A mooring system and a dredger

Abstract

This invention discloses a cable guide system and a dredger, relating to the field of dredging technology, for use in dredgers; the anchor system includes an installation carrier mounted on the dredger and at least one winch; and a cable guide bracket, the cable guide bracket being provided with a cable guide assembly for guiding at least one anchor cable, one end of the anchor cable being connected to the winch, and the other end of the anchor cable being guided by the cable guide assembly and connected to an anchor at the bottom of the dredger; along the deployment path of the anchor cable, the cable guide assembly includes a first end near the winch and a second end near the anchor; the cable guide bracket is movably connected to the installation carrier so that the cable guide bracket can switch between a first posture and a second posture, in response to the first posture, the second end of the cable guide assembly is located below the bottom of the dredger; in response to the second posture, the second end of the cable guide assembly is located above the bottom of the dredger.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of dredging technology, specifically to a cable guide system and a dredger. Background Technology

[0002] The three-cable positioning system is a relatively mature positioning system for cutter suction dredgers. Its core is the use of three positioning anchors (stern anchor, port anchor, and starboard anchor) and corresponding three positioning cables (stern cable, port cable, and starboard cable), with the three-cable positioning guide bracket at the stern as the center to fix the vessel's position. Three winches are installed to provide power for raising and lowering the three anchor cables. This positioning system is flexible and well-suited for positioning vessels in deep water.

[0003] Because the port and starboard cables need to pass under the hull from the stern and connect to the port and starboard anchors at the bow, the bottom of the three-cable positioning guide bracket needs to be below the hull to prevent the side cables corresponding to the side anchors from rubbing against the hull and getting damaged. However, since the bottom of the three-cable positioning guide bracket is below the hull, it is susceptible to collisions and damage from nearby obstacles during dredging and transportation. Furthermore, during loading, the stern of the dredging vessel must be positioned behind the vehicle, leaving the bottom of the three-cable positioning guide bracket suspended in the air, which greatly inconveniences loading and transportation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a cable guide system and a dredger to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a cable guide system, characterized in that it is used on a dredger; the anchor system includes an installation carrier mounted on the dredger and at least one winch; and

[0006] A cable guide bracket is provided with a cable guide assembly for guiding at least one anchor cable. One end of the anchor cable is connected to the winch, and the other end of the anchor cable is connected to the anchor at the bottom of the dredger after being guided by the cable guide assembly.

[0007] Along the laying path of the anchor cable, the cable guide assembly includes a first end near the winch and a second end near the anchor.

[0008] The cable guide bracket is movably connected to the mounting carrier so that the cable guide bracket can switch between a first posture and a second posture. In response to the first posture, the second end of the cable guide assembly is located below the bottom of the dredger; in response to the second posture, the second end of the cable guide assembly is located above the bottom of the dredger.

[0009] It also includes a drive component for switching the cable guide bracket between the first posture and the second posture.

[0010] Preferably, the drive component includes a cable, one end of which is connected to the cable guide bracket, and the other end of which is connected to one of the anchor cables in the same winch.

[0011] Preferably, the lengths of the cable and the anchor cable sharing the same winch are configured such that when the cable pulls the guide cable support to the second position, the anchor cable pulls the anchor to the anchoring position.

[0012] Preferably, a receiving part is provided between the winch and the cable guide bracket for storing excess cable in the anchored state.

[0013] Preferably, the cable guide bracket is hinged to the mounting carrier, and the hinge axis between the two is perpendicular to the vertical direction or at an angle.

[0014] Preferably, the cable guide assembly includes a first guide wheel located at the first end and a second guide wheel located at the second end. The anchor cable passes sequentially around the first guide wheel and the second guide wheel from the winch and is connected to the anchor. A third guide wheel is also provided on the cable guide bracket. The cable passes sequentially around the first guide wheel and the third guide wheel from the winch and is connected to the cable guide bracket.

