A tow pin device and a tow pin and shark jaw arrangement

Abstract

A tow pin device (20) for securing and guiding a cable (12), such as a chain, wire, or rope, on board a vessel (10), comprising several upright cylinders (22), each equipped with a horizontally orientated locking arm (24). The horizontally orientated locking arm (24) is rotatably mounted to the cylinder (22), wherein the rotation of the locking arm (24) is stepless and the locking arm (24) is lockable in any desired orientation in a horizontal plane. The invention also relates to a tow pin and shark jaw arrangement, comprising a tow pin device.

Description

[0001] A tow pin device and a tow pin and shark jaw arrangement

[0002] Field of the invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a tow pin device for securing and guiding a cable, such as a chain, wire or rope, on board a vessel, comprising several upright cylinders, each equipped with a horizontally orientated locking arm. The invention also relates to a tow pin and shark jaw arrangement.

[0004] Background of the invention

[0005] Tow pins are used on tugs, working boats and anchor handling vessels (AHTS). They mainly serve to guide towing ropes and anchor chains.

[0006] The tow pins are sitting in a housing structure at the stern of a vessel deck and its purpose is to secure any type of rope or chain running from the vessel main deck over the vessel stern. The housing structure is a conventional housing structure used for similar applications and may also comprise shark jaws and centring devices.

[0007] The tow pins are fitted with guide arms or locking arms that can be individually controlled to help guide the chain into the shark jaw at the correct angle. Each guide arm can exert a downforce of several tonnes to keep lines in place. While the centering devices guide can be used to push it into the area of the shark jaw which acts as a chain or wire stopper.

[0008] The tow pins are mounted aft of the shark jaw and equipped with locking arms for securing the chain or wire while in the shark jaw. Operation of towing pins, centering device and shark jaw can be remote controlled from the bridge reducing risk to deck crew by avoiding work on unsecured heavily loaded chains or wires. A portable remote control is available for use during service and maintenance work.

[0009] Today’s solution has geometrical limitations for heavy duty applications, as the offshore Wind marked require.

[0010] Disclosure of the state of art

[0011] CN 103224006 A discloses a tow pin device for securing and guiding a cable / chain / rope on board a vessel, comprising several upright cylinders, each equipped with a horizontally orientated locking arm, such that the horizontally orientated locking arm is installed at the upper end of the cylinder. KR 10-2017-0074704 A relates to an inline control system for an offshore plant, and more particularly, to an inline control system for an offshore plant, which includes a shark jaw selectively restraining one side of the inline and a towing pin guiding the movement of the inline.

[0012] US 4603649 A relates to a locking means for the tow line guide pins on a tugboat, supply boat or the like.

[0013] WO 2013 / 165257 A1 discloses a tow line controlling device that is positioned in a deck of a vessel where the tow line controlling device includes at least two tow pins that are movable between a passive position and at least one active position and where a gap between two of the tow pins is spanned by a bridge at least when the tow pins are in one of their active positions.

[0014] NO 314349 B1 discloses a tow pin device for guiding a cable, such as a chain, wire, rope, etc. on board a vessel, comprising a number of cylinders with an intermediate stopper, between which the cable is guided, and where the tow pin can be lowered / raised in the vessel's deck by means of the cylinders.

[0015] Objects of the present invention

[0016] It is an object of the invention to provide a tow pin with preferably a freely rotatable locking arm, rotatable in a horizontal plane, but that can be fixed at predefined positions on the preferable full circle.

[0017] The tow pin according to the invention can have a 360-degree rotating, be compact and have a heavy-duty locking device integrated in the tow pin. The solution also holds easier access for maintenance from top of the tow pin, for instance from deck.

[0018] It is a further object to provide in combination a tow pin and shark jaw arrangement with a more compact design than prior art solutions. A pair of tow pins can be combined with a shark jaw, or two or more pairs of tow pins can be combined with two or more shark jaws.

[0019] For instance, a more compact and cost-efficient design can be provided if three shark jaws or more are placed on one vessel. It is also an object to provide safer work and maintenance on deck and enable use for higher loads. The tendency in the market is indicating higher loads and larger anchor equipment, and the invention may allow for more flexible product adaptions for future operations.

