The present invention concerns a

proceeding at a ship ramp, which is actuatable by a number of main winches and a buttressing system, wherein the main winches, by wires or other pulling members, are arranged to turn the ramp between turned-down driving position, in which the ramp extends between the ship and quay or another connecting part, and turned-up storing position, respectively, on board the ship and the buttressing system props the ramp around its central span in an angled driving position so that the same does not touch the quay.

The present invention also concerns a device for accomplishing a proceeding at a ship ramp, which is actuatable by a number of main winches and a buttressing system, wherein the main winches, by wires or other pulling members, are arranged to turn the ramp between turned-down driving position, in which the ramp extends between the ship and quay or another connecting part, and turned-up storing position, respectively, on board the ship and the buttressing system props the ramp around its central span in an angled driving position so that the same does not touch the quay.

There are problems in the ship ramps mentioned above for, among others, the following reasons:

* The requirements of SWL (Safe Working Load) from the market are increasing, i.e., the maximal load that can be brought over the ramp. * Cargos that should be transported by ships often become heavy special loads but they occur more rarely.

* Therefore, it is necessary to dimension up the ramps using extra steel so as to be able to, by existing system, manage said heavy loads and also large buttressing cylinders are in that connection required.

* This entails extra costs of included material, such as steel, winches, wires, and buttressing cylinders to manage greater loading and to reliably be able to raise and lower, respectively, and prop in angled driving position a heavier construction.

* In addition, the weight of the ship increases, which increases the fuel consumption.

For this type of ship ramp, there are known systems, such as buttressing and self -tension, wherein the main purpose of the latter system is to make sure that the wires of the main winches are tensioned so that these in turn should not hang down above the ramp and risk hooking up vehicles that are loaded over the same and also allow a certain reduction of the quay pressure exerted by the ramp when it rests against the quay in its extended driving position. Self-tension means that a certain torque on the winches is set and the wires are requisitely tensioned during the entire loading and unloading sequence. Another known system in ramps for the sensing and regulation of the respective functional driving position and the nature of the ramp is so-called buttressing. This known system is, however, only arranged and intended to sense distance to quay or another

stationary object and be able to regulate the applicable part of the outward portion of the ramp against intended applicable horizontal quay surface against which the outer portion of the ramp is applicable.

The known buttressing and self -tension- systems are not intended to increase the carrying capacity of the ramp when, e.g., heavy vehicles or other heavy load are driven on the ramp between ship and quay or vice versa because of the ramp having to be free to move in the vertical direction as the deep-draught of the boat is altered during loading and that the quay height is changed due to the tidal difference.

Should the torque be increased compared with today's self -tension torque on the main winches so as to, in that way, be able to manage an increased maximum load that is allowed and can be transported by the ship in question, the function of the ramp of being able to be lying in above-mentioned float position wherein it is free to move in the vertical direction would disappear because of the inertia and losses present in the wire tackle of the main winches .

Should the ramp be dimensioned to resist an increased maximum load that is allowed and can be transported by the ship in question, the ramp would become unnecessary overdimensioned in most circumstances when the ship is running or being loaded, which means that

unnecessary much steel, etc. is consumed in the

construction of the ship and of said ramp and that the operating cost increases because of unnecessary weight that always has to be conveyed by the shi .

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is primarily to solve at least the problems mentioned above of a reliable and functional proceeding and of a device working therefor, respectively. In

addition, the object is to be able to retrofit already built ships and ramps with the present invention as complement to other safety equipment .

Said object is achieved by means of a proceeding, which essentially is characterized in,

that, by said main winches, the ramp is actively propped by, using one or more load cells, which preferably are placed on the central span of the ramp, the loading of the ramp being fed-back to a control system, which in turn transmits signals to an operational system, whereby the ramp is allowed to carry more load than for which the ramp is maximally dimensioned without support and with the corresponding or greater load extension for which the ramp is dimensioned,

and with a device, respectively, which essentially is characterized in that main winches are coupled so that, by said main winches, the ramp is actively propped, by a fed back signal arranged to be output from a load-measuring element on the ramp via a control system to an operational system, that, on the ramp, a load- sensing means is arranged, which by means of a fed back signal via a control system to said main winches is arranged to regulate its proportional load- increasing propping against the load supported on the ramp on the occasions in question,

whereby the ramp allows supporting heavier load on the same or larger extended surface than for which it

structurally is dimensioned, without said active propping of the main winch when the load increases along the length extension of the ramp.