[0015] Preferably, the anchor includes a stern anchor, a first side anchor, and a second side anchor; the winch includes a first winch, a second winch, and a third winch; the guide cable assembly includes a first guide cable assembly, a second guide cable assembly, and a third guide cable assembly; the anchor cable includes a first anchor cable, a second anchor cable, and a third anchor cable; the first anchor cable is wound on the first winch, and its free end passes through the first guide cable assembly and is connected to the stern anchor; the second anchor cable is wound on the second winch, and its free end passes through the second guide cable assembly and is connected to the first side anchor; the third anchor cable is wound on the third winch, and its free end passes through the third cable assembly and is connected to the second side anchor; the cable is connected to the first winch.

[0016] Preferably, it further includes a locking device configured to hold the cable guide bracket in the first posture and to release the cable guide bracket from the first posture.

[0017] Preferably, the locking device includes a locking pin, and the cable guide bracket is fixed to the mounting carrier by the locking pin when it is in the first posture.

[0018] A dredger comprising the anchor system described in any one of the preceding claims.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0020] 1. By setting a cable guide bracket that can switch between the first and second postures, under the traction of the drive component, the cable guide bracket drives the second end of the cable guide assembly to change from below the bottom of the ship to above the bottom of the ship. This effectively avoids collision damage between the bottom of the cable guide mechanism and obstacles when the ship is in shallow water or is undergoing maintenance and transportation. Moreover, it can be loaded directly onto the vehicle without confirming the bow and stern direction of the ship, which significantly improves the convenience of operation and the safety of the equipment.

[0021] 2. By using a cable that shares the same winch as the anchor cable, the winch synchronously drives the cable to pull the support when performing the winding action. Utilizing the specific length configuration of the cable and the anchor cable, the cable is slackened after the guide cable support switches to the first posture, thus achieving decoupling of the action. This enables the simultaneous completion of anchor lifting and support posture switching using only a single power source, significantly reducing system design and manufacturing costs and simplifying the control logic.

[0022] 3. Through the locking device, when the cable guide bracket rotates to the first position under the traction of the winch, the locking pin is inserted into the pin hole of the fixed seat and the plug seat to rigidly fix the cable guide bracket and the installation carrier to each other. This achieves the effect of maintaining the stability of the bracket position during the operation of the vessel, ensuring the accurate movement distance of the dredger to ensure the continuity of the trench excavation, and effectively preventing the connecting parts from being quickly damaged due to frequent swinging and friction. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention when applied to a dredging vessel;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cable guiding mechanism of the present invention in its first posture;

[0025] Figure 3 For the present invention Figure 2 Enlarged at point A in the middle;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a rear view schematic diagram of the cable guiding mechanism of the present invention in its first posture;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the cable guide mechanism of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 For the present invention Figure 5 Enlarged view at point B in the middle;

[0029] Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the cable guiding mechanism of the present invention in its second posture;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of the cable guide mechanism of the present invention in its first posture.

[0031] In the diagram: 1. Vessel; 11. Mounting carrier; 2. Winch; 21. Anchor cable; 22. Second guide wheel; 3. Guide cable mechanism; 31. Guide cable bracket; 311. Cable; 32. Third guide wheel; 33. First guide wheel; 331. Conduit; 34. Connector; 341. Lead pipe; 35. Fixing seat; 351. Positioning block; 36. Long pin; 37. Short pin; 4. Piling mechanism; 5. Swing arm. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] like Figures 1 to 8 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a cable guide system for a dredger; the anchor system includes an installation carrier 11 mounted on the dredger and at least one winch 2; and

[0034] The cable guide bracket 31 is provided with a cable guide assembly for guiding at least one anchor cable 21. One end of the anchor cable 21 is connected to the winch 2, and the other end of the anchor cable 21 is connected to the anchor at the bottom of the dredger after being guided by the cable guide assembly.

[0035] Along the laying path of the anchor cable 21, the cable guide assembly includes a first end near the winch and a second end near the anchor.

[0036] The cable guide bracket 31 is movably connected to the mounting carrier 11 so that the cable guide bracket 31 can switch between a first posture and a second posture. In response to the first posture, the second end of the cable guide assembly is located below the bottom of the dredger; in response to the second posture, the second end of the cable guide assembly is located above the bottom of the dredger.

