Dumping Vessel Fall Pipe Section Closure Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dumping vessels face difficulties in easily opening and closing fall pipe sections, which hampers efficient assembly and disassembly during operation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates fall pipe sections with upper and lower connectors featuring a closure mechanism that includes a holder with a radial hoisting cable passage and a claw that hinges around an offset axis, allowing easy operation by the hoisting cable itself, and a spring mechanism for stable positioning and locking, facilitating quick installation and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a scythe-shaped hook closure is used to connect fall pipe sections, then the connection can be secure, but the closure cannot be easily opened and closed
Solution Approach 1:
The closure mechanism transitions from a static scythe-shaped hook to a dynamic claw that can hinge between open and closed positions. The claw is biased by a spring to automatically open when the hoisting cable is released, and closes when the cable is tensioned, enabling easy operation while maintaining secure connection during operation
Solution Approach 2:
The closure mechanism uses the hoisting cable itself to operate the claw. When the cable is tensioned during hoisting, it automatically closes and secures the claw. When released, the spring automatically opens the claw without requiring manual intervention, making the system self-operating
2Reliability
If fall pipe sections are designed with complex closure mechanisms for secure connection, then connection reliability improves, but assembly and disassembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The claw is pre-biased by a spring to be in the open position, ready to receive the hoisting cable. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for manual opening operations and allows rapid assembly by simply tensioning the cable to close the claw automatically
Solution Approach 2:
The complex manual operation of opening and closing scythe-shaped hooks is replaced by a simple cable tensioning mechanism that automatically actuates the claw through mechanical leverage, significantly reducing assembly and disassembly time while maintaining connection reliability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables rapid and secure opening and closing of fall pipe sections, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing the time required for assembly and disassembly, thereby improving the overall performance of the dumping vessel.
Implementation Method 1
The closure comprises a biased spring between the claw and the holder that keeps the claw stably in its open position
Implementation Method 2
the hinge axis is offset with respect to a notional line through the centre line of the fall pipe section and the centre of the confined hoisting cable
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
Dumping vessel for dumping sinking particles like sand, blocks, rocks or stones onto the bottom of a lake or sea, comprising a floating hull and a fall pipe pending downwards towards the bottom, wherein the fall pipe comprises a lower dumping section, at least two hoisting cables that connect the dumping section with the hull, and a series of fall pipe sections between the hoisting cables that are stacked onto each other on the dumping section, wherein multiple fall pipe sections each comprise a tube and an upper connector and a lower connector at the ends of the tube, wherein the upper connector and the lower connector of subsequent fall pipe sections engage each other, wherein these fall pipe sections comprise at the upper connector a closure for confinement of one of the hoisting cables.