CARGO IN SHIPS

The present invention relates in the first place to a proceeding, for a hoistable deck for cargo in ships which is lifted by means of a scissor lift or any other lifting device, to achieve the lifting up of hanging down portions of said deck for cargo to a height, which is sufficient to fold out/retract the supports of the ship to support said deck for cargo.

Hoistable decks for cargo on board ships, which above all are used to support vehicles on desired levels in cargo spaces on board the ships in guestion, and which are formed by a number of vertically movable decks for cargos, are in the simplest possible way lifted by means of devices for lifting decks in the form of scissor lifts, which are driven on the deck located below the deck in question to be lifted. Thereby, said devices for lifting decks lift the decks in question to the correct desired level, where they are supported by means of controllable supports acting between the cargo space of the ship and said deck for loading vehicles.

Another way of lifting decks for cargo is to use a hoist device, whereby hoist ropes located along the cargo spaces in question, where the decks for cargo are accommodated, are hoisted to the desired levels and locked to support cargo and to stow, respectively.

In order to be able to stow the deck, i.e. lift it up to a position below the deck above, it is today necessary to leave a rather large air slot/margin to the deck above. The main reason therefor is that one lifts in the middle of the deck and then this "middle" will be the highest point during the lifting, and due to the weight and relative weakness of the deck, the outer corners will hang down. Since the supports of the deck in the ship are often placed in the outer corners, it will be necessary to make a so called "over-lift" in order to be able to fold out the supports, by means of which the deck is to be supported, and then to put down the corners thereon when the lifting device is lowered. In order to make the "over- lift" possible an air slot/margin has to be left between the upper side of the hoistable deck and the underside of the above stationary deck.

There is also a problem that other parts of the decks for loading vehicles than the corners are hanging down during said lifting movements of the decks in question. For example, as far as hoistable decks for carrying vehicles as cargo are concerned, which are hoisted by wires, one in each corner, it will be the middle portion that is hanging down, and if you want to place this middle portion on a support for some reason, you could nevertheless use the mechanism there. Another example can be hoistable decks with irregular shape for carrying vehicles as cargo, which tend to hang down in somewhat different ways in different places.

Nevertheless, the mechanism in question could effectively lift any other part of decks for vehicle cargo, which is hanging down, as long as the mechanism is placed exactly in the area, in which the part is hanging down .

Flexible solutions for ships are often based on several levels of hoistable decks in combination with stationary decks. Then, it is easily realized that if you have several hoistable decks, it will also be necessary to provide several air slots, which means that the total height of the ship is increased, and this also means that the centre of gravity of the ship is moved upwards in the ship, which one tries to avoid, among other things from a stability point of view, since one normally

endeavours to make ships as compact as possible and not to transport a lot of unnecessary air.

The main object of the present invention is, therefore, in the first place to reduce the air slot/ margin of "over-lift" as much as possible, but is shall still be possible to use the conventional decks for vehicle cargo and scissor lifts which are now available on the market.

Consequently, one wants to find a way of lifting up the decks to their uppermost stowed level with the smallest "over-lift"-margin as possible.

This is to be solved, without necessity for manual adjustment, but one does not either want to involve any form of electric or hydraulic control.

Said object is reached by means of a proceeding according to the present invention, which is mainly characterized in that by the lifting movement of the deck for cargo a mechanically acting loadable mechanism is released, which is loaded by the downward or upward movement of the deck for vehicle cargo, whereby the hanging down parts of the deck for cargo are forcibly lifted up by the actuation of an actuation part and a lifting part, respectively, which are co-operating between said deck for cargo and the ship, whereby a lever with multiple arms is pivoted by co-operation with actuation stop and dolly stop, respectively, in order to induce the mechanism to release by setting said deck for cargo in motion and bring about lifting up of hanging down part of the deck for vehicle cargo. The invention also relates to an arrangement, which is suitable to be used for carrying out a proceeding according to the invention, and according to the kind indicated above.

Said further object is reached by means of an arrangement according to the above, and which is mainly characterized in that a mechanically acting, loadable mechanism for accumulating energy, and which is mounted on said deck for cargo, is arranged to, by automatic actua- tion from between the actuation stop and the dolly stop, respectively, of the ship and the actuation part and lifting part, respectively, of the deck for cargo in question, induce the mechanism to release for subsequent forcible lifting up of the hanging down part of the deck for cargo to a level, which makes it possible to fold out/ retract the ordinary supports of the ship for supporting said deck for cargo, whereby a pivotably mounted lever with multiple arms, which comprises an attachment for the loadable mechanism, and said actuation part which co- operates with said actuation stop and said lifting part which co-operates with said dolly stop, is arranged to forcibly be pivoted around its mounting shaft through cooperation between the actuation part and said actuation stop and part of the loadable mechanism, whereupon the co- operation between the loadable mechanism and the lifting part and the dolly part causes the desired lifting of the deck part in question.

