Ships with rigid sails

Abstract

To provide a vessel including a hard sail capable of quickly storing the hard sail.SOLUTION: Elevator mechanisms 59, 59' of a device body 45 including a hard sail 27 includes a linkage release mechanism for cancelling a linkage relationship with the device body 45 in an emergency. A braking mechanism 115 includes: a guide frame plate 119 having an outline shape with a distance between both side surfaces in a side surface direction becoming continuously increased as a bottom is approached; brake shoes 121 generating a frictional force between the guide frame plate 119 and itself when activated; a supporting body 127 having a plurality of coil springs 125 arranged in between the brake shoes 121; and a falling speed is capable of being mechanically reduced as the device body 45 approaches the bottom.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a ship equipped with rigid sails. [Background technology]

[0002] Large ships such as bulk carriers consume large amounts of fossil fuels and are therefore a source of CO2 emissions. In order to curb fossil fuel consumption, attempts are being made to reduce CO2 emissions by installing hard sails on large ships to supplement their propulsion. A ship disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5828409 (Patent Document 1) has multiple hard sails installed on the deck, using wind power to generate auxiliary propulsion. The multiple hard sails are arranged on the sides of the ship. Each hard sail is retractable, so it can be folded toward the center of the hull and stored in a sail hangar located below the deck. Figure 17 of this publication also discloses a storage structure in which the hard sails are moved up and down by a lifting device located below the deck and extended in the vertical direction, allowing them to be stored in the sail hangar. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5828409 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Rigid sails are heavy and take time to stow, so in emergencies such as when the weather suddenly changes and you want to stow the sails as quickly as possible, the problem with conventional structures is that they cannot be stowed quickly.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a ship equipped with rigid sails that can be quickly stored. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vessel covered by this invention is equipped with a plurality of holds arranged below deck in the direction of travel, wind-propulsion devices including hard sails that extend vertically on deck when in use and are stored in a hard sail hangar below deck when not in use, and one or more hard sail devices each having a hard sail raising and lowering device that raises and lowers the wind-propulsion device. A wind-propulsion device including a hard sail may employ a rotor sail as a generator of wind propulsion force for the wind-propulsion device. A "rotor sail" is a sail that generates propulsion force by rotating a columnar rotor sail erected vertically on the deck around a vertically extending axis through the Magnus effect. The term "hard sail" in this specification also includes rotor sails.

[0007] In this invention, the hard sail hangar for the hard sail device is located between two holds lined up in the direction of travel. The hard sail device includes a device main body equipped with a shaft that rotatably supports the hard sail and a rotary drive device including a rotary drive source that rotates the shaft. The hard sail lifting device also includes a pair of lifting mechanisms that synchronously raise and lower both ends of the device main body located in the width direction perpendicular to the direction of travel, and the pair of lifting mechanisms are equipped with a disconnection mechanism that disconnects them from the device main body in an emergency. Furthermore, one or more brake mechanisms are arranged between the device main body and a pair of walls facing in the direction of travel or a pair of walls facing in the width direction, among the multiple walls surrounding the hard sail hangar, when the disconnection mechanism for the lifting mechanism disconnects the connection between the device main body and the lifting mechanism, allowing the device main body with the hard sail to fall freely, but mechanically slowing down the falling speed of the device main body as it approaches the bottom of the hull.

[0008] According to the present invention, when a situation arises in which it is necessary to lower the hard sail urgently, alignmentWhen the release mechanism releases the link between the lifting mechanism and the device body, the brake mechanism allows the device body, equipped with the hard sail, to free fall and mechanically slows down the device body's falling speed as it approaches the bottom of the hull. As a result, according to the present invention, the hard sail can be stored in the hard sail hangar by free fall using its own weight, without using any special power. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the brake mechanism mechanically slows down the device body's falling speed as it approaches the bottom of the hull, preventing the device body, equipped with the hard sail, from colliding with the bottom wall of the hard sail hangar with high acceleration as it falls. As a result, even if the hard sail is quickly stored, it does not affect the ship's attitude or operation.

[0009] The brake mechanism performing the above function may be configured arbitrarily. For example, each of the one or more brake mechanisms may be configured to include a pair of guide frame plates extending vertically and facing the direction of travel, mounted on a pair of walls facing the direction of travel and / or a pair of walls facing the width direction among the multiple walls surrounding the rigid sail hangar; one or more brake shoes mounted on the device body corresponding to the pair of guide frame plates and generating frictional force between the pair of guide frame plates; and a pressing force increasing mechanism mounted on the device body that mechanically increases the force pressing the one or more brake shoes against the guide frame plates as the device body approaches the bottom of the hull. By adopting such a structure, the force pressing the one or more brake shoes against the guide frame plates, which moves along with the device body's downward movement, is increased, thereby mechanically increasing the braking force. As a result, the required braking force can be obtained without requiring electric power, and the reliability of the brake mechanism can be improved.

[0010] The brake mechanism may be provided on the device body corresponding to a pair of guide frame plates, and may have a structure including at least one pair of one or more brake shoes arranged to sandwich the corresponding guide frame plates from the side directions of the guide frame plates and generate a frictional force between the guide frame plates. In this case, the pressing force increasing mechanism may be provided on the device body and have a structure that mechanically increases the force with which the at least one pair of one or more brake shoes press against both sides of the guide frame plates in the width direction or the traveling direction as the device body approaches the bottom of the hull.

