Device for launching or raising a floating structure

Abstract

Title of the invention: Device for launching or raising a floating structure. The invention relates to a device for launching or raising a floating structure (1) (2), comprising at least one ramp (4) having a first end (4a), a second end (4b) opposite the first end (4a), and a sliding device (6) for the floating structure (2) on the ramp (4). The launching or raising device (1) comprises a pivoting member (8) of the ramp (4) connected to it at a point located between the first end (4a) and the second end (4b) of the ramp (4), and a movement device (38) configured to generate a displacement of the floating structure (2) on the ramp (4). The launching or raising device (1) comprises at least one float (10) connected to one of the ends (4b) of the ramp. (4) and at least one means (12) for managing the buoyancy of the float (10). Figure of the abstract: Figure 1.

Description

Title of the invention: Device for launching or raising a floating structure

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for launching or raising a floating structure by means of a ramp and a device for moving the floating structure allowing a controlled movement of said floating structure from or to a quay, a shore or from or to a floating system to or from a marine environment, in order to be subsequently transported to a desired location, in other words a location where the floating structure will be useful.

[0002] Currently, it is known to use cranes, dry docks, or floating slipways to launch floating objects. It is also known to use access ramps installed in ports to allow the transfer of caissons to ships. These ramps are either supported by floats or rigidly anchored to the bottom of the port.

[0003] They present several disadvantages. For example, such a ramp rests on the bottom of the port by means of pillars and requires mechanical means of height adjustment to follow the water level and variations in draft. In any case, these pillars restrict the ramp's freedom of movement.

[0004] The invention relates to the launching or raising of a floating structure, for example, a concrete caisson that can weigh several thousand tons. It is clear that transferring a caisson of this type requires a great deal of expensive and bulky equipment. Furthermore, rapid availability of these caissons is required to meet the scheduling needs of certain projects, which is not always possible given their size, their specific characteristics, and the methods currently available for launching or raising them. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the transfer and launching or raising of this type of caisson.

[0005] The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by providing a controlled launching or surfacing device for a floating structure. This launching or surfacing device comprises a ramp incorporating a sliding device and a float on which the ramp rests for loading or unloading the floating structure from or to a quay or floating system into or from a marine environment, for recovery by a tugboat or transport out of the water and towed to a chosen location. The inclination of the ramp and / or the movement of the floating structure is controlled by a tilting device. The ramp, and / or a traction device for the floating structure on the ramp, and / or a means for managing the buoyancy of the float. The tilting device, the traction device, and the buoyancy management device are examples of embodiments of the device for setting the floating structure in motion. These examples can, of course, be used individually or in combination with each other.

[0006] The present invention in this context has as its main object a device for launching or raising a floating structure, comprising at least a ramp having a first end, a second end opposite the first end and a device for sliding the floating structure on the ramp, the launching or raising device comprising a pivoting member of the ramp connected to it at a point disposed between the first end and the second end of the ramp and a movement device configured to generate a displacement of the floating structure on the ramp, the launching or raising device comprising at least one float connected to one of the ends of the ramp and at least one means for managing the buoyancy of the float.

[0007] The ramp has a geometry which prevents any movement of the floating structure in a direction transverse to it.

[0008] The floating structure is, for example, a caisson configured to float, at least during its transport between the quay and its area of ​​use, and vice versa. Such a caisson may be made of concrete or another material and weigh a variable amount, from a few kilograms to thousands of tons. Preferably, the launching or raising device is adapted for launching floating structures exceeding one thousand tons, and whose weight is, for example, between ten thousand tons and one hundred five hundred thousand tons. The launching or raising device for the floating structure from a terrestrial environment or a floating system is thus configured to support the proportions of this type of caisson, and its means are specifically designed to operate with such a weight.

[0009] The pivoting element allows the ramp to pivot and tilt from a horizontal, or substantially horizontal, plane to an inclined plane on which the floating structure can then slide in a controlled manner from the first end to the second end connected to the float, in a launching situation, or from the second end connected to the float to the first end, in a surfacing situation. The pivoting element is the pivot point of the ramp. The ramp's inclination allows the floating structure to reach the float and rest on the ramp, which itself rests on the float. Once the floating structure has been launched or surmounted, the ramp can return to a roughly horizontal position, allowing the ramp to be operational again.

