A chain stopper for a ship

Abstract

The application relates to a ship anchor equipment field, in particular to a ship chain stopper for clamping anchor chain, which comprises a chain stopper frame, a chain stopper roller, a chain stopper block and a driving device. The chain stopper frame comprises a chain stopper seat and a chain stopper arm. The middle part of the chain stopper seat is provided with a chain stopper recess. The chain stopper arm is installed on the left and right sides of the chain stopper recess. The chain stopper roller is installed inside the chain stopper recess, and the middle part of the chain stopper roller is provided with a rolling groove. The anchor chain is located inside the rolling groove. The chain stopper block is rotatably installed between the two chain stopper arms, and the chain stopper block is located above the chain stopper roller. The chain stopper roller is located at the rear part of the chain stopper recess. The side wall of the front part of the chain stopper recess is gradually expanded outward from the rear to the front. The application is provided with a multi-stage guide structure composed of an outward expansion groove with a front part in the shape of a trumpet mouth and a rear part in the shape of a narrow-limiting groove. The swinging range of the anchor chain is limited, the lateral impact force is reduced, and the chain stopper roller is protected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine anchoring equipment, specifically a marine chain catcher. Background Technology

[0002] A chain clamp is a mooring device that clamps the anchor chain when a ship is anchored, sailing, or moored, protecting the anchor winch from overload impacts and thus ensuring the safety of the ship's anchoring operations.

[0003] The core components of a chain catcher are the chain chock roller and the stop. During operation, the anchor chain passes through the chain chock roller groove in the middle, while the stop presses down on the anchor chain on the chain chock roller or raises it as needed. In actual use, especially in rough seas and windy conditions, the ship may roll, causing the anchor chain to swing violently when raising or dropping anchor. This results in frequent collisions and scrapes between the anchor chain links and the sidewall of the chain chock roller groove. Prolonged exposure to this phenomenon can lead to severe wear, deformation, and even cracking of the chain chock roller groove sidewall, thus shortening the service life of the chain chock roller and creating serious safety hazards.

[0004] To address these issues, existing technologies enhance the durability of the chain guide rollers by modifying their design. For example, thickening the sidewalls of the chain guide roller grooves or using harder, more wear-resistant alloy materials to manufacture the chain guide rollers increases their structural strength, thereby enabling them to withstand greater impact forces from the anchor chain.

[0005] However, despite using thicker and stronger materials, the violent lateral swing of the anchor chain still exists, and the energy of each impact is not reduced. This continuous and high-intensity impact will still accelerate material fatigue, eventually leading to damage to the chain pulley. Furthermore, using special materials or increasing the size of the chain pulley also increases the manufacturing difficulty and equipment weight, thereby increasing manufacturing and transportation costs.

[0006] Therefore, a marine chain stopper is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a marine chain catcher that solves the problem of easy impact damage to the sidewall of the chain catcher roller groove caused by the lateral swing of the anchor chain in traditional chain catchers. By setting a multi-stage guiding structure in front of the chain catcher roller, consisting of a front "flare" shaped outward expansion groove and a rear narrow-diameter limiting groove, and supplemented by front and rear inclined surfaces for drainage, the swing range of the anchor chain is constrained to reduce the lateral impact force. This not only protects the chain catcher roller, but also reduces the risk of corrosion through the drainage design.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0009] A marine chain catcher for clamping anchor chains includes a chain catcher frame, chain catcher rollers, chain catcher blocks, and a drive device. The chain catcher frame includes a chain catcher seat and chain catcher arms. The chain catcher seat is a trapezoidal structure that is wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, and a chain catcher recess is provided in the middle of the chain catcher seat. The chain catcher arms are installed on the left and right sides of the chain catcher recess, and the two chain catcher arms are symmetrical. The chain catcher roller is installed inside the chain catcher recess, and a groove is provided in the middle of the chain catcher roller. The anchor chain is located inside the groove. The chain catcher block is rotatably installed between the two chain catcher arms and is located above the chain catcher rollers. The drive device is installed on one of the chain catcher arms to drive the chain catcher block to rotate. The chain catcher roller is located at the rear of the chain catcher recess. The sidewall of the front part of the chain catcher recess gradually expands outward from back to front. The downward rotating chain catcher block presses down on the anchor chain in the groove. The gradually expanding sidewall of the front part of the recess is used to limit the anchor chain from lateral displacement.