[0011] For example, the pair of guide frame plates preferably have a contour shape in which the distance between their lateral sides increases continuously as they approach the bottom of the ship. The pressing force increasing mechanism preferably includes a pair of supports provided on the device body so as to sandwich the guide frame plates with a lateral gap between them, and one or more elastic members disposed between the pair of supports and the pair of brake shoes, and which are energized as the pair of one or more brake shoes move toward the bottom of the ship along both sides of the guide frame plates and approach the supports. With this configuration, the one or more elastic members can be energized smoothly, gradually increasing the pressing force of the brake shoes.

[0012] It is preferable that the pair of supports, one or more elastic members, and brake shoes constitute a single assembly. This assembly is provided so that it can be displaced between a retracted position where the brake shoes are laterally spaced away from the guide frame plate, and an activated position where the brake shoes come into contact with the side of the guide frame plate. The assembly is structured so that it is in the retracted position during normal operation, and in the activated position in an emergency when it is necessary to quickly lower the hard sail. As a result, during normal operation, the brake mechanism does not affect the raising and lowering of the hard sail, and the brake mechanism is activated only in an emergency. Preferably, the assembly can be moved from the retracted position to the operating position without the use of a special power source. If no special power source is required, the operation of stowing the rigid sail can be carried out in a short time.

[0013] Furthermore, when the width dimension of the hard sail becomes large or the weight of the hard sail becomes heavy, multiple pairs of guide frame plates can be provided at intervals in the width direction on a pair of walls, and a brake mechanism can be provided for each pair of guide frame plates. In this way, an appropriate deceleration force can be obtained according to the width dimension and weight of the hard sail. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a bulk carrier, which is an example of a ship equipped with rigid sails to which the present invention can be applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a left side view (side view seen from the starboard side) of the bulk carrier of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bulk carrier of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] This is a diagram showing the rear part of the hull where holds 7 to 9 are provided. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing the hangar and rigid sail device section cut out from the hull. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the vicinity of the hangar entrance and the main body of the rigid sail device. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining details of a synchronous drive device. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which rigid sails are stored inside a hangar, (A) is a front view, and (B) is a plan view. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing the rigid sail taken out of the hangar and ready for use, (A) is a front view, and (B) is a plan view. [Figure 10(A)] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a rigid sail having a structure in which the width dimension is variable. [Figure 10(B)] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a rigid sail having a structure in which the width dimension is variable. [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the device body, brake assembly, and guide frame plate of a rigid sail device to which one embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 12] (A) is a plan view showing the device body raised to a position where the hard sails are used, (B) is a front view showing both the device body in the hard sail use position and the device body in the hard sail storage position, and (C) is a plan view showing the device body lowered to a position where the hard sails are stored. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are enlarged front views showing a pair of brake assemblies and a guide frame plate, in which FIG. 10A shows the pair of brake assemblies in a retracted position, and FIG. 10B shows the pair of brake assemblies just before moving from the retracted position to the operating position. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an enlarged front view showing a pair of brake assemblies and a guide frame plate in an operating position. [Figure 15] 13 is a diagram showing the relationship between the device main body and the guide frame plate in an embodiment different from that shown in FIG. 12. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a ship according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The configuration of an example of a ship to which the present invention can be applied will be described using Figs. 1 to 11. In the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 11, alignment The release mechanism and brake mechanism are not shown in the figures. Figure 2 is a left side view (side view seen from the starboard side) of the bulk carrier in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a plan view. Also, Figure 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the aft part of the hull where holds 7 to 9 described below are provided.

[0016] <Overall structure> The bulk carrier 1 of this embodiment shown in Figure 1 is a large ship with an overall length of 55 m or more that is subject to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention), a multilateral treaty that sets out rules for ensuring the safety of ships. The bulk carrier 1 has a bow 5 at one end of the hull 3 in the direction of travel FD, a stern 7 at the other end, and a deck (upper deck) 9 on the hull 3. The interior of the bulk carrier 1 is divided into multiple compartments, and below the deck 9, holds 11 (first hold 11A to ninth hold 11I) for carrying cargo are formed, as partially shown in Figure 4. In Figure 1, the positions where the first to ninth holds are located are designated by reference numerals 11A to 11I. Each of the first to ninth holds 11A to 11I has openings 13A to 13I that open to the deck 9, hatch coamings 15A to 15I that surround the openings 13A to 13I, and hatch covers 17A to 17I that slide in the width direction of the hull to close the openings 13A to 13I. A bridge 19, a radar mast 21, and a funnel 23 are provided at the stern 7.

[0017] The bulk carrier 1 of this embodiment is equipped with rigid sail devices as the eight wind-propulsion devices 25. In this embodiment, specifically, the eight wind-propulsion devices 25 are eight rigid sail devices 25A to 25H. The eight rigid sail devices 25A to 25H are each equipped with a rigid sail 27A to 27H, which is a wind-powered propulsion force generating unit. In FIGS. 1 to 3, the rigid sail devices 25A to 25H are in use, with the rigid sails 27A to 27H extended vertically on the deck 9. The eight rigid sail devices 25A to 25H are paired with hangars (29A to 29H) located between two holds 11 aligned in the ship's traveling direction FD (for example, between the first hold 11A and the second hold 11B, between the second hold 11B and the third hold 11C, etc.). Note that in FIG. 1, the locations of the hangars are denoted by the reference numerals 29A to 29H. As will be described later, the rigid sails 27A to 27H are configured to be able to be stored in hangars 29A to 29H provided below the deck 9.