[0010] The traction device is a chain that enables the movement and displacement of the floating structure from the first end to the second end of the ramp when the floating structure is to be launched, and in the opposite direction, that is, from the second end to the first end of the ramp, in order to bring the floating structure back to the dock or onto a floating system, or to return it to a loading position for another floating structure. It is understood here that the traction device can move the floating structure along the ramp in two opposite directions.

[0011] The buoyancy control means for the float is configured to manage the vertical positioning of the float in the water. This control means can manage the tilting phase of the ramp so that it occurs slowly and in a controlled manner. The sliding of the floating structure, which can weigh several thousand tons, can thus be carried out safely. This buoyancy control means also controls the return of the ramp to the horizontal position.

[0012] According to an optional feature of the invention, the float is connected to the second end of the ramp, the launching or emerging device comprising a stop bearing against the first end and holding the ramp in a substantially horizontal plane.

[0013] The stop allows the ramp to be maintained in a horizontal, or nearly horizontal, position. This stop also serves to absorb the forces resulting from the weight of the floating structure when it is installed on or resting on the ramp. Furthermore, a locking device can be used to limit the angle of rotation of the ramp for safety reasons.

[0014] According to another optional feature of the invention, the movement device includes at least the float and the means for managing its buoyancy and / or a thrust means configured to raise or lower the first end of the ramp and / or a traction element for the floating structure on the ramp.

[0015] The thrusting means may, in particular, be a jack, for example a hydraulic one, allowing the ramp's inclination to be controlled. This reduces the distance between the center of gravity of the floating structure and the ramp's pivoting element. The floating structure then slides along the section of the ramp located between the pivoting element and the second end of the ramp. It should be noted that the thrusting means may also form the stop mentioned above and assume its technical effects.

[0016] It is understood here that the movement of the floating structure on the ramp can be achieved by three distinct means. The first means is the thrusting means, the second means consists of the float, and the buoyancy management means This float and a third means is a traction device for the floating structure, which pulls the structure along the ramp so that its center of gravity passes over the pivoting device and is positioned between the pivoting device and one or the other end of the ramp. Each of these means can be used individually to generate movement. It is also possible to combine two or all of these means to generate movement of the floating structure.

[0017] According to another optional feature, the means for managing the buoyancy of the float includes at least one chamber, at least one device for introducing or extracting water from the chamber and at least one means for circulating air between said chamber and an environment outside it.

[0018] The air circulation means can extract air from the chamber, either naturally or by force, when water is introduced into it. This air circulation means is also used to introduce air into the chamber, either naturally or by force, when water is extracted from it. This air circulation means can also be used to increase the rate at which the float rises or falls. The air circulation means can, for example, be an opening located in the upper part of the float, allowing air to enter or exit the upper part of the chamber. Alternatively, the air circulation means can be an air compressor, and optionally piping to connect this compressor to the chamber.

[0019] The water introduction or extraction device is, for example, a pump, and possibly conduits to connect this pump to the chamber.

[0020] According to another feature, the means for managing the buoyancy of the float includes a control unit intended to at least coordinate the buoyancy of the float with a control of the thrust means and / or an implementation of the traction element.

[0021] The control unit can, for example, be an electronic control box configured to control a balance between the elevation of the first end of the ramp generated by the pushing means and / or the traction force generated by the traction member, and therefore the degree of inclination of the ramp, and the float's level of buoyancy. It is important to avoid generating excessive mechanical stresses on the ramp, and this coordination between the float's buoyancy and the operation of the pushing means and / or the traction member makes it possible to limit the creation of these stresses.To achieve this, the control unit includes sensors assigned to the float, at least one sensor determining the position of the floating structure relative to the ramp, sensors assigned to the thrust means and / or the traction element, and calculation means which align the position of the first end of the ramp, the axis of rotation of the pivoting element and the vertical position of the second end of the ramp, to which the float is attached.

