PURPOSE: To stably transfer resources on the sea bottom from a collecting ship to a carrying ship for a long time by rotatably supporting an arm provided with a connecting metal at its tip on one ship and providing a hooking section to be coupled with this connecting metal on the other ship to connect both ships in one body.
CONSTITUTION: A gate-type frame 57 is erected on the stern section of a collecting ship 1 collecting manganese nodules on the sea bottom, and an arm 58 provided with a connecting metal at its tip is pivotally supported and is made rotatable with a cable 64. A hooking section to the coupled with the connecting metal is provided on the bow section of the other resource carrying ship 5, and both ships are connected in one body. By connecting both ships in one body and utilizing the connecting device to arrange a transfer pipe between both ships, resources on the sea bottom can be stably transferred from the collecting ship to the carrying ship for a long time. In addition, by connecting both ships in one body, the cruise direction of the collecting ship can be kept unwarped.
KATSURA YUTAKA
NAKAI YASUO
INOUE TOORU
HOSOGAYA KAZUYOSHI
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