Linked lifting device

Abstract

To provide a coupling hoist device for a barge vessel and a pusher vessel, facilitating coupling of the barge vessel and the pusher vessel as well as facilitating adjustment of the height of the pusher vessel while securing coupling of the barge vessel and the pusher vessel.SOLUTION: A coupling hoist device includes a panel for hoisting 14g provided to be capable of hoisting vertically in a panel guide plate 13 arranged vertically in a front to back positions of right and left inner wall surfaces of an indention 11 provided on stern of a barge vessel B, a head fitting hole 16a provided on the panel for hoisting 14g, freely extendable bow cylinder 20 and stern cylinder 21 provided on both boards of bow and stern of a pusher vessel P and having a fitting head 24b3 on a tip of a cylinder rod 24. The coupling hoist device has a hoisting mechanism 14 loaded on the barge vessel B capable of vertically hoisting the pusher vessel P coupled to the barge vessel B by fitting the fitting head 24b3 to the panel for hoisting 14g.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connecting lifting device for a pusher ship and a barge ship.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for the maritime transportation of goods in large ports and inland seas, a barge ship (so-called "hashi-ke") loaded with goods is towed by a pusher ship (so-called "oshi-fune"). Compared with a tugboat that tows using a rope, this kind of towing by a pusher ship has better propulsion efficiency and can operate stably. Therefore, in recent years, towing by a pusher ship has also been adopted in the open sea, and large barge ships capable of loading thousands of tons of goods corresponding to this have been built.

[0003] In this kind of towing by a pusher ship, the pusher ship is inserted from the bow into a notch-shaped storage recess provided in the center of the stern of the barge ship (hashi-ke) where goods are loaded, and is connected integrally with the barge ship by a dedicated connecting device, and the barge ship is towed by the propulsion force of the pusher ship. This is a common method. [[ID=I8]]

[0004] The dedicated connecting device consists of a plurality of panel joint devices arranged on both sides of the pusher ship and a lifting device arranged on the barge ship side at the opposing position of the panel joint devices. The pusher ship and the barge ship are fixed by pressing the tip of the panel joint device against the frame member of the lifting device. This connecting device is configured to be able to move up and down, and enables the pusher ship to move up and down within the storage recess of the barge ship (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [[ID=Z9]]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The technology described in Patent Document 1 above involves housing a pusher ship in a recess provided in the center of the stern of a barge, with a frame member configured to move up and down within a guide slide frame provided on the inner circumferential wall of the recess, and fixing the pusher ship and barge ship by fitting the tip of a panel joint device provided on the pusher ship side into a fitting portion of the frame member. Therefore, when the pusher ship and barge ship sway due to waves, it is difficult to accurately position the frame member and the panel joint device, making it difficult to connect the pusher ship and the barge ship.

[0007] Furthermore, because the pusher ship and barge are connected by pressing the frame members with a panel joint device, in order to raise or lower the pusher ship while it is connected to the barge, the pressing force of the panel joint device must be released. However, releasing the pressing force of the panel joint device could release the engagement between the panel joint device and the frame members, potentially causing the pusher ship to fall. In order to raise or lower the pusher ship without causing it to fall, it was necessary to precisely control the retraction distance of the panel joint device, which could reduce work efficiency.

[0008] This invention was conceived in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to facilitate the connection between a barge and a pusher ship in a connecting and lifting device for a barge and a pusher ship, and to allow easy adjustment of the height of the pusher ship while ensuring the connection between the barge and the pusher ship. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A first aspect of the present invention is a barge-mounted lifting device having a lifting mechanism that includes a lifting panel provided so as to be able to move up and down within a panel guide plate vertically arranged at the front-rear positions of the left and right inner walls of a recess provided at the stern of a barge, a head fitting hole provided in the lifting panel, and retractable bow cylinders and stern cylinders provided on both the bow and stern sides of a pusher ship, each having a fitting head at the tip of a cylinder rod, thereby enabling the pusher ship connected to the barge to be raised and lowered up and down by fitting the fitting head into the lifting panel.