[0020] The invention can be used with for instance windfarm anchoring, offshore installation and decommissioning, and for that matter any type of seabed anchoring.

[0021] Summary of the invention

[0022] Said object are achieved with a tow pin device for securing and guiding a cable, such as a chain, wire or rope, on board a vessel, comprising several upright cylinders, each equipped with a horizontally orientated locking arm. The horizontally orientated locking arm is rotatably mounted to the cylinder, wherein the rotation of the locking arm is stepless and the locking arm is lockable in any desired orientation in a horizontal plane.

[0023] Alternative embodiments are given in the dependent claims.

[0024] Each cylinder can be sitting in a housing structure, and be a non-rotating cylinder movable vertically up and down in said housing structure.

[0025] The locking arm can be rotatable 360° in said horizontal plane.

[0026] The locking arm is mounted at an upper part of the cylinder and the locking arm is preferable arranged to rotate stepless in clockwise and / or counterclockwise direction by the aid from a motor mechanism and to be locked in predefined positions using a rotation lock ring.

[0027] The locking arm can comprise bottom knobs and be seated on tracks on top of the rotation lock ring, preventing rotation of the locking arm in a locked position.

[0028] The locking arm can further comprise peripheral warts for engagement with circular tracks inside the cylinder, preventing vertical movement of the locking arm and allowing rotation of the locking arm. The rotation lock ring can comprise spikes movable in vertical tracks inside the cylinder, said rotation lock ring being movable up and down in said tracks under the influence of a force from one or more pistons.

[0029] One or more pistons are when loaded arranged to force the tracks of the rotation lock ring into engagement with the bottom knobs of the locking arm.

[0030] Said one or more pistons are when released arranged to free the tracks of the rotation lock ring from engagement with the bottom knobs of the locking arm.

[0031] The piston can be a spring-loaded piston, loaded by the spring force and releasable by air or fluid pressure applied on top of the pistons.

[0032] The tow pin device can comprise one or more pairs of cylinders, said pair(s) of cylinders are placeable side by side and the horizontally orientated locking arms of two neighbor cylinders can be rotatably towards each other to capture a through running rope or cable.

[0033] Said object are also achieved with a tow pin and shark jaw arrangement comprising a tow pin device as disclosed above, said tow pin device comprises one pair of cylinders being placeable side by side and adjacent a shark jaw, and the horizontally orientated locking arms of the cylinders are rotatably towards each other to capture a through running rope or cable.

[0034] Said object are also achieved with a tow pin and shark jaw arrangement comprising several tow pin devices as disclosed above, each tow pin device comprises a pair of cylinders being placeable side by side and adjacent a respective shark jaw, and the horizontally orientated locking arms of the cylinders are rotatably towards each other to capture a through running rope or cable.

[0035] The locking arms of two innermost cylinders in adjacent pairs of cylinders can be rotatable toward each other to capture a rope or chain in between them.

[0036] The locking arms of two pair of tow pin devices can be individually rotatable to serve three shark jaws. The locking arms of the two pair of tow pin devices can be individually rotatable to serve two or three shark jaws, wherein the locking arms of the one pair of tow pins can be individually rotatable to serve one shark jaw.

[0037] Description of the figures

[0038] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following figures, wherein:

[0039] Figure 1 shows a side view on aft of a vessel with a tow pin device and a shark jaw arrangement according to the invention.

[0040] Figure 2 shows a top view of the tow pin device and the shark jaw arrangement according to the invention.

[0041] Figure 3 shows an exploded view of a tow pin according to the invention.

[0042] Figure 4 shows a cross sectional view of a cylinder of the tow pin according to the invention.

[0043] Figure 5 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the cylinder of the tow pin according to the invention.

[0044] Figure 6 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the tow pin, with a locking arm in freely rotatable position and in a locked position.

[0045] Figure 7 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the tow pin, showing activating and deactivation of a piston.

