floating installation comprising a barge and a pusher

Abstract

Floating installation (1) comprising a barge (2) and a pusher (3) each equipped with thrusters (4; 5), the stern of the barge (2) being notched defining a notch (8) for embedding the bow of the pusher (3) to form a rigid assembly, the installation (1) comprising an activatable / deactivatable device (9) for mechanical connection between the pusher (3) and the barge (2), the control stations for the barge (2) and for the pusher (3) are two in number and comprise for each, a manual control station (62, 72), a so-called automatic control station (61, 71) comprising at least one control unit (611, 711) and a mode selector (63, 73).The installation (1) comprises a system (10) for detecting the activation of the mechanical connection device (9), the installation (1) comprises a first configuration in which the or each control member (120, 110) of the selected control station (71, 72; 61, 62) of the pusher (3) or respectively of the barge (2) of the pusher (3) or respectively of the barge (2) and a second configuration in which the or each control member (110, 120) of the thrusters (4, 5) of one of the automatic control stations (61; 71) is neutralized, and the other of the automatic control stations (61, 71) not neutralized is configured to control the thrusters (4, 5) of the barge (2) and of the pusher (3). Figure for abstract: Fig. 9.

Description

Title of the invention: floating installation comprising a barge and a pusher

[0001] The present invention relates to a floating installation comprising a barge and a pusher.

[0002] It relates in particular to a floating installation comprising a barge and a pusher each equipped with thrusters, thruster control interfaces and at least one control station comprising at least one control member for the thruster(s), the stern of the barge being a notched stern defining a notch preferably in the general shape of a U forming a zone for embedding the bow of the pusher, the floating installation forming, in the partially embedded state of the pusher, in the barge a rigid assembly constituting a single navigation vessel, that is to say a single-piece vessel, the installation comprising a mechanical connection device between the pusher and the barge, this connection device being an activatable / deactivatable device, the connection device being configured to, in the activated state, prevent any disengagement of the pusher from the notch of the barge.

[0003] Many applications require the presence of a barge. Such a barge requires a pusher for its movement in particular conditions. Until now, the pusher is equipped with a towing winch and tows the barge in the coupled state. The difficulty with such an assembly is to allow the safe steering of said assembly without impairing the ease of coupling and uncoupling of the barge and the pusher.

[0004] An object of the invention is to propose a floating installation of the aforementioned type, the design of which allows safe control of the propulsion of said installation without impairing the ease of coupling and uncoupling of the barge and the pusher.