[0010] This coupling and lifting device utilizes cylinder rods for both fixing the pusher vessel and the barge vessel together and for raising and lowering the pusher vessel. Specifically, the cylinder rods of the bow cylinder and stern cylinder extend and press the fitting heads into the head fitting holes of the lifting panels, which are positioned at the front and rear of the left and right inner walls of the recess of the barge vessel, thereby fixing the pusher vessel within the recess of the barge vessel. The pusher vessel is supported by the barge vessel by fitting its fitting heads into the head fitting holes of the lifting panels, and the height position of the pusher vessel relative to the barge vessel can be adjusted by operating the lifting mechanism.

[0011] A second aspect of the present invention is a lifting mechanism comprising a vertical lifting cylinder and a cylinder rod that moves up and down at the lower end of the lifting cylinder.

[0012] In this embodiment, the height of the barge can be adjusted by adjusting the extension length of the lifting cylinder. Furthermore, when connecting the barge to the pusher ship, the height position of the head insertion hole and the fitting head can be aligned simply by adjusting the extension length of the cylinder rod of the lifting cylinder. In other words, when connecting the pusher ship and the barge, the connection position with the pusher ship can be adjusted in response to the tilt of the cargo-loaded barge, thereby enabling easy connection between the pusher ship and the barge.

[0013] A third aspect of the present invention is a coupling and lifting device that controls the forward and backward tilt of a barge so that the bow of a pusher vessel makes planar contact with the leading edge of a recess provided at the stern of the barge as the barge tilts.

[0014] In this embodiment, the barge and the pusher vessel are controlled to make contact on a plane, so that the propulsion force of the pusher vessel is efficiently transmitted to the barge vessel, enabling efficient pushing.

[0015] A fourth aspect of the present invention is a connecting lifting device characterized in that the back surface of the lifting panel is covered with a rubber layer so as to adhere closely to the left and right inner walls of a recess provided in a barge.

[0016] In this embodiment, the rubber layer is configured to be pressed against the left and right inner walls of the recess. As the rubber layer is pressed against the side walls of the recess, it transforms to conform to the side walls of the recess. This minimizes the risk of the lifting panel swinging when the pusher ship and the barge are connected, making it difficult for the engagement between the cylinder rods of the bow and stern cylinders and the head fitting holes of the lifting panel to be released, thus preventing the pusher ship from unexpectedly falling.

[0017] A fifth aspect of the present invention is a connecting lifting device characterized in that the rubber layer is divided into multiple parts, and each divided piece is stretched independently.

[0018] In this embodiment, the rubber layer is divided into multiple pieces, and each piece adheres independently to the left and right inner walls of the recess, thereby increasing the contact area between the rubber layer and the barge, and enabling the pusher ship to be securely fixed to the barge.

[0019] The sixth aspect of the present invention is a structure in which a fitting head is inserted into a head insertion hole. A pin insertion groove for inserting a U-shaped pin having an opening downward is formed on the circumferential surface of the base of the fitting head. After inserting the fitting head into the head insertion hole, the U-shaped pin is inserted into the pin insertion groove, and when the U-shaped pin abuts against the inner wall surface of the panel guide plate as the fitting head moves backward, it is a connecting lifting device characterized by restricting the backward movement of the fitting head.

[0020] In this aspect, when raising and lowering the pusher boat, it is possible to release the pressure-bonding state of the rubber layer to the left and right inner wall surfaces of the recess while maintaining the engagement state between the fitting head and the head insertion hole, and the raising and lowering operation of the pusher boat can be facilitated. Further, since the backward movement of the fitting head can be restricted by abutting the U-shaped pin against the inner wall surface of the panel guide plate during the backward movement of the fitting head, the backward distance of the fitting head can be controlled without precisely controlling the backward distance of the fitting head.

Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, in a pusher - barge ship, the pusher boat and the barge can be connected without using a connecting fitting such as a shackle, and further, the height of the pusher boat can be easily adjusted while ensuring the connection state between the pusher boat and the barge.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing a pusher - barge ship according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a plan view, and (b) is a right side view. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing a state in which cargo is loaded on a pusher - barge ship according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a plan view, and (b) is a right side view. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing a connected part of a pusher - barge ship according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a plan view, and (b) is a right side view. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a lifting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed on a barge. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram showing a part for connecting an elevating mechanism and a bow cylinder or a stern cylinder to a head fitting portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an elevating panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a front view, and (b) is a perspective view. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing a rubber layer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is an enlarged view showing a part for connecting an elevating mechanism and a bow cylinder or a stern cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a diagram showing a state where the elevating panel is pressed, and (b) is a diagram showing a state where the pusher ship is connected to the barge ship so that the pusher ship can be elevated. [Figure 9] It is an enlarged view showing a part for connecting an elevating mechanism and a bow cylinder or a stern cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a diagram showing a state where the pressing state of the elevating panel is released, and (b) is a diagram showing a state where the tip of the cylinder rod is engaged with the U-shaped pin. [Figure 10] It is a schematic diagram showing a connection state between a pusher ship and a barge ship according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a diagram showing a state where the stern cylinder is raised higher than the bow cylinder, and (b) is a diagram showing a state where the bow cylinder is raised higher than the stern cylinder.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Embodiments of this invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a pusher-barge ship according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the front-rear and left-right directions are as shown in FIG. 1, and the bow and stern sides of the barge ship B are taken as the front-rear direction, and the left and right of the barge ship B are taken as the left-right direction for explanation.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the pusher barge PB consists of a barge B for loading cargo and a pusher vessel P that moves barge B and has a propulsion mechanism. Barge B has a recess 11 in the center of its stern, and is connected to the pusher vessel P, which is fitted into the recess 11, by a connecting lifting device. The pusher vessel P can be universally fitted and fixed to barge B of various sizes and shapes, as long as the barge B has the same type of recess 11.

[0025] Barge B has a cargo loading section 10 located approximately in the center of the hull H, a recess 11 located in the center of the stern, and a plurality of lifting mechanisms 14 arranged near the recess 11.

[0026] The loading section 10 is a recessed section with a roughly rectangular shape in plan view, drilled into the approximate center of the hull H. The loading section 10 has a bottom surface 10a with a roughly rectangular shape in plan view for placing cargo, and side walls 10b that are bent upward at right angles from each side of the bottom surface 10a. The bottom surface 10a is located at the bottom of the recessed section drilled into the approximate center in the vertical direction of the hull H. The side walls 10b protrude upward above the horizontal plane of the deck D that constitutes the hull H. As a result, the loading section 10 has an open-top loading space 10c enclosed by the bottom surface 10a and the multiple side walls 10b, and cargo can be loaded into this loading space 10c.

[0027] The recess 11 is a notch into which the pusher ship P is fitted, thereby fitting the barge ship B and the pusher ship P together. As shown in Figures 3(a) and (b), the recess 11 has left and right side walls 11a and 11b, and a front side wall 11c connected to the front ends of the left and right side walls 11a and 11b.

[0028] The left and right side walls 11a and 11b are vertical planes that are close to both sides of the pusher vessel P when the pusher vessel P is fitted into the recess 11, and have multiple guide recesses 12. In this embodiment, there are a total of four guide recesses 12, 12, 12, 12: two on the left side wall 11a, 11a and two on the right side wall 11b, 11b.

[0029] The guide recess 12 is a recessed area that is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from the front, with an open side wall surface facing the recess 11 and the deck D, which is the floor surface of the barge B. It is drilled to approximately the center in the vertical direction of the left and right side walls 11a and 11b. A panel guide plate 13 is arranged along the inner circumferential wall of the guide recess 12.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, the panel guide plate 13 is formed in a roughly "U" shape in plan view by having a roughly flat side wall 13a and front and rear side walls 13b and 13c that are bent and extended perpendicularly from the front and rear ends of the side wall 13a toward the recess 11, with the side wall surface facing the recess 11 being open. The panel guide plate 13 also has rod locking walls 1d and 13e that are bent and extended from the tips of the front and rear side walls 13b and 13c toward the front and rear side walls 13b and 13c. The tips of the rod locking walls 13d and 13e are spaced apart, and there is an opening between the rod locking walls 13d and 13e. The opening formed between the rod locking walls 13d and 13e is spaced apart to the extent that the fitting head 24b3, which will be described later, can enter.

[0031] In a plan view, the panel guide plate 13 is housed in the guide recess 12, and is positioned so that the rod locking walls 13d and 13e do not protrude from the side wall 11a (or side wall 11b) of the recess 11. A lifting mechanism 14 is provided near the top of the guide recess 12 and the panel guide plate 13 configured in this way.