[0037] It also includes a drive component for driving the cable guide bracket 31 to switch between the first and second postures.

[0038] By switching the guide cable support 31 between a first and a second posture, the relative position of the second end of the guide cable assembly to the hull bottom varies in different postures. This allows the second end of the guide cable assembly to move from below the waterline to above the waterline when the vessel 1 is in shallow water or undergoing maintenance, facilitating maintenance or shore transport. Furthermore, when the guide cable support 31 is in the second posture, since the second end of the guide cable assembly is above the hull bottom, there is no need to confirm the bow and stern orientation of the vessel 1 during subsequent loading; the vessel 1 can be directly transported to the transport vehicle, greatly improving loading convenience.

[0039] In this embodiment, the driving component includes a cable 311, one end of which is connected to the cable guide bracket 31, and the other end of which is connected to one of the anchor cables 21 and the same winch 2.

[0040] By allowing the cable 311 and an anchor cable 21 to share the same winch 2, the same winch 2 can be used for anchor raising and lowering actions and for switching the attitude of the cable guide mechanism 3. This reduces the design and manufacturing costs of the control structure and simplifies the control logic for the anchor and cable guide mechanism 3, making it easier for industry personnel to use and understand.

[0041] In this embodiment, the lengths of the cable 311 and the anchor cable 21, which share the same winch 2, are configured such that when the cable 311 pulls the guide cable support 31 to the second posture, the anchor cable 21 pulls the anchor to the anchoring state.

[0042] During the dredging process, as the vessel 1 advances, the anchor cable 21 needs to be gradually unwound. Therefore, the length of the cable 311 must be the same as the length of the anchor cable 21, or the length of the cable 311 must be greater than that of the anchor cable 21. This ensures that after the cable guide mechanism 3 switches from the second position to the first position, the cable 311 will not wind backwards onto the winch 2 during the continued unwinding process. When the unwinding action of the winch 2 switches the cable guide assembly from the second position to the first position, the continued unwinding of the winch 2 will cause the cable 311 to change from a taut state to a loose state. At this time, the unwinding operation of the winch 2 will be decoupled from the cable guide mechanism 3, preventing unnecessary actions from occurring in the cable guide mechanism 3 during subsequent unwinding processes.

[0043] In this embodiment, a receiving part is provided between the winch 2 and the cable guide bracket 31 for storing excess cable 311 in the anchored state.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, when the winch 2 performs the unwinding operation, both the cable 311 and the anchor cable 21 connected to the winch 2 begin to be unwound. At this time, the anchor connected to the anchor cable 21 will switch to the anchoring state, and when the cable 311 is unwound, the guide cable support 31 switches to the first posture. After the guide cable support 31 enters the first posture, the anchor cable 21 needs to be unwound again due to the movement of the vessel 1. At this time, the cable 311 is also unwound synchronously, and the excess cable 311 will enter the receiving part. Since the cable 311 is always in the unwound state, the cable 311 will enter a loose state and no longer provide tension to the guide cable support 31, ensuring that after the guide cable mechanism 3 is in the first posture, it will no longer be affected by the tension of the cable 311 and will not be able to be fixed in the first posture.

[0045] In this embodiment, the cable guide bracket 31 is hinged to the mounting carrier 11, and the hinge axis between the two is set perpendicular to the vertical direction or at an angle.

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, the cable guide bracket 31 is hinged to the mounting carrier 11. When the winch 2 winds up the cable 311, as the unwound length of the cable 311 decreases, the cable guide bracket 31 rotates along the hinge axis, gradually switching from a first posture to a second posture (i.e., the second end of the cable guide assembly changes from being below the hull to being above the hull). This prevents the bottom of the cable guide mechanism 3 from colliding with obstacles and being damaged when the vessel 1 is in shallow water, near shore, or during transport.