[0022] According to another optional feature, the pivoting member includes a support configured to be fixed to the ground and a rotation bearing connected to a lower face of the ramp.

[0023] It is understood that the lower face is positioned opposite the quay, the shore or the floating system on which the support of the pivoting member rests.

[0024] According to another feature, the sliding device includes at least one friction-reducing product disposed on an upper face of the ramp.

[0025] According to an alternative feature, the sliding device comprises at least one strip of a non-stick synthetic material disposed on the upper face of the ramp. By way of example, this material may be polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0026] The friction-reducing product is, for example, a lubricant.

[0027] The sliding device is notably disposed on an upper face of the ramp. Alternatively or in addition to the friction-reducing product, a strip, advantageously several strips, disposed on the upper face of the ramp and composed of any sliding material, can be used to allow the floating structure to slide from the first end to the second end of the ramp, and vice versa. The interface between the upper face of the ramp and the floating structure is an important element because it governs the force required to slide said structure down the ramp.

[0028] Advantageously, the drive mechanism is configured to control the movement of the floating structure on the ramp. It is understood here that the means implementing the drive mechanism continuously manage the speed of movement of the floating structure on the ramp and thus limit its speed to a maximum threshold. This control can, for example, be achieved by precisely adjusting the ramp's inclination. This is how the movement of the floating structure on the ramp is controlled.

[0029] According to another feature, the launching or surfacing device includes at least one means for restraining the floating structure configured to control the sliding of the floating structure on the ramp. Advantageously, it is configured to limit this sliding for a launching operation. The launching or surfacing device has as many restraint means as necessary configured to control the sliding of the floating structure on the ramp, from the first end to the second end in the case of launching or from the second end to the first end in the case of surfacing. The restraint means are thus also a means for managing, that is to say, controlling, the movement, in particular the speed, of the floating structure moving on the ramp.

[0030] The restraint means may, for example, be one or more winches connected to the floating structure by cables or chains, this restraint means being used to guide and / or control the movement of the floating structure along the ramp. The number of winches and cables / chains depends on the size and weight of the floating structure to be launched. The position of these winches and cables / chains may vary depending on the available space in the port or the space constraints to be respected at the location receiving the launching or unloading device.

[0031] The present invention also relates to a method for launching or raising a floating structure which employs a launching or raising device as described in this document, during which the following steps take place:

[0032] - a step of positioning the floating structure on an upper face of the ramp, for example at the right of the first end of the ramp for a launching operation or at the right of the second end of the ramp for a surfacing operation;

[0033] - a ramp tilting step resulting from an implementation of the device of setting the floating structure in motion;

[0034] - a sliding step, for example in a straight line, of the floating structure from or towards the float made possible by the tilting of the ramp and by the sliding device.

[0035] The process may optionally include:

[0036] - a step of controlling the movement of the floating structure along the ramp; and / or

[0037] - a coordination step between a position of the float and a position of the means thrust.

[0038] In addition, the method may include a step of separating the floating structure from the launching or emergence device and a step of towing said floating structure thus launched or transporting it when the structure is taken out of the water.

[0039] Other features, details and advantages of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description on the one hand, and the illustrative and non-limiting examples of embodiments given with reference to the accompanying drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0040] [Fig-1] schematically illustrates a device for launching or emerging a floating structure according to the invention;

[0041] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the device for launching or emerging the [Fig.l], top view;

[0042] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates the device for launching or emerging a floating structure according to the invention, in use;

[0043] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates the launching or emerding device represented in [Fig.3], top view;

[0044] [Fig.5] schematically illustrates the device for launching or emerging a floating structure according to the invention, in the phase of launching said structure;

[0045] [Fig.6] schematically illustrates the launching or emergence device shown in [Fig.5], in top view;

[0046] [Fig.7] schematically illustrates the towing of the floating structure;

[0047] [Fig.8] schematically illustrates the launching or emerging device represented in [Fig.7], top view;

[0048] [Fig.9] schematically illustrates a step in positioning the launching or emersion device according to the invention;

[0049] [Fig. 10] schematically illustrates the launching or emergence device shown in [Fig.9], in top view.

