On board apparatus for refloating grounded vessel

Abstract

On board four parts etc. assembled together to become a manual mechanic apparatus and method to refloat a grounded vessel. Assembling, refloating and dissembling for storage all processed on board by minimum one person. This apparatus comprising: one clamping base, one main holding block, one block with center threaded hole, one threaded pushing rod and turning T bar, one pushing out pipe and pad. The clamping base should be secured on any desired and appropriate location of vertical wall of vessel hull, all parts assembled together, by turning the T bar, the operator push out threaded pushing rod and consecutively the pushing out pipe and pad against bottom water bank to release and refloat the grounded vessel.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] The invention relates to moving a grounded vessel out of shallow shoal and refloating. After prior art search I find out that existing means for refloating stranded (grounded) vessel falls into three categories. 1.put inflatable container (bags, tube, etc.) underneath or secured to the vessel, inflate the containers by air or the like and change them into buoyancy system, the buoyance lift the vessel up, then by help of other party like tug boat to move the vessel out of the shoal area. Common feature here is: buoyance raise up the hull then get it out of the shoal. Here is some prior arts in this category: U.S. Pat. No. 9,139,270 B2, US 20150096483 A1, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,276,846, 3,845,634, 3,358,884, CN202783735U. In GB 1485086A, inventor proposed pressured water being pumped into bags put underneath hull, layer of bags expanding and pushing up the vessel, although by water, this is still a similar option. Disadvantage of all these method is high cost, time consuming, my invention here is a much cheaper and quicker way to attain the same refloating target.

[0002] Mechanic way needing another party, the other party can be tug boat or anchors in water or the like mechanism. Common feature is: without buoyance being used. Means for increased pull force or tow line jerking produced force pull the stranded out of the stuck area. Prior arts in this category includes: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,531,946, 3,402,688. After the setting up it will works for sure to release and reflow the stranded, but same as first group, they are very time consuming, and costly, and high likely need somebody to get into water to operate, and getting and staying in water itself is a risk factor and sometime it is even impossible, for example in cold winter without warm keeping diving suits on board. My invention here is an onboard operation which is safer, quicker and more efficient.

[0003] Mechanic on board method. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,440 B2, and US 721,851 inventors proposed earth (sand) moving (removing) devices and methods to remove earth (sand) around and underneath the stranded vessel to refloat it. In these two inventions, means needed for securing, Moving around, retrieving, guiding, monitoring etc. build up complicated and expensive system. if pump run by on board battery, a regular cranking battery on board will not run that pump for long enough time. My invention will provide a easier, safer and faster way to refloat the stranded.

[0004] In U.S. Pat. No. 1,809,482, inventor Huberti proposed a hinged compact shock absorption block 3 installed under bow of vessel, when bow run aground, said block would move backward, meantime absorbing shock force, then the screw-like member 11 to push down against said block 3 to raise the boat hull, but the problem is: when running aground, the block 3 might not be pushed strong enough to move backward enough, then the screw-like member 11 would have no base to push against, even worse, in real boating, the back of the vessel has much higher chance running aground, not the bow, if this is the case, this system will not work at all. When the block does move backward reaching desired location, the screw-like member 11 might be blocked from turning because of static friction with block 3, no more turning of 11, then no more raising up of hull. My invention has advantages over all these: first, mine can be move around and installed anywhere on gunwale or stern wall of hull, second my push bar's pushing direction can be adjusted easily to achieve right force desired, third static friction can not stop pushing pad's pushing forward action.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 686,597 is another similar one. But this one has three disadvantage, first it is bulky and take away lot of deck space, my invention is much smaller and can be stowed away when not in use. Second since all shafts designed to be installed transversely so the beam “g” can only be movable in longitude way, so these mechanism cannot push the vessel side way at all, but in real situation any area of bottom of hull might touch and blocked by bottom sand and the like. My invention can be install on back or sides of the boat to produce different direction pushing power desired.SUMMARY