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to a floating installation comprising a barge and a pusher each equipped with thrusters, thruster control interfaces and at least one control station comprising at least one control member for the thruster(s), the stern of the barge being a notched stern defining a notch preferably in the general shape of a U forming a zone for embedding the bow of the pusher, the floating installation forming, in the partially embedded state of the pusher, in the barge a rigid assembly constituting a single navigation vessel, that is to say a single-piece vessel, the installation comprising a mechanical connection device between the pusher and the barge, this connection device being an activatable / deactivatable device, the connection device being configured to, in the activated state, prevent any disengagement of the pusher from the notch of the barge ca characterized in that the control stations for the barge and for the pusher are two in number and each comprises a manual control station, a so-called automatic control station comprising at least one control unit and a mode selector configured to selectively select the so-called automatic operating mode in which the automatic control station is in the active state or the so-called manual operating mode in which the manual control station is in the active state, the installation comprises a system for detecting the activation of the mechanical connection device,the installation comprises a first configuration in which the or each control member of the selected pusher control station is active on the thrusters of the pusher and the or each control member of the selected barge control station is active on the barge thrusters and a second configuration in which the or each control member of the thrusters of one of the automatic control stations is neutralized and the other of the non-neutralized automatic control stations is configured to control both the barge and pusher thrusters,and the installation is configured to switch from one configuration to another based on the data provided by the system for detecting the activation of the mechanical connection device and the selected operating mode. The possibility of controlling from the same so-called automatic control station both the barge and pusher thrusters in the coupled state of the barge and the pusher allows for safer control of said thrusters. The presence of a manual control station and an automatic control station in the barge on the one hand, and in the pusher on the other hand, makes it possible to always maintain, on the one hand, in the barge, and on the other hand, in the pusher, an operational control station which can be useful in the event of an emergency situation. The fact, in the coupled state of the barge and the pusher, of slaving the switch from one configuration to another to the selected operating mode,prevents an operator from taking control of the barge and pusher thrusters if at least one of the automatic control stations is not selected. This ensures that operators, whether in the barge or the pusher, know that they can intervene at any time in the control of the barge or pusher thrusters they occupy in the event of an emergency, including when the barge and pusher are mechanically coupled.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the invention, the installation is configured to, in the selected state of the automatic operating mode for the pusher and for the barge, switch from the first to the second configuration at least in the activated state of the mechanical connection device and from the second configuration to the first configuration at least in the deactivated state of the mechanical connection device. Thus, as soon as the mechanical connection between the barge and the pusher is broken, the installation returns to the first configuration in which the control member(s) associated with the pusher control stations control the pusher thrusters and the control unit(s) associated with the barge control stations control the barge thrusters.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the invention, in the second configuration, the neutralized automatic control station is the automatic control station of the barge and the non-neutralized automatic control station is the automatic control station of the pusher. This solution is preferred and makes it possible at least from the automatic control station of the pusher to control the thrusters of the barge and the pusher.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the invention, the automatic control station that can be neutralized in the second configuration comprises a locking member for the or each control member of the thrusters of said automatic control station, the or each locking member being in the locked position in the activated state of the mechanical connection device and in the selected state of the automatic operating mode for the pusher and for the barge. The presence of a locking member for each control member of the neutralized automatic control station allows the operator, by simply viewing the automatic control station, to know what configuration said floating installation is in. The operator is thus also prevented from interfering with the control of the thrusters operated from the non-neutralizable automatic control station.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the invention, the control unit of the automatic control station that can be neutralized in the second configuration is configured to not emit any control signal for the thrusters from the signals provided by the or each manually operable thruster control member equipping said automatic control station in the activated state of the mechanical connection device and in the selected state of the automatic operating mode for the pusher and for the barge. This design makes it possible, even if the operator mistakenly acts on a control member of the neutralized automatic control station, not to disrupt the control of the thrusters.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the or at least one of the control members of the thrusters equipping the non-neutralizable automatic control station which is a manually actuable member is configured to control the operation of at least one of the thrusters of the pusher in one of the first and second configurations of the installation and the operation of at least one of the thrusters of the barge in the other of the first and second configurations of the installation. This arrangement makes it possible not to have to implement any particular equipment at the non-neutralizable automatic control station.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, two of the thrusters of the pusher are arranged on the sides of the bow of the pusher to each form a lateral bow thruster, and two of the thrusters of the pusher are arranged at the rear of the pusher, said bow thrusters are, in the recessed state of the bow of the pusher in the notch of the barge, arranged in the notch of the stern of the barge, the installation comprises a device for detecting the position of the pusher in the notch and the control unit of the automatic control station of the pusher is configured to control the operation of the thrusters of the pusher according to at least the data provided by the device for detecting the position of the pusher in the notch.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, the control unit of the automatic control station of the pusher is configured to control the stopping of the bow thrusters of the pusher as a function of the data provided by the device for detecting the position of the pusher in the notch, said control unit of the automatic control station being configured to control the stopping of the bow thrusters of the pusher in the positioned state of the pusher in said notch beyond a predetermined position of the pusher inside said notch.The fact that the control unit of the automatic control station is configured to control the stopping of the bow thrusters of the pusher in the positioned state of the pusher in said notch beyond a predetermined position of the pusher inside said notch makes it possible, in the embedded state of the bow of the pusher in the notch of the barge, to prevent any lateral movement of the bow of the pusher from the lateral bow thrusters. This results in increased precision of the trajectory of movement of the pusher.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, the installation comprises a device for connecting data exchange networks between the pusher and the barge, in that the mechanical connection device and the data exchange network connection device each comprise at least one member carried by the pusher and at least one complementary member carried by the barge, said mechanical connection and data exchange network connection devices being mounted in parallel and being configured to switch from the inactive state to the active state in the embedded state of the bow of the pusher in the notch of the barge. The presence of a data exchange network connection device in the form of a wired connection allows a secure connection between the pusher and the barge in the coupled state of the barge and the pusher.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the invention, the mechanical connection device between the pusher and the barge comprising a jack equipping the pusher, a cradle equipping the barge inside which the head of the jack is able to be inserted in the coupled state of the barge and the pusher and at least one member for locking the head of the jack inside said cradle, the activated state of the mechanical connection device corresponds to the state held by the cylinder head in the cradle by the locking member.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, at least two of the barge thrusters are azimuth thrusters retractable into the thickness of the barge and arranged at the stern of the barge. The possibility of retracting at least some of the barge thrusters into the thickness of the barge makes it possible to avoid, in the embedded state of the bow of the pusher in the notch of the barge, a cavitation phenomenon.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the invention, the installation comprises at least two data storage areas representative of the geometric and physical characteristics of the installation, said data comprising at least data relating to the state of the thrusters, the length, the width and the draft of the installation, the installation corresponding, in the first data storage area, to the pusher when the pusher is equipped with the non-neutralizable automatic control station or to the barge when the barge is equipped with the non-neutralizable automatic control station and, in the second data storage area, to the pusher and barge assembly in the coupled state, at least the non-neutralizable automatic control station comprises at least one display screen capable of displaying data from the first storage area in the first configuration and data from the second storage area in the second configuration,and the control unit of the non-neutralizable automatic control station is configured to control the thrusters according to the data from the first storage area in the first configuration and according to the data from the second storage area in the second configuration. This design makes it possible to have at the non-neutralizable automatic control station all the data necessary for controlling the propulsion of the pusher and the barge. Brief description of the drawings

