A gangway assembly with a gangway, a safety net assembly and a gangway safety net module

Abstract

The present invention concerns a gangway assembly including a gangway (3) and a safety net assembly (1), the safety net assembly includes a plurality of safety net modules (2) secured to the gangway (3), whereof each safety net module (2) includes an individual safety net (8) extending between two net spreader bars (6). A spreader bar joint (11) holds an end of each net spreader bar (6) to a gangway attachment portion (13) secured to the gangway (3). Each spreader bar joint (11) and spreader bar (6) is angled upwards from the gangway at an angle in a range 15°-45° upwards in relation to a transversal axis (15) of a footpath (20) of the gangway (3). Furthermore, the invention concerns a net module (2) for a gangway (3).

Description

[0001] A gangway assembly with a gangway, a safety net assembly and a gangway safety net module

[0002] The present application relates to safety nets for gangways, typically between a seagoing vessel and a quay. Such safety nets are required by regulatory authorities and are typically secured by a harness between the vessel and the quay.

[0003] The installation of a safety net is time consuming and represents a hazard for the people installing and removing the safety net.

[0004] An attempt to solve the above referenced problems is found in CN 209321184U. CN 209321184U, discloses a gangway with a safety net hanging between ends of telescopic rods extending from the gangway. The telescopic rods will thus extend in a substantially horizontal direction and the safety net will hang in a U-shaped curve between the ends of the telescopic rods. The net will hang a substantial distance below the gangway when the telescopic rods are retracted. A person falling from the gangway risks hitting the telescopic rods. The solution with telescopic rods installed inside the gangway is difficult to retrofit to existing gangways as the solution will require machining of the gangway that may affect the mechanical integrity and the safety approval of the unit.

[0005] It is this an object of the present invention to alleviate some of the disadvantages with the solution of CN 209321184U while solving the problem with the installation hazard and time consumption used for traditional safety net solution.

[0006] It is also an object to provide a solution that is easy to adapt to different gangway lengths and configurations, that is easy to retrofit to existing solutions, that doesn’t affect the mechanical integrity of the gangway, that doesn’t leave the safety net hanging below the gangway, that reduces the risk of injury when falling into the net or onto the net support rods, that does not require time consuming and hazardous installation, that is simple and easy to remove from the gangway, that requires little space when removed from the gangway, and that is simple and easy to stow when the gangway is not in use.

[0007] It is also a purpose to provide a solution reducing the stresses on the safety net assembly in the event of a person falling into the net.

[0008] The present invention thus includes a gangway assembly including a gangway and a safety net assembly. The safety net assembly includes a plurality of safety net modules secured to the gangway. Each safety net module includes an individual safety net extending between two net spreader bars. A net spreader bar joint is disposed between an end of each net spreader bar and a gangway attachment portion secured to the gangway. Each spreader bar joint and net spreader bar is angled upwards from the gangway at an angle in a range 15°-45° upwards in relation to an axis defined by a transversal direction of a footpath on the gangway.

[0009] Each spreader bar joint may allow each net spreader bar to pivot in a range upwards in a range from 15° to 90° from the axis defined by a transversal direction of a footpath on the gangway.

[0010] The range may be from 25° to 77°.

[0011] Each net spreader bar may include an attachment element adjacent the end.

[0012] The gangway may include a tubular support bracket for each gangway attachment portion, wherein the gangway attachment portions fit inside the tubular support brackets.

[0013] The gangway assembly may further include braces between a lower portion of each of the individual safety nets and the gangway.

[0014] A fence with a handrail may be disposed between the safety net assembly and the footpath. A distance between the spreader bar joint and the handrail may be shorter than a distance between the footpath and the handrail.

[0015] The spreader bars may be inclined and disposed in a vertical plane located in a transversal axis of a footpath of the gangway.

[0016] The spreader bar joints may include a locking mechanism allowing the spreader bar joints to be locked in position.

[0017] Furthermore, the invention concerns a safety net module for a gangway assembly as described above.

