ϊhe present invention relates to a bulkhead seal for sealing the gap between a bulkhead and the inner wall of a cargo hold, e.g., ol a ship.

5 Many cargo ships for transporting bulk cargo have a single loading area which can be divided into different sections by removable partition walls, generally referred to as bulkheads. An example of such a removable bulkhead system is disclosed in WO 98/51562, The removable bulkheads can for example be

10 provided with recesses or channels m their side ends which are slid over support structures, or pontoon supports, on the wall of the cargo hold. This way, the cargo hold can be compartmented and be used for different types o: bulk load or a combination of bulk cargo and other types of cargo.

15

In order to prevent leakage and / or cross contamination of bulk load at either side of a bαlknead, any gap between the buikheaαs and the adjacent ship walls must be sealed. Hitherto, th:s is tried to be done by filling the gaps, e.g., with a

/0 rubber and by using self adhesive tapes, wh: ch is elaborate and often not effective.

It is an object of the invention to provide an effective sealing system for bulkheads which can oe easily applied and ?b removed.

The object o* the invention is achieved with a seal for sealing a gap between a bulkhead and a wall of a cargo hold, wherein the seal comprises a spine with two lateral webs. This way, the 30 seal can be positioned with the spine in tne corner of the cargo hold, while the lateral webs are pressed against, the bulkhead and the cargo hold wall respectively, thus sealing off any gap .

The webs and/or the spine can comprise magnetic parts. This way, the seal can adhere to ship's wall and to the bulkhead to seal olf the gaps.

The spine can be a rigid spine, while the lateral webs are flexible, e.g., made of a foil, such as a tarp. The spine ran for example be an angled profile having two legs under right angles. The profile can for exairple be of steel or an extruded plastic material, or any other Suitable material. Such a profile can for instance be provided with slits in the top end of the longitudinal edges of the profile legs, extending over the full length of the profile. The slits can be dimensioned in such a way that the slits can hold the webs in a clamping manner. The webs can for instance be pulled Through the slits. To this end, the webs can for example bo provided wirh one or more slings for palling the web. 'Ihe webs can be provided with one or more chords embedded, e.g., stitched along the edges of the webs. The side edge of the web with the embedded chord can be hold, e.g., pinched, within the slit in the top end of the longitudinal edge of the profile leg.

The lateral webs can for example be of a tarpaulin material. A tarpaulin or tarp is a large shoot of strong, flexible, water resistant or waterproof material, such as a cloth, canvas or woven polyethylene and/or polyester, optionally coated with plastics such as latex or PVC. Other foil type materials can also be used if so desired. The seal can for instance be put in place by placing the lower end of the seal in the lower corner at the lower end of the gap between the wall of the cargo hold and the bulkhead. The webs with the magnets can be held together by way of the magnets held by trie webs. This prevents tnat the webs already stick to the cargo hold wall or the bulkhead before the seal is positioned in the right place. Then the seal can be erected in the upright position and the webs can be folded out and be magnetical ly adhered to the walJ and the bulkhead respectively.

If the gap is longer than zhe seal, two or more seals may need to oe applied in line above one another. This may for instance be the case if the bulkhead is formed by two or more bulkhead pontoons above one another. To prevent gaps between the abutting ends of these seals, an intersection piece can be used, made of a flexible material, such as a tarp, having a row of magnets at both sides and a pocket with an open end at its upper or lower side. The upper end of the lower seal can be pat in the pocket. The lower end of the upper seal can then be applied over the intersection piece. Ihis way, no gap is formed between the lower end of the upper seal and the apper end of the lower seal.

The spine of the seal can be provided with an opering near one or both of its outer ends for passage of fastening means. For bulkheads having a side channel to be slid over support brackets or pontoon supports, the fastening means can for example comprise an F-bar comprising a bar having a fixed clamp head at its outer end, and a removable clamp head slideable ovei the bar, wherein the fixed clamp head is provided with a magnet facing the removable clamp heaα. This way, the E -bar without the removable clamp head can be hooked with the magnetic clamp head .in the side channel of the bulkhead. Tne magnet will hold the F-bar in its position, preventing it froπ falling down. Then the bar of the F-bar can be passed through an opening in the angle profiled spine of the seal, Subsequently, the removable clamp head can bo slid over the bar and be screwed on to clamp the seal onto the bulkhead.

Optionally, the spine can be provided with magnets. For instance, the spine can be an angled profile with two perpendicular legs of a plastic material, both legs embedding magnets. With such a spine, the use of clamping means is not needed.

Typically, removable bulkheads are built of pontoons provided with recesses or channels in their side ends which are slid over support structures, or pontoon supports, on the wall of the cargo held, The walls and/or the pontoons may oe provided with support structures and openings, e.g., for mounting a tweendeck or similar provisions. Openings near the gap to be sealed can De closed by a plug, e.g., a plug of plywood, or plastic or the like, before a seal is applied.

For sealing uneven sections, such as sections where support structures or other projections are present, a foil, such as a tarpaulin foil, can be used conpi :. sing at least one row of magnets .