[0032] The lifting mechanism 14 is a mechanism for raising and lowering the barge B and the pusher ship P fitted into the recess 11 of the barge B, and furthermore, it is a mechanism for easily raising and lowering the pusher ship P engaged with the barge B without dropping it.

[0033] As shown in Figure 5, the lifting mechanism 14 includes a lifting fixing part 14a fixed to the deck D, a cylinder fixing part 14b protruding from near the upper end of the lifting fixing part 14a toward the recess 11, a cylinder rotating part 14c connected to the lower end of the cylinder fixing part 14b, a lifting cylinder 14d that engages with the cylinder rotating part 14c and is rotatable left and right, a cylinder rod 14e suspended from the lower end of the lifting cylinder 14d so as to be able to move back and forth, a connecting mechanism 14f connected to the tip of the cylinder rod 14e, and a lifting panel 14g connected to the tip of the connecting mechanism 14f.

[0034] The lifting and lowering fixing part 14a is a box-shaped body with a roughly rectangular shape in plan view, and is mounted and fixed to the deck D near the upper end of the side wall 12a with bolts or the like. A cylinder fixing part 14b, which is also a box-shaped body with a roughly rectangular shape in plan view, is provided protruding from the upper end of the lifting and lowering fixing part 14a toward the recess 11.

[0035] The cylinder fixing portion 14b is a solid box with a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front. The tip of the cylinder fixing portion 14b protrudes toward the recess 11 side from the rod locking walls 13d and 13e of the panel guide plate 13. The aforementioned panel guide plates 13, 13 are also vertically attached to the front and rear ends of the lower surface of the cylinder fixing portion 14b. In other words, the front-to-back length of the cylinder fixing portion 14b is shorter than the front-to-back length of the guide recess 12, thereby allowing the panel guide plates 13, 13 to be inserted inside the guide recess 12.

[0036] Furthermore, the cylinder fixing portion 14b has cylinder rotating portions 14c, 14c vertically mounted near the approximate center of its lower surface, facing each other front to back. The cylinder rotating portion 14c is a roughly rectangular, flat plate-like member with its lower part formed in a downwardly convex arc shape. The cylinder rotating portion 14c has a rotating hole 14c1 near the center when viewed from the front. The cylinder rotating portion 14c has a rotating pin 15 mounted in the opposing rotating holes 14c1, 14c1. The rotating pin 15 is a solid cylinder with a circular cross-section, and pivotally supports the lifting cylinder 14d so that it can rotate freely in the left-right direction.

[0037] The lifting cylinder 14d is a hydraulic cylinder having a hollow, cylindrical cylinder tube 14d1 located on the upper side and a cylinder rod 14e that is arranged to move back and forth from the lower end of the cylinder tube 14d1. Inside the cylinder tube 14d1 are the operating oil for adjusting the pressure inside the tube and the base side of the cylinder rod 14e.

[0038] The cylinder rod 14e has a roughly disc-shaped piston 14e1 and a rod 14e2 connected to the approximate center of the piston 14e1. As described above, the piston 14e1 is housed inside the cylinder tube 14d1, which divides the cylinder tube 14d1 into two spaces: an upward space 14d2 and a downward space 14d3.

[0039] The raised space 14d2 and the lowered space 14d3, which are thus divided, are each filled with hydraulic fluid. The pressure on the piston 14e1 is adjusted according to the amount of hydraulic fluid filled in either the raised space 14d2 or the lowered space 14d3, and the piston 14e1 is made to move up and down by this pressure difference. In addition, by making the cylinder rod 14e movable up and down, the connecting mechanism 14f connected to the tip of the rod 14e2 is also made to move up and down.

[0040] The rod 14e2 is a solid cylinder and has a connecting portion 14e3 at its tip. A pivot pin 14e4 is inserted through the connecting portion 14e3. The pivot pin 14e4 pivotally supports the connecting mechanism 14f.

[0041] The connecting mechanism 14f is a roughly rectangular, flat plate-like member when viewed from the front, with a lifting panel 14g connected to its lower end.

[0042] As shown in Figures 6(a) and (b), the lifting panel 14g is a flat plate-shaped member with a roughly rectangular shape in front view and a constant thickness, with a head fitting portion 16 protruding from the front side and a rubber layer 17 protruding from the back side.