[0046] Figure 8 shows an overview of a possible configuration of a tow pin and shark jaw arrangement according to the invention.

[0047] Figure 9 shows an overview of a further possible configuration of a tow pin and shark jaw arrangement according to the invention.

[0048] Description of preferred embodiments of the invention

[0049] Fig. 1 and 2 show a tow pin device 20 for securing and guiding a cable 12, such as a chain, wire or rope, on board a vessel 10. The tow pin device 20 comprises several upright cylinders 22, each equipped with a horizontally orientated locking arm 24.

[0050] Each cylinder 22 is preferably sitting in a housing structure 18 mounted in the deck of the vessel 10, and the cylinders are a non-rotating cylinder 22 movable vertically up and down in said housing structure 18.

[0051] The tow pin device having a pair of cylinders is preferably placed next to a shark jaw. In fig. 2, to tow pin devices 20 with two pairs of cylinders are placed next to respective shark jaw. The shark jaw is used to clamp and hold the cable 12, and the tow pins are used to secure the cable, and also to force the cable to the working area of the shark jaw.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment according to the invention is said horizontally orientated locking arm 24 rotatably mounted to the cylinder 22. The rotation of the locking arm 24 is stepless and the locking arm 24 is lockable in any desired position in a horizontal plane. The locking arm can be rotatably 360° in said horizontal plane.

[0053] Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the tow pin according to the invention. As shown, each tow pin comprises a cylinder 22 that can be driven up and down from said cylinder housing 18 in the vessel deck by one or more hydraulic pistons.

[0054] Each cylinder 22 is preferably sitting in a housing structure 18 mounted in the deck of the vessel 10, and the cylinders are a non-rotating cylinder 22 movable vertically up and down in said housing structure 18. Each cylinder 22 may comprise one or more outside covers 22a-b providing an even outside diameter of the whole cylinder 22.

[0055] Within the cylinder 22 is mounted a hydraulic cylinder support 30 connected to a vertical moving piston for movement of the cylinder 22 in and out of said cylinder housing. A motor mechanism 26 with a gear system is mounted in a custom torsion box, and interlocks with the hydraulic cylinder support 30. The motor mechanism 26 can in one embodiment for instance comprise a planetary gear train with a sun gear, planet gears supported by a carrier and a ring gear placed within the locking arm 24. When the locking arm 24 is in a free to rotate position, which shall be explained later, the motor mechanism 26 may thus freely rotate the locking arm in said horizontal plane. Other motor mechanisms 26 may be used as long as it provides the same function.

[0056] The locking arm 24 is basically L-shaped with a horizontally oriented arm 24a and a vertically oriented seat 24b equipped with circumferential warts 34 on its outside and knobs 32 on the bottom of the seat 24. The locking arm 24 is seated on a rotation lock ring 28, in where the rotation lock ring 28 comprises several tracks 36 or grooves for receipt of the bottom knobs 32 of the locking arm 24, and the rotation lock ring 28 comprises downward spikes 38. The locking arm 24 is mounted at an upper part of the cylinder 22 and the locking arm 24 is rotatable stepless in clockwise and / or counter clockwise direction by the aid from the motor mechanism 26 and to be locked in predefined positions using the rotation lock ring 28.

[0057] When assembled, the peripheral warts 34 of the locking arm 24 is in engagement with circular tracks 40 inside the cylinder 22, as shown in for instance fig. 4 or 5. The engagement of the warts 34 in the circular tracks 40 is preventing vertical movement of the locking arm 24 and allows rotation of the locking arm 24. In the shown embodiment, two circular tracks 40 are used, one above the other. Hence, the locking arm 24 can be equipped with two rows of warts 34.

[0058] The spikes 38 of the rotation lock ring 28 are movable in vertical tracks 42 inside the cylinder 22, such that the rotation lock ring 28 is movable up and down in said tracks 42. One or more pistons 46 can be used to force the rotation lock ring 28 up and down.