[0018] The two individual net spreader bars may be of dissimilar length.

[0019] The safety net module may further include a substantially inelastic line surrounding a periphery of the individual safety net.

[0020] The net module may further include braces at a bottom portion of the individual safety net configured to be secured to the gangway.

[0021] The safety net module may further include an attachment element at an outer end of each net spreader bar configured to be secured to an attachment element of an adjoining net spreader bar or a guy rope to a gangway.

[0022] Short description of the enclosed drawings:

[0023] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation in a side view of a vessel, a quay and a gangway assembly of the invention;

[0024] Fig. 2 is a schematic representation in a front view of a gangway assembly of the invention;

[0025] Fig. 3 is a schematic representation in a top view of a gangway assembly of the invention;

[0026] Fig. 4 is a schematic representation in a front view of a net module for a gangway of the invention;

[0027] Fig. 5 is a schematic representation in a side view of a net module of the invention; Fig. 6 is a schematic representation in a cross section of a joint for a net module of the invention;

[0028] Fig. 7 is a schematic representation in a top view of an alternative embodiment of a gangway assembly of the invention; and

[0029] Fig. 8 is a schematic representation in a top view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 7.

[0030] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation from the side of a gangway assembly with a safety net assembly 1 assembled of six safety net modules 2 of the invention. The safety net assembly 1 is secured to a gangway 3 extending between a seagoing vessel 5 and a quay / harbour side / port 4. The gangway is secured to the vessel 4 to prevent the gangway from tipping over due to moment on the gangway imposed by a person falling into the safety net assembly 1. Only three safety net modules 2 are shown as the remaining three are hidden behind the shown safety nets.

[0031] The gangway 3 is inclined at an angle between the vessel 5 and the quay 4. Each safety net module 2 includes two net spreader bars 6, each with an attachment element 7 close to an outer end. The spreader bars 6 are inclined and are in a vertical plane in a transversal and horizontal axis of the gangway 3.

[0032] The attachment element 7 of a first safety net module is attached to the attachment element 7 of an adjoining second safety net module. The attachment elements 7 are typically hoops that are welded to the spreader bars 6 and the attachment elements 7 may be strapped or tied to each other. Attaching the spreader bars 6 to each other reinforces the safety net assembly and facilitates tightening each individual safety net 8. A guy rope 9 between the gangway 3 and an attachment element 7 of a safety net module 2, holds the safety nets 8 tight and reinforces the safety net assembly 1 . Joints 11 form a connection between the spreader bars 6 and the gangway 3. Attachment tubes 14 are welded to the gangway 3 to hold gangway attachment portions 13 forming a lower portion of the joints 11. The attachment tubes 14 are inclined in relation to a plane defined by the footpath of the gangway 3. Wheels 12 at the end of the gangway 3 allows the gangway 3 to move in relation to the quay 4.

[0033] Fig. 2 is a schematic representation from a front of the safety net assembly 1 and the gangway 3. The spreader bars 6 are angled 25° upwards in relation to a plane defined by a footpath of the gangway 3 in an operating position. A stow away position of the safety net assembly 1 is shown with broken lines, indicating that the spreader bars of the safety net assembly 1 are moved a further 52° towards a vertical position in the stow away position. The stow away position is useful when the gangway with the safety net assembly is stowed away on a deck of the vessel or elsewhere. The 25° upwards angle of the spreader bars ensures that a person landing in the safety net will not roll or slide towards an outer edge 10 and out of the safety net. The outer edge 10 of the net is made of relatively inelastic rope to ensure that the edge substantially maintain its shape under load, and to ensure that a person falling into the net will not fall over the outer edge 10.

[0034] Each spreader bar 6 is secured to the gangway 3 in a spreader bar joint 11 allowing the spreader bar 6 to adopt the operating position and the stow away position. A joint angle range is limited by the joint to ensure that it is kept within the abovementioned range. The joint 11 typically includes a stopper element to keep the joint angle within the designed range. The joint 11 is disposed above the footpath 20 and a distance from a handrail on top of a fence 19 extending from the gangway 3.