In case the gap with the bulkhead includes staggered sections, such as with wing tanks, the seals terminal end can be provided wilh a piece of foi J under right angles with both webs. To cover for example a hingebox of a door, e.g., of an elevator, a seal can be used made of a longitudinal flexible foil material, such as a carp, comprising a row of magnets along the longitudinal sides and optionally also along the shorter sides. Such doors typically show a horizontal gap, the hingebox opening, between their top end and the ship wall, which also needs to be sealed to prevent leakage. This gap can first be filled with a piece of wood, such as plywood. Then a further piece of wood,, such as plywood can be nailed onto the first piece of wood, overlapping the hingebox opening. Finally the seal can be placed over the plywood. The seal can for example comprise one, two or nore strips or belts extending m the longitudinal direction of the seal. The strips can for example be stitched or adhered onto the seals. These strips can De stapled to the plywood. The magnets can then attach the seal to the snip wall and bulkhead door respectively.

To be able to cover ail gaps between the bulkhead? ana the cargo hold wall, a set of seals can be used comprising one or more of the types of seals described above. The set can also comprise tne fastening mans as described above and/or plugs for filling openings to be covered by the seals. The plugs can for example be plywood or plastic plugs.

The present invention will be elucidated with reference to the figures wherein:

Figure 1: shows a ship with the siαe wall partly broken away having a cargo load compartmented by bulkheads; Figure ? shows in detail a seal accoroing to the present invention attached to a bulkhead and a ship side wall;

Figure 3: shows the seal of Figure 2 in more detail; Figure 4 : shows an F-bar for use with the seal of Figure

2;

Figure 5Λ: shows a second embodiment of a seal according to the invention;

Figure 5B: shows the seal of Figure 5A in its entirety; Figure 6: shows the section of Figures 5A ciiid 5B after sealing with a sealing foil according to the present invention;

Figure 7: shows an intersectional seal according to the invention for sealing two stacked bulkheads; Figure 8; shows a seal according to the invention for a staggered section;

Figure 9; shows a bulkhead door; Figure 10: shows a seal according to the invention for sealing a bulkhead door; Figure 11 : shows an intersection seal of a set of seals according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a cargo ship 1 for bulk cargo, In the drawing, the side wall is partly broken away to show a cargo hold ? which is divided into a number of compartments 3 by a number of removable bulkheads 4, The compartments 3 can be used for different types of bulk cargo, for instance grain, ore, concentrates or a combination of bulk cargo and other types of cargo.

Figure 2 shows in detail the position where the bulkhead 4 meets the inner wall 5 of the cargo hold 2. Between the wall 5 and the bulkhead 4 is a gap 6, which needs to be sealed at least at one side to prevenz leakage of bulk cargo. On its side facing the inner wall 5, the bulkhead 4 is provided, with a channel I ₁ which can be slid over support brackets or pontoon supports projecting from the inner wall 5 (not shown) ,

The gap 6 is sealed with a seal 8, comprising a spine 9, formed as an angled profile having two legs 10, 11 under right angles. The seal 8 further comprises two lateral webs 12, 13 of a tarpaulin material. The webs 12, 13 are both bordered by a row of magnets 14, which are attached to the webs 12, 13 or which are for example contained in pockets or the like within the webs 12, 13.

Figure 3 shows the top side of the seal 8. Both legs 10, 11 of the angled profile spine 9 are provided at their outer ends wirh slits 15 extending over the full length of the spine 9. Each slit 15 firirly clamps one of the longitudinal edges of the corresponding web 12, 13. To provide a firm grip of slit 15, the edge of the web 12, 13 is provided with an embedded chord 17, wnich can for example be stitched within the web edge. At their outer ends, the webs 12, 13 are provided with a sling 16, which is used for pulling the webs 12, 13 through the slits 15 during assembling of the seal 8,

The seal 8 can for example be installed by using an F-bar clamp 20 as shown jn more detail in Figure 4, comprising a bar 21 having a fixed clairp head 22 provided with a magnet 23 at one end and a removable securing pin 24 at the other oαter end. A movable clamp head ?b, facing the magnet 23, can be moved between the securing pin 24 and the fixed clamp head ?2. To install a seal 8, the F-bar tool 20 without its moveable clamp head 25 is positioned with the fixed ciamp head 22 in the channel 7 in the bulkhead 4, ana with the bar 21 extending through the gap 6. Due to the magnet 23, the F-bar tool 20 will maintain its position. The angled profile 9 of the seal 8 :. s provided with an opening 26 (see Figures 2 and 3} . The profile 9 can be slid over the projecting bar 21 of the F-JDar too.1 20 to its final vertical position. Then, the movable clarip head 25 can be slid over the bar 2". and arranged to clamp the profile leg 10 of seal 8 onto the bulkhead 4, as is shown in Figure 2. The same can be done at the lower end of the- seal 8. The magnets 14 of the webs 12, 13 adhere to the bulkhead 4 and Lo the inner wall 5, respectively.