[0006] This invention relates to an apparatus and method for refloating a grounded vessel in an easier, cheaper and more efficient way, the invention void the need for electrical or fuel power and other party like tug boat, instead the refloating purpose achieved only by on board boater. The invention includes a screw like turning pushing rod FIG. 1 with an added on extending pipe and end pad FIG. 3, this pushing out rod FIG. 1 run through inside threaded block FIG. 2 which drops inside main holding block FIG. 4, the main holding block FIG. 4 screw secured on top of main clamping block FIG. 5 which will be installed onto any section of compatible wall of the hull, securing method is moving forward screw 52 and 56 of FIG. 5, by turning the Z shape turning bar FIG. 110, pushing rod FIG. 113 and pad on extending pipe FIG. 334 will move forward and push against shallow bank, the pushing direction can be changed up-down way accordingly, these operation can pivot point turn or move the grounded vessel easily and quickly out of shoal and refloating.DRAWINGS-13 FIGURES

[0007] FIG. 1 shows threaded pushing rod

[0008] FIG. 2 shows block with center threaded hole

[0009] FIG. 2a shows an alternative to FIG. 2

[0010] FIG. 3 shows pushing out pipe and pad

[0011] FIG. 4 shows main holding block

[0012] FIG. 5 shows clamping baseDrawings-Reference Numerals10 turning bar12 square hole13 threaded round stick16 solid cube18 female thread hole20 round protruding bar22 rod on both side24 female thread, size matching 1328 female opposite direction thread30 inside threaded pipe32 round O ring holding pushing pad34 pushing back pad36 main holding block long side wall38 front lower wall40 back lower wall42a, 42b groove43 holes 4 matching 5044 bolt and nut sets compatible with 43, 5046 clamping legs inside48 clamping legs outside49 pad ouside of boat wall50 holes 4 matching 4352 threaded rod54 female threaded hole56 pad inside of boat wall

[0013] Drawing will be submitted separately in PDFDETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] All parts here should be made of marine grade aluminum.

[0015] Shreaded pushing rod FIG. 1: thread solid rod 13, threaded from bottom up, long enough to reach bottom ground, recessed square hole 12 receiving turning T bar 10, alternative option: 10, 12 and 13 can join together as a whole piece, if separately, 10 can be made long enough to make the turning easier. Block with center threaded hole FIG. 2: precast solid cubicle 16, surface finished smooth. Female threaded pipe 18, sizing matching 13, predrills 16 to make a hole for taking 18, drop threaded pipe 18 inside (into) the pre-drilled hole of 16, then make them secured permanently by welding on two side. Weld two stick out small rod 20 to block 16 on both side, these two rod should be centered on two side planes of 16, alternative to this block FIG. 2 is FIG. 2-a, here making solid round plate 26 (at least 1″ thick) with centered round threaded hole 24 whose size matching 13. Also make two stick out round rod same as 20 in FIG. 2. Pushing out pipe and pad FIG. 3: make female threaded pipe 30 with opposite direction thread inside (28), size matching 13 in FIG. 1. Make solid pad 34, this is the piece touching ground, connect 30 and 34 by round ring 32, this ring should be made of high strength stainless steel, ring 32 can transfer the force from 30 to pad 34 but also makes pad 34 movable in up and down direction.

[0016] Main holding block FIG. 4: whole block for taking combined FIG. 1,2,3. This is a pre-cast whole piece, with the four holes 43 drilled after the cast. Long side wall is 36, shorter side wall is 38 and 40, 38 should be bit higher than 40. Two grove 42a and 42b, inside opening width should be 1 / 16″ wider than diameter of 20 of FIG. 2 or 22 of FIG. 2a. Separately provided bolt, washer and nut 44, four sets, marine grade stainless steel one, size matching 43. 44 could be bought from marine supply store or hardware store.