[0017] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0018] [Fig-1] represents a schematic view of a floating installation in the uncoupled state of the barge and the pusher;

[0019] [Fig.2] represents a partial top view of a floating installation in the coupled state of the barge and the pusher;

[0020] [Fig.3] represents a schematic side view of a floating installation in the coupled state of the barge and the pusher;

[0021] [Fig.4] represents a partial schematic view of a floating installation in the coupled state of the barge and the pusher with two detailed views of the nesting zones;

[0022] [Fig.5] represents a schematic view of a floating installation in the uncoupled state of the barge and the pusher;

[0023] [Fig.6] represents a schematic view of a floating installation in the coupled state of the barge and the pusher;

[0024] [Fig.7] represents a principle view of a barge;

[0025] [Fig.8] represents a principle view of a pusher;

[0026] [Fig.9] represents a principle view of a barge and a pusher in the coupled state;

[0027] [Fig. 10] represents in image form a view of the screen(s) equipping the station automatic control of the barge in the state not coupled to the pusher with at least one representation of the thrusters of said barge;

[0028] [Fig. 11] represents in image form a view of the or a screen equipping the automatic control station of the pusher in the state not coupled to the barge with at least one representation of the thrusters of the pusher;

[0029] [Fig. 12] represents in image form a view of the or a screen equipping the automatic control station of the pusher in the state coupled to the barge with at least one representation of the thrusters of the pusher and the barge.

[0030] As mentioned above, the floating installation 1, object of the invention, comprises a barge 2 and a pusher 3. The barge 2 conventionally comprises a bow and a stern. The same is true of the pusher 2. The stern of the barge 2 is, as illustrated in [Fig.l], notched to provide a notch 8 in the general shape of a U. This notch 8 forms a zone for embedding the bow of the pusher 3, as illustrated in [Fig.2]. Thus, the floating installation 1 forms, in the partially embedded state of the pusher 3 in the barge 2, a rigid assembly constituting a single navigation vessel, that is to say a vessel in one piece, as illustrated in [Fig.3].

[0031] To allow the barge 2 and the pusher 3 to be kept in the embedded state, the installation 1 comprises a connecting device 9 between the barge 2 and the pusher 3. This connecting device 9 is an activatable / deactivatable device. This connecting device 9 is configured to, in the activated state, prevent any disengagement of the pusher 3 from the notch 8 of the barge 2.

[0032] As illustrated in [Fig.4], this device 9 for mechanical connection between the pusher 3 and the barge 2 may comprise a jack 16 equipping the pusher 3, a cradle 17 equipping the barge 2 inside which the head of the jack 16 is able to be inserted in the coupled state of the barge 2 and the pusher 3 and at least one member 18 for locking the head of the jack 16 inside said cradle 17.

[0033] The activated state of the mechanical connection device 9 corresponds to the state in which the head of the jack 16 is held in the cradle 17 by the locking member 18. The jack 16 therefore comprises a body and a rod. The end of the rod forms the head of the jack 16 which is inserted into the cradle 17 of the barge 2 in the coupled state of the barge and the cradle.