[0010] Preferably, the lower surface of the chain recess includes a front slope and a rear slope, the upper ends of the front slope and the rear slope are aligned, and the lower ends of the front slope and the rear slope are located on the front side and the rear side of the upper end, respectively, and the slope of the front slope is less than the slope of the rear slope.

[0011] When anchoring, the anchor chain is pulled out of the seawater, carrying a small amount of seawater. Since the chain catcher operates in the open, the seawater trapped inside is highly susceptible to corrosion. Therefore, this design sets the lower surface of the chain catcher recess as a slope, allowing the seawater carried by the anchor chain to drain out through the front and rear openings of the recess, thus preventing it from accumulating inside and reducing corrosion. Furthermore, a double-sloped design with both front and rear slopes ensures that the front and rear openings of the chain catcher recess gradually open, better allowing sea air to enter and drying the recess more quickly, further preventing corrosion. Additionally, the chain catcher recess itself allows for weight reduction, lowering production and transportation costs. Finally, a smaller slope on the front slope maximizes its length while maintaining a certain height, allowing more seawater to drain back into the ocean through the front opening.

[0012] Preferably, the chain recess includes a wheel groove, a limiting groove, and an expanding groove from back to front. The chain roller is rotatably installed inside the wheel groove. The width of the limiting groove is not greater than the width of the wheel groove, and the width of the expanding groove gradually increases from back to front.

[0013] In the above scheme, the contact between the limiting groove and the anchor chain provides a limit to the left and right movement of the anchor chain, thereby reducing the friction between the sides of the groove of the anchor chain and the chain guide roller, thus avoiding damage to the chain guide roller and extending its service life. Meanwhile, affected by factors such as sea winds and waves, the anchor chain will inevitably change direction when anchoring, and the more severe the environment, the greater the magnitude of this change. Therefore, it is still necessary to buffer the contact between the anchor chain and the chain guide recess to avoid damage to the structure of the anchor chain and chain guide recess. Thus, this scheme makes the outward expansion groove "trumpet-shaped," allowing... The contact between the anchor chain and the left and right side walls of the outer flare provides space for the normal swinging of the anchor chain, thereby avoiding local cornering of the anchor chain, reducing wear and impact loads, and extending the service life of the chain catcher and the anchor chain. In addition, during the anchoring process, the anchor chain pulled from the seawater will deviate due to the water flow and the swaying of the hull. The flared guide surface can effectively guide the anchor chain that is off-center smoothly into the chain catcher roller channel at the rear, avoiding rigid collision or jamming between the anchor chain and the front edge of the chain catcher, and improving the smoothness and reliability of chain raising and lowering.

[0014] Preferably, the front end of the outer expansion groove is provided with a side groove, and a side roller is rotatably connected inside the side groove, the roller surface of the side roller being tangent to the left or right wall of the outer expansion groove;

[0015] In severe weather, the anchor chain has the largest turning angle at the front end of the flare, which is also the most vulnerable part of the flare. Therefore, in this solution, the static friction between the anchor chain and the front end of the flare is transformed into rolling friction by setting side rollers, thereby reducing the friction between the anchor chain and the front end of the flare and providing protection for the flare. Since the side rollers are rotatably connected to the side flare, they can be disassembled and replaced to extend the service life of the chain stopper. In addition, during anchoring and anchoring, the anchor chain moves, and through the contact between the anchor chain and the rotatable side rollers, the sliding friction is transformed into rolling friction, which significantly reduces the resistance when the anchor chain passes through and reduces the wear of the anchor chain and the chain stopper itself, especially when the chain is being released or retrieved at high speed.

[0016] Preferably, the side roller is configured as a flat roller, and the roller surface of the side roller protrudes from the front surface of the chain-stopping frame, and the roller surface of the chain-stopping roller protrudes from the rear surface of the chain-stopping frame;

[0017] In the above scheme, the protruding side roller surface and chain-pulling roller surface enable bidirectional movement of the chain puller, facilitating transportation operations in scenarios lacking cranes: either the front surface of the chain-pulling frame can be facing downwards so that the side rollers contact the ground, thereby pushing the chain puller to move in a certain direction, or the rear surface of the chain-pulling frame can be facing downwards so that the chain-pulling roller surface contacts the ground, thereby pushing the chain puller to move in a direction perpendicular to the above direction.