This is facilitated by making possible to measure the current load on the stern ramp (quarter ramp) by mounting load cells on, e.g., the buttressing cylinders and measuring the current pressure. The pressure signal is fed back to a control system, which regulates the propping of the ramp by increased torque in the main winches so that the pressure is maintained more or less constant when it has reached its maximal set value; due to this, the torque in the steel structure of the ramp can be

maintained constant. With a well working control loop, it is possible to load considerably more but at less

consumption of steel in the ramp structure without risking that the ramp collapses, becomes overloaded, or lifts from quay.

By logging, using the control system, the current pressure in the buttressing cylinders and the torque (pressure - if hydraulic winches are used) given to the winches, it is possible to store the maximum loads that have been brought between the quay and the ship or vice versa and get useful statistics of when and how often the customer in question utilizes the system, how long time a loading or unloading proceeding takes, and if problems, alarms, or potential overload of the ramp have arisen.

By JPS 6064093 A, a previously known invention intends to prevent a ramp from suddenly being hanging in the air during loading and unloading and accordingly not being in ground contact with its front part or the pressure against a subjacent quay from suddenly increasing violently. For instance in ebb and flow when the ship changes position in relation to the quay.

Thus, the present invention cannot be appreciated with the aid of said previously known

invention, especially not based on what is defined in the independent claims. Neither can the proceeding defined in said claim and the device defined in said claim, respectively, be considered as obvious to a person skilled in the art.

Neither US 6,536,363 Bl and D3 : US

3,846,860 A can be considered to show the invention even if reference is made to ramps but which solve the problem of the angulation of the ramp to quay when the water level is changed as well as allows the outer part of a double ramp, by the dead load, to be turned out and down to the quay when the inner part of the ramp is turned out after actuation of winches .

The present invention concerns a

proceeding and a device at a ship ramp, which is actuated by the main winch and by means of which it is now, according to the invention, enabled to carry more load on the ramp than for which it normally is dimensioned by the features defined in the characterizing clause of the respective independent claim.

The present invention is described in the following, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a stern ramp in lowered position against a quay and with a vehicle driving on the ramp,

Fig. 2 shows distribution of load along schematically shown stern ramp and operational system therefor,

Fig. 3 shows parts of a known stern ramp, Fig. 4 shows side view of ramp in extended loading state and in raised stowing position,

respectively,

Fig. 5 shows a planar view of the ramp in extended position, Fig. 6 shows a side view of a stern ramp having control system and existing operational system in association,

Fig. 7 shows a stern ramp during

operation, and

Fig. 8 shows said stern ramp in closed position.

A proceeding at a ship ramp 1 and more precisely then a stern ramp (quarter ramp) , which is actuatable by a number of main winches 2, which are arranged to turn the ramp 1, by wires 3 or other pulling members, on pivot joints 4 between turned-down driving position I, in which position the ramp 1 extends between the ship 5 and quay 6 or another connecting part, and turned-up storing position II, respectively, on board the ship 5, in which position the ramp 1 seals an aft hatch 7, means that, by said main winches 2, the ramp 1 is actively propped, whereby the same is allowed to carry an increased maximum load 8 than for which the ramp 1 is maximally dimensioned without support and with the corresponding load extension for which the ramp 1 is dimensioned. In Fig. 1, the ramp is shown in lowered driving position with carried load 8 thereon. This may be provided by ensuring, using a control system 23, that the ramp 1 is propped proportionally or in steps against the load 8 currently being supported on the ramp 1.

Using one or more load cells 10, which preferably are placed on the central span 9 of the ramp, the loading of the ramp is fed back via signals 24 to a control system 23, which in turn transmits control signals

25 to a pair of hydraulic proportional valves 22 if hydraulic operational system 100, alternatively a

frequency converter if electrically driven winches. By, e.g., pressure transducers on the ramp 1, it is possible to transmit information about the loading state of the ramp to the control system 23 and the overall operational system 100, which is arranged to prop the ramp 1 requisitely.

According to a preferred embodiment example, the ramp 1 is formed of at least paired jointed ramp parts 1A, IB, and at least one load- sensing load cell 10 is connected in or adjacent to a hydraulic or electric jack 11 acting between said ramp parts 1A, IB or in a pivot joint 12 between said ramp parts 1A, IB.

Either the loading F on the ramp 1 is sensed centrally, i.e., along its centre line 13, and/or the loading F is sensed along the respective side portions 14, 15 of the ramp. In that connection, it is possible to sense, separated from each other, the loading F along separate areas of the ramp 1 to allow mutual regulation and propping of said separate areas of the ramp 1

following information obtained about the current loading F.