[0059] Fig. 6 shows, on the right-hand side, that the rotation locking ring 28 is in its lowered position, wherein the bottom knobs 32 of the locking arm 24 is out of engagement with the upper tracks 36 on the rotation locking ring 28 and the locking arm 24 is free to rotate using the motor mechanism 26. On the left-hand side of fig. 6, the rotation locking ring 28 is in its elevated position, pushed up by the pistons 46, wherein the upper tracks 36 on the rotation locking ring 28 are in engagement with the bottom knobs 32 of the locking arm 24, thus preventing rotation of the locking arm 24.

[0060] Fig. 7 shows the piston assembly for forcing the rotation locking ring 28 up or down. The piston(s) 46 can be imbedded within the cylinder 22. The one or more pistons 46 are when loaded arranged to force rotation lock ring 28 and thus the tracks 36 of the rotation lock ring 28 into engagement with the bottom knobs 32 of the locking arm 24, which is shown on the left-hand side of fig. 7. On the right-hand side, the one or more pistons 46 are released and arranged to lower the rotation lock ring 28, and thus free the tracks 36 of the rotation lock ring 28 from engagement with the bottom knobs 32 of the locking arm 24.

[0061] Each piston 46 can in one embodiment be a spring-loaded piston, loaded by the spring force and releasable by air or fluid pressure applied on top of the piston 46. It would also be possible to use pneumatic or hydraulic operated pistons. As mentioned, the tow pin device 20 according to the invention comprises at least one pairs of cylinders 22, but may comprise several pairs of cylinders 22, wherein each pair of cylinders 22 are placeable side by side and the horizontally orientated locking arms 24 of two neighbour cylinders 22 are rotatably towards each other to capture a through running rope or cable 12.

[0062] The tow pin and shark jaw arrangement according to the invention may in a simplified configuration comprise a tow pin device 20 having one pair of cylinders 22 being placeable side by side and adjacent a shark jaw 14, wherein the horizontally orientated locking arms 24 of the cylinders 22 are rotatably towards each other to capture a through running rope or cable 12.

[0063] Figure 8 shows an overview of a possible more preferable configuration of a tow pin and shark jaw arrangement according to the invention.

[0064] The tow pin and shark jaw arrangement may comprise several tow pin devices 20, each having a pair of cylinders 22 being placeable side by side and adjacent a respective shark jaw 14, and the horizontally orientated locking arms 24 of the cylinders 22 are rotatably towards each other to capture a through running rope or cable 12.

[0065] As seen, the locking arms 24 of two innermost cylinders 22 in adjacent pairs of cylinders 22 can be rotatable toward each other to capture a central rope or chain 12 in between them.

[0066] Figure 9 shows an overview of a further possible configuration of a tow pin and shark jaw arrangement according to the invention. The shark jaws 14 are placed with a longer central distance between each other.

[0067] In this configuration, the locking arms 24 of two pairs of tow pin devices 20 are individually rotatable to serve three shark jaws 14.

[0068] Hence, the locking arms 24 of the two pair of tow pin devices 20 are individually rotatable to serve two or three shark jaws 14, wherein the locking arms 24 of the one pair of tow pins 20 are individually rotatable to serve one shark jaw 14. With the invention it possible to lock and secure a rope 12 or chain in many possible configurations. Possible positions of the locking arms are indicated by 24', while actual positions are indicated by 24.

[0069] Possible arrangements / configurations can be as seen in fig. 8 and 9, without limitation:

[0070] - Three shark jaws side by side using two sets of tow pins with two locking arms rotated 0° and 180°.

[0071] - Two shark jaws side by side using sets of tow pins with two locking arms rotated 0° and 180°.

[0072] - Two shark jaws side by side using two sets of tow pins with locking arms rotated towards each other for the shark jaw position and one locking arm rotated 180° for the centre position.

[0073] - Two shark jaws side by side using two sets of tow pins with locking arms rotated towards each other for the shark jaw position and two locking arms rotated at the same opposite angle.

[0074] - Two shark jaws side by side using two sets of tow pins with locking arms rotated towards each other for the shark jaw position and two locking arms rotated with different angles.

[0075] Center distance between the shark jaws is thus flexible, and the same is the center distance between tow pins, which makes the whole arrangement more flexible.