[0018] Preferably, the chain stop block includes a rotating rod and a pressure head, the rotating rod is rotatably connected between two chain stop arms, and the rotating rod is configured with a Y-shaped structure, and the pressure head is connected to the end of the rotating rod;

[0019] In the above solution, the structural strength of the swivel is improved by using a Y-shaped structure: the Y-shaped structure, through its own forking, evenly distributes the impact force applied by the anchor chain to the pressure head to the chain-locking arms on both sides, forming a stable triangular mechanical structure, which effectively resists bending and torsional deformation and ensures the reliability of locking the anchor chain under harsh sea conditions; and compared with a solid block structure of the same strength, the Y-shaped structure removes the material in the middle non-main load-bearing area, realizing the lightweight of the structure, which allows the drive device to drive its rotation with less energy consumption, thereby saving manufacturing costs.

[0020] Preferably, the pressure head is configured as a cylindrical structure, and a limiting body is provided on both the left and right walls of the limiting groove. The lower surface of the limiting body is configured as an arc-shaped surface, and the shape of the lower surface of the limiting body coincides with the movement trajectory of the circumferential surface of the pressure head.

[0021] While the pressure head presses the anchor chain against the chain-stopping roller, the anchor chain, which moves due to factors such as sea wind and waves, also provides a continuous and variable force to the pressure head. Since the rotating rod connected to the pressure head is connected to the drive device, this continuous variable force will seriously affect the transmission connection between the rotating rod and the drive device. Therefore, in this solution, while the pressure head falls to press the anchor chain, its upper surface is in close contact with the lower surface of the limiting body to provide stable support for the pressure head subjected to variable force, thereby preventing the transmission of variable force to the drive device and ensuring the stable operation of the chain stopper.

[0022] Preferably, the minimum spacing between the paired limiting bodies is a, and the maximum width of a single link on the anchor chain is b, then a>b;

[0023] In the above scheme, by setting the spacing between the two limiting bodies, the anchor chain inside the chain retraction recess can freely enter and exit the chain retraction recess through the limiting bodies, thereby enabling the anchor chain body to smoothly pass through the channel between the limiting bodies during installation or disassembly, thus providing convenience for the installation and maintenance of the anchor chain.

[0024] Preferably, the pressure head is provided with a slot in the middle, and the slot is configured as an arc-shaped groove to accommodate anchor chain links;

[0025] In the above solution, the arc-shaped surface of the slot increases the contact area between the pressure head and the anchor chain link, allowing the pressure to be distributed more evenly on the link, forming a "surface contact" rather than a "point contact" or "line contact". This improves the clamping friction and stability, preventing the anchor chain from slipping under high loads. Furthermore, when the chain-stopping block is pressed down, the slot guides and self-aligns the anchor chain link, ensuring that the link is accurately pressed into the center of the groove of the lower chain-stopping roller. This avoids uneven force distribution or damage to the equipment due to off-center loading, thus improving the reliability of the chain-stopping mechanism.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0027] 1. This invention, by setting a multi-stage guiding structure in front of the chain-stopping roller, consisting of a front "trumpet-shaped" outward expansion groove and a rear narrow-diameter limiting groove, and supplemented by front and rear inclined surfaces for drainage, achieves step-by-step constraint and attitude correction of the swing range of the anchor chain before it reaches the chain-stopping roller. This effectively reduces the lateral impact force of the anchor chain on the chain-stopping roller, protecting the chain-stopping roller, extending its service life, and reducing the corrosion risk of the entire machine through optimized drainage design, thereby improving the reliability and durability of the equipment.

[0028] 2. The chain retainer recess in this invention includes a wheel groove, a limiting groove, and an expanding groove from back to front. The flared expanding groove is used to initially buffer the anchor chain from large swings and convert sliding friction into rolling friction to reduce wear and energy consumption. The narrowing limiting groove precisely aligns the anchor chain and forcibly corrects its posture to convert violent impact energy into a gentle guiding force, thereby avoiding the phenomenon of the anchor chain violently impacting the side wall of the chain retainer roller groove at a sharp angle or side, thus reducing the risk of damage to the side wall of the groove and the chain retainer seat.

[0029] 3. This invention sets the rotating rod of the chain-locking block as a Y-shaped structure, which forms a more stable triangular mechanical structure compared with the traditional single-rod structure. It can effectively resist the impact and torsional loads generated under complex sea conditions. At the same time, through the cooperation of the chain-locking block pressure head and the limiting body, the reaction force of the anchor chain is directly transmitted to the more robust chain-locking frame, thereby protecting the drive device from overload impact. In addition, the pressure head is provided with an arc-shaped groove that matches the curved surface of the chain link, which can increase the friction to prevent the anchor chain from slipping and can also center and guide the chain link, thereby further enhancing the stability of the chain-locking device. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall right front isometric structure of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall left rear isometric structure of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall right-side structure of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall top structure of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 For the present invention Figure 4 Enlarged diagram of section C;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the chain release state of the chain release block of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 6 Enlarged diagram of section D in the middle;

[0037] Figure 8 For the present invention Figure 6 Enlarged schematic diagram of section E in the middle.