[0050] The features, variants, and different embodiments of the invention can be combined in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may be conceived comprising only a selection of features, described hereafter in isolation from the other described features, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage and / or to differentiate the invention from the prior art.

[0051] In the figures, the elements common to several figures retain the same reference.

[0052] In the detailed description that follows, the terms "longitudinal," "transverse," and "vertical" refer to the orientation of a ramp belonging to a launching or surfacing device according to the invention. A longitudinal direction corresponds to a direction parallel to an axis of extension of the ramp in the position of loading the floating structure, this longitudinal direction being parallel to a longitudinal axis L of a frame of reference L, V, T illustrated in the figures. A transverse direction corresponds to a direction parallel to a width of the ramp, this transverse direction being parallel to a transverse axis T of the frame of reference L, V, T, and this transverse axis T being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. Finally, a vertical direction corresponds to a direction parallel to a vertical axis V of the frame of reference L, V, T, this vertical axis V being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and to the transverse axis T.

[0053] The description below describes more particularly an operation of launching a floating structure, but it is understood that the means below can also operate an emergence of the floating structure, by carrying out the steps in reverse order to the launching steps.

[0054] Fig. 1 thus schematically illustrates a launching or emerging device 1 according to a first embodiment intended to transfer a floating structure 2 from a quay or a floating system 15 to a marine environment 3 or from a marine environment 3 to a quay or a floating system 15, by means of a ramp 4, a float 10, a pivoting member 8 and a stop 14.

[0055] As detailed in Figures 1 to 10, the launching or surfacing device 1 is configured to move the floating structure 2 from a starting point A, which can be considered a quay 15, to a final point B, which is the marine environment 3; in order to be recovered by a tugboat 23 which transports it to a desired location, as illustrated in Figures 7 to 10. In the case of surfacing, the starting point is the marine environment 3 and the final point is the quay 15.

[0056] To allow the launching or raising of the floating structure 2, the ramp 4 has a straight, rectangular shape sufficiently wide to accommodate the dimensions of the floating structure 2 and thus support it. For example, and considering the significant weight of the floating structure 2, the ramp 4 is made of metal and consists of a lattice structure 21. Depending on the application (difference in height between the quay and the water, shape of the structures, weight of the structures, etc.), different types of materials and structures can be used to construct the ramp.

[0057] The ramp 4 comprises an upper face 28 and a lower face 20, joined together by trusses. The trusses 21 have the advantage of strengthening the mechanical integrity of the ramp 4 by connecting the upper face 28 and lower face 20 together in order to be able to support the weight of the floating structure 2 which, as a reminder, can weigh several tens, or even thousands of tons.

[0058] To facilitate the launching or raising of the floating structure 2, the upper face 28 of the ramp 4 includes a sliding device 6. This sliding device 6 may, for example, be a friction-reducing product such as a lubricant like high-strength grease, or strips of a non-stick synthetic material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene. These strips are referenced 30 in Figures 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10.

[0059] The ramp 4 is longitudinally delimited by a first end 4a and by a second end 4b. The first end 4a is located on the quay / floating system 15 side and corresponds substantially to the point by which the floating structure 2 can be loaded or unloaded from the ramp 4. The second end 4b is located on the marine environment 3 side and it is by this second end 4b that the floating structure 2 is launched into or removed from the water.

[0060] A pivoting member 8 is arranged longitudinally between the first end 4a and the second end 4b of the ramp 4. The pivoting member 8 defines a tipping line parallel to the transverse axis T around which the ramp 4 tilts, either towards the marine environment 3 in the phase of launching the floating structure 2, or towards the quay / floating system 15 when the ramp 4 is brought back to its initial position for loading the floating structure, or in the phase of emerging the floating structure 2.