Claims

Claims1. A tow pin device (20) for securing and guiding a cable (12), such as a chain, wire or rope, on board a vessel (10), comprising several upright cylinders (22), each equipped with a horizontally orientated locking arm (24), characterized in that said horizontally orientated locking arm (24) is rotatably mounted to the cylinder (22), wherein the rotation of the locking arm (24) is stepless and the locking arm (24) is lockable in any desired orientation in a horizontal plane.

2. The tow pin device (20) according to claim 1 , wherein each cylinder (22) is sitting in a housing structure (18), and is a non-rotating cylinder (22) movable vertically up and down in said housing structure (18).

3. The tow pin device (20) according to claim 1 , wherein the locking arm (24) is rotatable 360° in said horizontal plane.

4. The tow pin device (20) according to claim 1 , wherein the locking arm (24) is mounted at an upper part of the cylinder (22) and the locking arm (24) is arranged to rotate stepless in clockwise and / or counterclockwise direction by the aid from a motor mechanism (26) and to be locked in predefined positions using a rotation lock ring (28).

5. The tow pin device (20) according to claim 4, wherein the locking arm (24) comprises bottom knobs (32) and is seated on tracks (36) on top of the rotation lock ring (28), preventing rotation of the locking arm (24) in a locked position.

6. The tow pin device (20) according to claim 4, wherein the locking arm (24) comprises peripheral warts (34) for engagement with circular tracks (40) inside the cylinder (22), preventing vertical movement of the locking arm (24) and allowing rotation of the locking arm (24).

7. The tow pin device (20) according to claim 5 and 6, wherein the rotation lock ring (28) comprises spikes (38) movable in vertical tracks (42) inside the cylinder (22), said rotation lock ring (28) being movable up and down in said tracks (42) under the influence of a force from one or more pistons (46).

8. The tow pin device (20) according to claim 7, wherein said one or more pistons (46), when loaded, is / are arranged to force the tracks (36) of the rotation lock ring (28) into engagement with the bottom knobs (32) of the locking arm (24).

9. The tow pin device (20) according to claim 7, wherein said one or more pistons (46), when released, is / are arranged to free the tracks (36) of the rotation lock ring (28) from engagement with the bottom knobs (32) of the locking arm (24).

10. The tow pin device (20) according to claim 7, wherein said piston (46) is a spring-loaded piston, loaded by the spring force and releasable by air or fluid pressure applied on top of the piston (46).

11. The tow pin device (20) according to claim 1 , comprising one or more pairs of cylinders (22), said pair(s) of cylinders (22) are placeable side by side, and the horizontally orientated locking arms (24) of two neighbor cylinders (22) are rotatably towards each other to capture a through running rope or cable (12).

12. Tow pin and shark jaw arrangement, comprising a tow pin device (20) according to any of claims 1-11, said tow pin device (20) comprises one pair of cylinders (22) being placeable side by side and adjacent a shark jaw (14), and the horizontally orientated locking arms (24) of the cylinders (22) are rotatably towards each other to capture a through running rope or cable (12).

13. Tow pin and shark jaw arrangement, comprising several tow pin devices (20) according to any of claims 1-11, each tow pin device (20) comprises a pair of cylinders (22) being placeable side by side and adjacent a respective shark jaw (14), and the horizontally orientated locking arms (24) of the cylinders (22) are rotatably towards each other to capture a through running rope or cable (12).

14. Tow pin and shark jaw arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the locking arms (24) of two innermost cylinders (22) in adjacent pairs of cylinders (22) are rotatable toward each other to capture a rope or chain (12) in between them.

15. Tow pin and shark jaw arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the locking arms (24) of two pair of tow pin devices (20) are individually rotatable to serve three shark jaws (14).

16. Tow pin and shark jaw arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the locking arms (24) of two pair of tow pin devices (20) are individually rotatable to serve two or three shark jaws (14), wherein the locking arms (24) of the one pair of tow pins (20) are individually rotatable to serve one shark jaw (14).

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