[0047] Since one of the purposes of this design is to avoid damage caused by the bottom of the cable guide mechanism 3 colliding with obstacles when it is not in operation, the cable guide bracket 31 is not limited to being hinged to the mounting carrier 11. Alternatively, the cable guide bracket 31 can be slidably connected to the side of the mounting carrier 11, and the vertical movement of the cable guide bracket 31 can be achieved through pulley blocks and pulley frames. Alternatively, the cable guide bracket 31 can be a split, telescopic structure, with the cable 311 connected to the telescopic section of the cable guide bracket 31. As the cable 311 is wound up, the telescopic section of the cable guide bracket 31 is pulled upwards, thus entering the interior of the fixed end of the cable guide bracket 31. This also allows the second end of the cable guide assembly inside the cable guide bracket 31 to be positioned above the bottom of the dredger.

[0048] Furthermore, since the cable guide bracket 31 and the mounting carrier 11 are hinged in this embodiment, after the cable guide bracket 31 is pulled to the second posture by the cable 311, the cable 311 will not be in a completely taut state (i.e., the cable 311 has a certain elastic deformation capacity). On the one hand, this protects the cable 311; on the other hand, when using a transport vehicle for transportation, some of the bumps during transportation will be directly absorbed by the cable 311, improving the safety during transportation.

[0049] In this embodiment, the cable guide assembly includes a first guide wheel 33 located at the first end and a second guide wheel 22 located at the second end. The anchor cable 21 is connected to the ship's anchor after passing around the first guide wheel 33 and the second guide wheel 22 in sequence from the winch 2. The cable guide bracket 31 is also provided with a third guide wheel 32. The cable 311 is connected to the cable guide bracket 31 after passing around the first guide wheel 33 and the third guide wheel 32 in sequence from the winch 2.

[0050] like Figures 2 to 6In the illustrated embodiment, the cable guide assembly includes not only the first guide wheel 33 and the second guide wheel 22, but also a cable guide tube 331 located inside the cable guide bracket 31. That is, after passing the first guide wheel 33, the anchor cable 21 first passes through the cable guide tube 331, and then around the second guide wheel 22. The cable guide tube 331 limits the movement of the anchor cable 21 from a loose state to a taut state, significantly reducing its swing amplitude within the cable guide bracket 31. This prevents the cable guide bracket 31 and the anchor cable 21 from being rapidly damaged due to excessive swing amplitude.

[0051] In this embodiment, the ship's anchor includes a stern anchor, a first side anchor, and a second side anchor; the winch 2 includes a first winch, a second winch, and a third winch; the guide cable assembly includes a first guide cable assembly, a second guide cable assembly, and a third guide cable assembly; the anchor cable 21 includes a first anchor cable, a second anchor cable, and a third anchor cable; the first anchor cable is wound on the first winch, and its free end passes through the first guide cable assembly and is connected to the stern anchor; the second anchor cable is wound on the second winch, and its free end passes through the second guide cable assembly and is connected to the first side anchor; the third anchor cable is wound on the third winch, and its free end passes through the third cable assembly and is connected to the second side anchor; and the cable 311 is connected to the first winch.

[0052] like Figure 1 As shown, the winch 2 near the stern of vessel 1 includes a first winch located in the middle and a second and third winch located on either side of the first winch, as follows: Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, both the first anchor cable and the cable 311 are wound on the first winch and reversed by the first guide wheel 33 in the first guide cable assembly. After being reversed by the first guide wheel 33, the cable 311 is fixedly connected to the outside of the guide cable bracket 31. After being reversed by the first guide wheel 33 in the first guide cable assembly, the first anchor cable passes through the guide cable bracket 31 and is then guided by the second guide wheel 22 in the first guide cable assembly before connecting to the tail anchor (the tail anchor, the first side anchor, and the second side anchor are not shown in the figure). This allows the first winch to first wind up the loose section of the cable 311 in the receiving part and simultaneously wind up the first anchor cable corresponding to the tail anchor when performing the winding action. As the loose section of the cable 311 is wound up, the subsequent winding action of the first winch will tighten the cable 311 and drive the guide cable bracket 31 to move during the subsequent winding action, thereby switching the guide cable bracket 31 from the first posture to the second posture. At the same time, as the first winch winds up, the first anchor cable is also wound up, thus completing the switching of the cable guide bracket 31 from the first posture to the second posture while simultaneously raising the tail anchor. Without setting up additional winches and control circuits, the switching of the state of the cable guide mechanism 3 and the anchoring and raising of the tail anchor can be completed simultaneously.