[0018] <Rigid sail lifting mechanism> Figure 4 shows the aft portion of the hull 3, where the seventh hold 11G to the ninth hold 11I are provided. As shown in the figure, bulkheads (30A to 30H) that separate the holds are provided between the seventh hold 11G and the eighth hold 11H, and between the eighth hold 11H and the ninth hold 11I. Note that Figure 4 only shows bulkhead 30G and bulkhead 30H, while the bulkheads 30A to 30F are not shown in the other figures. These bulkheads 30A to 30H are composed of two bulkhead plates spaced apart in the direction of travel of the ship. A hangar 29 for storing rigid sails is provided between these two bulkhead plates.

[0019] Although not all are shown in Figure 4, the hull 3 is provided with a total of eight hangars 29A-29H (see Figure 1), such as hangar 29A between the first hold 11A and the second hold 11B, hangar 29B between the second hold 11B and the third hold 11C, etc., each of which is equipped with a rigid sail device 25A-25H. In the example shown in Figure 4, rigid sail 27G is in use, having been pulled out from hangar 29G, and rigid sail 27H is not in use, having been stored in hangar 29H. Since the rigid sails can be stored in the hangars as needed, if wind force interferes with navigation, all the rigid sails can be stored in the hangars and the ship can navigate as a normal ship. Furthermore, storing the rigid sails in the hangars at port will prevent them from interfering with cargo handling cranes.

[0020] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the hangar 29H and rigid sail device 25H cut out from the hull 3. The other hangars and rigid sail devices have the same basic structure, so for the sake of convenience, the hangar will be referred to as 29 and the rigid sail device as 25, without distinction, and explanations of the other hangars and rigid sail devices will be omitted. Figure 6 is a plan view showing the area near the entrance 31 of the hangar 29 and the device body 45 of the rigid sail device 25.

[0021] The hangar 29 has a shape that extends in the width direction WD, the vertical direction VD, and the traveling direction FD of the hull 3, and a lid member 33 that closes the entrance 31 is arranged on the deck 9 so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position. In this embodiment, the lid member 33 further includes a lid moving mechanism that moves the lid member 33 between the open position that opens the entrance 31 and the closed position that closes the entrance 31.

[0022] Within the hangar 29, a plurality of rib frames 35 are arranged on both sides of the traveling direction FD. Some of the plurality of rib frames 35 are used to suppress vibration when the device main body 45 described below is raised and lowered, and some of the other rib frames 35 are provided to be used as guide frame plates that constitute a brake mechanism in one embodiment of the present invention described below. A plurality of rib frames 35 are arranged on both sides of the traveling direction FD. The plurality of rib frames 35 are welded to the inner surfaces of the two bulkhead plates 30a and 30b (see FIG. 4) that constitute the aforementioned bulkheads 30A to 30H, so as to extend vertically.

[0023] A double bottom 37, a pair of lower hopper tanks 39, 39' provided at the lower part of the ship's side, and a pair of upper hopper tanks 41, 41' provided at the upper part of the ship's side are provided around the hangar 29. A plurality of pistons 43 (eight in total in this embodiment, as an example) that constitute a fixing device for a device main body 45 described below are arranged near the entrance 31 of the hangar 29 (see FIG. 6).

[0024] The rigid sail device 25 comprises a rigid sail 27, which is a wind propulsion force generating unit, a device main body 45 to which the rigid sail 27 is fixed, and a lifting device 47 that raises and lowers the rigid sail 27 in the vertical direction. The device main body 45 comprises a shaft 49 that rotatably supports the rigid sail 27, and a drive device 51 that includes a rotation drive source that rotates the shaft 49. In addition, a total of eight cylinders 53 (shown by dashed lines in Figure 6) that receive the extended portions of the pistons 43, four first rollers 55 that contact the wall surface of the hangar 29, and four second rollers 57 that contact the rib frame 35 are provided on the side of the device main body 45 (see Figure 6). The lifting device 47 comprises a pair of lifting mechanisms 59, 59' that raise and lower both ends of the device main body 45 located in the width direction WD together in a synchronized manner.

[0025] The combination of the piston 43 and the cylinder 53 is one embodiment of the present invention. alignment Although not included in the release mechanism, it is provided for the lifting mechanism 59, 59'. alignment Before or after the release mechanism is activated, the piston 43 is retracted from within the cylinder 53 to allow the device body 45 to descend.

[0026] [Details of the lifting mechanism] As shown in FIG. 5 , the pair of lifting mechanisms 59, 59′ includes a pair of linear body groups 61, 61′, a pair of winches 63, 63′, a pair of pulley devices 65, 65′, a pair of linear body lead-out units 66, 66′, and a synchronous drive device 67. The pair of linear body groups 61, 61′ is composed of a plurality of linear bodies (a plurality of chains in this embodiment) for lifting, each connected to both ends of the device main body 45. The pair of winches 63, 63′ is arranged on both sides of the entrance 31 on the deck 9 in the width direction WD, and winds up or winds down the plurality of linear bodies included in the pair of linear body groups 61, 61′. The pair of pulley devices 65, 65′ guides the plurality of linear bodies to the corresponding winches 63, 63′. The pair of linear body lead-out units 66, 66′ leads the plurality of linear bodies from inside the hangar to the corresponding pulley devices. The synchronous drive device 67 drives the pair of winches 63, 63' to rotate in opposite directions in synchronization with each other.

