The invention presented here concerns a device of a gangway structure as presented in the introduction to the following claim 1.

The invention also concerns an application of the gangway structure.

The gangway design according to the invention is intended to form a part of a gate or access system, where the gangway is folded in parked position within the ship, and where a gate closes/bars the opening in the ship.

During operation of the gangway, the gate is open.

The device is intended particularly for application on passenger ships sailing with large numbers of passengers, and is especially advantageous for ships in waters with significant tidal changes. When the ship is moored at quay, the level difference between the ship's boarding deck and the quay may vary greatly as a result of local changes between high and low tide, and it is essential to make use of a gangway which is not too steep for its users. The physically handicapped, for example people in wheelchairs form one of the user groups who require special consideration.

Normal practice is to make use of gangways where the angle can be changed when required so that the gangway is as horizontal as possible. If the angle is too steep, one can compensate by increasing the length of the gangway, but this system has its limitations. There is not always space for a long gangway to be stretched onto the quay transverse to the ship's longitudinal direction. It is therefore also common to make use of a two-stage gangway, where the first stage of the gangway leads from the quay/terminal in the same longitudinal direction as the ship, up to an intermediate platform, while a second stage of the gangway leads from the platform and into the ship's arrival area. There is often an angle of 90° between these two stages of gangway.

The Finnish patent no. 67.745 shows a design where the end of a gangway with a wagon construction can be driven up and down the length of a steep ladder. However, this solution is not a gangway construction for large numbers of passengers. The stairway shown in the Finnish patent is so steep that the passengers practically have to climb onboard the ship. This system cannot be used for wheelchairs. Moreover, the gangway is placed alongside the broadside of the ship, and people using the system have to walk across this to get to the steep stairway/ladder. This type of system is therefore neither intended nor suitable for servicing a large number of passengers.

One of the purposes of this invention is to generate a new system to bring passengers ashore and onboard a ship, and where those in wheelchairs can also use the gangway at the same time, via a wheelchair lift.

The invention aims to provide a construction where an external multi- sectional (preferably two-stage and hinged) gangway, an internal stairway and a disabled lift are designed to form one integral, compact apparatus, which can be operated by the crew from one and the same location, as well as by remote control.

The invention also aims to provide a construction whereby the gangway can be adjusted to be as horizontal as possible, even in the case of significant variations in quay height levels.

The invention also aims to provide a construction which is simple to operate, and which is compact and space-saving once the gangway has been parked internally within the ship.

Normally, passengers will move in one and the same direction, either onboard or ashore. However, it is also naturally possible to provide for passengers to simultaneously board and go ashore.

The device according to the present invention is characterised by the features presented in the characteristics in the following claim 1.

The preferred designs for the device are specified in the dependent claims.

According to the invention, the device is used in such a way that the gangway's ramp is moved along the length of the stair so that the gangway forms a suitable bevel angle for the passengers on foot.

According to another aspect of the invention, the gangway's ramp can be moved along the length of the stair so that wheelchairs users can independently reach the ramp for the wheelchair lift, or so that the ramp is directly level with the arrival deck so that the use of the stair/wheelchair lift is unnecessary.

The device according to the invention shall be described in more detail later, with reference to the following figures, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a partial cross-section of the ship with the gangway construction according to the invention in connection to two different quay height levels.

Figure 2 illustrates a part section where the gangway is folded and parked within the ship.

Figure 3 illustrates a layout sketch of the gangway according to the invention.

By way of introduction, reference shall be made to figure 1 which illustrates a partial cross section of a passenger ship 10 with its arrival area via a gate in the ship. The ship is illustrated moored at a quay 12 with two different height levels (illustrated schematically), a lower quay level 12a and an upper quay level 12b. This is intended to illustrate two gangway angles/positions between the quay level and the ship 10, as this level is affected by local changes between high and low tide. At the top of figure 1 is an illustration of a mainly flat (horizontal) passage between quay level 12b and the ship's deck 17 (corresponding to high tide), while at the bottom of the figure is an illustration of a somewhat more upwards oblique passage from the quay 12a (corresponding to low tide). The water level is illustrated as 14. A gangway 16 with railing 8 swings down and is adapted to the quay for use by the passengers. In order to form a smooth transition between the gangway 16 and the quay 12, especially for passengers in wheelchairs, a flap 18 swings down onto the quay. The flap 18 is attached by hinges to the outermost end of the gangway 16.