[0043] The head insertion portion 16 is a box-shaped body with a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and a head insertion hole 16a is drilled on the side of the recess 11. The head insertion hole 16a has a frustoconical portion 16a1 drilled in the shape of a frustoconical, and a roughly conical portion 16a2 drilled from the tip of the frustoconical portion 16a1.

[0044] The frustum portion 16a1 is a truncated cone formed by cutting the apex of the cone with a plane parallel to the base of the cone, and is the part that holds the pusher boat P in a nearly horizontal position when engaged with the fitting head 24b3, which will be described later. Specifically, the lower end of the fitting head 24b3 that enters the head fitting hole 16a engages with the inner lower surface of the frustum portion 16a1, so that even if the fitting head 24b3 moves back and forth within the frustum portion 16a1, the pusher boat P can maintain a horizontal position without moving up and down.

[0045] Furthermore, the conical portion 16a2 of the head insertion hole 16a is formed in a conical shape that gradually narrows towards the tip. As a result, the fitting head 24b3 inserted through the head insertion hole 16a comes into contact with the conical surface of the conical portion 16a2, allowing the lifting panel 14g to be pressed against the hull. By forming the tip of the head insertion hole 16a in a conical shape in this way, the contact area between the surface of the fitting head 24b3 and the head insertion hole 16a is increased, and the pressing force when the fitting head 24b3 is extended can be efficiently transmitted to the lifting panel 14g. Furthermore, by configuring the head insertion hole 16a to gradually narrow from the opening to the top, and by making the inner diameter of the opening side of the head insertion hole 16a larger than the maximum outer diameter of the fitting head 24b3, the fitting head 24b3 can be inserted into the head insertion hole 16a even when the pusher ship P and the barge ship B are rocking back and forth and side to side due to waves when engaging the pusher ship P and the barge ship B. In other words, the pusher ship P and the barge ship B can be easily fitted together even when they are rocking relative to each other.

[0046] The rubber layer 17 is intended to prevent the lifting panel 14g, which is pressed and fixed to the side wall 13a of the panel guide plate 13, from being displaced vertically and horizontally. As shown in Figure 7, the rubber layer 17 has a plurality of segmented pieces 17a and grooves 17b provided between each segmented piece 17a.

[0047] Each segmented piece 17a is a box-shaped body with a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and has diagonal grid-like grooves 17a1 on its surface. As a result, when the rubber layer 17 is pressed against the side wall 13a of the panel guide plate 13, each segmented piece 17a transforms along the surface of the side wall 13a that is pressed against it, and all segmented pieces 17a are reliably in contact with the side wall 13a without separating. In other words, when the head insertion hole 16a is pressed by the fitting head 24b3, each segmented piece 17a is facilitated to transform in the direction of the grooves by the grooves 17b formed between each segmented piece 17a, and the surface of each segmented piece 17a transforms along the irregularities of the side wall 13a of the panel guide plate 13 by forming the grid grooves 17a1 on its surface, so that the entire surface of each segmented piece 17a is reliably in contact with the side wall 13a.

[0048] The head insertion hole 16a of the lifting panel 14g configured in this way is used to insert and fix the fitting head 24b3 of the bow cylinder 20 or stern cylinder 21 installed on the pusher ship P. This ensures that the pusher ship P is securely fixed to the barge ship B, and the action of the rubber layer 17 restricts the swinging of the pusher ship P, which is supported and fixed to the barge ship B.

[0049] As shown in Figure 1(a), Figure 2(a), or Figure 3(a), the pusher vessel P is configured to have substantially the same shape as the recess 11 of the barge vessel B in a plan view.

[0050] The pusher vessel P enters the recess 11 from the bow side and integrates with the barge vessel B, thereby functioning as a propulsion mechanism for the barge vessel B. The pusher vessel P is equipped with fenders on the bow and both sides, and the fenders installed on the bow side are fixed in contact with the innermost part of the inner circumferential wall of the recess 11.

[0051] As shown in Figure 3(a), the pusher vessel P is configured such that its overall length Lp is approximately the same as the depth Lb of the recess 11 of the barge vessel B, and its width Wp is approximately the same as the width Wb of the recess 11 of the barge vessel B. As a result, the pusher vessel P is housed within the recess 11 of the barge vessel B. In other words, when the pusher vessel P is connected and fixed to the barge vessel B, external stresses such as waves and wind acting on the hull of the pusher vessel P are greatly reduced, and the stress on the fixing part between the pusher vessel P and the barge vessel B is reduced. In this way, the external stress on the connecting lifting device is also greatly reduced by the integrated swinging of the pusher vessel P and the barge vessel B, and the risk of damage to the connecting lifting device can be reduced as much as possible.