[0027] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining the details of the synchronous drive device 67. In FIG. 7, only the rotating shafts 69, 69' of the pair of winches 63, 63' are shown. The rotating shafts 69, 69' have a pair of end portions 69a, 69b and 69'a, 69'b. In this embodiment, the synchronous drive device 67 is composed of two prime movers (two electric motors 71 and 73) that are operated synchronously, and a total of four force transmission mechanisms: a first force transmission mechanism 75, a second force transmission mechanism 77, a third force transmission mechanism 79, and a fourth force transmission mechanism 81. The directions of rotation of the shafts are as clearly indicated by the arrows.

[0028] Specifically, the first prime mover 71 has a first drive shaft 71a, and the first force transmission mechanism 75 is provided between the first drive shaft 71a of the first prime mover 71 and one end 69a of the rotating shaft 69 of the winch 63, and transmits the rotation of the first drive shaft 71a so that the rotating shaft 69 of the winch 63 rotates in the same direction as the first drive shaft 71a. The second force transmission mechanism 77 is provided between the first drive shaft 71a of the first prime mover 71 and one end 69'a of the rotating shaft 69' of the winch 63', and transmits the rotation of the first drive shaft 71a so that the rotating shaft 69' of the winch 63' rotates in the opposite direction to the first drive shaft 71a.

[0029] More specifically, the first force transmission mechanism 75 includes a first driving sprocket 83 provided on the first driving shaft 71 a, a first driven sprocket 85 provided on one end 69 a of the rotating shaft 69, and a first chain 87 stretched between the first driving sprocket 83 and the first driven sprocket 85. The second force transmission mechanism 77 includes a second driving sprocket 89 provided on the first driving shaft 71 a, and a first chain 87 stretched between the first driving sprocket 83 and the first driven sprocket 85. a second driven sprocket 93 provided on a first driven shaft 91 arranged near one end 69'a of the first driven shaft 91; a second chain 95 stretched between the second driving sprocket 89 and the second driven sprocket 93; and a first reversing mechanism 97 provided between the rotating shaft 69' and the first driven shaft for rotating the rotating shaft 69' in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the first driven shaft 91 by the rotational force of the first driven shaft 91.

[0030] The second prime mover 73 has a second drive shaft 73a, and the third force transmission mechanism 79 is provided between the second drive shaft 73a of the second prime mover 73 and the other end 69'b of the rotation shaft 69' of the winch 63' to transmit the rotation of the second drive shaft 73a so that the rotation shaft 69' of the winch 63' rotates in the same direction as the second drive shaft 73a. The fourth force transmission mechanism 81 is provided between the second drive shaft 73a of the second prime mover 73 and the other end 69b of the rotation shaft 69 of the winch 63 to transmit the rotation of the second drive shaft 73a so that the rotation shaft 69 of the winch 63 rotates in the opposite direction to the second drive shaft 73a.

[0031] More specifically, the third force transmission mechanism 79 includes a third driving sprocket 99 provided on the second driving shaft 73a, a third driven sprocket 101 provided on the other end 69'b of the rotating shaft 69', and a third chain 103 stretched between the third driving sprocket 99 and the third driven sprocket 101. The fourth force transmission mechanism 81 includes a fourth driving sprocket 105 provided on the second driving shaft 73a, and a third chain 103 stretched between the third driving sprocket 99 and the third driven sprocket 101. a fourth driven sprocket 109 mounted on a second driven shaft 107 disposed near the other end 69b of the fourth drive sprocket 105; a fourth chain 111 stretched between the fourth drive sprocket 105 and the fourth driven sprocket 109; and a second reversing mechanism 113 disposed between the rotating shaft 69 and the second driven shaft 107, which uses the rotational force of the second driven shaft 107 to rotate the rotating shaft 69 in the direction opposite to the rotational direction of the second driven shaft 107.

[0032] In this way, the synchronous drive device 67 can be realized using two prime movers 71 and 73, and the load can be distributed. Furthermore, by using two prime movers, even if one of the two prime movers fails, the synchronous drive device can still be driven, and redundancy can also be achieved.

[0033] [Operation of the lifting mechanism] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the hard sail 27 is stored in the hangar 29, with (A) being a front view and (B) being a plan view, and Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the hard sail 27 has been taken out of the hangar 29 and is ready for use, with (A) being a front view and (B) being a plan view. In Figures 8(B) and 9(B), the cover member 33 is omitted, and the hard sail portion is shown as being partially transparent for ease of explanation. In Figures 8 and 9, the same members as those shown in Figures 1 to 7 are assigned the same reference numerals as those assigned in Figures 1 to 7.

[0034] When the hard sail 27 is stored in the hangar 29 (FIGS. 8A and 8B), the cover member 33 is in the closed position that closes the entrance 31. To put the hard sail into use, the cover member 33 is moved to the open position, and then the first and second electric motors 71, 73 are driven. When the first and second electric motors 71, 73 are driven, the pair of winches 63, 63' reel in the pair of linear body groups 61, 61', causing both ends of the device main body 45 to rise in sync. Then, when the device main body 45 has risen to the vicinity of the entrance 31, the piston 43 is operated, and the extended part of the piston 43 is inserted into the cylinder 53, fixing the device main body 45 and putting the hard sail into use (FIGS. 9A and 9B).