A device 16, which is arranged for

accomplishing a said proceeding at a ship ramp 1, which is actuatable by a number of main winches 2, which, by wires 3 or other pulling members, are arranged to turn the ramp between turned-down driving position I, in which position the ramp 1 extends between the ship 5 and a quay 6 or some other connecting part, and turned-up storing position II, respectively, on board the ship 5, comprises means that allows main winches 2 to be coupled so that, by said main winches 2, the ramp is actively propped,

by a fed back signal 24 arranged to be output from a load- measuring element on the ramp 1 via a control system 23 to said operational system 100, to allow the ramp 1 to support heavier load on the same or larger extended surface than for which it structurally is dimensioned, without said active propping of the main winch 2 when the load 8 increases along the length extension of the ramp.

The ramp 1, which in turned-down driving position I extends between the ship 5 and a quay 6 or another connecting part, and in turned-up storing position II, respectively, seals a hatch 7 on board the ship 5, has main winches 2 coupled so that when the load 8 increases along the length extension of the ramp, said main winches 2 are arranged to be actuated to prop the ramp 1 actively to allow carrying said increased load 8. Thereby, it is arranged to allow the ramp 1 to carry more load 8 than for which the ramp 1 is maximally dimensioned without support and with the corresponding load extension for which the ramp 1 is dimensioned.

On the ramp 1, there is arranged means, which, by means of a fed back signal 24, 25 to said main winches 2, regulates its proportional load-increasing active propping against the load 8 supported on the ramp 1 on the occasions in question. Said ramp 1, which is formed of at least paired mutually pivotably jointed ramp portions 1A, IB, may have a number of load cells, which preferably are situated at the central span 9 of the ramp to feed-back at least the current loading of the ramp, for instance in the internal structure of the ramp, to a control system 23, which in turn transmits signals 25 to a said overall operational system 100,

for the subsequent above-mentioned active propping of the ramp 1 by said main winches 2 so that the ramp 1 is allowed to carry more load 8 than what the ramp 1 normally is maximally dimensioned to carry without extra support and with the corresponding load extension for which the ramp 1 is dimensioned. Said load cells are suitably formed of pressure transducers, which are arranged to sense the loading of the ramp and/or loading in the bearing shaft 12 of connecting pivotably mounted ramp portions, and

transmit the load result to a control system 23 for the requisite propping of the ramp and a said overall

operational system 100.

An example is, in case of a hydraulically acting jack, which is arranged connected between the mutually meeting ramp parts 1A, IB of the ramp, to let one or more load-sensing load cells be connected in said jack.

Means for load- sensing is/are suitably arranged along the centre line 13 of the ramp and/or along the respective side portions 14, 15 of the ramp together or separate from each other for separately mutual

regulation and/or for mutually separate regulation of the ramp 1.

To the ramp 1, a buttressing system 30 is connected, which is arranged to regulate the application angle of the outward ramp part 20 against the counter- applicable surface 6A of a quay 6 and, if required, regulate an acting jack for increasing or decreasing the angle of said ramp outer part. In that connection, a load cell 10 is connected to said buttressing system 30 to sense increased load on the ramp 1 to be able to prop the ramp 1 upon increased load F thereon, via the main winches 2 of the ramp or other regulating hoisting means for said ramp 1.

In Fig. 2, it is shown how heavier load 8 reaches the ramp 1, wherein the pressure increases in a buttressing jack 11 in question, this side of the ramp 1 being actuated by higher torque from the main winch 2 of its side so that the force increases in the wire tackle 3 so that the ramp 1 manages the increasing loading on the ramp 1. In that connection, it is possible to sense, by- means of sensor means 10 separated per side, hydraulic pressure in the buttressing cylinder 11 of the port and starboard, respectively, and allow this to be controlled toward a constant or stepwise increasing set value of the control system 23, whereupon the ramp 1 is propped

requisitely on the respective side of the ramp by the main winch 2 of this side. The ramp 1 may be hydraulically actuatable, electro-hydraulically or entirely electrically actuatable. It is important that the ramp 1 does not sag and rest with the central bottom part thereof directly against the quay 6 but that there is a distance 34 between quay 6 and ramp 1. Yet that an outward pivotable portion 20 of the ramp 1 rests directly against the quay 6 and its top surface 6A, and that this ramp portion 20 is actuated by the buttressing 30 to be pressed against the quay 6 or another support against which the ramp 1 abuts so that the ramp 1 is not lifted from the quay 6. Yet that said buttressing 30 does not allow solving the problem that the present invention solves by proceeding and device.