[0052] Furthermore, the pusher vessel P is formed with a width Wp slightly narrower than the width Wb of the recess 11, so that the pusher vessel P can easily enter the recess 11 of the barge vessel B. In addition, the port and starboard sides of the pusher vessel P are configured to be close to the inner circumferential wall of the recess 11, which reduces the range of motion of the bow cylinders 20a, 20b and stern cylinders 21a, 21b, described later, and makes each cylinder more compact. Also, by shortening the extension distance of the cylinder rods 24 of each cylinder, the load on the cylinder rods 24 when the pusher vessel P is engaged with the barge vessel B is reduced, and the risk of the cylinder rods 24 being damaged is reduced as much as possible.

[0053] The pusher vessel P has forward cylinders 20a and 20b and stern cylinders 21a and 21b located on both the port and starboard sides of the bow and stern of the deck D2. The pusher vessel P also has an engine, propeller S, and steering gear W located at the lower part of the stern.

[0054] As shown in Figure 3(a), the bow cylinders 20 (20a, 20b) and stern cylinders 21 (21a, 21b) are arranged along the outer circumference of the pusher vessel P, with their extension and retraction direction directed outward from the pusher vessel P.

[0055] The bow cylinders 20 (20a, 20b) and stern cylinders 21 (21a, 21b) each have a base 22 that is mounted and fixed on the deck D2 of the pusher ship P, a cylinder tube 23 that is inserted and fixed to the base 22, and an extendable cylinder rod 24 that protrudes from the tip of the cylinder tube 23.

[0056] The base portion 22 is a component for fixing the cylinder tube 23 to the deck D2. As shown in Figures 5, 8(a),(b), and 9(a),(b), the base portion 22 has a base body 22a which is roughly circular in front view and formed into a roughly cylindrical shape by cutting out a part of it, and flange portions 22b, 22b which extend in the front-rear direction from both ends of the base body 22a, and is fixed to the deck D2 by inserting bolts or the like through the flange portions 22b, 22b. The cylinder tube 23 is inserted and fixed to the base portion 22 which is fixed to the deck D2 in this way.

[0057] The cylinder tube 23 is a hollow cylindrical body with a substantially circular cross-section and closed ends on both sides. The cylinder tube 23 houses hydraulic fluid for pressure adjustment within the cylinder tube 23 and the base of a cylinder rod 24 that is configured to be displaceable by the pressure of the hydraulic fluid. The cylinder rod 24 has a disc-shaped piston 24a inside the cylinder tube 23, which has an outer diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the cylinder tube 23, dividing the inside of the cylinder tube 23 into two spaces: an advancing space 23a and a retracting space 23b. The rod 24b extends from approximately the center of the piston 24a.

[0058] As shown in Figures 9(a) and (b), the rod 24b has a rod body 24b1 whose base end is connected to the approximate center of the piston 24a, a pin insertion groove 24b2 provided at the tip of the rod body 24b1, and a fitting head 24b3 provided at the tip of the pin insertion groove 24b2.

[0059] The rod body 24b1 is a solid cylinder with a circular cross-section, extending horizontally from the base to the tip. A pin insertion groove 24b2, smaller in diameter than the outer diameter of the rod body 24b1, is connected to the tip of the rod body 24b1. The pin insertion groove 24b2 is a solid cylinder with a circular cross-section, similar to the rod body 24b1. A fitting head 24b3 is connected to the tip of the pin insertion groove 24b2.

[0060] The fitting head 24b3 is configured in a substantially hemispherical shape, with an outer diameter larger than that of the pin insertion groove 24b2 and smaller than that of the rod body 24b1. In other words, the rod 24b is configured such that the outer diameter decreases in the order of rod body 24b1, fitting head 24b3, and pin insertion groove 24b2. Furthermore, there is a retraction restricting portion 24b4 between the fitting head 24b3 and the pin insertion groove 24b2. The retraction restricting portion 24b4 is a vertical plane provided at the base of the fitting head 24b3.