[0035] [Extending the Rigid Sail] In this embodiment, the hard sails 27D to 27H shown in Fig. 1 each have a structure that allows their widthwise dimensions to be variable. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 10(A) and Fig. 10(B), a first extension section 27a and a second extension section 27b are stored inside. With the hard sail 27 extended on the deck 9, it is possible to expand the area of ​​the hard sail 27 that catches the wind by unfurling the first extension section 27a and the second extension section 27b.

[0036] < alignment Release mechanism and brake mechanism configuration> The following describes the configuration of the bulk carrier described in FIGS. 1 to 10(B) for applying the present invention to the bulk carrier. alignment An example of the release mechanism and the brake mechanism will be described.

[0037] The configuration for quickly storing hard sails in one embodiment of the present invention is applied to a ship equipped with hard sails, as described above, which has multiple holds 11A-11I arranged below deck 9 in the direction of travel FD, hard sails (wind propulsion devices) 27A-27H which extend in the vertical direction VD on deck 9 when in use and are stored in hard sail hangars 29A-29H located below deck 9 when not in use, and hard sail devices 25A-25H which have hard sail lifting devices 47 that raise and lower the hard sails 27A-27H in the vertical direction.

[0038] The hard sail hangars 29A-29H for the hard sail devices 25A-25H are arranged between the two holds 11A-11I that are lined up in the direction of travel FD. The hard sail devices 25A-25H are equipped with a device main body 45 that is equipped with a shaft 49 that rotatably supports the hard sails 27A-27H and a rotation drive device that includes a rotation drive source that rotates the shaft 49. As shown in Figure 5, the hard sail lifting device 47 is equipped with a pair of lifting mechanisms 59, 59' that synchronously raise and lower both ends of the device main body 45 located in the width direction WD that is perpendicular to the direction of travel FD.

[0039] In this embodiment, the pair of lifting mechanisms 59, 59' shown in Fig. 5 are equipped with a disconnection mechanism that disconnects them from the device main body 45 in an emergency. Specifically, the disconnection mechanism is a clutch provided inside a reducer (not shown) of the pair of winches 63, 63'; when the power supply to the pair of winches 63, 63' is cut off, the clutch is released, the drive shafts of the winches 63, 63' become free, and the device main body 45 can be lowered from the hard sail use position. Furthermore, even if the power supply to the synchronous drive device 67 shown in Fig. 5 is cut off, the first electric motor 71 and the second electric motor 73 do not prevent the hard sail 27 from descending into the hangar 29.

[0040] Among the multiple bulkhead plates constituting the bulkheads 30A-30H surrounding the hard sail hangars 29A-29H shown in FIG. 4, a pair of bulkhead plates 30a, 30b (FIGS. 4 and 11) that face the direction of travel FD are movably disposed in the space between the device main body 45 and the device main body 45. The multiple brake mechanisms 115 are fixed to the device main body 45 and move together with the device main body 45. When the clutches of the pair of winches 63, 63′, which serve as the linkage release mechanism for the lifting and lowering mechanisms 59, 59′ shown in FIG. 5, are disengaged, freeing the drive shafts of the winches 63, 63′ and releasing the linkage between the device main body 45 and the wire groups 61, 61′ of the lifting and lowering mechanisms 59, 59′, the device main body 45 equipped with the hard sails 27A-27H begins to fall. At this time, the multiple brake mechanisms 115 mechanically slow down the falling speed of the device main body 45 as it approaches the bottom of the hull 3.

[0041] The brake mechanism 115 used in this embodiment will be described in detail below. Figures 12(A) to 12(C) are diagrams showing the relationship between the device main body 45 and the guide frame plate 119 of the rigid sail devices 25A to 25H. Figure 12(A) is a schematic plan view showing the device main body 45 raised to a position where the rigid sail 27 is used, and Figure 12(B) is a schematic front view showing both the device main body 45 with the rigid sail 27 in the use position and the device main body 45 with the rigid sail 27 in the stowed position for convenience of explanation. Figure 12(C) is a plan view showing the state where the rigid sail 27 has been lowered to the stowed position. Figure 13 is an enlarged front view showing the brake mechanism 115, which consists of a pair of brake assemblies 117 and a guide frame plate 119. Figure 13(A) shows the pair of brake assemblies 117 in a retracted position, and Figure 13(B) shows the state just before they move from the retracted position to the operating position. FIG. 14 is an enlarged front view showing one brake assembly 117 and a guide frame plate 119 included in the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0042] In each figure, one brake mechanism 115 is composed of a guide frame plate 119 and a pair of brake assemblies 117 provided on the device main body 45 corresponding to the guide frame plate 119. One brake assembly 117 includes a brake shoe 121, a plurality of coil springs 125 constituting a pressing force increasing mechanism, and a support body 127. In this embodiment, six brake mechanisms 115 are provided because the width dimension of the rigid sail 27 is large and the weight of the rigid sail 27 is heavy. Three pairs of brake mechanisms 115, 115 are provided with a gap in the width direction WD with respect to the pair of bulkhead plates 30a, 30b and correspond to three pairs of guide frame plates 119, 119 facing the traveling direction FD. In other words, one pair of brake mechanisms 115 is fixed to both sides of the device main body 45 corresponding to one pair of guide frame plates 119, 119 aligned in the traveling direction FD. The number of pairs of guide frame plates 119, 119 and pairs of brake mechanisms 115, 115 is determined so as to obtain an appropriate deceleration force according to the width and weight of the rigid sail 27. When the width and weight of the rigid sail 27 are small, as shown in another embodiment in Figure 15, two pairs of guide frame plates 119, 119 may be provided, and two corresponding pairs of brake mechanisms 115, 115 may be provided in the device main body 45'. The number of brake mechanisms 115 may be one or four or more, depending on the width and weight.