[0034] The or each locking member 18 may be in the form of a latch. pivoting in the form of a cross which, in the pivoted position, traps the head of the jack 16 in the cradle 17. The retraction and extension of the rod of the jack 16 can be used to generate a pivoting movement of the locking member(s) 18 between a locked position and an unlocked position. The mechanical connection device 9 will not be described in more detail because it can take a large number of forms without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0035] The floating installation 1 comprises a system 10 for detecting the activation of the mechanical connection device 9 between the pusher 3 and the barge 2. This detection system 10 is configured to detect the maintained state of the head of the jack 16 in the cradle 17 by the locking member 18. This detection system 10 comprises for example a sensor, part of which is arranged at the cradle 17 of the barge 2 and part at the jack 16. The detection by this sensor of the presence of the rod of the jack 16 in the locked state in the cradle 17 materializes the fact that the mechanical connection device 9 is in the active state. This information can be addressed to the control units of the barge and the pusher which will be described below.

[0036] The barge 2 may also be equipped at the rear, at the sides of the notch, with inclined guide surfaces along which the pusher 3 slides as it progresses in the notch 8, as illustrated in one of the detail views of [Fig. 4] to ensure guidance and then immobilization of a part of the pusher 3 in the notch 8 during the coupling of the pusher 3 to the barge 2.

[0037] The barge 2 comprises thrusters 4, two thruster control stations and, for each thruster 4, a control interface 11 between said thrusters and the control station. At least two of the thrusters 4 of the barge 2 are azimuth thrusters retractable into the thickness of the barge 2 arranged at the stern of the barge 2 to avoid, in the embedded state of the bow of the pusher 3 in the notch of the barge 2, a cavitation phenomenon.

[0038] The control stations of the barge 2 comprise an automatic control station, represented at 61 in [Fig. 7], and a manual control station, represented at 62. Each control station is capable of sending control signals to the interface 11 for controlling the thrusters 4. The automatic control station 61 comprises at least one control unit 611, at least one member 110 for controlling the thrusters, such as a pivoting lever also called a joystick, and generally at least one display screen represented at 22.

[0039] The control unit 611 is capable of acquiring data from various sensors equipping the barge 2 to assist in controlling the thrusters. Generally, the barge 2 comprises a dynamic positioning device 19 which comprises a geolocation system and an inertial unit, the data from the dynamic positioning device 19 being addressed to the control unit 611. Similarly, the data from the system 10 for detecting the activation of the mechanical connection device 9 can be addressed to the control unit 611.

[0040] The manual and automatic control stations are associated with an operating mode selector 63. This operating mode selector 63 may be in the form of a two-position switch, for example. This selector 63 may, depending on its position, select the operating mode, called automatic, in which the automatic control station 61 of the barge 2 is in the active state and the manual control station 62 of the barge is in the inactive state and an operating mode, called manual, in which the manual control station 62 is in the active state and the automatic control station 61 is in the inactive state.

[0041] The manual control station 62 comprises at least one member 110 for controlling the thrusters of the barge 2. This or these control members 110 may be of the same type as that or those equipping the automatic control station 61 of the barge 2. In each case, the actuation of these control members makes it possible to address control signals to the control interfaces 11, themselves linked to a thruster 4 of the barge 2.

[0042] The pusher 3, as illustrated in [Fig. 8], comprises, in a similar manner to the barge 2, thrusters 5, two control stations for the thrusters 5 and, for each thruster 5, a control interface 12 between said thruster and the control station. Two of the thrusters 5 of the pusher 3 are arranged on the sides of the bow of the pusher 3 to each form a lateral bow thruster 51. Two of the thrusters 5 of the pusher 3 are arranged at the rear of the pusher 3. The bow thrusters 51 are, in the recessed state of the bow of the pusher 3 in the notch 8 of the barge 2, arranged in the notch 8 of the stern of the barge 2.

[0043] The control stations of the pusher 3 comprise an automatic control station represented at 71 in [Fig. 8], a manual control station represented at 72. Each control station is capable of addressing control signals to the control interface 12 of the thrusters 5.

[0044] The automatic control station 71 comprises at least one control unit 711, at least one member 120 for controlling the thrusters, such as a pivoting lever also called a joystick and generally at least one display screen shown at 21 in the figures. The control unit 711 is capable of acquiring data from various sensors equipping the pusher 3 to assist in controlling the thrusters.

