Telescopic spud device

Abstract

To provide an expansion spud device capable of surely mooring a ship by pushing a spud into the bottom of the water without requiring a large space on the upper side of the ship.SOLUTION: The crane has a telescopic structure in which a plurality of telescopic cylinders 12, 16, 14 are sequentially fitted and inserted slidably in the vertical direction to expand and contract, the uppermost telescopic cylinder 12 positioned at the uppermost part when expanded is attached to a ship, and a wire rope W of a winding device 70 provided on the ship is attached to the lowermost telescopic cylinder 14 positioned at the lowermost part when expanded. Provided is an extendable spud device (2) including an extendable spud (10) that extends downward from a ship by loosening a wire rope (w), and a bellows-type water pack (20) that is disposed inside the extendable spud (10), is extendable, and is capable of sealing water therein, wherein water is sealed inside the bellows-type water pack (20) in a state in which a lower end of the extending extendable spud (10) is grounded on a water bottom (G), thereby suppressing contraction of the extendable spud (10) and maintaining a grounded state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2C

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a spud device for mooring a vessel. [Background technology]

[0002] When mooring a ship for construction work, etc., it is common to use a rope attached to the quay or an anchor. However, in places adjacent to narrow rivers, canals, or other shipping routes, mooring with an anchor is difficult because it interferes with the navigation of other ships. To address this issue, construction work vessels equipped with spuds, which are mooring posts for mooring the ship, are known. The spuds can be lowered vertically from the ship to the bottom of the water, allowing construction work on bridges, floodgates, etc. to be carried out while the ship is moored.

[0003] However, when the spud is raised, the top of the long, columnar spud protrudes considerably above the deck of the ship. Therefore, in waters with airspace restrictions, such as bridges and floodgates, the long, columnar spud comes into contact with the airspace restrictions and cannot be used. On the other hand, if the spud is long enough to not affect the restrictions, it is not long enough to reach the bottom of the water and cannot be used to moor a ship.

[0004] To address this issue, an extendable spud device has been proposed, which makes the spud extendable (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The extendable spud device described in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which multiple cylinders with different diameters are stacked and extended or contracted while sliding against each other. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-35429 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the telescopic spud device described in Patent Document 1, although the spud is telescopic, the telescopic function cannot be fixed. Therefore, the spud cannot be pushed into the bottom of the water, and if the bottom ground is hard, the tip of the telescopic spud cannot penetrate. This causes skidding, and it is not possible to prevent the hull from rolling. Furthermore, it cannot be used as a half-sepp barge, which is a large spud barge used for dredging work, piling work, etc.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide an extendable spud device that does not require a large space above the ship and can reliably moor the ship by pushing the spud into the bottom of the water. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An elastic spud device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a telescopic structure in which a plurality of telescopic cylinders are inserted in order to be slidable in the vertical direction and are extended and contracted, the uppermost telescopic cylinder positioned at the top when extended is attached to the ship, and the lowermost telescopic cylinder positioned at the bottom when extended is attached to a wire rope of a hoisting device provided on the ship, and the telescopic spud extends downward from the ship by loosening the wire rope; a bellows-type water pack that is arranged inside the expandable spud, is expandable, and can seal water therein; Equipped with By sealing water inside the bellows-type water pack while the lower end of the expanding expandable spud is in contact with the bottom of the water, the expandable spud can be prevented from contracting and maintained in a grounded state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the above aspect, it is possible to provide an extendable spud device that does not require a large space above the ship and that can reliably moor the ship by pushing the spud into the bottom of the water. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are side views schematically showing the external shape of an extensible spud device according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) shows the contracted state and (b) shows the extended state. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of an expandable spud device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which is provided with a first on-off valve, and shows a state in which the expandable spud is contracted. [Figure 2B] 2B is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the expandable spud is being expanded downward from the state shown in FIG. 2A. FIG. [Figure 2C] 2C is a side cross-sectional view showing the state in which the extendable spud extends further downward from the state shown in FIG. 2B to make contact with the bottom of the water, and the length of the extendable spud is fixed and maintained in this state. FIG. [Figure 2D] 2D is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the expandable spud contracts upward from the state shown in FIG. 2C. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the outer shape of a bellows-type water pack. [Figure 4A] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of an expandable spud device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which is provided with a first on-off valve and a second on-off valve, and shows a state in which the expandable spud is contracted. [Figure 4B] 4B is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the expandable spud is being expanded downward from the state shown in FIG. 4A. FIG. [Figure 4C] 4C is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the state in which the expandable spud extends further downward from the state shown in FIG. 4B and touches the bottom of the water, further increasing the pressure inside the bellows-type water pack. FIG. [Figure 4D] 4D is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the expandable spud contracts upward from the state shown in FIG. 4C. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of a lower end region of a telescopic spud device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with a nozzle and a hose for removing sediment from the bottom of the water. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of a lower end region of an extendable spud device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with a nozzle for removing sediment from the bottom of the water and a third on-off valve. [Figure 7] 7 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing another method for ejecting the nozzle in the expandable spud device shown in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is an image (photograph) showing the outer shape of a prototype stretchable spud device, showing the stretchable spud in a contracted state. [Figure 9] 1 is an image (photograph) showing the outer shape of a prototype stretchable spud device, showing the stretchable spud in an extended state. [Figure 10] This is an image (photo) showing the prototype telescopic spud device attached to a ship. [Figure 11] This is an image (photo) showing a ship fitted with a prototype telescopic spud device being moored in position under a bridge using the telescopic spud device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are intended to embody the technical concept of the present invention, and unless otherwise specified, the present invention is not limited to the following. In each drawing, components having the same function may be given the same symbol. For convenience, the embodiments may be shown separately to facilitate explanation or understanding of the main points, but partial substitution or combination of configurations shown in different embodiments is possible. In the following embodiments, descriptions of matters common to the previous embodiments will be omitted, and only differences will be described. In particular, similar effects due to similar configurations will not be mentioned sequentially in each embodiment. The size and positional relationship of components shown in each drawing may be exaggerated to clarify the explanation. In the following explanations and drawings, the vertical direction is described as the up-down direction.

[0012] (Stretchable spud device according to one embodiment) First, an overview of an elastic spud device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a side view schematically showing the outer shape of an elastic spud device according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) shows a contracted state and (b) shows an extended state.

[0013] The telescopic spud device 2 according to this embodiment includes a telescopic spud 10. The telescopic spud 10 has a telescopic structure in which four telescopic tubes 12, 16A, 16B, and 14 are inserted and slidably moved vertically. More specifically, the telescopic spud 10 includes, from top to bottom, an uppermost telescopic tube 12, intermediate telescopic tubes 16A and 16B, and a lowermost telescopic tube 14. The external dimensions of the telescopic tubes decrease from top to bottom, and when retracted, the lower telescopic tube is inserted and fitted into the upper telescopic tube. As described below, stoppers formed on the inner and outer surfaces of the telescopic tubes abut against the tubes to prevent them from extending beyond a predetermined length.