[0038] In the diagram: 1. Chain-pulling frame; 11. Chain-pulling seat; 111. Chain-pulling recess; 1111. Front inclined surface; 1112. Rear inclined surface; 1113. Wheel groove; 1114. Limiting groove; 1115. Outward expansion groove; 11151. Side groove; 11152. Side roller; 1116. Limiting body; 12. Chain-pulling arm; 2. Chain-pulling roller; 21. Rolling groove; 3. Chain-pulling block; 31. Rotating rod; 32. Pressure head; 321. Slot; 4. Drive device; 5. Anchor chain. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] Please see Figures 1 to 8 The present invention provides a marine chain catcher, the technical solution of which is as follows:

[0041] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2A marine chain catcher for clamping anchor chain 5 includes a chain catcher frame 1, chain catcher rollers 2, chain catcher blocks 3, and a drive device 4. The chain catcher frame 1 includes a chain catcher seat 11 and a chain catcher arm 12. The chain catcher arm 12 and the chain catcher seat 11 are integrally cast or welded structures, and the outer contour of the chain catcher arm 12 forms reinforcing ribs that gradually widen from top to bottom. The reinforcing ribs connect the pivot point of the chain catcher block 3 to the wide part of the chain catcher seat 11. The integral structure eliminates gaps and potential weak points at the connection, and the design of the reinforcing ribs greatly improves the bending resistance of the chain catcher arm 12, effectively preventing the two chain catcher arms 12 from opening and deforming outward under huge tensile forces. This ensures the precision and stability of the chain catcher block 3's movement. Furthermore, the reinforcing rib structure smoothly and steadily transmits the concentrated load from the chain catcher block 3 to the wider chain catcher seat 11, which then distributes it onto the ship's deck, avoiding stress concentration and thus improving the fatigue life and durability of the entire chain catcher. The chain catcher seat 11 is designed with a trapezoidal structure that is wider at the bottom and narrower at the top to enhance its stability during chain catching. The bottom surface of the chain catcher seat 11 is a complete plane, with an area much larger than the connection area between the chain catcher arm 12 and the chain catcher seat 11. The chain catcher seat 11 also has mounting holes for fixing it to the ship's deck. The wide chain catcher seat 11... The bottom surface provides ample installation area, allowing the enormous tension transmitted by the anchor chain 5 to be evenly distributed across a wider area of ​​the ship's deck structure. This avoids stress concentration and damage to the deck, ensuring the stability and safety of the entire equipment installation. Furthermore, the trapezoidal structure, wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, combined with the wide bottom surface, effectively lowers the overall center of gravity of the equipment, giving it excellent resistance to capsizing and lateral impacts. It can easily cope with the complex stress conditions caused by the ship's rolling and pitching in severe sea conditions. The chain-stopping seat 11 has a chain-stopping recess 111 in the middle, with chain-stopping arms 12 installed on the left and right sides of the chain-stopping recess 111. The two chain-stopping arms 12... 2. Symmetrical from left to right, the chain-pulling roller 2 is installed inside the chain-pulling recess 111, and the chain-pulling roller 2 has a groove 21 in the middle. The anchor chain 5 is located inside the groove 21. The chain-pulling block 3 is rotatably installed between the two chain-pulling arms 12, and the chain-pulling block 3 is located above the chain-pulling roller 2. The driving device 4 is installed on one side of the chain-pulling arm 12 to drive the chain-pulling block 3 to rotate. The chain-pulling roller 2 is located at the rear of the chain-pulling recess 111. The side wall of the front part of the chain-pulling recess 111 gradually expands outward from back to front. The downward rotating chain-pulling block 3 presses down on the anchor chain 5 in the groove 21. The side wall of the front part of the chain-pulling recess 111 gradually expands outward to limit the anchor chain 5 from lateral displacement.

[0042] During operation, the chain stop has the following two states:

[0043] 1) Chain-locked state: After the ship has anchored, or during navigation, to prevent the anchor chain 5 from accidentally loosening, the drive device 4 drives the chain-locking block 3 to rotate downwards. The pressure head 32 of the chain-locking block 3 will eventually press against a section of the anchor chain 5 located in the groove 21 of the chain-locking roller 2, locking the anchor chain 5 firmly through huge pressure and friction, making it unable to move. At this time, the anchor winch can be unloaded, and the tension of the anchor chain 5 is entirely borne by the chain-locking device and the hull structure.