[0035] The joints 11 include a gangway attachment portion extending into the inclined attachment tubes 14. The attachment tubes are located in the same plane as the spreader bars 6 and are perpendicular to a transversal axis 15 defined by the footpath 20 of the gangway 3.

[0036] A distance between the joint 11 and the handrail is shorter than a distance between the footpath 20 and the handrail. The fence 19 is located between the footpath and the spreader bars 6. A fall from the top of the fence 19 with the handrail and into the safety net assembly 1 will thus be short, reducing the stresses on the assembly and a person in the event of a fall. Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the safety net assembly 1 and the gangway 3 of figs. 1 and 2 from above. The safety net assembly is in the operating position. Three safety net modules 2 are located on each side of the gangway 3 and extend between the vessel 5 and the quay 4. The guy rope 9 between the gangway 3 and the attachment element 7 of a safety net module 2 outer end, contributes to hold the outer edge 10 of each individual safety net 8 tight, even if a person lands in the safety net. The number of safety net modules will depend on the length of the gangway. A length of each safety net module 2 is designed to prevent the outer edge 10 to be lowered to the extent that there is a risk that a person in the safety net 8 risks falling out of.

[0037] The spreader bars are disposed in the same plane as the transversal axis 15 defined by the footpath of the gangway 3.

[0038] Each individual safety net 8 is made up of elastic lines to allow a person in the net to form a sunken area of the net to prevent the person from rolling or otherwise moving out of the net. In particular, the elastic lines prevent a person from tumbling down the nets and to the bottom of the net assembly. An outer periphery of the nets 8 typically include a less elastic line to reduce the deformation of the outer edge. Braces such as straps 12 between each individual net 8 and the gangway 3 hold the net tight and ensures that a person falling into the net cannot fall out between the net and the gangway 3.

[0039] Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of a cross section A-A (see the insert detail) of a safety net module 2, showing the spreader bar 6, the spreader bar joint 11 , the straps 12 and the gangway attachment portion 13 for the safety net module. The width of the safety net is 1436mm and a diameter of the spreader bar is 40mm. A diameter of the gangway attachment portion 13 is 35mm.

[0040] Fig. 5 is a side view of the safety net module 2 with the safety net 8 held between the two spreader bars 6 with the attachment elements 7. Each spreader bar 6 is attached to a spreader bar joint 11 with a 50mm joint diameter, joining the spreader bar with a gangway attachment portion 13. The straps 12 at a lower edge of the safety net 8 are provided to hold the lower edge to the gangway. The outer edge 10 extends between outer ends of the spreader bars 6. The attachment elements are formed as hoops or padeyes secured near the outer ends of the spreader bars. The width w of the safety net 8 is 1960 mm. The thickness d1 of the gangway attachment portion 13 is typically 50mm and the diameter d2 of abutting elements in the spreader bar joint 11 is also typically 50mm.

[0041] The safety net 8 is designed to allow a geometry change between the shown rectangular shape and the shape of a parallelogram as the geometry of the safety net 8 changes when the spreader bars are pivoted in relation to the gangway 3.

[0042] Fig. 6 shows the spreader bar joint 11 in cross section and in greater detail with the spreader bar 6 shown in different angles with dashed lines. The gangway attachment portion 13 is joined with the spreader bar 6 in the joint by pivoting bolt 18. The spreader bar joint is typically a clevis joint with elements reducing the available pivoting range as discussed above. The cross section shows the joint centre part 17 extending into a clevis, and the bolt 18 may be adjustable and may include a tightening mechanism such as a nut to vary the friction between the centre part 17 and the side parts (not shown). The transition between the parts may be serrated to allow the joint to be locked by tightening the tightening mechanism.