[0045] Generally, the pusher 3 comprises a dynamic positioning device 20 which comprises a geolocation system and an inertial unit, the data from the dynamic positioning device 20 being addressed to the control unit 711.

[0046] Similarly, the data from the system 10 for detecting the activation of the mechanical connection device 9 can be addressed to the control unit 711.

[0047] The manual and automatic control stations are associated with an operating mode selector 73. This operating mode selector 73 may be in the form of a two-position switch. This selector 73 may, depending on its selection position, select the so-called automatic operating mode, in which the automatic control station 71 of the pusher 3 is in the active state and the manual control station 72 is in the inactive state, and a so-called manual operating mode in which the manual control station 72 is in the active state and the automatic control station 71 is in the inactive state.

[0048] The manual control station 72 of the pusher 3 comprises at least one member 120 for controlling the thrusters of the pusher 3, this or these control members 120 possibly being of the same type as that or those equipping the automatic control station 71 of the pusher 3.

[0049] To assist in piloting the pusher 3, the installation 1 may comprise a device 14 for detecting the position of the pusher 3 in the notch 8. This detection device 14 may comprise one or more cameras 141 arranged on the pusher 3 and one or more targets 142 arranged on the barge 2 or vice versa.

[0050] The information relating to the viewing of the targets 142 by the cameras 141 is addressed to the control unit 711 of the pusher 3 and the control unit 711 of the automatic control station 71 of the pusher 3 is configured to control the operation of the thrusters 5 of the pusher 3 as a function at least of the data provided by the device 14 for detecting the position of the pusher 3 in the notch 8.

[0051] In particular, the control unit 711 of the automatic control station 71 of the pusher 3 is configured to control the stopping of the bow thrusters of the pusher 3 as a function of the data provided by the device 14 for detecting the position of the pusher 3 in the notch 8. Said control unit 711 of the automatic control station 71 is configured to control the stopping of the bow thrusters of the pusher 3 in the positioned state of the pusher 3 in said notch 8 beyond a predetermined position of the pusher 3 inside said notch 8, so that, in the embedded state of the bow of the pusher 3 in the notch 8 of the barge 2, any lateral movement of the bow of the pusher 3 from the lateral bow thrusters is prevented.

[0052] To complete the installation 1, the installation 1 comprises a device 15 for connecting data exchange networks between the pusher 3 and the barge 2. This device 15 for connecting data exchange networks can be in the form of a fiber optic connection device equipping the pusher 3 and the barge 2 respectively.

[0053] As mentioned above, the mechanical connection device 9 comprises a member 91, illustrated here by a jack 16 mounted on the pusher 3 and a member 92, illustrated here by a cradle 17 mounted on the barge 2. In the active state of the connection device 9, the head of the jack 16 is housed in the cradle 17.

[0054] Similarly, the device 15 for connecting data exchange networks between the pusher 3 and the barge 2 comprises, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, a first connection member 91 carried by the pusher 3 and a complementary connection member, shown at 92 in the figures, carried by the barge 2. The mechanical connection devices 9 and 15 for connecting data exchange networks are mounted in parallel and are configured to switch from the inactive state to the active state in the embedded state of the bow of the pusher 3 in the notch 8 of the barge 2. Thus, in the coupled state of the barge 2 and the pusher 3 by the mechanical connection device 9, the pusher 3 and the barge 2 are also connected by a wired link allowing the transmission of data between the pusher 3 and the barge 2. This wired link can duplicate a radio link and make it possible to guarantee operation in all conditions.

[0055] The installation 1 comprises a first configuration in which the or each control member 120 of the selected control station of the pusher 3 is active on the thrusters 5 of the pusher 3 and the or each control member 110 of the selected control station 61 or 62 of the barge 2 is active on the thrusters 4 of the barge 2 and a second configuration in which the or each control member of the thrusters of one of the automatic control stations is neutralized and the other of the non-neutralized automatic control stations is configured to control both the thrusters of the barge 2 and of the pusher 3.

[0056] The installation 1 is still configured to switch from one configuration to another depending on the data provided by the system 10 for detecting the activation of the mechanical connection device 9 and the selected operating mode.