[0061] The pivoting member 8 comprises a support 9 intended to be fixed to the floating platform / system 15 and a rotating bearing 18 connected to the support 9 and in contact with the underside 20 of the ramp 4. The support 9 raises the ramp 4 relative to the platform 15 and is configured to bear the load of the floating structure 2. The rotating bearing 18 is configured to allow the ramp 4 to tilt either by bringing the first end 4a of the ramp 4 closer to the platform 15, or by bringing the second end 4b of the ramp 4 closer to the marine environment 3. Generally, the inclination of the ramp 4 occurs around a direction parallel to the transverse axis T and passing through the center of the rotating bearing 18.

[0062] A first position of the ramp 4, corresponding to the loading or unloading of the floating structure 2, lies in a first horizontal plane P. A second position of the ramp 4, corresponding to the launching or raising of the floating structure 2, lies in a second plane P2 visible in [Fig. 5], which forms an angle of approximately 45° with the first horizontal plane. This angle value is, of course, given only as an example, as it depends in particular on the geometry of the ramp 4, the water level, the coefficient of friction between the floating structure 2 and the upper surface of the ramp 4, and finally, the loads involved.

[0063] Furthermore, the device for launching or emerging the floating structure 2 includes a device for moving the floating structure 2 relative to the ramp 4 which can take different forms.

[0064] According to a first example illustrated in [Fig. 1], this drive device 38 comprises a traction member 34 whose role is to pull the floating structure 2 towards the second end 4b of the ramp 4, or towards the first end 4a depending on the operation carried out by the launching or surfacing device according to the invention. Such a traction member 34 may comprise at least one winch 36 and a chain 7 arranged longitudinally between the first end 4a and the second end 4b of the ramp 4.

[0065] According to one example, the chain 7 extends from the first end 4a to the second end 4b, running along the upper face 28 of the ramp 4, and then returns to the first end 4a along the lower face 20 of this ramp. It is understood here that the chain 7 forms a closed loop around the ramp 4. The traction member 34 can thus ensure movement of the floating structure 2 in a first direction S1 going from the first end 4a to the second end 4b of the ramp 4 for launching the floating structure 2. Interestingly, the traction member 34 can ensure a movement of the floating structure 2 in a second direction S2 going from the second end 4b to the first end 4a of the ramp 4, for the operation of raising the floating structure 2.

[0066] During a launching operation of the floating structure 2, the traction device can also play a role in restraining the movement of the floating structure 2, when the ramp 4 is inclined.

[0067] For reasons of clarity of the figures, the traction member 34 is only shown in figures 1 and 2, but it is applicable to all embodiments illustrated in the other figures.

[0068] According to the first embodiment, the launching or emerging device 1 includes a stop 14 that fixes the first position of the ramp 4 in the first horizontal plane P. In this position, the first end 4a of the ramp 4 rests against the stop 14. When the ramp 4 leaves its first position, the first end 4a moves away from this stop 14. When the ramp 4 moves from its second position to its first position, in other words, when it moves from launching the floating structure 2 into the marine environment 3 to its initial position or when it emerges the floating structure 2, the movement of the ramp 4 is dampened by the stop 14, which limits the dynamic effect of the ramp 4's movement as it returns to the horizontal position. More precisely, it is the first end 4a of the ramp 4 that comes into contact with this stop 14.If necessary, the launching or emerging device 1 may include a damping system to absorb dynamic effects.

[0069] The float 10 is configured to absorb the stress experienced by the ramp 4 during its tilting phase, whether for launching or surfacing. Indeed, the weight of the floating structure 2, combined with the overhang of the portion of the ramp 4 located between the pivoting member 8 and the second end 4b of the ramp 4, generates a load that the float 10 counteracts. The float 10 and its buoyancy control means 12 control the tilt of the ramp 4, which consequently allows the movement of the floating structure 2 on the ramp 4 to be managed. Furthermore, this configuration prevents excessively abrupt launching or surfacing of the floating structure 2 and thus preserves its integrity.