[0043] The pair of guide frame plates 119 are provided on a pair of bulkhead plates 30a, 30b that face the traveling direction FD of the bulkhead 30 that surrounds the storage 29 for the rigid sails 27, and extend in the vertical direction VD and face the traveling direction FD. Each guide frame plate 119 has a contour shape in which the distance between both side surfaces of the guide frame plate 119 in the width direction WD continuously increases as it approaches the bottom of the ship.

[0044] A pair of brake mechanisms 115, 115 are provided on both sides of the device body 45 that face each other in the traveling direction FD. A pair of brake assemblies 117 included in one brake mechanism 115 are arranged so that a pair of brake shoes 121 sandwich the corresponding guide frame plate 119 from the side (width direction). When the brake mechanism 115 is activated, the pair of brake shoes 121 can generate friction between the opposing guide frame plate 119. Each brake shoe 121 is fixed to a holder 123. The brake shoes 121 are usually made of a composite material, but to ensure smooth lowering of the rigid sail 27, it is desirable to select a material that provides static friction as close as possible to dynamic friction and has an appropriate dynamic friction. Furthermore, it is desirable that not only the brake shoes 121 but also each of the components that make up the brake mechanism 115 have sufficient seawater corrosion resistance through the selection of materials and / or surface treatment.

[0045] 13(A) and 13(B), the supports 127 of the pair of brake assemblies 117 are each supported on the device main body 45 via a link mechanism 128. A plurality of coil springs 125 are disposed between each of the supports 127 and a holder 123 that holds the brake shoe 121. The plurality of coil springs 125 form a pressing force increasing mechanism.

[0046] As the pair of brake shoes 121 move toward the bottom of the ship along both sides of the guide frame plate 119, which has a contour that continuously increases the distance between both sides as it approaches the bottom of the ship, the multiple coil springs 125 are charged with energy as the brake shoes 121 approach the support body 127. With this configuration, the multiple coil springs 125 can be charged smoothly, thereby gradually increasing the pressing force of the brake shoes 121. In addition to the coil springs 125, for example, a leaf spring or a torsion bar can also be used as a means for charging energy to increase the pressing force.

[0047] Near the four corners of the support body 127, four swing links 129 constituting a link mechanism 128 are attached at one end to be rotatable around an axis facing the traveling direction FD, and the other ends of the swing links 129 are provided to be rotatable around a fixed rod (not shown) extending in the traveling direction FD from the device main body 45. This link mechanism 128 allows the side surfaces of the support body 127 and the brake shoes 121 to be displaced laterally relative to the guide frame plate 119 while maintaining a vertical posture.

[0048] The support 127, the multiple coil springs 125, and the brake shoe 121 constitute one brake assembly 117. The brake assembly 117 is configured to move, by the link mechanism 128 described above, between a retracted position in which the brake shoe 121 is laterally spaced away from the guide frame plate 119, and an actuated position in which the brake shoe 121 contacts the side of the guide frame plate 119. The brake assembly 117 is in the retracted position during normal operation, and moves to the actuated position in an emergency. As a result, during normal operation, the brake mechanism 115 does not affect the raising and lowering of the hard sail 27, and the brake mechanism 115 is activated only in an emergency. The brake assembly 117 can be moved from the retracted position to the actuated position without using a special power source. If a special power source is not required, the hard sail stowage operation can be performed in a short time.

[0049] When the brake assembly 117 is in the retracted position, the link mechanism 128 deforms so that each swing link 129 assumes a nearly vertical position (see FIG. 13A), and when the brake assembly 117 is in the actuated position, each swing link 129 assumes a nearly horizontal position (see FIG. 14). In order to move the brake assembly 117 from the retracted position to the actuated position, a locking device 131 is rotatably held on a shaft 132 aligned with the direction of travel FD on the side of the device body 45 facing the direction of travel FD, and a corresponding locked device 133 is fixed to the support body 127. A downward-facing hook is formed on one end of the locking device 131, and an upward-facing hook is formed on the locked device 133. By engaging with each other, the brake assembly 117 is fixed to the device body 45 in a steady state, and the brake assembly 117 can be maintained in the retracted position as shown in FIG. 13A.

[0050] 13(A) and (B), when the rigid sail 27 is raised to the use position, the underside of a brake operating pin 135 protruding from a bulkhead plate (not shown in FIG. 13) on the hull side contacts the upper surface of the other end of the locking device 131. If the device main body 45 is further raised slightly from this state, the brake operating pin 135 pushes down the other end of the locking device 131, causing the locking device 131 to rotate about the shaft 132, disengaging the hook at one end of the locking device 131 from the hook of the locked device 133, and the brake assembly 117 changes from its retracted position to a movable state.