[0014] The uppermost telescopic tube 12, which is located at the top when extended, is attached to the boat. More specifically, in this embodiment, an attachment frame (not shown) is arranged on the outside of the uppermost telescopic tube 12, the uppermost telescopic tube 12 is attached to the attachment frame, and the attachment frame is attached to the boat (see FIG. 10). The telescopic spud 10 (attachment frame) is attached along the outer shape of the boat in a plan view, and when retracted, is located at a position generally above the water surface in a side view.

[0015] Pulleys 42a and 42b are attached to the lowest telescopic tube 14, which is located at the bottom when extended. A tip portion 40 with a convex downwards is attached to the lower end of the extendable spud 10, i.e., the bottom of the lowest telescopic tube 14.

[0016] A hoisting device 70 is installed on the deck of the ship, and pulleys 72a, 72b are placed on both sides of the telescopic spud 10 (mounting frame), i.e., on the hoisting device 70 side and the opposite side. The wire rope W that is wound onto the drum of the hoisting device 70 is hooked around pulley 72a and extends downward. The wire rope W that extends downward is hooked in turn around pulleys 42a, 42b attached to the lowest telescopic cylinder 14 and extends upward. The wire rope W that extends upward is hooked around pulley 72b on the deck and is fixed to the ship at the position indicated by arrow X.

[0017] The upper end of the telescopic spud 10 (mounting frame) is stored at a height equal to or lower than the top of the hoisting device 70. However, this arrangement is not limited to this, and the upper end of the telescopic spud 10 (mounting frame) may be located slightly higher than the top of the hoisting device 70. In either case, the upper end of the telescopic spud 10 (mounting frame) is arranged so that it is not too high above the deck of the ship.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1(a), when the wire rope W is wound around the drum of the hoisting device 70 and the telescopic spud 10 is contracted, and the drum is rotated in the counter-winding direction to loosen the wire rope W, the telescopic spud 10 extends downward due to its own weight. If the wire rope W is continuously loosened, it will extend until the stoppers of the telescopic tube abut against each other, and finally, the telescopic spud 10 will reach its maximum length as shown in Figure 1(b).

[0019] When the telescopic spud device 2 is actually used on a ship, the tip 40 at the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 abuts the bottom of the water before the telescopic spud 10 reaches its maximum extension. As will be described later, this embodiment has a mechanism that prevents the telescopic spud 10 from contracting when the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 is in contact with the bottom of the water, thereby maintaining the contact state. The mechanism that prevents the telescopic spud 10 from contracting will be described in detail later with reference to Figures 2A to 2D, etc. Note that the telescopic spud device 2 shown in Figure 1 can be applied to all of the embodiments described with reference to Figure 2A and subsequent figures. The telescopic spud 10 with such a telescopic structure does not require a large space above the ship, and can reliably moor the ship in various areas, including areas with limited overhead space, such as under a bridge.

[0020] When the drum of the hoisting device 70 is rotated in the winding direction to wind the wire rope W from the state in which the telescopic spud 10 is extended as shown in Fig. 1(b), the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 is pulled upward via the pulleys 42a and 42b, and the telescopic spud 10 contracts. Then, the telescopic spud 10 returns to its most contracted state in which the telescopic cylinders 12, 16A, 16B, and 14 overlap each other as shown in Fig. 1(a).

[0021] In this embodiment, the telescopic tubes 12, 16A, 16B, and 14 are each formed from a metal square tube having a substantially square cross section and a thickness of 16 mm. The length of the telescopic tubes 12, 16A, 16B, and 14 is 4000 mm. The top telescopic tube 12 is formed from a square tube with an outer diameter of 500 mm x 500 mm, the middle telescopic tube 16A is formed from a square tube with an outer diameter of 450 mm x 450 mm, the middle telescopic tube 16B is formed from a square tube with an outer diameter of 400 mm x 400 mm, and the bottom telescopic tube 14 is formed from a square tube with an outer diameter of 350 mm x 350 mm. In other words, there are gaps between the inserted telescopic tubes 12, 16A, 16B, and 14.

[0022] The length of the tip portion 40 attached to the bottom of the lowest telescopic tube 14 can be approximately 500 to 800 mm, for example. When each component has such dimensions, in the most contracted state, the telescopic tubes 12, 16A, 16B, and 14 overlap, resulting in a total length of approximately 4 to 5 m, and in the most extended state, the total length is approximately 12 to 13 m. However, these dimensions are merely examples, and any other dimensions can be used depending on the application.

[0023] As described above, there are gaps between the inserted telescopic tubes 12, 16A, 16B, and 14, so when the telescopic spud 10 is extended in water, water flows into the interior of the telescopic spud 10 from the surroundings. The flow of the inflowing water pushes air that has accumulated inside the telescopic spud 10 out. This prevents the buoyancy of the air trapped inside the telescopic spud 10 from preventing it from extending downward, and allows the telescopic spud to reliably extend toward the bottom of the water.

[0024] However, the above dimensions are merely an example, and any other square pipe with a cross-sectional size and length can be used. In the above example, four telescopic tubes are used, but the telescopic spud 10 can have any number of telescopic tubes (two or more) depending on the water depth where the telescopic spud device 2 is used. Also, instead of square pipes, circular pipes with a substantially circular cross-sectional shape can be used. Square pipes and circular pipes can be made of any metal material, including carbon steel and stainless steel.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, a downwardly convex tip 40 is attached to the bottom of the lowest telescopic tube 14, so that the telescopic spud 10 can be thrust deeper into the water bottom, allowing it to maintain a more secure ground contact state.

[0026] (Expandable spud device according to the first embodiment) Next, a description will be given of a telescopic spud device according to a first embodiment of the present invention with reference to Figs. 2A to 2D and 3. Fig. 2A is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of a telescopic spud device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with a first on-off valve, and shows a state in which the telescopic spud is contracted. Fig. 2B is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the telescopic spud is in the middle of extending downward from the state shown in Fig. 2A. Fig. 2C is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the telescopic spud has further extended downward from the state shown in Fig. 2B and has made contact with the bottom of the water, with the length of the telescopic spud being fixed and maintained. Fig. 2D is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the telescopic spud is contracting upward from the state shown in Fig. 2C. Fig. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the outer shape of a bellows-type water pack.

[0027] In this embodiment, the telescopic structure has three telescopic tubes 12, 16, 14 that are inserted sequentially and slidably in the vertical direction to extend and retract. More specifically, there are three telescopic tubes: the uppermost telescopic tube 12, the middle telescopic tube 16, and the lowermost telescopic tube 14. As described above, the uppermost telescopic tube 12 is attached to a mounting frame disposed on its outside, and the mounting frame is attached to the boat. The telescopic spud 10 (mounting frame) is attached along the outer shape of the boat in a plan view, and when retracted, is positioned generally above the water surface in a side view.

[0028] In this embodiment, of the inserted telescopic tubes 12, 16, 14, a stopper 18a protruding from the inner surface of the outer telescopic tube 12 comes into contact with a stopper 18b protruding from the outer surface of the inner telescopic tube 16, thereby restricting movement in the extension direction between the inserted telescopic tubes 12, 16. Similarly, a stopper 18a protruding from the inner surface of the outer telescopic tube 16 comes into contact with a stopper 18b protruding from the outer surface of the inner telescopic tube 14, thereby restricting movement in the extension direction between the inserted telescopic tubes 16, 14.