[0070] The float 10 and the buoyancy control means 12 constitute a second embodiment of the device 38 for moving the floating structure 2 on the ramp 4. Indeed, the vertical position of the float 10 influences the inclination of the ramp 4, which leads to controlling the movement of the floating structure 2 on the ramp 4. Of course, the float 10 and the means 12 for managing its buoyancy can be combined with the traction element 34 to set the floating structure 2 in motion together.

[0071] It is noted that the float 10 is connected to the second end 4b of the ramp 4, for example by means of a pivot joint.

[0072] The float 10 is more or less weighted, that is to say it is possible to vary its buoyancy by means of the control means 12. Buoyancy characterizes the vertical position of the float in the water.

[0073] The control means 12 includes at least one chamber 22 of the float 10, a device for introducing or extracting water 24 from the chamber 22 and a means for circulating air 26 to or from the chamber 22.

[0074] The chamber 22 comprises a first compartment 22a, a second compartment 22b, and a third compartment 22c, as shown in Figures 2, 4, 6, and 8. These compartments 22a, 22b, and 22c are separate and allow for fine adjustment of the position of the float 10 in the water. The three compartments 22a, 22b, and 22c are all filled with water and air in proportions that determine the buoyancy level of the float 10. The number of compartments may vary depending on the application.

[0075] The water inlet or outlet device 24 can, for example, be a pump drawing in or expelling water from the compartments 22a, 22b, 22c of the chamber 22. The air circulation means 26 can, for example, be an opening provided through an upper wall of the chamber 22 of the float 10. It can also be an air compressor capable of drawing air from the chamber, or conversely capable of pressurizing the chamber 22, depending on the desired position of the float 10.

[0076] To control the sliding of the floating structure 2 on the ramp 4, the launching or surfacing device 1 includes a restraint means 32 whose role is to control the movement of the floating structure 2 along the ramp 4 when a center of gravity of the floating structure 2 is located between the pivoting member 8 and the second end 4b of the ramp 4. This restraint means 32 may, for example, be winches attached to the ramp 4 and connected by cables or chains to the floating structure 2. The restraint means 32 secures the movement of the floating structure 2 as it slides on the ramp 4 during its movement. The restraint means 32 can control the speed of movement of this floating structure 2 on the ramp 4.

[0077] The first embodiment of the launching or surfacing device includes a stop 14. The second embodiment of the invention differs from the first embodiment in that it includes a means 16 of the ramp 4. This means thrust 16 can be combined with stop 4, but it can also be a separate technical means from this stop 14.

[0078] The pushing means 16 forms a third example of an embodiment of the device for setting in motion 38 of the floating structure 2 on the ramp 4. Indeed, the vertical position of the first end 4a of the ramp 4 influences the movement of the floating structure 2 along the ramp 4.

[0079] The thrust means 16 is configured to exert a vertical force applied to a portion of the ramp 4 located between its first end 4a and the pivoting member 8. Advantageously, the thrust means 16 exerts its force against the first end 4a. In one embodiment, the thrust means 16 is a hydraulic cylinder. Several thrust means 16 can be arranged in other configurations to apply a vertical force, if necessary.

[0080] The role of the thrust means 16 is to generate the tilting of the ramp 4. It fulfills this role alone, but it is advantageous to fulfill it in combination with the float 10 and its buoyancy management means 12 and / or with the traction member 34.

[0081] When the float 10 is used, it is ballasted with water so as to cause it to sink into the marine environment 3, which pulls downwards the second end 4b of the ramp 4. By combining the thrust means 16 and the ballasting of the float 10, possibly with the traction member 34, the ramp 4 can be rotated and the floating structure 2 can be slid against the upper face 28 of the ramp 4. Such a combination makes it possible to reduce the capabilities of the thrust means 16 and its energy consumption, compared to the case where it operates alone.

[0082] In this second embodiment, the management means 12 also includes a control unit 40 whose role is to coordinate the buoyancy of the float 10 with a position of the thrust means 16 and / or with an implementation of the traction member 34, so as to limit any buckling of the ramp 4. This control unit 40 is illustrated in [Fig.1] and is of course transposable to the embodiment examples illustrated in the other figures.