[0053] As can be seen from the embodiments described above, after different cable guide components use corresponding conduits 331 to restrict the anchor cables 21, they can still keep the anchor cables 21 corresponding to multiple anchors in an independent state within the cable guide bracket 31. This ensures that all anchor cables 21 will not come into contact with other anchor cables 21 within the cable guide bracket 31 during working and non-working processes, avoiding problems such as entanglement between an anchor cable 21 and other anchor cables 21 when suddenly taut. Furthermore, after using the conduit 331, when threading the anchor cable 21 for the first time, it is only necessary to pass the free end of the anchor cable 21 through the opening of the first guide wheel 33. After being guided by the conduit 331, the free end of the anchor cable 21 can directly exit from the cable guide bracket 31, facilitating subsequent connection of the anchor.

[0054] In this embodiment, a locking device is also included, which is configured to hold the cable guide bracket 31 in the first posture and to release the cable guide bracket 31 from the first posture.

[0055] When the cable guide bracket 31 is in its first position, the cable guide mechanism 3 guides the anchor cable 21. If the cable guide bracket 31 is not held in its first position by the locking device, the angle and position of the anchor cable 21 will change due to the change in the relative position between the vessel 1 and the anchor during the movement of the vessel 1. This will cause the cable guide bracket 31 to swing or slide (depending on the connection method between the cable guide bracket 31 and the mounting carrier 11). The change in the state of the cable guide bracket 31 will cause the vessel 1 to move an inaccurate distance, resulting in discontinuous parts in the dredged trench (under-dredging or overlapping dredging areas). When the locking device is used to lock the cable guide bracket 31, it can be ensured that the vessel 1 can accurately move the length of the anchor cable 21 after the winch 2 unwinds, ensuring the continuity of the trench dredged by the dredger during operation. At the same time, since the cable guide bracket 31 does not change its state during the operation of the vessel 1, the connecting parts between the cable guide bracket 31 and the mounting carrier 11 will not experience frequent friction and rapid damage.

[0056] In this embodiment, the locking device includes a locking pin, and the cable guide bracket 31 is fixed to the mounting carrier 11 by the locking pin when it is in the first posture.

[0057] like Figures 2 to 8As shown, this embodiment includes not only a locking pin, but also a fixing seat 35 fixed to one side of the mounting carrier 11 and a plug-in seat 34 fixed to the cable guide bracket 31. Corresponding pin holes are provided on the fixing seat 35 and the plug-in seat 34. In this embodiment, the locking pin includes a long pin 36 and a short pin 37. A guide tube 341 coaxial with the pin hole is also provided on the plug-in seat 34. Thus, after the winch 2 unwinds the cable 311, causing the cable guide bracket 31 to switch from the second posture to the first posture, the long pin 36 is first passed through the guide tube 341 through the pin holes of the fixing seat 35 and the plug-in seat 34 on the mounting carrier 11 to initially fix the cable guide bracket 31. Then, the short pin 37 is used for secondary fixation.

[0058] Furthermore, in Figure 3 As can be seen, a positioning block 351 corresponding to a portion of the plug-in seat 34 is provided on the fixed seat 35. When the winch 2 unwinds the cable 311 and the cable guide bracket 31 changes from the second posture to the first posture, the cable guide bracket 31 stops moving as the plug-in seat 34 abuts against the positioning block 351. At this time, the pin holes on the plug-in seat 34 and the fixed seat 35 correspond to each other, which facilitates the subsequent pin locking action.