[0051] The brake assembly 117, which has disengaged from the locking device 131 and the locked device 133, moves from the retracted position to the operating position due to its own weight while maintaining a posture approximately parallel to the guide frame plate 119 via the link mechanism 128, and stops at a position where both side surfaces of the guide frame plate 119 come into contact with the surfaces of the brake shoes 121. The device main body 45 is equipped with a mechanism (not shown) that stops the brake assembly 117 when it reaches the operating position and locks it so that it does not move from the operating position. Therefore, even if the brake assembly 117 is dragged by friction between the brake shoes 121 and the guide frame plate 119 as the rigid sail 27 descends, the swing links 129 will not rotate, causing problems such as a loss of braking force or an inability to increase pressing force.

[0052] The brake actuation pin 135 may be operated manually by an operator using a manual handle to rotate the winches on both sides to raise the device main body 45, or it may be operated electrically.

[0053] [Operation of this embodiment] Next, by using this embodiment, if a ship that is sailing using the hard sails 27 as auxiliary power begins to encounter strong winds, and a situation arises in which the hard sails 27 must be lowered as quickly as possible (i.e., in an emergency), the hard sails 27 can be quickly stored.

[0054] First, if the first expansion section 27a and the second expansion section 27b of the rigid sail 27 have been expanded, they are stored to make the rigid sail 27 into a shape that can be stored.

[0055] Next, as described above, the device body 45 is raised slightly manually or electrically, causing the brake operating pin 135 to rotate the locking device 131, thereby releasing the locking device 131 from the locked device 133, and moving the brake assembly 117 to the operating position where the brake shoe 121 contacts the side of the guide frame plate 119.

[0056] After the brake mechanism 115 is in an operable state, the device main body 45 is allowed to descend. That is, the extended portion of the piston 43 is retracted from the cylinder 53 to release the device main body 45, the power supply to the first prime mover 71 and the second prime mover 73 is stopped to allow them to rotate freely, and the power supply to the actuators of the winches 63 and 63' is stopped. alignment Disconnecting the clutch, which is a release mechanism, releases the cooperative relationship between the lifting mechanism 47 and the device main body 45. These operations are performed simultaneously by switching one switch, but to prevent accidents, a mechanical and / or electrical interlock is provided so that the switch will not operate unless the brake mechanism 115 is in an operating state.

[0057] The device main body 45, which has been released from its link with the lifting mechanism, descends under its own weight, but the brake mechanism 115 allows the device main body 45, which is equipped with the hard sail 27, to fall, and at the same time mechanically slows down the falling speed of the device main body 45 as it approaches the bottom of the hull 3.

[0058] That is, the distance between both sides of the guide frame plate 119 constituting a part of the brake mechanism 115 in the lateral direction is To approach Therefore, because the brake shoe 121 has a continuously increasing contour, the multiple coil springs 125 arranged between the support body 127 and the brake shoe 121 are pressed by the guide frame plate 119 as they move toward the bottom of the ship, and as they approach the support body 127, they are energized and the pressing force increases. This causes the pressing force of the brake shoe 121 against the guide frame plate 119 to gradually increase, mechanically increasing the braking force. As shown in Figures 12 and 14, when the device main body 45 is in the raised position, the brake shoe 121 contacts the guide frame plate 119 with a weak pressing force, and as the device main body 45 descends, the stored energy of the coil springs 125 presses the brake shoe 121 more strongly against the guide frame plate 119.

[0059] Such a brake mechanism 115 alignmentIf a normal storage process using the pair of lifting mechanisms 59, 59' takes, for example, two hours, the emergency storage process for the hard sail 27 using the release mechanism can be completed in, for example, 40 minutes. When the hard sail 27 is to be raised again to be used as auxiliary power, in order to hold the pair of brake assemblies 117 in the retracted state, the brake shoes 121 are raised by external force (for example, using a hydraulic jack) while the device main body 45 is in the lowered position, and the hooks at one end of the locking devices 131 and the hooks of the locked devices 133 are re-engaged. After that, power supply to the lifting mechanism 47 and the synchronous drive device 67 is started.

[0060] As described above, according to this embodiment, the hard sail 27 can be stored in the hangar 29 by free fall using its own weight, and the brake mechanism 115 mechanically slows the falling speed of the device main body 45 as it approaches the bottom of the hull 3, preventing the device main body 45 equipped with the falling hard sail 27 from colliding with the bottom wall of the hard sail hangar 29 with great acceleration. As a result, even if the hard sail 27 is quickly stored, there is no disruption to the attitude or operation of the ship.