[0029] In this way, the stoppers 18a, 18b of the telescopic tubes 12, 16, 14 abut against each other, so that the movement of the telescopic tubes 12, 16, 14 in the extension direction can be reliably restricted, and a highly reliable telescopic structure can be obtained.

[0030] Furthermore, a bellows-type water pack 20 that is expandable and can be filled with water is disposed inside the expandable spud 10. As shown in Figure 3, the bellows structure of the bellows-type water pack 20 allows it to expand and contract smoothly in the directions indicated by the arrows.

[0031] The bellows-type water pack 20 is provided with a metal end plate 24a at its upper end and a metal end plate 24b at its lower end. The upper end plate 24a of the bellows-type water pack 20 is attached to the inner surface of the uppermost telescopic barrel 12. The lower end plate 24a of the bellows-type water pack 20 is attached to the inner surface of a tip portion 40 attached to the lowermost telescopic barrel 14. This allows the bellows-type water pack 20 to expand and contract in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the telescopic barrel 10. The end plates 24a, 24b are joined to the inner surfaces of the telescopic barrels 12, 14 with fastening members such as bolts and nuts. A gasket is inserted at least between the end plate 24a and the inner surface of the telescopic barrel 12, providing a sealed connection.

[0032] A pipe 26 is arranged at the upper end of the bellows water pack 20. The pipe 26 communicates with the interior 22 of the bellows water pack 20, passes through the end plate 24a and the uppermost telescopic tube 12, and extends to the upper side of the telescopic tube 12. The pipe 26 extends from the interior 22 of the bellows water pack 20 to the outside (upper side) in a sealed state. An external flow path 50a is arranged on the deck of the ship. A pump 52 is connected to the inlet side of the external flow path 50a, and a first on-off valve 30 is connected to the outlet side. The suction side pipe of the pump 52 extends into the water around the ship.

[0033] The first on-off valve 30 is a three-way valve, and in addition to an external flow path 50a, it is connected to an external flow path 50b that extends on the opposite side of the first on-off valve 30 from the external flow path 50a. The other end of the external flow path 50b is open to the water surface around the boat, that is, to the outside air. Furthermore, a pipe 26 that communicates with the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 is connected to the first on-off valve 30, which is a three-way valve. In the drawings, when a part of the circle that schematically shows the first on-off valve 30 is shown in black, it indicates that the valve is in a closed state, and when a part of the circle is shown in white, it indicates that the valve is in an open state.

[0034] 2B , in the first on-off valve 30, the flow path between the external flow path 50a and the interior 22 (actually the piping 26) of the bellows-type water pack 20 is opened, the flow path between the interior 22 (piping 26) and the external flow path 50b is closed, and the pump 52 is operated, thereby sucking up water around the vessel and supplying it to the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2C , when the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 is filled with water, the flow path between the external flow path 50a and the interior 22 (piping 26) and the flow path between the interior 22 (piping 26) and the external flow path 50b are both closed, thereby sealing water in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. In this way, by sealing water in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 with the lower end of the expandable spud 10 in contact with the bottom of the water, the expandable spud 10 can be prevented from contracting and maintained in a contact state.

[0035] 2D, when the bellows-type water pack 20 is contracted in the first on-off valve 30 with the flow path between the external flow path 50a and the interior 22 (piping 26) closed and the flow path between the interior 22 (piping 26) and the external flow path 50b open, the water in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 is discharged to the outside. In this embodiment, the water in the bellows-type water pack 20 is discharged onto the water surface around the boat.

[0036] In the illustrated example, water around the ship is sucked up and supplied to the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, and the water in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 is released onto the water surface around the ship, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to configure the system so that water stored in a tank is supplied to the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, or so that the water in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 is returned to the tank. Also, the water in the tank can be made to flow into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 using the siphon principle without using a pump. In this case, the reeled-up wire rope W contracts the expandable spud 10, and ultimately the bellows-type water pack 20, thereby returning the water in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 to the tank.

[0037] The bellows-type water pack 20 according to this embodiment is made of an elastic rubber or resin material, which allows it to expand and contract smoothly in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the expandable spud 10, and also to undergo appropriate elastic deformation when water is poured into it, thereby reliably sealing water at a predetermined pressure inside the bellows-type water pack 20 and preventing the expandable spud 10 from contracting, thereby maintaining contact with the ground.

[0038] <Method for mooring a ship using an extendable spud device according to the first embodiment> Next, with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2D, a method for mooring a ship using the telescopic spud device 2 according to the first embodiment having the above-described structure will be described. In FIG. 2A, the telescopic spud 10 is in its most contracted state. The first on-off valve 30 closes both the flow path between the external flow path 50a and the interior 22 (piping 26) and the flow path between the interior 22 (piping 26) and the external flow path 50b. However, because the wire rope W wound around the drum of the hoisting device 70 keeps the telescopic spud 10 in its contracted state, there is no problem even if the first on-off valve 30 is open. When the telescopic spud 10 is in its most contracted state shown in FIG. 2A, most of the telescopic spud 10 is located above the water surface, allowing the ship to navigate freely. Because the telescopic spud 10 does not protrude above the deck of the ship, the ship can navigate without any problems even in places with height restrictions, such as under a bridge, and the telescopic spud 10 can be extended toward the bottom of the channel to moor the ship.

[0039] Next, the procedure for mooring a ship will be described. From the state shown in FIG. 2A , the drum of the hoisting device 70 is rotated in the counterwinding direction to loosen the wire rope W, allowing the telescopic spud 10 to extend downward from the ship under its own weight (see the bold arrow in the figure). At this time, the external flow path 50a side of the first on-off valve 30 is opened, and the pump 52 is operated to inject water from the external flow path 50a into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. In the state shown in FIG. 2A , only a small amount of air actually remains in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. By injecting water into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, the effects of buoyancy are suppressed, and the telescopic spud 10 smoothly extends downward under its own weight. Furthermore, as the telescopic spud 10 extends, surrounding water flows in through the gaps between the telescopic tubes 12, 16, and 14 of the telescopic spud 10, thereby suppressing the generation of buoyancy.

[0040] Then, as shown in FIG. 2C , the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 touches the water bottom G. The length of the telescopic spud 10 at its maximum extension is set to be longer than the water depth of the area where the ship to which the telescopic spud device 2 is attached is moored. Therefore, extension of the telescopic spud 10 stops at any length depending on the water depth of the water bottom G. Then, by continuing to operate the pump 52 while the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 is in contact with the water bottom G, the pressure inside the bellows-type water pack 20 further increases. This causes the ventral-type water pack 20, and ultimately the telescopic spud 10, to extend downward, allowing the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 to be pressed even deeper against the water bottom G. In particular, since the tip portion 40 with a convex downwards is attached to the underside of the telescopic spud 10, the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 can more effectively pierce the ground of the water bottom G. The pressure inside the bellows-type water pack 20 at this time can be, for example, 0.8 to 1.2 MPa.

