Gravity Chain Stopper for Marine Salvage Pullers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chain pullers face challenges in providing a large pulling force while securely holding the chain in a fixed position during marine salvage operations, as they struggle to prevent chain movement in the opposite direction during hydraulic piston repositioning.
Innovation Solution
A chain puller design featuring a pair of gravity-actuated chain stoppers with pivoting doors that allow chain movement in one direction, utilizing a combination of hydraulic actuators and a rigid base plate to ensure directional control and secure chain engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a chain puller uses hydraulic pistons to provide large pulling force, then the pulling capability is improved, but the chain cannot be securely held in a fixed position during piston repositioning
Solution Approach 1:
The chain stopper is divided into multiple doors (first door and second door) that can independently engage and disengage from the chain. This segmentation allows the system to provide both high pulling force during hydraulic piston operation and secure positioning during repositioning, as each door can be independently controlled to maintain chain stability throughout the operational cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The doors are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically transition between engaged and disengaged states. This dynamic capability enables the chain stopper to adapt to different operational phases - providing firm chain engagement during pulling operations and allowing controlled movement during piston repositioning, thus resolving the contradiction between force application and position stability.
2Reliability
If the chain must be held in a static position during hydraulic actuator repositioning, then the chain position stability is improved, but the complexity of the chain stopper mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The chain stopper doors are designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the movement of the chain and hydraulic pistons. The doors self-regulate their engagement state through the natural motion of the system components, eliminating the need for complex external control mechanisms while maintaining reliable chain positioning throughout the operational cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The chain stopper function is merged with the hydraulic actuator system, where the doors are integrated into the existing structural framework. This merging allows the chain stopper to utilize the motion and force already present in the hydraulic system, providing secure chain positioning without adding separate complex control mechanisms, thus resolving the contradiction between position stability and mechanism complexity.
3Ease of operation
If gravity-actuated doors are used to control chain movement, then the ease of operation is improved, but the force required to overcome gravity during rapid movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
Counterweights are incorporated into the door assembly to balance the gravitational force acting on the doors. This counterweight mechanism offsets the gravity that would otherwise require additional force to overcome during rapid door movement, allowing the doors to operate simply through gravity while maintaining the ease of operation benefit. The counterweights compensate for the gravitational pull, enabling rapid response without excessive force input.
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
The solution enables efficient one-way chain movement, effectively preventing reverse chain direction during pulling sequences, enhancing operational efficiency and simplicity by leveraging gravity-activated door mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
a back chain stopper having chain engaging doors that are gravity actuated and permit chain movement in one direction only
Data Source
AI summary
A chain puller for use in marine salvage that includes a chain pulling platform having linearly disposed first and second chain stoppers. Each chain stopper includes a pair of pivotal doors that permit the passage of a chain in one direction while stopping the action of a chain moving in the opposite direction. The action on the pivotal doors uses gravity for vertical alignment. The pivotal doors are spaced apart the distance of a vertical chain-link in the static position and are pivotally spread apart to permit movement of the chain in one direction in the dynamic position.