On the right-hand side of the figure, the number 17 illustrates the deck where the passengers come onboard and which comprises a lobby, ticket office etc. 16,18, 20,22 inside the ship.

The ship comprises a watertight gate 30 in the broadside which covers the opening in the broadside when closed.

The gate 30 is hinged to the broadside at the upper edge at 31, and can be folded together into two parallel parts via a joint/hinge 33.

In order to swing out and adapt the gangway to the quay 12a, 12b and the quay height, the gate 30 is folded together via the joint 31 and pulled upwards to an upper position (ref. top of figure 1) using hydraulic driving mechanisms not illustrated.

A stairway with a stationary stair 20 leads from a lower level in the ship, in connection with the broadside 22, and at an angle up to the actual arrival deck 17. The stair has a suitable constant bevel angle for passengers on foot, and should preferably have an oblique position of 36. 5°.

According to the invention, the innermost end 24 of the gangway 16 is connected to the stair via a ramp 26 or a plateau. On each side of the stair 20, the ramp 26 is connected to a drive gear (not illustrated in detail) which can move the ramp 26 up and down the length of the stair 20 from a lower position at 26 and up to the arrival deck 17. The ramp may comprise a framework which can be moved on rails via the drive gear, for example a rail on each side. The plateau on the ramp 26 is more or less horizontal, or forms a

suitable oblique position, so that it provides a smooth transition from the upper level 24 (i. e. the innermost part of the gangway) on the gangway 16 and to the actual steps on the stair 20. When the quay height along the broadside varies, the walking angle on the gangway 16 can be adapted by moving the ramp 26 to a suitable section of the oblique stairway 20. The gangway is illustrated in two positions in figure 1. With the upper position when the ship is at quay 12b, the gangway forms a slight ridge at the joint 37, or runs mainly horizontally to the arrival deck 17. In this scenario, the ramp 26 has been moved all the way up to the upper height level in the stair 20, so that the passengers do not have to use the actual steps or wheelchair lift to reach the deck 17. The passengers can walk directly from the gangway 16 and into the arrival deck 17 via the ramp 26.

The actual gangway 16 is laid out so that it is at an angle which allows passengers in wheelchairs to drive their wheelchairs independently up to the ramp 26 and the plateau. However, an angle of 36. 5° is too steep for those in wheelchairs and other physically disabled passengers. Subsequently, this part (the stairway) of the gangway construction consists of a separate wheelchair lift, which is illustrated only in the layout sketch in figure 3 with reference number 50. It has not been included in figures 1 and 2 to keep these illustrations as clear as possible. The wheelchair lift comprises a separate ramp construction 50 with a plateau for positioning of the wheelchair, and the ramp construction 50 can be moved up and down the length of the stair via a well-known driving mechanism, such as along a rail system with the appropriate driving mechanism. The ramp 26 will form the lower stopping point for the wheelchair lift/ramp 50. In the upper position, the ramp 50 will form a level extension of the arrival deck 17.

The gangway 16 is in two parts via the hinge/joint 37, and can be folded together as illustrated in figure 2. Moreover, the gangway via the hinge/joint 39 is pivotally connected to the lower outermost end of the ramp 26. The gangway 16 can therefore be swung up and over the joint 38 into a vertical position.

When the gangway 16 is simultaneously folded together on the joint 37, it forms a compact folded unit which can be parked inside the broadside behind the gate 30 and takes up very little space, as illustrated in figure 2.

As also illustrated in figure 3, both the gangway 16 and the stairway 20 have sufficient width to allow space for passengers both entering the ship on foot and using the wheelchair lift 50 up and down the length of the stair 20.

The gangway system must obviously be designed with sufficient width to allow for the required passenger capacity.

In figure 2, the gangway is illustrated in its parked position inside the ship and with the gate 30 closing the opening in the hull leading into the gangway system. When the gangway is folded together, the ramp 26 must be moved to approximately halfway up the stair 20 to avoid the gangway colliding with the gate 30. If necessary, the railing 15 can also be folded down to save space when the gangway is parked and stored within the broadside/gate 30.

It will be shown that the extent of the gangway 16 onto a quay will decrease as the quay height increases. The higher the ramp 26 on the stair 20, the longer the section of the gangway 16 inside the ship. There is a simultaneous reduction in the number of steps the passengers have to climb before reaching the arrival deck 17. In the event of maximum quay height, for example as illustrated by reference 12b in figure 1, illustrating low tide, the passengers can walk from the gangway and directly onto the arrival deck 17, without having to use the steps in the stairwell.