[0061] As described above, the rod 24b consists of a rod body 24b1, a pin insertion groove 24b2, and a fitting head 24b3, and is capable of moving forward and backward by varying the pressing force applied to the piston 24a connected to the base end of the rod body 24b1. The piston 24a housed in the cylinder tube 23 adjusts the pressure applied to the piston 24a according to the amount of hydraulic fluid filled in the forward space 23a and the retraction space 23b. For example, when hydraulic fluid is filled into the forward space 23a to increase the pressure on the forward space 23a side, the rod 24b extends toward the side wall 11a (or side wall 11b) of the recess 11, and when hydraulic fluid is filled into the retraction space 23b to increase the pressure on the retraction space 23b side, the rod 24b retracts toward the cylinder tube 23 side. In other words, when the pressure on the extension space 23a side of the rod 24b increases, the fitting head 24b3 at the tip of the rod extends out of the cylinder tube 23, fits into the head fitting hole 16a, and presses the rubber layer 17 against the side wall 13a of the panel guide plate 13, thereby fixing the lifting panel 14g (see Figure 8(a)). Also, when the pressure in the retraction space 23b increases, the fitting head 24b3 and the head fitting hole 16a of the rod 24b are released, thereby releasing the engagement between the pusher ship P and the barge ship B (see Figure 9(a)).

[0062] The bow cylinder 20 and stern cylinder 21 configured in this way move the lifting panel 14g up and down using the lifting mechanism 14 of the barge B so that it is in approximately the same horizontal plane as the cylinder rod 24 of the pusher ship P. Then, by adjusting the pressure of the hydraulic fluid stored in the cylinder tube 23, the piston 24a moves back and forth to engage the lifting panel 14g with each cylinder.

[0063] Furthermore, when the cylinder tube 23 is in a state where the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the extension space 23a is increased to extend the rod 24b, the U-shaped pin 18, which is hooked and fixed to the engaging portion 14e5 protruding from the connecting mechanism 14f, is inserted into the pin insertion groove 24b2 of the rod 24b.

[0064] As shown in Figure 9(b), the U-shaped pin 18 is a roughly inverted "U" shaped member with an open bottom. The inner diameter of the U-shaped recess of the U-shaped pin 18 is slightly larger than that of the pin insertion groove 24b2. This allows the U-shaped pin 18 to be easily inserted into the pin insertion groove 24b2. Furthermore, when the cylinder rod 24 is fitted into the head insertion portion 16, the U-shaped pin 18 is positioned inside the rod locking walls 13d and 13e that constitute the panel guide plate 13.

[0065] The U-shaped pin 18 configured in this way restricts the retraction movement of the fitting head 24b3 fitted into the head fitting hole 16a. That is, when the rod body 24b1 having the fitting head 24b3 is moved backward while the U-shaped pin 18 is fitted into the pin fitting groove 24b2, the retraction restricting portion 24b4 between the fitting head 24b3 and the pin fitting groove 24b2 comes into contact with the U-shaped pin 18. If the rod body 24b1 is moved further backward while the retraction restricting portion 24b4 and the U-shaped pin 18 are in contact, the U-shaped pin 18 comes into contact with the inner walls of the rod locking walls 13d and 13e, restricting the retraction movement of the rod body 24b1. By removing the U-shaped pin 18 fitted into the pin fitting groove 24b2, the restriction on the retraction movement of the rod body 24b1 is released, and the coupling between the pusher ship P and the barge ship B can be released.

[0066] In this way, by configuring the U-shaped pin 18 to be removable from the pin insertion groove 24b2, the displacement of the rod 24b during retraction can be easily controlled. As a result, even if the pressing state of the fitting head 24b3 against the head insertion hole 16a is released, the engagement state between the fitting head 24b3 and the head insertion hole 16a is maintained, and the engagement state between the pusher ship P and the barge ship B is maintained.

[0067] At this point, the pusher vessel P is released from the pressure between the rubber layer 17 and the side wall 13a, and is suspended from the lifting device by the bow cylinders 20, 20 and the stern cylinders 21, 21. In other words, when the pusher vessel P is raised or lowered by the lifting mechanism 14, the risk of the rubber layer 17 coming into contact with the side wall 13a and hindering its operation is minimized, allowing the pusher vessel P to be easily raised or lowered.