[0083] The control unit 40 is for example an electronic box configured to transmit a control signal to the means of thrust 16 and / or to the traction member 34 and / or to the water introduction or extraction device 24 of the chamber 22 and / or to the means of air circulation 26 to or from the chamber 22. Thus, the control unit 40 adjusts the elevation of the means of thrust 16, and therefore the position of the floating structure 2, according to the buoyancy of the float 10 and vice versa.

[0084] Figures 1 and 2 show the launching or emerging device in an initial phase of a launching operation where the floating structure 2 is arranged on the part of the ramp 4 located between its first end 4a and the pivoting member 8. In the case of a dewatering operation, Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the end of the dewatering process, with the floating structure 2 having been removed from the water. It is then available for a crane or any other lifting device to be unloaded from the ramp 4.

[0085] To initiate the tilting of the ramp 4, the thrust means 16 can be used. As mentioned above, the traction member 34 can also be activated to pull the floating structure 2 towards the second end 4b of the ramp 4. The float 10 can also be ballasted by filling its chamber 22 with water. This is illustrated in [Fig. 1] by showing the water level in the chamber 22. One or both of these means initiates the tilting of the ramp 4 and causes the floating structure 2 to slide until its center of gravity passes over the portion of the ramp 4 located between the pivoting member 8 and the second end 4b of the ramp 14.

[0086] The interface between the upper face 28 of the ramp 4 and the floating structure 2 is covered with the sliding device 6, in other words with a material with a low coefficient of friction to allow the floating structure 2 to slide on the ramp 4. The movement of the floating structure 2 during sliding is controlled by the drive device 38 and / or by the retaining means 32, for safety reasons.

[0087] Figures 3 and 4 show a step in the process where the weight of the floating structure 2 must be counteracted. To do this, the float 10 is relieved of its water and filled with air by means of the buoyancy control device 12. In doing so, the float 10 generates an upward vertical force that balances the force generated by the weight of the floating structure 2.

[0088] As the floating structure 2 approaches the second end 4b of the ramp 14, the float 10 is relieved of its water and filled with air so as to provide a force opposing a force generated by the weight of the floating structure 2. This force opposing the force generated by the weight of the floating structure 2 becomes increasingly significant as the floating structure 2 approaches the end of the ramp 14. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate such a situation where the float 10 is totally submerged while its chamber 22 is mostly filled with air.

[0089] The sliding of the floating structure 2 on the ramp 4 is controlled, which prevents any excessively sudden acceleration of the floating structure 2 along the ramp 4. This control can be operated by the restraint means 32, during the launching of the floating structure 2. In the event of emergence of the floating structure 2, the restraint means 32 can also exert a traction force so as to pull the floating structure 2 and bring it back to the quay.

[0090] Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a step where the floating structure 2 must be released from the launching or emerging device 1, so that the latter Floats in the marine environment 3. To ensure such separation, the buoyancy management means 12 for the float 10 ensures that the float descends into the marine environment 3 in such a way that there is no longer any mechanical interference between the second end 4b of the ramp 4 and the floating structure 2. To achieve this, the float 10 is filled with water and the air contained in its chamber 22 is expelled, either naturally or by means of forced air circulation 26. Ballasting the float 10 also prevents the dynamic effect of a sudden rise of the ramp 4 when the floating structure 2 is completely released into the water. The tugboat 23 then transports the floating structure 2, which is floating in the marine environment 3, to a desired location, not shown in the figures. If necessary, other additional elements can be used in combination with the float to prevent dynamic effects.In the case of emergence, figures 7 and 8 illustrate the first step of the emergence process. Indeed, the position of the float 10 must be lowered so that the floating structure 2 can be placed on the ramp 4.

[0091] The method of launching the floating structure 2 ends with a step of returning the ramp 4 to its initial position, i.e. a position for loading a new floating structure.