[0017] Clamping base FIG. 5: plat form and clamping legs (46,48) should be better off pre cast as whole piece, or top platform can we welded onto 46 and 48, drill four holes 50 on platform plate, lay out line up with four holes (43) on FIG. 4, size matching 43 on FIG. 4. Thread rod 52 drive through female thread hole 54 at end of the clamping leg 46, weld pad 56 to end of rod 52. Might attach rubber pad (gasket) onto pad 56 and 49 by gluing for protection purpose.OPERATION

[0018] Install clamping base FIG. 5 onto appropriate section of wall of hull, adjust the height of top plate accordingly, rod 52 should be turned until whole base set be secured tightly, base plate should be level. Install main holding block FIG. 4 onto clamping base FIG. 5 by four sets of bolts 44. After usage FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 can stay assembled or dissembled for easy storage purpose. Distribute marine grade grease onto whole area of groove 42a and 42b. Install turning Bar 10 to square hole 12 of FIG. 1, drive the rod FIG. 1 through block FIG. 2 or FIG. 2-a, once front end of pushing rod FIG. 1 exposed from block FIG. 2 or FIG. 2-a, drive female thread pipe FIG. 3 onto it by hand, simply by tuning pad 34, all the way up until tip of pushing rod 13 of FIG. 1 reaching end of female Pipe 30 inside and stopped there. Now drop the assembled FIG. 1,2,3 onto main holding block FIG. 4, with two stick out rod 20 or 22 sliding inside groove 42a and 42b, sticking out rod 20 or 22 can move up and down and also be turned inside the grooves 42a and 42b, these feature help achieve pushing rod getting different pitch down pushing direction. Now turn turning bar 10 to extend the pad 34 all the way to reach bottom ground in Water, once reaching the bottom sand etc. and pressed against them, pad 34 will be blocked from further turning by static friction, now the continuous turning of bar 10 will drive the female thread pipe 30 and pad 34 forward out towards bottom sand and the like, by means of counteraction, the boat will be pushed forward and upward (always opposite to the pad 34's pushing direction), during tuning bar 10, boater should push down the bar 10 accordingly on the same time, this turning and pushing down combined action can prevent the boat from going up too much and getting mainly the moving forward effect. Pushing stick 13 plus threaded pipe 30 and pushing back pad 34 can be retreated by turning bar 10 in opposite direction, this way boater can carry out the next pushing out. By repeating the steps described here, boater can release and refloat the grounded vessel. Based on real situation this equipment can be installed on back, port or starboard side of boat, and move around to any compatible spot as needed to get the job done.

Claims

1. Clamp base FIG. 5 with two pairs of c shape clamps, said clamp base working as support base.

2. A turning threaded rod FIG. 552 runs through a female threaded hole 54 at end of said clamp, one on each side, turned against gunwale or stern wall of boat to secure said clamp base.

3. A holding block FIG. 4 goes on top of said clamp base, said holding block with four predrilled holes line up with four pre-drilled hole on said clamp base, four sets of screws, washers and nuts run through said four and four holes of said clamp base and said holding block, securing them together.

4. Pair of vertical grove FIG. 442a,42b on both side of said holding block wall.

5. A block with center threaded hole FIG. 2.

6. Said block with center threaded hole comes with two round rod protruding on both side, said protruding round rod goes and slides up and down inside said vertical grove 42a and 42b, a alternative ring with center thread hole and side protruding rod FIG. 2-a can replace said block with center threaded hole FIG. 2.

7. A threaded pushing rod FIG. 1 with pre drilled square recess hole on one side.

8. A Z shape turning bar FIG. 110, one side of said turning bar drops inside said squared recess hole of said threaded pushing rod, said pushing rod with said Z shape turning bar to be driven through center threaded hole 18 of said block FIG. 2.

9. a female threaded pipe with a hole on one side, a T shape pushing pad with a hole on side, a steel ring connecting said female threaded pipe 30 and pushing pad 34, all shown on FIG. 3, said female threaded pipe has counter thread set, when male threaded rod 13 turning clockwise in said female threaded pipe 30, pipe 30 will move forward extending from rod 13.

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