[0043] Fig. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention where the gangway 3 is located at an oblique angle in relation to a side of the vessel 5. The side of the vessel 5 partly obstructs the net and may necessitate the use of different length spreader bars 6b, 6c, 6d to prevent the spreader bars from contacting and rubbing against the side of the vessel 5. The safety nets 8b, towards the side of the vessel 5 have a reduced width and an oblique angle and the safety nets 8c around a turntable 16 with a turntable inside 16a and a turntable outside 16b, are shaped to fit spreader bars 6e secured to the turntable and to cover a turn / bend between the gangway 3 and the hull side. The turntable 16 secures the gangway 3 to the vessel 5 while allowing it to swing to an angled position requiring less space at the quay. The turntable secures the gangway to prevent the gangway from tipping over due to moment on the gangway imposed by a person falling into the safety net. The two short spreader bars 6b are close to the turntable 16 and the two intermediate length spreader bars 6c are further away from the turntable 16 while the slightly shortened length spreader bar 6d is adjacent to the full-length spreader bar 6 of a standard size module. The reduced length spreader bars 6b, 6c, 6d can be bars of fixed length or may be variable length bars, typically telescopic spreader bars. The net edges towards the side of the vessel bay be secured to the vessel with lines / ropes.

[0044] Fig. 8 is a side view of Fig. 7 and shows the gangway 3 secured to the turntable 16 and extending along the side of the vessel 5 and onto the quay 4. The spreader bars are typically made of aluminium, stainless steel, or a composite material.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A gangway assembly including a gangway (3) and a safety net assembly (1 ), the safety net assembly (1 ) comprising: a plurality of safety net modules (2) secured to the gangway (3), whereof each safety net module (2) includes an individual safety net (8) extending between two net spreader bars (6); a spreader bar joint (11 ) between an end of each net spreader bar (6) and a gangway attachment portion (13) secured to the gangway (3), wherein each spreader bar joint (11 ) and net spreader bar (6) is angled upwards from the gangway at an angle in a range 15°-45° upwards in relation to a transversal axis (15) of a footpath (20) of the gangway (3).

2. The gangway assembly of claim 1 , wherein each spreader bar joint (11 ) allows each net spreader bar (6) to pivot in a range upwards in a range from 15° to 90° from the transversal axis (15) of the footpath if the gangway (3).

3. The gangway assembly of claim 2, wherein the range is from 25° to 77°.

4. The gangway assembly of one of the claims 1 -3, wherein each net spreader bar (6) includes an attachment element (7) adjacent the end.

5. The gangway assembly of one of the claims 1 -3, wherein the gangway includes a tubular support bracket (14) for each gangway attachment portion (13) and wherein the gangway attachment portions (13) fit inside the tubular support brackets (14).

6. The gangway assembly of any of the previous claims, further including braces (12) between a lower portion of each of the individual safety nets and the gangway (3).

7. The gangway assembly of any of the previous claims, including a fence (19) with a handrail between the safety net assembly (1 ) and the footpath (20).

8. The gangway assembly of claim 7, wherein a distance between the joint (11 ) and the handrail is shorter than a distance between the footpath (20) and the handrail.

9. The gangway assembly of any of the previous claims, wherein the net spreader bars (6) are inclined and in a vertical plane located in the transversal axis (15) of the footpath (20) of the gangway (3).

10. The gangway assembly of any of the previous claims, wherein the spreader bar joints (11 ) include a locking mechanism allowing the spreader bar joints (11 ) to be locked in position.11 . A safety net module (2) for a gangway (3) assembly of claim 1 .

12. The safety net module (2) of claim 11 , wherein the two individual net spreader bars (6) are of dissimilar length.

13. The safety net module (2) of claim 11 or 12, further including a substantially inelastic line surrounding a periphery of the individual safety net (8).

14. The safety net module (2) of one of one of the claims 11-13, further including braces (12) at a bottom portion of the individual safety net (8) configured to be secured to a gangway.

15. The safety net module (2) of one of one of the claims 11-13, further including an attachment element (7) at an outer end of each net spreader bar (6) configured to be secured to an attachment element (7) of an adjoining net spreader bar (6) or a guy rope (9) to a gangway.

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