[0092] This step is carried out by means of the buoyancy control means 12, which relieves the chamber 22 of its water, allowing air to fill this chamber. The float 10 then undergoes an upward vertical movement that tilts the ramp 4 in a direction of rotation opposite to the direction of rotation for launching, as illustrated in Figures 3 to 8. Complementarily or alternatively, the thrust means 16 can also participate in implementing this step of returning to the loading position, which corresponds to that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. It should be noted that this step is the one that allows the floating structure 2 to be brought back to the dock when the device raises it.

[0093] The present invention is not limited to the means and configurations described and illustrated herein, and extends also to any equivalent means and configuration as well as to any technically operative combination of such means.

[0094] The invention, as described above, effectively achieves its objectives and provides a launching or emerging device that can be easily installed at the edge of a quay or floating system, thus connecting a production site for floating structures weighing several tens of tons, located near the quay or on a floating system, to the marine environment. The invention facilitates this launching or emerging stage, which is important in a context where the marine environment is increasingly used for out-of-water activities, in particular. Indeed, the floating structures launched here are flotation devices that serve from basic to one or more offshore wind turbines, to floating pontoons or docks, to aquaculture farms or to factories or platforms at sea, for example.

Claims

Demands

1. A device for launching or raising a floating structure (2) (1), comprising at least one ramp (4) having a first end (4a), a second end (4b) opposite the first end (4a), and a sliding device (6) for the floating structure (2) on the ramp (4), the launching or raising device (1) comprising a pivoting member (8) of the ramp (4) connected to it at a point located between the first end (4a) and the second end (4b) of the ramp (4), and a motion device (38) configured to generate a displacement of the floating structure (2) on the ramp (4), comprising a thrusting means (16) configured to raise or lower the first end (4a) of the ramp (4), the launching or raising device (1) comprising at least one float (10) connected to one of the ends (4b) of the ramp (4) and at least one means of managing (12) the buoyancy of the float (10).

2. Launching or emerging device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the float (10) is connected to the second end (4b) of the ramp (4), the launching or emerging device (1) comprising a stop (14) bearing against the first end (4a) and holding the ramp (4) in a substantially horizontal plane (P).

3. Launching or emerging device (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the movement device (38) comprises at least the float (10) and the means for managing its buoyancy (12) and / or a traction element (34) for the floating structure (2) on the ramp (4).

4. A launching or emerging device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the buoyancy management means (12) of the float (10) comprises at least one chamber (22), at least one device for introducing or removing water (24) from the chamber (22) and at least one means for circulating air (26) between said chamber (22) and an environment external to it.

5. Launching or emerging device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the buoyancy management means (12) of the float (10) comprises a control unit (40) intended to at least coordinate the buoyancy of the float (10) with a control of the thrust means (16) and / or an implementation of the traction member (34).

6. Launching or emerging device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pivoting member (8) comprises a support (9) configured to be fixed to the ground and a rotation bearing (18) connected to a lower face (20) of the ramp (4).

7. Launching or emerging device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sliding device (6) comprises at least one friction-reducing product disposed on an upper face (28) of the ramp (4).

8. Launching or emerging device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the sliding device (6) comprises at least one strip (30) of a non-stick synthetic material disposed on the upper face (28) of the ramp (4).

9. Launching or emerging device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the movement device (38) is configured to control the movement of the floating structure (2) on the ramp (4).

10. A launching or emerging device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising at least one retaining means (32) for the floating structure (2) configured to control the sliding of the floating structure (2) on the ramp (4).

11. A method for launching (1) a floating structure (2) employing a launching or emergence device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, during which the following steps take place: - a step of positioning the floating structure (2) on an upper face (28) of the ramp (4); - a step of tilting the ramp (4) which results from an implementation of the device for moving the floating structure (2) (38); - a step of sliding the floating structure (2) from or towards the float (10) made possible by the tilting of the ramp (4) and by the sliding device (6).

12. A launching method (1) according to claim 11 in combination with the launching or surfacing device (1) according to claim 9, comprising - a step for controlling the movement of the floating structure (2) along the ramp (4); and / or A coordination step between a position of the float (10) and a position of the thrust means (16). A sliding step, for example in a straight line, of the floating structure towards the float made possible by the tilting of the ramp and by the sliding device.

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