[0061] The above-described embodiment has been described as an example, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment as long as it does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0062] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a ship equipped with rigid sails that, particularly in an emergency when it is necessary to stow the rigid sails as quickly as possible, performs a free fall stowage action using its own weight, and by mechanically slowing the falling speed of the device body equipped with the rigid sails as it approaches the bottom of the ship, it is possible to prevent the device body from colliding with the bottom wall of the hangar at a high speed, thereby not interfering with the attitude or operation of the ship. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1. Bulk Carrier 3. Hull 5 Bow 7 Stern 9 Deck (Upper Deck) 11(11A~11I) Hold 13(13A~13I) Opening 15(15A~15I) Edge material 17(17A~17I) Hatch Cover 19 Funabashi 21 Radar Mast 23 Chimney 25(25A~25H) Wind propulsion device (rigid sail device) 27 (27A~27H) Wind propulsion unit (rigid sail) 29 (29A~29H) Hangar 31 Entrance 33 Lid member 35 Rib Frame 37 double bottom 39,39´ Pair of lower hopper tanks 41,41´ Pair of upper hopper tanks 43 Piston 45 Device body 47 Lifting device 49 Shaft 51 Drive unit 53 cylinders 55 First Roller 57 Second Roller 59,59´ Pair of lifting mechanisms 61,61´ Pair of linear bodies 63,63´ Pair of winches 65,65´ Pair of pulleys 67 Synchronous Drive 69,69´ rotation axis 71 First Electric Motor 73 Second Electric Motor 75 First force transmission mechanism 77 Second force transmission mechanism 79 Third Force Transmission Mechanism 81 Fourth Force Transmission Mechanism 83 First driving sprocket 85 1st driven sprocket 87 First Chain 89 Second driving sprocket 91 first driven shaft 93 Second driven sprocket 95 Second Chain 97 First Reverse Mechanism 99 Third driving sprocket 101 Third driven sprocket 103 The Third Chain 105 4th driving sprocket 107 Second driven shaft 109 4th driven sprocket 111 The Fourth Chain 113 Second Reversal Mechanism 115 Brake mechanism 117 Brake assembly 119 Guide frame plate 121 Brake shoe 123 Holder 125 coil spring 127 Support 128 Link Mechanism 129 Swing link 131 Locking device 133 Locked tool 135 Brake operating pin

Claims

1. Located below deck, there are multiple holds lined up in the direction of travel, A ship equipped with hard sails, which includes a wind-propulsion device including a hard sail that extends vertically on the deck when in use and is stored in a hard sail hangar provided below the deck when not in use, and one or more hard sail devices having a hard sail lifting device that raises and lowers the wind-propulsion device in the vertical direction, The rigid sail hangar of the rigid sail device is disposed between the two holds aligned in the traveling direction, The rigid sail device comprises a device body equipped with a shaft portion that rotatably supports the rigid sail, and a rotation drive device that includes a rotation drive source that rotates the shaft portion, the rigid sail lifting device is equipped with a pair of lifting mechanisms that synchronously raise and lower both ends of the device body located in the width direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, the pair of lifting mechanisms each include a disconnection mechanism that disconnects the lifting mechanism from the device body in an emergency; A ship equipped with rigid sails, characterized in that between the device main body and a pair of walls opposing the direction of travel or a pair of walls opposing the width direction among the multiple walls surrounding the rigid sail hangar, one or more brake mechanisms are arranged that allow the device main body equipped with the rigid sail to fall freely when the coupling release mechanism of the lifting mechanism releases the coupling relationship between the device main body and the lifting mechanism, but that mechanically slow down the falling speed of the device main body as the device main body approaches the bottom of the hull.

2. 2. A ship equipped with a rigid sail according to claim 1, wherein the one or more brake mechanisms comprise a plurality of brake mechanisms arranged at intervals in the width direction.

3. The brake mechanism includes: a pair of guide frame plates provided on the pair of wall portions, extending in the vertical direction and facing each other in the traveling direction; one or more brake shoes provided on the device body corresponding to the pair of guide frame plates, generating a friction force between the corresponding guide frame plates; 3. A ship equipped with a rigid sail as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a pressing force increasing mechanism provided on the device main body that mechanically increases the force pressing the one or more brake shoes against the guide frame plate as the device main body approaches the bottom of the hull.

4. The brake mechanism includes: a pair of guide frame plates provided on the pair of wall portions, extending in the vertical direction and facing each other in the traveling direction; a pair of one or more brake shoes provided on the device body corresponding to the pair of guide frame plates, arranged to sandwich the corresponding guide frame plate from the side direction of the guide frame plate with the corresponding guide frame plate therebetween, and generating a friction force between the pair of brake shoes and the guide frame plate; 3. A ship equipped with a rigid sail as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a pressing force increasing mechanism provided on the device main body that mechanically increases the force with which the pair of one or more brake shoes presses against both lateral sides of the guide frame plate as the device main body approaches the bottom of the hull.

5. The pair of guide frame plates have a contour shape in which the distance between both side surfaces in the lateral direction of the guide frame plates continuously increases as they approach the bottom of the ship, 5. A ship equipped with a rigid sail as set forth in claim 4, wherein the pressing force increasing mechanism comprises a pair of supports provided on the device body so as to sandwich the guide frame plate between them and spaced apart in the width direction, and one or more elastic members arranged between the pair of supports and the pair of one or more brake shoes, and which are energized in the process of the pair of one or more brake shoes approaching the supports as they move along both side surfaces of the guide frame plate toward the bottom of the ship.

6. the pair of supports, the one or more elastic members, and the brake shoes constitute a single assembly, the assembly is provided so as to be displaceable between a retracted position in which the brake shoe is spaced apart from the guide frame plate in the lateral direction and an operating position in which the brake shoe is brought into contact with the lateral side of the guide frame plate, 6. A vessel equipped with a rigid sail according to claim 5, wherein the assembly is in the retracted position and in the operating position in a steady state.

7. 7. A vessel equipped with a rigid sail according to claim 6, wherein the assembly is movable from the retracted position to the operating position without using a special power source.

8. a plurality of pairs of the guide frame plates are provided at intervals in the width direction relative to the pair of wall portions, 4. A ship equipped with a rigid sail according to claim 3, wherein the brake mechanism is provided for each pair of guide frame plates.

Images