[0044] 2) Chain raising and lowering state: When it is necessary to raise or lower the anchor, the drive device 4 drives the chain-pulling block 3 to rotate upward, so that it completely disengages from the anchor chain 5. At this time, the anchor chain 5 can roll freely on the chain-pulling roller 2, and its raising and lowering is controlled by the anchor winch.

[0045] When the chain is engaged, the drive unit 4 applies torque to the chain-locking block 3, causing it to rotate around the pivot point on the chain-locking arm 12. Because the pressure head 32 of the chain-locking block 3 and the groove 21 of the chain-locking roller 2 form an upper and lower clamping force on the anchor chain 5, the enormous clamping force generates a strong static friction force, which is sufficient to resist the tension of the anchor chain 5 due to its own weight and the action of water flow. At this time, the tension of the anchor chain 5 is transmitted to the chain-locking frame 1 through the chain-locking roller 2 and the chain-locking block 3, and then to the ship's deck through the chain-locking seat 11 of the chain-locking frame 1, thereby completely unloading the anchor winch and preventing damage or fatigue caused by the anchor winch bearing enormous tension for a long time.

[0046] In the chain-retracting state, the front sidewall of the gradually opening chain recess 111 not only plays a guiding and buffering role, but also, when the ship rolls violently and the anchor chain 5 swings laterally, the anchor chain 5 will first contact the inclined sidewall. The sidewall absorbs the lateral kinetic energy of the anchor chain 5 through a relatively long action distance and action time, converting the violent impact force into a relatively gentle guiding force, thereby effectively protecting the integrity of the rear chain roller 2 and the entire chain brake.

[0047] As one embodiment of the present invention, refer to Figure 3 The lower surface of the chain recess 111 includes a front slope 1111 and a rear slope 1112. The high ends of the front slope 1111 and the rear slope 1112 are aligned, and the low ends of the front slope 1111 and the rear slope 1112 are located on the front and rear sides of the high ends, respectively. The slope of the front slope 1111 is less than the slope of the rear slope 1112.

[0048] When anchoring, the water-laden anchor chain 5 passes through the chain catcher, which retains the seawater inside the chain catcher. In this method, the front slope 1111 and the rear slope 1112 respectively discharge the seawater inside the chain catcher recess 111 forward and backward. The seawater discharged forward returns to the ocean through the channel of the anchor chain 5 into the ocean, while the seawater discharged backward falls from the rear slope 1112. Therefore, after the chain catcher is installed, a water collection tank can be placed behind it to collect the seawater falling from the rear slope 1112.

[0049] Furthermore, the bidirectional slope design enhances the equipment's corrosion resistance and environmental adaptability. The front slope 1111 has a gentler angle, meaning it has a longer horizontal length at the same vertical height. The primary purpose of this design is to facilitate the anchoring process; when the wet anchor chain 5 enters from the front, most of the seawater and sediment it carries flows back out of the ship along this gentle slope, achieving source drainage and minimizing the amount of water entering the device. The rear slope 1112 has a steeper angle, forming a sloping section. Its function is to quickly drain any water that may accidentally splash in or be brought in from behind the chain roller 2, preventing puddles from forming in the wheel groove 1113 area at the rear of the chain recess 111. This combined design ensures that there are no dead spots for water accumulation inside the chain recess 111. Combined with the sea breeze, this allows the inside of the device to dry quickly, significantly delaying the corrosion of metal components by seawater salt and extending the equipment's service life.

[0050] As one embodiment of the present invention, refer to Figures 3-5 The chain recess 111 includes a wheel groove 1113, a limiting groove 1114 and an outward expansion groove 1115 from back to front. The chain roller 2 is rolled inside the wheel groove 1113. The width of the limiting groove 1114 is not greater than the width of the roller groove 21. The width of the outward expansion groove 1115 gradually increases from back to front.

