston 74 is pushed out of or retracted into the cavity 70, respectively, the slide block 68 thereby connecting or disconnecting the two pole portions 32, 34. Figures 8 and 9 show the pole portions 32, 34 connected, where the slide block 68 is shown extended into a position in which the block 68 connects the pole portions 32, 34. Figure 10 on the other hand, shows the slide block 68 retracted into the pole portion 32, the pole portion 32 thereby being disconnected from the other pole portion 34. When the pole portions 32, 34 are disconnected from each other, each pole portion 32, 34 is subjected to a turning moment caused by the net weight of the pole portion and any other loads on the pole. In order to counter this turning moment, the pole

P10540de-05.11.2002 portions 32, 34 are provided with respective counterweights

75, 75' at the respective support areas.

Each beam 64, 66 is fitted with a longitudinal toothed rack

76, 78 on top, on which a trolley 80 may travel by means of two pairs 82, 84 of cogwheels provided thereto. The trolley

80 may thereby travel along the gin pole 24. For propulsion along the gin pole 24, the cogwheel pairs 82, 84 are connected to respective electric motors 86, 88. The cogwheels in each pair 82, 84 are arranged with one cogwheel on either toothed rack 76, 78. On the underside, the trolley 80 is provided with a vertically extending assembly pipe 90 positioned between the beams 64, 66 and connected to a horizontal rotatable disc 92 disposed in a position underneath the gin pole 24. The disc 92 is rotatably connected to the assembly pipe via a bearing 94, and rotation and braking of the rotatable disc 92 is preferably carried out by means of a motor or actuator provided for this (not shown in the drawings). The two articulated arms 96, 98 of the deck robot 10 are connected at the underside of the rotatable disc 92, where they are suspended towards the deck 16. Each arm 96, 98 is connected to the rotatable disc 92 via a hinge 100, 102. Furthermore, each hinge 100, 102 may be connected to a horizontally movable and/or rotatable plate or similar fastening device (not shown in the drawings) that may be pushed and/or rotated in the horizontal plane by means of a suitable actuator/motor (not shown in the drawings). By so doing, the arms 96, 98 may for instance be pushed horizontally in towards or out from the rotatable disc 92, or possibly be rotated relative to this, which increases the

P10540de-05.ll.2002 flexibility of movement for the deck robot 10 in connection with the performance of various operations on or by the deck 16. Such work on deck often entails lifting of items, and therefore the trolley 80 is also equipped with a winch 104 from which a wire 106 runs out and down through the assembly pipe 90 to a steel lifting hook 108.

The free end of each robot arm 96, 98 is also equipped with an appropriate tool for the operation in question. In this example embodiment, the robot arm 96 is equipped with an axially movable grappler 110, while the robot arm 98 is equipped with an axially movable magnetic foot 112. In figures 7, 13 and 14, said tools are used for connecting a wire sling 114, which is disposed around the package 20, to the lifting hook 108. The wire sling 114 is kept in the raised position above the deck 16 by the grappler 110 of the robot arm 96, while the lifting hook 108 is magnetically connected to the magnetic foot 112 of the robot arm 98. The robot arm 98 is in the process of leading the lifting hook 108 to the pad eye 116 of the wire sling 114 in order to connect to this, whereupon the package 20 may be lifted by the winch 104.

When the deck robot 10 is not being used for carrying out work on deck, the robot arms 96, 98 are retracted up to the idle position under the gin pole 24, cf. fig. 18.

P10540de-05.11.2002

Claims

C l a i m s

1. An arrangement at a travelling crane (12) on a floating vessel (14), where the travelling crane (12) is connected to suitable movement devices (28) designed to s move along rails (30), guides or tracks, the crane (12) being propelled by suitable propulsion means, and where the gin pole (24) of the crane (12) is equipped with at least one trolley (80) that moves along this, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that said rails (30), o guides or tracks are arranged along two opposite and parallel sides of the vessel (14) deck (16), the travelling crane (12) thereby being able to travel along the deck (16) and project its gin pole (24) across the deck (16), and that the at least one trolley (80) is s connected to a deck robot (10), the robot (10) of the trolley (80) thereby also being able to move along the gin pole (24), and that the robot (10) is equipped with at least one movable arm (96, 98) and a suitable tool (110, 112) that is provided for this in order to allow 0 an operation to be carried out on or by the deck (16).

2. An arrangement according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that said rails (30), guides or tracks are disposed in or on the deck (16).

3. An arrangement according to Claim 1 , 5 c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that said rails (30), guides or tracks are anchored in/to/on beams that by

P10540de-05..11.2002 means of a suitable constructional support are mounted at an appropriate height above the deck (16).

4. An arrangement according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that each end portion of the gin pole (24) is equipped with a raising and lowering device in order to allow the gin pole (24) to move in the vertical plane.

5. An arrangement according to one of claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the gin pole (24) is split in two in the longitudinal direction, the pole (24) thereby consisting of two pole portions (32, 34), and that each pole portion (32, 34) is equipped with a rotating device, as each pole portion (32, 34) may thereby be rotated in the horizontal plane and swung towards its own side of the deck.

6. An arrangement according to Claim 5 , c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that each pole portion (32, 34) is equipped with a trolley (80) and an associated deck robot (10).

7. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the deck robot (10) is connected to a frame, plate or disc (92) that is movable relative to the trolley (80).

8. An arrangement according to Claim 7,

P10540de-05.11.2002 c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the deck robot (10) is movably connected to the frame, plate or disc (92).

An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the trolley (80) is equipped with a winch (104), where the winch (104) may be used in combination with the at least one arm (96, 98) of the robot (10) in order to carry out an operation on or by the deck (16).

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