[0068] According to the embodiment described above, the pusher ship P is equipped with bow cylinders 20, 20 and stern cylinders 21, 21, and the barge ship B is equipped with lifting mechanisms 14, 14, 14, 14. The pusher ship P can be fixed to the barge ship B by fitting each cylinder of the pusher ship P into the head fitting portion 16 of the barge ship B and pressing the head fitting portion 16. In this case, by configuring the fitting head 24b3 of each cylinder to be approximately hemispherical, the fitting head 24b3 can be fitted into the head fitting hole 16a even if the center of the fitting head 24b3 and the center of the head fitting hole 16a are slightly misaligned.

[0069] Furthermore, by inserting U-shaped pins 18 into the pin insertion grooves 24b2 of the bow cylinder 20 and stern cylinder 21, as shown in Figure 8(b), even when the pressing state of each cylinder against the side wall 13a of the lifting panel 14g is released, the engagement state between each cylinder and the head insertion part 16 is not released. In other words, the pusher ship P is suspended by the lifting mechanism 14, and the pusher ship P can be easily raised and lowered.

[0070] This connecting and lifting device allows the pusher ship P and the barge ship B to be connected without the need for connecting fittings such as shackles, and also allows the height of the pusher ship P after it has been connected to the barge ship B to be easily changed. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 10(a) and (b), the lifting mechanism 14 is configured to operate independently, allowing the height of the bow and stern of the pusher ship P to be easily adjusted so that the bow of the pusher ship P and the front side wall 11c of the recess 11 of the barge ship B are in surface contact. This allows the propulsion force from the screw S of the pusher ship P to be efficiently transmitted to the barge ship B, enabling the barge ship B to be pushed efficiently.

[0071] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but also includes configurations in which the components disclosed in the embodiments described above are substituted for each other or combined in different ways, known technology, and configurations in which the components disclosed in the embodiments described above are substituted for each other or combined in different ways. In addition, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but extends to the matters described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] PB Pusher Barge P Pusher Ship B Barge WL (Waterline) 10 Loading section 11 recess 11a Left side wall 11b Right side wall 12 Guide recess 13 Panel guide board 13 14. Lifting mechanism 14d Lifting Cylinder 14f connection mechanism 14g lifting panel 15 rotating pins 16 Head insertion part 16a Head insertion hole 16a1 Truncated cone section 16a2 Cone section 17. Rubber layer 17a Split piece 17a1 Lattice groove 17b Groove 18 U-shaped pins 20 Bow cylinders 21 Stern cylinder 24 Cylinder rod 24b1 Rod body 24b2 Pin insertion groove 24b3 Fitting head

Claims

1. A lifting panel is provided that can move up and down within a panel guide plate vertically positioned at the front-rear position on the left and right inner walls of a recess provided at the stern of a barge, and The head insertion hole provided in the aforementioned lifting panel, A pusher vessel has retractable bow cylinders and stern cylinders, which are provided on both the bow and stern sides and have fitting heads on the ends of the cylinder rods, Equipped with, The barge has a lifting mechanism that allows the pusher vessel, which is connected to the barge, to be raised and lowered by fitting the fitting head into the lifting panel, A connecting lifting device characterized in that, in a structure for fitting the fitting head into the head fitting hole, a pin insertion groove for inserting a U-shaped pin having an opening at the bottom is formed near the base of the fitting head, and after fitting the fitting head into the head fitting hole, the U-shaped pin is inserted into the pin insertion groove, thereby restricting the retraction movement of the fitting head by causing the U-shaped pin to come into contact with the inner wall surface of the panel guide plate as the fitting head moves back.

2. The lifting mechanism is characterized by comprising a vertical lifting cylinder and a cylinder rod that moves up and down at the lower end of the lifting cylinder, as described in claim 1.

3. The coupling and lifting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the forward and backward tilt of the barge is controlled such that the bow of the pusher vessel makes planar contact with the leading edge surface of the recess as the barge tilts.

4. The connecting lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the back surface of the lifting panel is covered with a rubber layer so as to be in close contact with the left and right inner wall surfaces of the recess.

5. The connecting lifting device according to claim 4, characterized in that the rubber layer is divided into multiple pieces, and each divided piece is stretched independently.

Images