[0051] To save on production materials and reduce the production cost of the chain catcher, the chain catcher recess 111 is cast together with the chain catcher frame 1 during casting. Subsequent machining involves finishing each area of ​​the chain catcher recess 111 to obtain the complete wheel groove 1113, limiting groove 1114, and outward expansion groove 1115. Furthermore, because the width of the limiting groove 1114 is no greater than the width of the roller groove 21, to prevent seawater from accumulating between the front inclined surface 1111 and the limiting groove 1114, or between the rear inclined surface 1112 and the limiting groove 1114, the connection line between the limiting groove 1114 and the wheel groove 1113 coincides with the high end of the front inclined surface 1111 and the rear inclined surface 1112. Figure 3 As shown;

[0052] This three-section guiding structure, consisting of the wheel groove 1113, the limiting groove 1114, and the expanding groove 1115, achieves step-by-step constraint and correction of the movement posture of the anchor chain 5. The expanding groove 1115 is the "coarse guidance" zone, whose wide flared shape allows the anchor chain 5 to enter at a large swing angle, serving the purpose of collection and initial limiting. When the anchor chain 5 continues to move backward and enters the narrowing limiting groove 1114, this is the "precise alignment" zone. The swing amplitude of the anchor chain 5 is further forcibly reduced, and its chain link posture is corrected to ensure that it moves forward in a direction almost perpendicular to the axis of the chain-pulling roller 2. Finally, the precisely aligned anchor chain 5 enters the wheel groove 1113. The above process ensures that the chain links of the anchor chain 5 always contact the side wall of the groove 21 face-up and in the center, rather than impacting violently at an acute angle or side, thus solving the problem that the side wall of the groove 21 of the chain-pulling roller 2 in traditional chain-pulling devices is easily damaged by lateral impact.

[0053] As one embodiment of the present invention, refer to Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 The front end of the outer expansion groove 1115 is provided with a side groove 11151, and a side roller 11152 is rotatably connected inside the side groove 11151. The roller surface of the side roller 11152 is tangent to the left or right wall of the outer expansion groove 1115. The side roller 11152 is set as a flat roller, and the roller surface of the side roller 11152 protrudes from the front surface of the chain-pulling frame 1, and the roller surface of the chain-pulling roller 2 protrudes from the rear surface of the chain-pulling frame 1.

[0054] The side roller 11152 is a reinforced design for the most extreme working conditions. The foremost end of the outer expansion groove 1115 is the area where the anchor chain 5 swings at the largest lateral angle, and correspondingly, the impact force at this point is also the greatest. Therefore, a rotatable side roller 11152 is provided to transform the intense sliding friction between the anchor chain 5 and the side wall of the chain-stopping frame 1 into rolling friction. This reduces frictional resistance, making the chain winding and unwinding process smoother, and also reduces wear on the anchor chain 5 links and the entrance of the outer expansion groove 1115 of the chain-stopping frame 1. In addition, Since the side roller 11152 is an easily replaceable independent component, even if it wears out, it only needs to be replaced, and the maintenance cost is far lower than repairing or replacing the entire chain-locking frame 1. Furthermore, the design of the side roller 11152 and the chain-locking roller 2 protruding from the front and rear surfaces of the chain-locking frame 1 respectively allows the entire heavy equipment to be placed on its side or upside down when making short-distance movements or position adjustments on the deck. The side roller 11152 or the chain-locking roller 2 can be used as a support for convenient rolling and displacement, reducing the dependence on lifting equipment.

[0055] As one embodiment of the present invention, refer to Figure 6 The chain block 3 includes an integrally cast rotating rod 31 and a pressure head 32. The rotating rod 31 is rotatably connected between two chain arms 12, and the rotating rod 31 is configured as a Y-shaped structure. The pressure head 32 is connected to the end of the rotating rod 31.

[0056] The reaction force exerted on the pressure head 32 by the anchor chain 5 is decomposed and transmitted to the chain-locking arms 12 on both sides through the two forked arms of the Y-shape, thus forming a stable triangular mechanical structure. Compared with the traditional single-bar or T-shaped structure, its bending and torsional stiffness are greatly improved. Under harsh sea conditions, the tension of the anchor chain 5 is not constant but varies randomly. The Y-shaped structure can better resist this complex load, avoid the deflection or vibration of the pressure head 32, and thus ensure the reliability of the chain-locking arm. At the same time, compared with a solid plate structure of the same strength, the Y-shaped structure removes the non-main load-bearing material in the central area, realizes the weight reduction of the structure, and reduces the energy consumption and torque required for the drive device 4 to drive its rotation.

[0057] As one embodiment of the present invention, refer to Figure 8 The pressure head 32 is configured as a cylindrical structure. Limiting bodies 1116 are provided on the left and right walls of the limiting groove 1114. The lower surface of the limiting body 1116 is configured as an arc surface, and the shape of the lower surface of the limiting body 1116 coincides with the movement trajectory of the circumferential surface of the pressure head 32.