[0041] In this way, the lower end of the expandable spud 10 touches the bottom G of the water, and water is continuously injected until the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 reaches a predetermined pressure. Then, the first on-off valve 30 is closed, sealing water inside the bellows-type water pack 20 and maintaining the grounded state. Explaining the opening and closing of the valve in more detail, the external flow path 50b side of the first on-off valve 30 is closed beforehand, and the external flow path 50a side of the first on-off valve 30, which was open, is closed.

[0042] This ensures that the bottom end of the telescopic spud 10 can be kept in contact with the bottom G of the water, allowing the ship to be moored safely. In this embodiment, water is sealed inside the bellows-type water pack 20, which prevents the telescopic spud 10 from shrinking and allows the telescopic spud 10 to maintain its contact with the water. This eliminates the need for a complex fixing mechanism and allows the telescopic spud 10 to maintain its contact with the water with a simple structure.

[0043] To finish the grounding of the telescopic spud 10 as shown in FIG. 2C, as shown in FIG. 3D, the drum of the hoisting device 70 is rotated in the winding direction to wind up the wire rope W and contract the telescopic spud 10. This causes the lower end of the telescopic spud 10, which is in contact with the water bottom G, to move upward. At this time, the external flow path 50b side of the first on-off valve 30 is opened. As the wire rope W is wound up, the telescopic spud 10, and therefore the bellows-type water pack 20, contracts. This allows water from the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 to flow out through the external flow path 50b, allowing the telescopic spud 10 to contract smoothly. By continuing this process, the telescopic spud 10 can be contracted to its shortest length, and by closing the external flow path 50b side of the first on-off valve 30, the telescopic spud 10 returns to the state shown in FIG. 2A. This allows the moored ship to resume sailing.

[0044] As described above, in the first embodiment, the first on-off valve 30 and the external flow paths 50a, 50b are arranged on the ship, and the first on-off valve 30 can switch between a communication state and a closed state between the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 and the external flow path 50a, and between the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 and the outside air (via the external flow path 50b).

[0045] According to the first embodiment, the first on-off valve 30 can be used to switch between a communicating state and a closed state between the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 and the external flow paths 50a, 50b. Therefore, by opening the first on-off valve 30, water can flow into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 when the expandable spud 10 expands, or water can flow out of the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 when the expandable spud 10 contracts. Furthermore, by closing the first on-off valve 30, water can be sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20.

[0046] In the first embodiment, when the wire rope W is slackened and the telescopic spud 10 is extended downward from the ship under its own weight, the first on-off valve 30 is opened and water is injected into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 from the external flow path 50 a. The lower end of the telescopic spud 10 touches the bottom G of the water. Water is continuously injected until the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 reaches a predetermined pressure. After that, the first on-off valve 30 is closed to seal water in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 and maintain the grounded state. When the touchdown of the telescopic spud 10 is finished, the first on-off valve 30 is opened and the wire rope W is wound up, allowing the water in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 to flow out via the external flow path 50 b, thereby contracting the telescopic spud 10.

[0047] In this way, the first on-off valve 30, which opens and closes between the external flow paths 50a, 50b and the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, can reliably carry out each step related to mooring the ship, such as extending the telescopic spud 10, maintaining the state of being grounded, and contracting the telescopic spud 10.

[0048] (Expandable spud device according to the second embodiment) Next, a telescopic spud device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 4A to 4D. Fig. 4A is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of a telescopic spud device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with a first on-off valve and a second on-off valve, and shows a state in which the telescopic spud is contracted. Fig. 4B is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the telescopic spud is in the middle of extending downward from the state shown in Fig. 4A. Fig. 4C is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the telescopic spud has further extended downward from the state shown in Fig. 4B and has made contact with the bottom of the water, further increasing the pressure inside the bellows-type water pack. Fig. 4D is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which the telescopic spud is contracting upward from the state shown in Fig. 4C.

[0049] In the second embodiment, in addition to the configuration shown in the first embodiment, a second on-off valve 32 is provided at the lower end of the telescopic spud 10. More specifically, an inlet / outlet port 44 connecting the inside and outside of the lowest telescopic tube 14 is formed in the lower region of the lowest telescopic tube 14 of the telescopic spud 10. A second on-off valve 32 is provided near the inlet / outlet port 44 inside the lowest telescopic tube 14, in a flow path between the inlet / outlet port 44 and the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. This second on-off valve 32 is a check valve that opens to allow water to flow from the inlet / outlet port 44 to the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, and closes to allow water to flow from the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 to the inlet / outlet port 44. The other structures are basically the same as those of the first embodiment, and further detailed description will be omitted.

[0050] <Method for mooring a ship using an extendable spud device according to the second embodiment> Next, with reference to Figures 4A to 4D, a method for mooring a ship using the telescopic spud device 2 according to the second embodiment having the above-described structure will be described. In Figure 4A, the telescopic spud 10 is in its most contracted state, and the first on-off valve 30 is closed on both the external flow path 50a side and the external flow path 50b side. The second on-off valve 32, which is a check valve, is also closed because it is not receiving pressure from the inlet / outlet port 44 side. The state shown in Figure 4A is basically the same as that of the first embodiment shown in Figure 2A. When the telescopic spud 10 is in its most contracted state shown in Figure 4A, most of the telescopic spud 10 is located above the water surface, allowing the ship to sail freely.

[0051] Next, the procedure for mooring a ship will be described. From the state shown in FIG. 4A , the drum of the hoisting device 70 is rotated in the counter-winding direction to loosen the wire rope W, and the telescopic spud 10 is extended downward from the ship by its own weight (see the bold arrow in the figure). If the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 were sealed, the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 would not be able to expand or extend. However, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4B , the second on-off valve 32, which is a check valve, opens to allow water to flow from the inlet / outlet port 44 into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, and water around the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 flows from the inlet / outlet port 44 into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. In this respect, the process shown in FIG. 4B differs from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2B .

[0052] As a result, the expandable spud 10 expands smoothly downward under its own weight. Although Fig. 4B shows the first on-off valve 30 in a closed state, it is also possible to open the external flow path 50a side of the first on-off valve 30 and operate the pump 52 to inject water from the external flow path 50a into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. In this case, water flows into the interior 22 not only from the lower end side of the bellows-type water pack 20 but also from the upper end side, thereby increasing the speed at which the expandable spud 10 expands.

[0053] Then, as shown in FIG. 4C , the lower end of the expandable spud 10 touches the water bottom G. With the lower end of the expandable spud 10 in contact with the water bottom G, the external flow path 50a side of the first on-off valve 30 is opened, and the pump 52 is operated to further inject water into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. This further increases the pressure in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. At this time, the second on-off valve 32, which is a check valve, is closed due to the pressure in the interior 22. Therefore, the perimeter-type water pack 20, and by extension the expandable spud 10, stretches downward and can be pushed even deeper against the water bottom G. FIG. 4C shows water being supplied from the external flow path 50a to the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20.