[0059] The locking device can not only be set in the state shown in the figure, but also switch between the first and second postures by vertically moving the cable guide bracket 31 relative to the mounting carrier 11. In this case, the axis of the locking pin is perpendicular to the movement path of the cable guide bracket 31. When the cable guide bracket 31 enters the first posture, the locking pin fixes the cable guide bracket 31, which can also achieve the effect of fixing the cable guide mechanism 3.

[0060] The use of locking pins not only significantly reduces the design and manufacturing costs of related components, eliminating the need for additional corrosion-resistant designs for the electronic control structure, but also allows for independent inspection of the locking pins and related locking holes each time they are inserted or removed. This enables personnel to quickly identify and address any issues, improving the safety and stability of vessel 1 during operation. The use of an electronically controlled locking structure is a standard technical choice and will not be elaborated upon further here.

[0061] In this embodiment, a dredger includes the cable guide system described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0062] like Figure 1 As shown, the dredger is equipped with two pile-inverting mechanisms 4 at the stern to enable the vessel 1 to move forward in a stride. Two swing arms 5 are installed on both sides of the bow to suspend the left and right anchors.

[0063] The foregoing has only described certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention by way of illustration. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art can modify the described embodiments in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cable guiding system, characterized in that, For use on a dredger; the anchor system includes an installation carrier mounted on the dredger and at least one winch; and A cable guide bracket is provided with a cable guide assembly for guiding at least one anchor cable. One end of the anchor cable is connected to the winch, and the other end of the anchor cable is connected to the anchor at the bottom of the dredger after being guided by the cable guide assembly. Along the laying path of the anchor cable, the cable guide assembly includes a first end near the winch and a second end near the anchor. The cable guide bracket is movably connected to the mounting carrier so that the cable guide bracket can switch between a first posture and a second posture. In response to the first posture, the second end of the cable guide assembly is located below the bottom of the dredger; in response to the second posture, the second end of the cable guide assembly is located above the bottom of the dredger. It also includes a drive component for switching the cable guide bracket between the first posture and the second posture.

2. The cable guiding system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive component includes a cable, one end of which is connected to the cable guide bracket, and the other end of which is connected to one of the anchor cables in the same winch.

3. A cable guiding system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lengths of the cable and the anchor cable sharing the same winch are configured such that when the cable pulls the guide cable support to the second position, the anchor cable pulls the anchor to the anchoring position.

4. A cable guiding system according to claim 3, characterized in that: A receiving section is provided between the winch and the cable guide bracket for storing excess cable in the anchored state.

5. A cable guiding system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cable guide bracket is hinged to the mounting carrier, and the hinge axis between the two is perpendicular to the vertical direction or at an angle.

6. A cable guiding system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The cable guide assembly includes a first guide wheel located at the first end and a second guide wheel located at the second end. The anchor cable passes through the first guide wheel and the second guide wheel sequentially from the winch and is connected to the anchor. A third guide wheel is also provided on the cable guide bracket. The cable passes through the first guide wheel and the third guide wheel sequentially from the winch and is connected to the cable guide bracket.

7. A cable guiding system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The anchor includes a stern anchor, a first side anchor, and a second side anchor; the winch includes a first winch, a second winch, and a third winch; the guide cable assembly includes a first guide cable assembly, a second guide cable assembly, and a third guide cable assembly; the anchor cable includes a first anchor cable, a second anchor cable, and a third anchor cable; the first anchor cable is wound on the first winch, and its free end passes through the first guide cable assembly and is connected to the stern anchor; the second anchor cable is wound on the second winch, and its free end passes through the second guide cable assembly and is connected to the first side anchor; the third anchor cable is wound on the third winch, and its free end passes through the third cable assembly and is connected to the second side anchor; the cable is connected to the first winch.

8. A cable guiding system according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a locking device configured to hold the cable guide bracket in the first posture and to release the cable guide bracket from the first posture.

9. A cable guiding system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The locking device includes a locking pin, and the cable guide bracket is fixed to the mounting carrier by the locking pin when it is in the first posture.

10. A dredger, characterized in that, Includes the anchor system as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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