[0057] In the examples shown, the neutralizable automatic control station is the automatic control station 61 of the barge 2. Obviously, as a variant, it could have been planned to choose the automatic control station 71 of the pusher 3 as the neutralizable control station but this solution is not preferred.

[0058] In the description below, it will be considered that it is the automatic control station 61 of the barge which is neutralizable. The description would be similar in the case of a neutralizable automatic control station of the pusher 3.

[0059] In the second configuration, the or each control member 110 of the automatic control station 61 of the barge 2 is neutralized so that any control of the thrusters 4 of the barge 2 from the control member(s) 110 of the automatic control station 61 of the barge 2 is prevented and the automatic control station 71 of the pusher 3, which is not neutralized, makes it possible to control both the thrusters 4 from the barge and 5 from the pusher 3.

[0060] For this purpose, the floating installation 1 comprises at least two data storage areas representative of the geometric and physical characteristics of the installation. Said data comprise at least data relating to the state of the thrusters, the length, the width, the draft of the installation. Other data such as those from navigation sensors or environmental sensors can also be stored.

[0061] Installation 1 corresponds, in the first data storage area, to pusher 3 when pusher 3 is equipped with non-neutralizable automatic control station 71 or to barge 2 when barge 2 is equipped with non-neutralizable automatic control station 61. In the example here, the installation therefore corresponds, in the first data storage area, to pusher 3.

[0062] This installation also corresponds, in the second data storage area, to the pusher 3 and barge 2 assembly in the coupled state. At least the non-neutralizable automatic control station, that is to say here the automatic control station 71 of the pusher 3, comprises at least one display screen 21 capable of displaying data from the first storage area in the first configuration and data from the second storage area in the second configuration.

[0063] The control unit 711 of the non-neutralizable automatic control station, i.e. that of the pusher 3, is configured to control the thrusters 5 of the pusher 3 according to the data from the first storage area in the first configuration and the thrusters 5 of the pusher 3 and the thrusters 4 of the barge 2, according to the data from the second storage area, in the second configuration. Images of these display screens are visible in Figures 10 to 12.

[0064] [Fig. 10] represents an image capable of being displayed on the or one of the display screens 22 of the barge 2. It should be noted that the four thrusters of the barge 2 are represented.

[0065] [Fig. 11] represents an image capable of being displayed on the or one of the display screens 21 of the pusher 3. It should be noted that the four thrusters 5 of the pusher 3 are represented.

[0066] [Fig. 12] illustrates an image capable of being displayed on the screen 22 of the automatic control station 71 of the pusher 3. This image includes both the thrusters of the barge 2 and of the pusher 3.

[0067] To allow in the second configuration a neutralization of the control members of the neutralizable automatic control station, the neutralizable automatic control station in the second configuration comprises a member 13 for locking the or each control member of said neutralizable automatic control station.

[0068] In the example shown, the automatic control station of the neutralizable barge 2 comprises a member 13 for locking the or each control member 110 of the thrusters 4 of the automatic control station 61 of the barge 2. The or each locking member 13 is in the locked position in the activated state of the mechanical connection device 9 and in the selected state of the automatic operating mode for the pusher 3 and for the barge 2. Obviously, these locking members 13 would have equipped the automatic control station of the pusher if the second configuration had corresponded to the case where it is the automatic control station of the pusher which is neutralizable.

[0069] In the case where the control members are in the form of a pivoting lever, each locking member may take the form of a sliding U-shaped part positioned on either side of the lever in the locked position to prevent pivoting movement of the lever. Obviously, other embodiments of locking members may be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0070] Alternatively or additionally, the control unit of the automatic control station that can be neutralized in the second configuration is configured to not emit any control signal for the thrusters from the signals provided by the or each manually operable thruster control member equipping said automatic control station in the activated state of the mechanical connection device 9 and in the selected state of the automatic operating mode for the pusher 3 and for the barge 2. Thus, the actuation of the control member(s) 110 of the neutralized automatic control station 61 of the barge 2 has no effect on the thrusters 4 of the barge 3.

[0071] Due to this design, the or at least one of the control members of the thrusters equipping the non-neutralizable automatic control station, which is a manually actuable member, is configured to control the operation of at least one of the thrusters 5 of the pusher 3 in one of the first and second configurations of the installation and the operation of at least one of the thrusters 4 of the barge 2 in the other of the first and second configurations of the installation. Thus, the actuation of the control member(s) 110 of the neutralized automatic control station 61 of the barge 2 has no effect on the thrusters 4 of the barge 2 in the second configuration.