[0054] In this way, the lower end of the extendable spud 10 touches the bottom G of the water, and water is continuously injected into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 until a predetermined pressure is reached. Then, the first on-off valve 30 is closed, sealing water inside the bellows-type water pack 20 and maintaining the grounded state. This ensures that the lower end of the extendable spud 10 remains in contact with the bottom of the water, allowing the ship to be moored safely.

[0055] To end the state in which the telescopic spud 10 is grounded as shown in FIG. 4C, as shown in FIG. 4D, the drum of the hoisting device 70 is rotated in the winding direction to wind up the wire rope W and contract the telescopic spud 10. As a result, the lower end of the telescopic spud 10, which was installed on the bottom of the water, moves upward. At this time, the external flow path 50b side of the first on-off valve 30 is opened. As the wire rope W is wound up, the telescopic spud 10, and therefore the bellows-type water pack 20, contracts. As the bellows-type water pack 20 contracts, the internal pressure increases, and the second on-off valve 32 is closed. The telescopic spud 10 can then be contracted to its shortest length, and the external flow path 50b side of the first on-off valve 30 is opened to return to the state shown in FIG. 4A. This allows the moored ship to sail again.

[0056] As described above, the second embodiment comprises an intake and drain port 44 formed in the lower region of the lowest telescopic tube 14 and connecting the inside and outside of the lowest telescopic tube 14, and a second on-off valve 32 arranged near the intake and drain port 44 inside the lowest telescopic tube 14 and arranged in a flow path between the intake and drain port 44 and the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, and the second on-off valve 32 is a check valve that opens to allow water to flow from the intake and drain port 44 to the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 and closes to allow water to flow from the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 to the intake and drain port 44.

[0057] In the second embodiment, the second on-off valve 32 is a check valve that communicates with the inlet / outlet port 44 formed in the lower region of the lowest telescopic tube 14, so that when the expandable spud 10 extends toward the water bottom G, surrounding water flows into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 through the inlet / outlet port 44. This makes it possible to easily fill the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 with water without requiring any special power. After installation on the water bottom G, when water is poured into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 from the external flow path 50a, the second on-off valve 32 is closed, so that water can be reliably sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20.

[0058] In the second embodiment, when the wire rope W is loosened and the telescopic spud 10 is extended downward from the ship by its own weight, the second on-off valve 32 opens, water around the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 flows into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 from the inlet / outlet port 44, and the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 touches the bottom G of the water. The first on-off valve 30 opens, and external water is injected into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 from the external flow path 50a, and the second on-off valve 32 closes. After the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 reaches a predetermined pressure, the first on-off valve 30 is closed, water is sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, and the grounded state is maintained. When the grounding of the expandable spud 10 is completed, the first on-off valve 30 is opened, the wire rope W is wound up, and the water in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 is discharged to the outside via the external flow path 50b, thereby contracting the expandable spud 10.

[0059] In the second embodiment, the first on-off valve 30, which opens and closes between the external flow paths 50a, 50b and the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, and the second on-off valve 32, which is a check valve connecting the inlet / outlet port 44 and the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, reliably perform each step of mooring the ship, extending the telescopic spud 10, maintaining the grounded state, and contracting the telescopic spud 10. In particular, the second on-off valve 32, which is connected to the inlet / outlet port 44, allows water to flow into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 without requiring any additional power, ensuring the extension of the telescopic spud 10. Note that the inlet / outlet port 44 can also be used to blow out the water sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 to the outside. This allows sediment on the bottom G to be removed. Related details are described in the fourth embodiment.

[0060] (Expandable spud device according to the third embodiment) Next, a telescopic spud device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a side cross-sectional view that schematically shows the structure of the lower end region of the telescopic spud device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with a nozzle and a hose for removing sediment from the bottom of the water.

[0061] If the water bottom G is hard, even if water is sealed at a predetermined pressure inside the bellows-type water pack 20 with the lower end of the expandable spud 10 in contact with the water bottom G as described above, the tip 40 may not penetrate into the ground, and skidding may occur. To address this, in the third embodiment, a nozzle 60 that sprays high-pressure water is attached to the lower end of the expandable spud 10.

[0062] High-pressure water is sprayed from the nozzle 60 to disturb the sediment on the bottom G, allowing the tip 40 to penetrate the ground of the bottom G and prevent skidding. In this embodiment, water is sprayed, but this is not limited to this. Liquids other than water can be used, and gases such as air can also be used, as long as they can disturb the sediment on the bottom G without adversely affecting the environment. In other words, a nozzle that sprays any fluid can be used.

[0063] Next, the structure of an expandable spud device 2 according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. A nozzle 60 that sprays fluid (water) to remove sediment from the water bottom G is attached to the lower region of the lowest telescopic tube 14, which is located at the lowest position when extended. More specifically, an opening is provided at the lower end of the tip portion 40 attached to the bottom of the lowest telescopic tube 14, and the tip of the nozzle 60 is inserted into this opening. The end of the nozzle 60 opposite the tip is joined to the end plate 24b at the bottom of the bellows-type water pack 20. A gasket is disposed between the end of the nozzle 60 and the end plate 24b, and the nozzle 60 is attached to the bottom of the bellows-type water pack 20 in a sealed state with fastening members such as bolts and nuts. A through-hole communicating with the flow path of the nozzle 60 is formed in the end plate 24b of the bellows-type water pack 20.

[0064] A hose 62 is disposed inside the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, and the lower end of the hose 62 passes through the outer shell of the bellows-type water pack 20 and is attached in a sealed state to the end plate 24b. This allows communication between the flow path of the hose 62 and the flow path of the nozzle 60. The hose 62 extends in a spirally wound state upward from the end plate 24b inside the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. The upper end of the hose 62 passes through the outer shell of the bellows-type water pack 20 and is attached in a sealed state to the end plate 24a. The end plate 24a has a through-hole that communicates with the flow path of the hose 62.

[0065] The spirally wound hose 62 expands and contracts smoothly in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the expandable spud 10. A flow path 64 communicating with the through-hole is connected to the outside of the end plate 24a, and a high-pressure pump (or compressor) 66 is disposed in the flow path 64. The flow path related to the hose 62 is disposed so as not to interfere with the first on-off valve 30 and the associated piping 26, etc.

[0066] With this configuration, high-pressure water discharged by the high-pressure pump 66 flows through the flow path 64 and the flow path of the hose 62, into the flow path of the nozzle 60, and can be sprayed from the tip of the nozzle 60 onto the ground at the bottom G of the water. The water pressure at which the water is sprayed can be, for example, 0.7 MPa to 7 MPa, depending on the amount of water.

[0067] As described above, in the fourth embodiment, the nozzle 60 is attached to the lower region of the lowest telescopic tube 14, the hose 62 arranged inside the telescopic spud 10 from the upper end to the lower end side is attached to the nozzle 60, and high-pressure water is sprayed from the nozzle via the hose 62. By supplying high-pressure water using the hose 62, the high-pressure water is reliably sprayed from the nozzle 60, disturbing the soil on the bottom G of the water, and penetrating the tip 40 into the ground to prevent skidding.