To sum up, it can be said that the main idea of the invention is that, by a proceeding, the ramp 1 is actively propped by means of the main winches 2 in question. The ramp is thereby allowed to carry more load 8 than for what the ramp 1 is maximally dimensioned without support and with the corresponding load extension for which the ramp 1 is dimensioned. This is facilitated by means of an active control system 23 and said control system is allowed to control the operational system 100 of the ramp 1 insomuch that the ramp 1 is propped

proportionally or in steps against the load 8 supported on the ramp 1. Using one or more load cells 10, which preferably are placed on the central span 9 of the ramp, the loading of the ramp is fed back to a control system 23, which in turn transmits signals 25 to said operational system 100.

By pressure transducer on the ramp 1, information about the loading state of the ramp is transmitted to the control system 23 that is arranged to control the operational system 100 of the ramp and prop the ramp 1 requisitely.

Suitably, the ramp 1 is formed of at least paired jointed ramp parts 1A, IB, and that one or more load- sensing load cells are connected in or adjacent to a hydraulic or electric jack 11 acting between said ramp parts 1A, IB or in a pivot joint 12 between said ramp parts 1A, IB, the loading F being sensed centrally 13 on the ramp 1 and/or along the respective side portions 14, 15 of the ramp.

Finally, it is pointed out that, separated from each other, the loading F is sensed along separate areas of the ramp 1 for mutual regulation of the propping of the ramp following information obtained about the loading F.

Furthermore, it is pointed out that a device which is suitable therefor has the main winches 2 thereof coupled so that, by said main winches 2, the ramp is actively propped, by a fed back signal 24 from the load-sensing means in question and which is arranged to be output from a load-measuring element on the ramp 1 to a control system 23 and further to an operational system 100, to allow the ramp 1 to support heavier load 8 on the same extended surface than for which it structurally is dimensioned, without said active propping of the main winch 2 when the load 8 increases along the length extension of the ramp. On the ramp 1, there is arranged load-sensing means, which, by means of a fed back signal 24 to said main winches 2 via a control system 23, is arranged to regulate its proportional load- increasing propping against the load 8 supported on the ramp 1 on the occasions in question.

At the ramp 1, which is formed of at least paired mutually pivotably jointed ramp portions 1A, IB, a number of load cells are situated at the central span 9 of the ramp to feed-back at least the current loading of the ramp, for instance in the internal structure of the ramp for the subsequent propping of the ramp 1 using said main winch 2. Said load cells may be formed of a number of pressure transducers, which are arranged to sense the loading of the ramp and/or loading in the bearing shaft 12 of connecting pivotably mounted ramp portions, and via signals 24 transmit the load result to a control system 23 for the requisite active propping of the ramp and via forwarding of signals 25 to an operational system 100, for the subsequent regulation by means of the main winches 2.

A hydraulically acting jack may be

arranged connected between the mutually meeting ramp parts 1A, IB of the ramp, one or more load-sensing load cells being connected in said jack.

Other means for load-sensing may be arranged along the centre line 13 of the ramp and/or along the respective side portions 14, 15 of the ramp together or separate from each other for separately mutual

regulation and/or for mutually separate regulation of the ramp 1.

To the ramp 1, a buttressing system is connected, which is arranged to regulate the application angle of the outward ramp part 20 to the counter- applicable surface 6A of a quay 6 and, if required, regulate an acting jack for increasing or decreasing the angle of said ramp outer part. In that connection, one or more load cells may be connected to said buttressing system to sense increased load on the ramp 1 and to be able to prop the ramp 1 upon increased load F thereon via the main winches 2 of the ramp or other regulating hoisting means for said ramp 1.

A control system 23 is arranged connected with the ramp 1 for the receipt of incoming signals 24 from a number of load-measuring elements on the ramp 1, and that outgoing signals 25 from the control system 23 are arranged to be delivered to a said operational system 100, which comprises a pump 21, a number of hydraulic proportional valves 22, and hydraulic lines or tubes 26 for the subsequent regulation of said main winches 2 and wires 3.

The nature and function of the invention should have been understood from what is mentioned above and shown in the drawings.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the

accompanying drawings. Modifications are feasible, particularly as for the nature of the different parts, or by using an equivalent technique, without departing from the protection area of the invention, such as it is defined in the claims.