[0072] The or at least one of the control members 120 of the non-neutralizable automatic control station of the pusher 3 therefore makes it possible, by its actuation, to control at least one thruster 4 of the barge 2 in the second configuration and one thruster 5 of the pusher 3 in the first configuration. This operation is visible in [Fig.9].

[0073] In this second configuration, the neutralized automatic control station 61 of the barge 2 is simply a control relay for the non-neutralized automatic control station 71 of the pusher 3.

[0074] As mentioned above, the installation is configured to switch from one configuration to another depending on the data provided by the system 10 for detecting the activation of the mechanical connection device 9 and the selected operating mode. Thus, the installation 1 is configured to, in the selected state of the automatic operating mode for the pusher 3 and for the barge 2, switch from the first to the second configuration at least in the activated state of the mechanical connection device 9 and from the second configuration to the first configuration, at least in the deactivated state of the mechanical connection device 9.

[0075] In the second configuration, the neutralized automatic control station is the automatic control station 61 of the barge 2 and the non-neutralized automatic control station is the automatic control station 71 of the pusher 3. In this second configuration, the operator located on the pusher 3 can, from the automatic control station 71 of the pusher 3, control both the thrusters 4 of the barge 2 and 5 of the pusher 3. If an operator is standing on the barge 2, the latter can simply act on the control members of the manual control station in the event of a problem.

[0076] The design of the floating installation 1 described above makes it possible to safely control the barge and pusher thrusters under all circumstances.

Claims

Claims

1. Floating installation (1) comprising a barge (2) and a pusher (3) each equipped with thrusters (4; 5), interfaces (11; 12) for controlling the thrusters (4; 5) and at least one control station (61, 62; 71, 72) comprising at least one member (110; 120) for controlling the thruster(s) (4; 5), the stern of the barge (2) being a notched stern defining a notch (8) preferably in the general shape of a U forming a zone for embedding the bow of the pusher (3), the floating installation (1) forming, in the partially embedded state of the pusher (3), in the barge (2) a rigid assembly constituting a single navigation vessel, i.e. a single-piece vessel, the installation (1) comprising a device (9) for mechanical connection between the pusher (3) and the barge (2), this connecting device (9) being an activatable / deactivatable device, the connecting device (9) being configured so that, in the activated state,prevent any disengagement of the pusher (3) from the notch (8) of the barge (2), characterized in that the control stations for the barge (2) and for the pusher (3) are two in number and comprise for each, a manual control station (62, 72), a so-called automatic control station (61, 71) comprising at least one control unit (611, 711) and a mode selector (63, 73) configured to selectively select the so-called automatic operating mode in which the automatic control station (61, 71) is in the active state or the so-called manual operating mode in which the manual control station (62, 72) is in the active state, in that the installation (1) comprises a system (10) for detecting the activation of the mechanical connection device (9), in that the installation (1) comprises a first configuration in which the or each control member (120) of the control station order (71,72) selected from the pusher (3) is active on the thrusters (5) of the pusher (3) and the or each control member (110) of the selected control station (61, 62) of the barge (2) is active on the thrusters (4) of the barge (2) and a second configuration in which the or each control member (110, 120) of the thrusters (4, 5) of one of the automatic control stations (61; 71) is neutralized, and the other of the automatic control stations (61, 71) not neutralized is configured to control both the thrusters (4, 5) of the barge (2) and of the pusher (3), and in that the installation (1) is configured to pass, from one configuration to another depending on the data provided by the system (10) for detecting the activation of the mechanical connection device (9) and the selected operating mode.

2. Floating installation (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the installation (1) is configured to, in the selected state of the automatic operating mode for the pusher (3) and for the barge (2), switch from the first to the second configuration at least in the activated state of the mechanical connection device (9) and from the second configuration to the first configuration at least in the deactivated state of the mechanical connection device (9).

3. Floating installation (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that in the second configuration, the neutralized automatic control station is the automatic control station (61) of the barge (2) and the non-neutralized automatic control station is the automatic control station (62) of the pusher (3).