[0058] The design of the limiting body 1116 provides support for the chain-pulling block 3 in the chain-pulling state: when the pressure head 32 presses the anchor chain 5, the upper surface of the pressure head 32 will be closely fitted with the arc-shaped lower surface of the limiting body 1116. At this time, most of the reaction force generated by the anchor chain 5 is borne by the limiting body 1116 and directly transmitted to the chain-pulling frame 1. This means that the drive device 4 no longer needs to bear the continuous load and impact load from the anchor chain 5, but only undertakes the function of maintaining the position of the chain-pulling block 3, thereby avoiding the overload and damage of the drive device 4, and thus improving the working reliability of the chain-pulling device.

[0059] As one embodiment of the present invention, refer to Figure 3 The minimum spacing between the paired limiting bodies 1116 is a, and the maximum width of a single link on the anchor chain 5 is b. Therefore, a>b. The dimensional relationship of a>b ensures that the anchor chain 5 can pass through the channel formed by the two limiting bodies 1116 without obstruction. When the anchor chain 5 needs to be inserted into or removed from the chain stopper during installation or maintenance, no parts need to be disassembled. The anchor chain 5 can be directly passed through the gap between the limiting bodies 1116, thereby simplifying the operation and saving maintenance time.

[0060] As one embodiment of the present invention, refer to Figure 8The pressure head 32 has a groove 321 in the middle, which is an arc-shaped groove to accommodate the links of the anchor chain 5. Traditionally, when a flat pressure head 32 contacts an arc-shaped link, it is a line contact with a very small contact area, resulting in extremely high pressure per unit area. This can easily cause plastic deformation or indentation on the link or the surface of the pressure head 32. However, the curvature of the arc-shaped groove 321 in this invention matches the curvature of the anchor chain 5 link, forming a large-area surface contact when they come into contact. This "surface contact" brings three major advantages: First, it disperses the clamping force over a larger area, significantly reducing the contact pressure and avoiding damage to the anchor chain 5 links, thus protecting the strength and lifespan of the anchor chain 5. Second, the increased contact area directly leads to a significant increase in friction, providing a more reliable locking force under the same downward pressure, effectively preventing the anchor chain 5 from slipping under high loads. Third, the arc-shaped sidewall of the slot 321 has a natural centering and guiding effect on the chain links, which can ensure that the chain links are stably fixed on the center line of the groove 21, further enhancing the stability of the chain.

[0061] Working Principle: To solve the problem of impact damage to the chain-pulling roller 2 caused by the lateral swing of the anchor chain 5 in traditional chain-pulling devices, and to improve the overall durability and environmental adaptability of the equipment, this invention sets up a three-stage guide structure in front of the chain-pulling roller 2, consisting of a wide outward expansion groove 1115, a narrowing limiting groove 1114, and a wheel groove 1113. When the anchor chain 5 enters the chain-pulling device during the extension and retraction process, this multi-stage guide structure will constrain and correct its motion posture step by step: the wide outward expansion groove 1115 first constrains and corrects the movement posture of the chain-pulling roller 2. The anchor chain 5, which swings dramatically, is initially collected and buffered; then, the limiting groove 1114 performs forced attitude correction and alignment on it; finally, it ensures that the anchor chain 5 enters the wheel groove 1113 smoothly in an ideal posture, thereby converting the violent lateral impact force into a gentle guiding force, effectively protecting the chain roller 2. In addition, the bottom surface of the chain recess 111 is designed as a front slope 1111 and a rear slope 1112 with different inclinations to quickly dry the chain recess 111, thereby reducing the corrosion of the equipment by seawater.

[0062] To cope with the significant swaying of the anchor chain 5 under harsh sea conditions and reduce wear when it enters the chain catcher, a wide, flared groove 1115 is provided at the very front of the guide structure, and rotatable side rollers 11152 are added on both sides of its front end. The gradually opening shape of the groove 1115 provides ample buffer space for the swaying anchor chain 5, avoiding hard collisions; while the side rollers 11152 cleverly transform the potentially severe sliding friction between the anchor chain links and the side wall of the chain catcher 1 into smoother rolling. Friction greatly reduces forward resistance and component wear, especially when the chain is being retracted or extended at high speed. In order to ensure that the anchor chain 5 is precisely corrected before contacting the chain-stopping roller 2 and to avoid lateral impacts due to improper posture, a limiting groove 1114 with a width no greater than the roller groove 21 is set after the outer expansion groove 1115 and before the wheel groove 1113. When the anchor chain 5 passes through the limiting groove 1114, its swing amplitude is forcibly constrained within a very small range, and the posture of the chain link is corrected to a direction that is almost perpendicular to the axis of the chain-stopping roller 2.