[0068] However, a hose can be used to spray not only water but also a mixture of water and air from the nozzle. In this case, the air lift effect can be used to effectively remove sediment from the bottom G of the water.

[0069] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, the hose 62 is located inside the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 and is arranged in a spiral shape so as to be expandable and contractable in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the bellows-type water pack 20. Because the hose 62 is located inside the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, the internal space of the expandable spud 10 can be used efficiently. Furthermore, the hose 62 expands and contracts smoothly in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the expandable spud 10 and the bellows-type water pack 20, allowing the fluid to be reliably sprayed from the nozzle 60.

[0070] It should be noted that the hose 62 is not limited to being disposed inside the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. If the hose 62 can smoothly expand and contract in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the expandable spud 10 and the bellows-type water pack 20, the hose 62 may also be disposed outside the bellows-type water pack 20. Also, by using a structure in which the hose is wound around a rotating reel, the length of the hose can be adjusted in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the expandable spud 10 and the bellows-type water pack 20.

[0071] (Expandable spud device according to the fourth embodiment) Next, a telescopic spud device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a side cross-sectional view that schematically shows the structure of a lower end region of a telescopic spud device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with a nozzle for removing sediment from the bottom of the water and a third on-off valve.

[0072] In the third embodiment described above, high-pressure water supplied by a hose 62 is sprayed from a nozzle 60 onto the bottom G of the water, but the fourth embodiment differs in that water filled inside 22 of a bellows-type water pack 20 is sprayed from a nozzle 60.

[0073] Next, the structure of an extendable spud device 2 according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. In this embodiment, too, an opening is provided at the lower end of the tip portion 40 attached to the bottom of the lowest telescopic tube 14, and the tip portion of the nozzle 60 is inserted into this opening. The end of the nozzle 60 opposite the tip is joined to the end plate 24b at the bottom of the bellows-type water pack 20. A gasket is disposed between the end of the nozzle 60 and the end plate 24b, and the nozzle 60 is attached in a sealed state to the bottom of the bellows-type water pack 20 with fastening members such as bolts and nuts. A through-hole communicating with the flow path of the nozzle 60 is formed in the end plate 24b of the bellows-type water pack 20.

[0074] A flow path 68 is formed that penetrates the outer shell of the bellows-type water pack 20 and continues from the through-hole formed in the end plate 24b, and the flow path 68 opens into the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20. In this embodiment, a third on-off valve 34 is provided that switches between a communicating state and a closed state between the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 and the nozzle 60. When the third on-off valve 34 is closed, water can be sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20, and when the third on-off valve 34 is open, the water sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 can be sprayed from the nozzle 60.

[0075] By providing a third on-off valve 34 that switches between a communication state and a closed state between the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 and the nozzle 60, water sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 can be sprayed out from the nozzle 60 to remove sediment from the bottom G of the water without providing an additional liquid supply mechanism.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the third on-off valve 34 is configured as a valve that opens and closes in response to pressure. The release pressure at which the third on-off valve 34 opens is preferably set to a pressure higher than the internal pressure of the bellows-type water pack 20 at which the expandable spud 10 can maintain its grounded state. With water sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 so that the expandable spud 10 can maintain its grounded state, the internal pressure of the bellows-type water pack 20 can be increased by supplying water to the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 with the pump 52 via the first on-off valve 30. When the internal pressure of the bellows-type water pack 20 reaches the release pressure, the third on-off valve 34 opens, and the water sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 is sprayed from the nozzle 60.

[0077] As described above, the third on-off valve 34 is a valve that opens and closes in response to pressure, and when the opening pressure reaches a pressure higher than the internal pressure of the bellows-type water pack 20 that is sufficient to maintain the expandable spud 10 in a grounded state, the third on-off valve 34 opens, and the water sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 is sprayed out from the nozzle 60. In this embodiment, because the third on-off valve 34 is a valve that opens and closes in response to pressure, the water sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 can be sprayed out simply by increasing the pressure in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 without using a solenoid valve or the like. (Expandable spud device according to the fifth embodiment) Next, a stretchable spud device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing another method for ejecting the nozzle in the stretchable spud device shown in Fig. 6.

[0078] The structures of the expandable spud 10 and bellows-type water pack 20 according to the fifth embodiment are the same as those of the above-described fourth embodiment, and a third on-off valve 34 that opens and closes in response to pressure is disposed between the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 and the nozzle 60. In the fifth embodiment, as shown schematically in Fig. 7, the ship is provided with a mechanism K that moves the uppermost telescopic tube 12 (actually, an outer mounting frame of the uppermost telescopic tube 12) up and down. For example, such a mechanism K can be configured using a hoisting device provided on the ship.

[0079] With the telescopic spud 10 in the grounded state, the mechanism K is used to move the uppermost telescopic tube 12 downward, and the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 is pressed even more firmly against the water bottom G. This increases the internal pressure of the bellows-type water pack 20, in which water is sealed, to the release pressure, and opens the third on-off valve 34. This causes water from the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 to be sprayed from the nozzle 60, and sediment on the water bottom G can be removed.

[0080] As described above, in the fifth embodiment, the boat is provided with the mechanism K for moving the uppermost telescopic tube 12 up and down, and by moving the uppermost telescopic tube 12 downward with the telescopic spud 10 in a state where it is in contact with the ground and pressing the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 more firmly against the bottom G of the water, the internal pressure of the bellows-type water pack 20 containing water can be increased to the release pressure and the third on-off valve 34 can be opened. Note that the mechanism K can move the uppermost telescopic tube 12 up and down, and can also fix the uppermost telescopic tube 12 in a desired position. Therefore, the boat can be stabilized with the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 pressed firmly against the bottom G of the water, and can also be used as a half-SEP barge.

[0081] In this embodiment, by pressing the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 more firmly against the water bottom G while the telescopic spud 10 is in contact with the ground, the internal pressure of the bellows-type water pack 20 can be increased to the release pressure, causing the water sealed in the interior 22 of the bellows-type water pack 20 to spray out. As a result, by simply moving the uppermost telescopic cylinder 12 downward using the mechanism K, water can be sprayed out from the nozzle 60 to remove sediment from the water bottom G, and the telescopic spud 10 can be pushed even deeper into the water bottom.

[0082] In any of the above third to fifth embodiments, a nozzle 60 for spraying fluid to remove sediment from the bottom of the water G is attached to the lower region of the lowest telescopic tube 14, and by spraying fluid from the nozzle 60, sediment from the bottom of the water G is removed, allowing the telescopic spud 10 to be securely placed on the bottom of the water G.

[0083] The telescopic spud device 2 according to any of the above embodiments has a telescopic structure in which a plurality of telescopic cylinders 12, 16, 14 are inserted sequentially and slidably in the vertical direction to extend and retract, and the uppermost telescopic cylinder 12, which is at the top when extended, is attached to the ship, and the wire rope W of the hoisting device 70 provided on the ship is attached to the lowermost telescopic cylinder 14, which is at the bottom when extended, and the telescopic spud 10 extends downward from the ship by loosening the wire rope W, and the telescopic spud 10 is provided with a bellows-type water pack 20 that is arranged inside the telescopic spud 10, is telescopic, and can have water sealed inside, and by sealing water inside the bellows-type water pack 20 when the lower end of the extending telescopic spud 10 is in contact with the bottom G of the water, the telescopic spud 10 can be prevented from contracting and can maintain its contact with the water.

