Sliding Support System for Elongate Member Installation
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for installing or removing elongate members, such as propeller shafts, in confined spaces like naval vessels are labor-intensive, risk damage, and pose health and safety hazards due to reliance on manual chain blocking and weight transfer, which is not feasible in all locations.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus utilizing sliding support elements with low-friction pads and adjustable cradles for controlled movement along a predetermined axis, reducing the need for chain blocking and manual weight transfer, allowing continuous linear movement and safe passage through structural members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional chain blocking and manual weight transfer methods are used to manoeuvre the propeller shaft, then the shaft can be installed through the bracket barrels, but the process becomes extremely labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional chain blocking and manual weight transfer system with a sliding support system. The shaft rests on support elements (cradles or blocks) that slide along guide surfaces (edges or rails) during installation. This substitution eliminates the need for continuous manual intervention and chain blocking, allowing the shaft to be moved more efficiently through the bracket barrels while maintaining control.
2Ease of operation
If chain blocking is used to support the shaft during installation, then the shaft can be manoeuvred into position, but the risk of damage to the shaft increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces support elements (cradles or blocks) as intermediary components between the shaft and the installation environment. These support elements distribute the shaft's weight and provide a controlled sliding interface along guide surfaces, preventing direct contact between chains and the shaft surface. This intermediary system reduces the risk of damage while facilitating safe handling and manoeuvring through the bracket barrels.
3Ease of operation
If operatives work close up to the shafting during chain blocking, then manual control is possible, but health and safety risks increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts operatives from the immediate hazard zone by eliminating the need for them to work close to the shaft during the critical movement phase. The sliding support system allows the shaft to be manoeuvred through bracket barrels with minimal human intervention required near the shaft itself. Control can be exercised from a safer distance, reducing the risk of operatives being trapped or injured if the shaft suddenly moves or drops.
4Ease of manufacture
If overhead lift is used to install the shaft in shore applications, then installation is simplified, but this approach is not possible in confined spaces like naval vessels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional installation approach by instead of lifting the shaft overhead and lowering it vertically, the shaft is moved horizontally along guide surfaces at a lower elevation. The support elements slide the shaft through the bracket barrels from the side, reversing the typical gravity-assisted vertical installation method. This inverted approach adapts the installation process to confined spaces where overhead lifting is not feasible, such as within the constraints of a naval vessel's hull structure.
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 approach significantly reduces labor, minimizes damage risk, and enhances safety by enabling controlled, efficient movement of elongate members through complex spaces, applicable beyond naval vessels to various industries with space or location restrictions.
Implementation Method 1
Each load-supporting pad is conveniently made of low friction material, such as e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
A method of moving an elongate member(12) along a predetermined axis (A-A) for the introduction or withdrawal thereof to or from a free body (11). The method includes providing an elongate guide surface (18) extending parallel to the predetermined axis, and also providing a plurality of support elements (26) which are slidable on the support surface in a direction parallel to the predetermined axis. The elongate member is supported on the support elements so that at least a major portion of the mass is supported. The elongate member and the support elements are moved along the predetermined axis. Apparatus for moving an elongate member in this manner is also provided.