[0063] To ensure the anchor chain 5 is securely locked in the chain-locking state and effectively resist the enormous impact and torsional load from the anchor chain 5, while protecting the drive device 4, the specific methods are as follows: First, the rotating rod 31 of the chain-locking block 3 is designed as a Y-shaped structure. This structure evenly distributes the enormous force exerted by the anchor chain 5 on the pressure head 32 to the chain-locking arms 12 on both sides, forming a stable triangular mechanical structure, which significantly improves the bending and torsional stiffness of the chain-locking block 3. Second, to protect the drive device 4 from the continuous impact of the reaction force of the anchor chain 5, a limiting body 1116 is set above the pressure head 32. After the anchor chain 5 is pressed down, its upper surface will fit tightly against the arc-shaped lower surface of the limiting body 1116, directly transferring the huge load of the anchor chain 5 to the chain-locking frame 1, so that the drive device 4 only needs to maintain the position of the chain-locking block 3. Finally, in order to further increase the friction during locking, prevent the anchor chain 5 from slipping under high load, and reduce contact stress, an arc-shaped groove 321 matching the curvature of the anchor chain 5 links is set in the middle of the pressure head 32, thereby increasing the static friction by increasing the contact area, and using the side wall of the groove 321 to center and guide the chain links, thereby enhancing the stability of the chain lock.

[0064] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A marine chain catcher for clamping anchor chains, comprising a drive mechanism, characterized in that: It also includes a chain-stopping frame, chain-stopping rollers, and chain-stopping blocks. The chain-stopping frame includes a chain-stopping seat and chain-stopping arms. The chain-stopping seat is configured as a trapezoidal structure that is wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, and a chain-stopping recess is provided in the middle of the chain-stopping seat. The chain-stopping arms are installed on the left and right sides of the chain-stopping recess, and the two chain-stopping arms are symmetrical. The chain-stopping rollers are installed inside the chain-stopping recess, and a groove is provided in the middle of the chain-stopping rollers. The anchor chain is located inside the groove. The chain-stopping blocks are rotatably installed between the two chain-stopping arms, and the chain-stopping blocks are located above the chain-stopping rollers. The chain-stopping rollers are located at the rear of the chain-stopping recess. The sidewalls of the front part of the chain-stopping recess gradually expand outward from back to front. The downwardly rotating chain-stopping blocks press down on the anchor chain in the groove. The gradually expanding sidewalls of the front part of the chain-stopping recess are used to limit the anchor chain from lateral displacement. The lower surface of the chain recess includes a front slope and a rear slope, the high ends of the front slope and the rear slope are aligned, and the low ends of the front slope and the rear slope are located on the front side and the rear side of the high end, respectively. The slope of the front slope is less than the slope of the rear slope. The chain recess includes a wheel groove, a limiting groove, and an expanding groove from back to front. The chain roller is rotatably installed inside the wheel groove. The width of the limiting groove is not greater than the width of the wheel groove, and the width of the expanding groove gradually increases from back to front. The front end of the outer expansion groove is provided with a side groove, and a side roller is rotatably connected inside the side groove. The roller surface of the side roller is tangent to the left or right wall of the outer expansion groove.

2. A marine chain catcher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side roller is configured as a flat roller, and the roller surface of the side roller protrudes from the front surface of the chain-pulling frame, while the roller surface of the chain-pulling roller protrudes from the rear surface of the chain-pulling frame.

3. A marine chain catcher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chain-locking block includes a rotating rod and a pressure head. The rotating rod is rotatably connected between two chain-locking arms and is configured as a Y-shaped structure. The pressure head is connected to the end of the rotating rod.

4. A marine chain catcher according to claim 3, characterized in that: The pressure head is configured as a cylindrical structure, and a limiting body is provided on both the left and right walls of the limiting groove. The lower surface of the limiting body is configured as an arc surface, and the shape of the lower surface of the limiting body coincides with the movement trajectory of the circumferential surface of the pressure head.

5. A marine chain catcher according to claim 4, characterized in that: If the minimum spacing between the paired limiting bodies is a, and the maximum width of a single link on the anchor chain is b, then a > b.

6. A marine chain catcher according to claim 3, characterized in that: The pressure head has a slot in the middle, which is an arc-shaped groove for accommodating anchor chain links.

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