[0084] When equipped with a telescopic spud with a telescopic structure, it does not require a large space above the ship, and the ship can be moored in areas with height restrictions, such as under a bridge. When the lower end of the extending telescopic spud touches the bottom of the water, if there is no means to fix the extension of the telescopic spud, the telescopic spud will contract and will not be able to maintain its grounded state. To address this issue, if mechanisms are provided to fix and unlock each individual telescopic tube, a complex mechanism would be required for each telescopic tube, which would increase weight and manufacturing costs. It would also be difficult to fix the telescopic spud in a desired extension state (length).

[0085] The telescopic spud device 2 according to the above embodiment includes a bellows-type water pack 20 that is expandable and can be filled with water inside the telescopic spud 10. By sealing water inside the bellows-type water pack 20 when the lower end of the telescopic spud 10 is in contact with the bottom of the water at various depths and does not extend any further, the telescopic spud 10 can be prevented from contracting and maintained in a grounded state. This eliminates the need for a complex fixing mechanism, allows the telescopic spud 10 to reliably maintain a grounded state with a simple structure, and suppresses increases in weight and manufacturing costs. This makes it possible to provide a telescopic spud device 2 that does not require a large space above the ship and can reliably moor the ship by pushing the spud into the bottom of the water.

[0086] (Example) Next, an example of a prototype telescopic spud device will be briefly described with reference to Figures 8 to 11. Figure 8 is an image (photograph) showing the exterior of the prototype telescopic spud device, with the telescopic spud in a contracted state. Figure 9 is an image (photograph) showing the exterior of the prototype telescopic spud device, with the telescopic spud in an extended state. Figure 10 is an image (photograph) showing the prototype telescopic spud device attached to a ship. Figure 11 is an image (photograph) showing a ship equipped with the prototype telescopic spud device being moored at a position below a bridge using the telescopic spud device.

[0087] As shown in Figure 11, it was demonstrated that the prototype telescopic spud device can reliably and safely moor ships even in places with height restrictions, such as under bridges.

[0088] (General Description) <1> a telescopic structure in which a plurality of telescopic cylinders are inserted in order to be slidable in the vertical direction and are extended and contracted, the uppermost telescopic cylinder positioned at the top when extended is attached to the ship, and the lowermost telescopic cylinder positioned at the bottom when extended is attached to a wire rope of a hoisting device provided on the ship, and the telescopic spud extends downward from the ship by loosening the wire rope; a bellows-type water pack that is arranged inside the expandable spud, is expandable, and can seal water therein; Equipped with A telescopic spud device characterized in that water is sealed inside the bellows-type water pack with the lower end of the extending telescopic spud in contact with the bottom of the water, thereby suppressing contraction of the telescopic spud and maintaining the contact state. <2> a first on-off valve and an external flow path are disposed on the vessel; The first on-off valve switches between a communication state and a closed state between the inside of the bellows-type water pack and the external flow path or between the inside of the bellows-type water pack and the outside air. <1> The telescopic spud device according to claim 1. <3> when the wire rope is loosened and the telescopic spud is extended downward from the ship by its own weight, the first on-off valve is opened to inject water from the external flow path into the inside of the bellows-type water pack; the lower end of the expandable spud is brought into contact with the bottom of the water, and water is continuously injected until the interior of the bellows-type water pack reaches a predetermined pressure, and then the first on-off valve is closed to seal water inside the bellows-type water pack and maintain the grounded state; When the grounding of the expandable spud is completed, the first on-off valve is opened, the wire rope is wound up, and the expandable spud is contracted while the water inside the bellows-type water pack is discharged to the outside through the external flow path. <2> The telescopic spud device according to claim 1. <4> a water inlet formed in a lower end region of the lowest telescopic tube and connecting the inside and outside of the lowest telescopic tube; a second on-off valve disposed in the vicinity of the water inlet inside the lowest telescopic cylinder and in a flow path between the water inlet and the inside of the bellows-type water pack; Equipped with The second on-off valve is a check valve that opens with respect to the flow of water from the water intake port to the inside of the bellows-type water pack and closes with respect to the flow of water from the inside of the bellows-type water pack to the water intake port. <2> or <3> The telescopic spud device according to claim 1. <5> When the wire rope is loosened and the telescopic spud is extended downward from the ship by its own weight, the second on-off valve opens, and water around the lower end of the telescopic spud flows into the inside of the bellows-type water pack through the water inlet, When the lower end of the expandable spud is grounded on the bottom of the water, the first on-off valve is opened to inject external water from the external flow path into the inside of the bellows-type water pack, and after the second on-off valve is closed and the inside of the bellows-type water pack reaches a predetermined pressure, the first on-off valve is closed to seal water inside the bellows-type water pack and maintain the grounded state, When the grounding of the expandable spud is completed, the first on-off valve is opened, the wire rope is wound up, and the expandable spud is contracted while the water inside the bellows-type water pack is discharged to the outside through the external flow path. <4> The telescopic spud device according to claim 1. <6> A nozzle for spraying fluid to remove sediment from the bottom of the water is attached to the lower end area of ​​the lowest telescopic cylinder. <1> from <5> 10. The elastic spud device according to claim 9, wherein the elastic spud device is a flexible spud. <7> a third on-off valve that switches between a communication state and a closed state between the interior of the bellows-type water pack and the nozzle; When the third on-off valve is closed, water can be sealed inside the bellows-type water pack, When the third on-off valve is open, the water sealed inside the bellows-type water pack is sprayed out from the nozzle. <6> The telescopic spud device according to claim 1. <8> the third on-off valve is a valve that opens and closes according to pressure, When the pressure inside the bellows-type water pack reaches an opening pressure higher than the pressure inside the bellows-type water pack that is sufficient to maintain the expansion spud in a grounded state, the third opening / closing valve opens, and the water sealed inside the bellows-type water pack is sprayed out from the nozzle. <7> The telescopic spud device according to claim 1. <9> The ship is provided with a mechanism for moving the uppermost telescopic tube up and down, With the telescopic spud in the grounded state, the uppermost telescopic cylinder is moved downward to press the lower end of the telescopic spud more firmly against the bottom of the water, thereby increasing the internal pressure of the bellows-type water pack containing water to the release pressure, and opening the third on-off valve. <8> The telescopic spud device according to claim 1. <10> A hose disposed inside the expandable spud from the upper end to the lower end is attached to the nozzle, and water, air, or a mixture of water and air is blown out from the nozzle via the hose. <6> The telescopic spud device according to claim 1. <11> The hose is located inside the bellows-type water pack and is arranged in a spiral shape so as to be expandable and contractable in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the bellows-type water pack. <10> The telescopic spud device according to claim 1. <12> The bellows-type water pack is made of an elastic rubber material or a resin material. <1> from <11> 10. The elastic spud device according to claim 9, wherein the elastic spud device is a flexible spud. <13> A stopper protruding from the inner surface of the telescopic tube located on the outside of the inserted telescopic tube comes into contact with a stopper protruding from the outer surface of the telescopic tube located on the inside, thereby restricting movement of the inserted telescopic tubes in the extension direction. <1> from <12> 10. The elastic spud device according to claim 9, wherein the elastic spud device is a flexible spud. <14> A gap is formed between the inserted telescopic tubes, and when the telescopic spud extends downward in water, water flows into the inside of the telescopic spud from the surroundings. <1> from <13> 10. The stretchable spud device according to claim 1, <15> A tip portion having a downward convexity is attached to the lower end of the lowest telescopic cylinder. <1> from <14> 10. The elastic spud device according to claim 9, wherein the elastic spud device is a flexible spud.