At its backside, the bulkhead 4 is provided with twocn deck: positioners 3C close to the inner wall 5, as shown in Figure 5A, Here, a seal 8A is used with an angle profiled spine 9A provided with a cutout 31 making one leg 10A of the profile with the corresponding web 13A shorter than the other leg HA with the web 12A to leave the twoen deck positioners 30 free. To prevent leakages of bulk cargo at these locations, the cutout 31 and the tween deck positioners 30 are covered witn a separate tarpaulin 32 (see Figure 6) provided with magnets 33. At its other end, the seal 8A can aJso be provided with a similar, cutout, as is shown in Figure 5B showing the seal 8A in its entirety. Ab shown m Figure 5B, the seal 8A comprises a flap 75 at short distance from the cutout 31. The side of the flap 75 which is furthest away from the cutout 31 is provided with a strip 76 which is attached to the spine 9A. The free end of the flap 75 can be positioned over the upper edge of the tarpaulin 32 covering the positioners 30. A similar overlapping tarpaulin 34 with magnets 35 can be used if a partition of cho cargo hold is formed by two stacked bulkheads 4a, 4b as shown in Figure 7. Two seals δa, 8b are installed in line with each other. The tarpaulin webs 13a, 13b attached to the bulkheads 4a, 4b are interrupted where the bulkheads 4a, 4b are provided with tween deck positioners. The tarpaulin 34 covers these interruptions. The tarpaulin 34 is provided with openings 26a, 26b for passage of an F-bar tool clamping the seals 8a, 8b,

Figure 8 shows how the gaps can be sealed where the surface of the internal cargo hold wall is staggered, e.g., at the location of a wing tank 36 or the like. First a seal 37 is applied over the vertical gap between the bulkheaα 4 and the wing tank 36 in a similar way as described with Figure 2, This seal 3/ has an angle proliled spine 38, with two lateral tarpaulin webs 39 provided with magnets 40. Then a specially formed sealing piece 41 is used to seal the gap between the bulkhead 4 and the horizontal section of the wing tank 36. Sealing piece 41 comprises a middle section 42 with a built-up similar to the seal of Figure 2, The section 42 comprises an angle profiled spine 44 with two lateral tarpaulin webs 45, 46 provided w:th magnets 47. One oi the tarpaulin webs 45 extends in the horizontal plane while the other tarpaulin web 46 is oriented vertically. At one end of this middle section 42, the sealing piece 41 comprises a tarpaulin end section 51 under right angles with both tarpaulin webs 45, 46 of the middle section 42, At the other end of the middle section 42, the sealing piece 41 comprises a transitional end section 52 :.n line with the first seal 37. This transitional section 52 comprises two tarpaulin webs 53, 54 under right angles with each other, the first web 53 being in the sane plane as the vertical weδ 46 of τhe ruddle section 41, and the second web 54 being under right, argles witn the horizontal web 45 of the middle section 42, Also the tarpaulin webs 53, 54 of the transitional section 52 are provided with magnets 55, Then a further seal 56 is used, similar to the seal described for Figure 2' , having an angle profiled spine 57 and two lateral tarpaulin webs 58, 59. The first tarpaulin web 58 overlaps the tarpaulin end section 51 of sealing piece 41. The second tarpaulin web 59 overlaps vertical web 46 of sealing piece 41. Also these tarpaulin webs 58, 59 are provided with magnets 60.

The internal wall 5 in the cargo hold is generally provided with one or more doors 61, such as is shown m Figure 9. These doors 61 can for example be elevator doors, or ventilation doors or the like and typically show a horizontal gap 62 between their top end and the ship wall, which also needs to be sealed to prevent leakage. As shown m Figure 10, first a piece of timber 63 is placed within the gap 62. Then a piece of wood, e.g., plywood 64 is nailed on the piece of tinber 63. Finally a tarpaulin seal 65 is placeo over the plywood 64. The tarpaulin seal 65 comprises two securing strips 66, 67 extending in the longitudinal direction of the tarpaulin seal 65. The tarpaulin seal 65 comprises magnets 68 evenly distributed along its edges. The securing strips 66, 6/ of the tarpaulin seal 65 are made of woven slings and are stapled to the plywood 63. The magnets 68 attach the tarpaulin 65 to the ship wall 5 and bulkhead door 61 respectively.

Figure 11 shows an intersection seal 70 that can be used to prevent gaps between the abutting onαs of two seals 8 placed in line with each ether. The intersection seal 70 is made of a flexible material, such as a tarp, without a spine element. The intersection seal. 70 has a row of magnets 71, 72 at two opposite sides and a pocket 13 with an open end 74 at its lower side. One of the abutting ends of two spined seals (not shown) ears be put in the pocket 73, For instance, the top end of a lower seal 8 can be put into the pocket 73. The abutting lower end of the upper seal 8 can then be applied over the intersection piece 70. This way, no gap is left uncovered between the abuttinα ends of the two seals iti line-