4. Floating installation (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the automatic control station neutralized in the second configuration comprises a member (13) for locking the or each control member (110, 120) of the thrusters (4, 5) of said automatic control station (61, 71), the or each locking member (13) being in the locked position in the activated state of the mechanical connection device (9) and in the selected state of the automatic operating mode for the pusher (3) and for the barge (2).

5. Floating installation (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the control unit (611, 711) of the automatic control station (61, 71) neutralized in the second configuration is configured to emit no control signal for the thrusters (4, 5) from the signals supplied by the or each manually operable control member (110, 120) of the thrusters (4, 5) and equipping said automatic control station (61, 71) in the activated state of the mechanical connection device (9) and in the selected state of the automatic operating mode for the pusher (3) and for the barge (2).

6. Floating installation (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the or at least one of the control members (110, 120) of the thrusters (4, 5) equipping the non-neutralized automatic control station (61, 71) which is a manually actuable member is configured to control the operation of at least one of the pro- thrusters (5) of the pusher (3) in one of the first and second configurations of the installation (1) and the operation of at least one of the thrusters (4) of the barge (2) in the other of the first and second configurations of the installation (1).

7. Floating installation (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that two of the thrusters (5) of the pusher (3) are arranged on the sides of the bow of the pusher (3) to each form a lateral bow thruster (51), and in that two of the thrusters (5) of the pusher (3) are arranged at the rear of the pusher (3), in that said bow thrusters (51) are, in the embedded state of the bow of the pusher (3) in the notch (8) of the barge (2), arranged in the notch (8) of the stern of the barge (2), in that the installation (1) comprises a device (14) for detecting the position of the pusher (3) in the notch (8) and in that the control unit (711) of the automatic control station (71) of the pusher (3) is configured to control the operation of the thrusters (5) of the pusher (3) based at least on the data provided by the device (14) for detecting the position of the pusher (3) in the notch (8).

8. Floating installation (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the control unit (711) of the automatic control station (71) of the pusher (3) is configured to control the stopping of the bow thrusters of the pusher (3) as a function of the data provided by the device (14) for detecting the position of the pusher (3) in the notch (8), said control unit (711) of the automatic control station (71) being configured to control the stopping of the bow thrusters of the pusher (3) in the positioned state of the pusher (3) in said notch (8) beyond a predetermined position of the pusher (3) inside said notch (8).

9. Floating installation (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the installation (1) comprises a device (15) for connecting data exchange networks between the pusher (3) and the barge (2), in that the mechanical connection device (9) and the data exchange network connection device (15) each comprise at least one member (91, 151) carried by the pusher (3) and at least one complementary member (92, 152) carried by the barge (2), said mechanical connection devices (9) and (15) for connecting data exchange networks being mounted in parallel and being configured to switch from the inactive state to the active state in the embedded state of the bow of the pusher (3) into the notch (8) of the barge (2).

10. Floating installation (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the device (9) for mechanical connection between the pusher (3) and the barge (2) comprises a jack (16) equipping the pusher (3), a cradle (17) equipping the barge (2) inside which the head of the jack (16) is able to be inserted in the coupled state of the barge (2) and the pusher (3) and at least one member (18) for locking the head of the jack (16) inside said cradle (17), the activated state of the mechanical connection device (9) corresponds to the state maintained of the head of the jack (16) in the cradle (17) by the locking member (18).

11. Floating installation (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least two of the thrusters (4) of the barge (2) are azimuth thrusters (41) retractable into the thickness of the barge (2) arranged at the stern of the barge (2).

12. Floating installation (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises at least two data storage areas representative of the geometric and physical characteristics of the installation (1), said data comprising at least data relating to the state of the thrusters, the length, the width and the draft of the installation (1), the installation (1) corresponding, in the first data storage area, to the pusher (3) when the pusher (3) is equipped with the non-neutralized automatic control station (71) or to the barge (2) when the barge (2) is equipped with the non-neutralized automatic control station (61) and, in the second data storage area, to the pusher (3) and barge (2) assembly in the coupled state, in that at least the non-neutralized automatic control station (61, 71) comprises at least one screen (22,21) display capable of displaying data from the first storage area in the first configuration and data from the second storage area in the second configuration, and in that the control unit (611, 711) of the non-neutralized automatic control station (61, 71) is configured to control the thrusters (4, 5) as a function of the data from the first storage area in the first configuration and as a function of the data from the second storage area in the second configuration.,

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