[0089] The above describes embodiments and examples of the present invention, but the disclosed contents may vary in the details of the configuration, and changes in the combination and order of elements in the embodiments and examples may be realized without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 2. Extendable spud device 10 Elastic Spud 12 Top telescopic tube 14 Bottom telescopic tube 16, 16A, 16B Intermediate telescopic tube 18a, 18b stopper 20 Bellows-type water pack 22 Inside 24a, 24b End plates 26 Piping 30 First shut-off valve 32 Second shut-off valve 34 Third shut-off valve 40 Tip 42a, 42b Wire pulley 44 Suction and drainage ports 46 Flow path 50a, 50b External flow path 52 Pump 60 nozzles 62 Hose 64 flow path 66 High-pressure pump 70 Hoisting device 72a, 72b Wire pulleys W Wire G underwater K mechanism

Claims

1. a telescopic structure in which a plurality of telescopic cylinders are inserted in order to be slidable in the vertical direction and are extended and contracted, the uppermost telescopic cylinder positioned at the top when extended is attached to the ship, and the lowermost telescopic cylinder positioned at the bottom when extended is attached to a wire rope of a hoisting device provided on the ship, and the telescopic spud extends downward from the ship by loosening the wire rope; a bellows-type water pack that is arranged inside the expandable spud, is expandable, and can seal water therein; Equipped with A telescopic spud device characterized in that water is sealed inside the bellows-type water pack with the lower end of the extending telescopic spud in contact with the bottom of the water, thereby suppressing contraction of the telescopic spud and maintaining the contact state.

2. a first on-off valve and an external flow path are disposed on the vessel; 2. The expandable spud device according to claim 1, wherein the first opening / closing valve switches between a communicating state and a closed state between the inside of the bellows-type water pack and the external flow path or between the inside of the bellows-type water pack and the outside air.

3. When the wire rope is loosened and the telescopic spud is extended downward from the ship by its own weight, the first on-off valve is opened to inject water from the external flow path into the inside of the bellows-type water pack, the lower end of the expandable spud is brought into contact with the bottom of the water, and water is continuously injected until the interior of the bellows-type water pack reaches a predetermined pressure, and then the first on-off valve is closed to seal water inside the bellows-type water pack and maintain the grounded state; 3. The expandable spud device according to claim 2, wherein, when the grounding of the expandable spud is completed, the first on-off valve is opened, the wire rope is wound up, and the water inside the bellows-type water pack is discharged to the outside through the external flow path, while the expandable spud is contracted.

4. a water inlet formed in a lower end region of the lowest telescopic tube and connecting the inside and outside of the lowest telescopic tube; a second on-off valve disposed in the vicinity of the water inlet inside the lowest telescopic cylinder and disposed in a flow path between the water inlet and the inside of the bellows-type water pack; Equipped with 3. The expandable spud device according to claim 2, wherein the second on-off valve is a check valve that opens to allow water to flow from the water intake port to the inside of the bellows-type water pack and closes to allow water to flow from the inside of the bellows-type water pack to the water intake port.

5. When the wire rope is loosened and the telescopic spud is extended downward from the ship by its own weight, the second on-off valve opens, and water around the lower end of the telescopic spud flows into the inside of the bellows-type water pack through the water inlet, the lower end of the expandable spud is brought into contact with the bottom of the water, the first on-off valve is opened, and external water is injected into the interior of the bellows-type water pack from the external flow path; after the second on-off valve is closed and the interior of the bellows-type water pack reaches a predetermined pressure, the first on-off valve is closed, and water is sealed inside the bellows-type water pack to maintain the grounded state; 5. The expandable spud device according to claim 4, wherein, when the grounding of the expandable spud is completed, the first on-off valve is opened, the wire rope is wound up, and the water inside the bellows-type water pack is discharged to the outside through the external flow path, while the expandable spud is contracted.

6. 6. The telescopic spud device according to claim 1, wherein a nozzle for spraying a fluid to remove sediment from the bottom of the water is attached to the lower end region of the lowest telescopic cylinder.

7. a third on-off valve that switches between a communication state and a closed state between the interior of the bellows-type water pack and the nozzle; When the third on-off valve is closed, water can be sealed inside the bellows-type water pack, 7. The expandable spud device according to claim 6, wherein when the third on-off valve is open, the water sealed inside the bellows-type water pack is sprayed out from the nozzle.

8. the third on-off valve is a valve that opens and closes in response to pressure, 8. The expandable spud device according to claim 7, wherein when an opening pressure is reached that is higher than the internal pressure of the bellows-type water pack that is sufficient to maintain the expandable spud in a grounded state, the third on-off valve opens and the water sealed inside the bellows-type water pack is sprayed out from the nozzle.

9. The ship is provided with a mechanism for moving the uppermost telescopic tube up and down, 9. The telescopic spud device according to claim 8, wherein the uppermost telescopic cylinder is moved downward with the telescopic spud in a state where the telescopic spud is in contact with the water surface, and the lower end of the telescopic spud is pressed more firmly against the bottom of the water, thereby increasing the internal pressure of the bellows-type water pack containing water to the release pressure and opening the third on-off valve.

10. The expandable spud device according to claim 6, characterized in that a hose arranged inside the expandable spud from the upper end to the lower end side is attached to the nozzle, and water, air, or a mixed fluid of water and air is sprayed from the nozzle through the hose.

11. 11. The expandable spud device according to claim 10, wherein the hose is located inside the bellows-type water pack and is arranged in a spiral shape so as to be expandable and contractable in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the bellows-type water pack.

12. 6. The expandable spud device according to claim 1, wherein the bellows-type water pack is made of an elastic rubber material or a resin material.

13. 6. The telescopic spud device according to claim 1, wherein a stopper protruding from the inner surface of the telescopic tube located on the outside of the inserted telescopic tube and a stopper protruding from the outer surface of the telescopic tube located on the inside of the inserted telescopic tube come into contact with each other, thereby restricting movement between the inserted telescopic tubes in the extension direction.

14. 6. The telescopic spud device according to claim 1, wherein a gap exists between the inserted telescopic tubes, and when the telescopic spud extends downward in water, water flows into the inside of the telescopic spud from the surroundings.

15. 6. The telescopic spud device according to claim 1, wherein a downwardly convex tip portion is attached to the lower end of the lowest telescopic cylinder.

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