Thus, to put it simple, the invention relates to a fully automatic "pressing-up-mechanism" which, for example, is placed in the hanging down corners or in another place, and when it passes stationary

shoulders in the ship it rotates and presses up the corners and so on to the right level, so that the supports in the ship can be folded out below the corners of the panel or another part of the vehicle panel in question.

This means that the earlier necessary "overlift" due to for example hanging down corners is no longer required, since the invention now brings about that the corners etc. are pressed up to a level above the sweep of the supports.

It is also so arranged, that it does not require electric/hydraulic or manual adjustment, but is solely mechanical and fully automatic.

The invention is described below as a couple of preferred embodiments, whereby it is referred to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a hoistable deck for cargo in lifted up position and locked on correct level,

Figs. 2-7 illustrate different sequences of a hoistable deck for cargo during its lifting position, lifting up of the corners and supporting position,

Fig. 8 illustrates schematically a scissor lift under a hoistable deck for vehicle cargo, and

Figs. 9-11 show a variant of lifting device in various positions.

The idea of the invention is that a spring etc. is loaded when the arrangement passes a shoulder in the ship when the deck is on its way downwards, and then, on the way upwards, changes and catches the upper side of the shoulder, so that the loaded spring is released and thereby generates a force that is strong enough to rotate and lift the corner of the deck.

When the corner has been pressed up the support in the ship, on which the deck shall rest, can be folded out in a simple way, and the deck can be placed thereo . A short summary of the function in the illustrated example of lifting up corner is:

To stow the deck for cargo on its upper level

· The deck for cargo is lifted up by means of a scissor lift.

• Then, the corners are hanging down, but in each

corner there is now an arrangement with folded out wheel, in loaded position.

· The scissor lift is approaching its highest position.

• On the way upwards the folded out wheel of the

arrangement hits against a shoulder in the ship, which causes the arrangement to start rotating.

• The scissor lift reaches its highest position and the rotating arrangement takes hold of the shoulder and thanks to the fact that the loaded spring is released it rotates fully, and in that way it presses up the corners, so that the deck becomes completely plane.

• This means that it is assured that the margin is

sufficient to fold out the supports of the ship, on which the deck shall rest.

• When this has been done the scissor lift can be

lowered and the deck can rest on the supports of the ship. Then, the arrangement will remain in its pressing position.

To lower the deck for cargo from the upper lever

• In order to lower the deck past the supports of the ship it is necessary to retract these.

· The deck for cargo is now lifted up again to its

highest position by the scissor lift. The corners, which otherwise would have been hanging down, are now pressed upwards by the arrangement, and the deck is plane again with sufficient margin in the corners to retract the supports of the ship.

The supports are retracted and the deck can now be lowered by means of the scissor lift.

The arrangement is still in it pressing position, but when the scissor lift is lowered further the spring force will be overcome and the arrangement will be turned over to its loaded original position with compressed spring and folded out wheel.

More precisely, a proceeding according to the present invention comprises to, at hoistable and on desired level 8 on support 9 supportable deck for cargo 1 on board ship 2, achieve lifting up 3 of corners and other hanging down portions 4 of the hoistable deck for cargo 1 in question, which is lifted up 5 and lowered 6, respectively, by means of a scissor lift 7 or any other lifting device.

According to the present invention said and above discussed problem is solved in that, by the lifting movement 5 of the cargo panel 1, a mechanically acting loadable mechanism 11 is released, which in the illustrated embodiment consists of a helical spring with pressure function and which is loaded by the downward or upward movement 6, 5 of the deck for vehicle cargo 1.

Thereby, the hanging down portion 4 of the deck for vehicle cargo 1 is lifted up 3 by being actuated by actuation part 12 and lifting part 13 co-operating between said deck for cargo 1 and the ship 2.

Thereby catches and other holding parts for said mechanism 11 can be avoided in that the loaded mechanism 11 is kept in its loaded position I thanks to so called overcenter function between different mounting parts 14, 15, 16 of said mechanism 11 and a lever 17 with multiple arms associated therewith. By such a lever 17 with multiple arms, including arms 18, 19, 20, being pivoted to support actuation part 12, mechanism mounting 15 and lifting part 13, respectively, the function of the entire arrangement 21 provided may be controlled and actuated. The lever 17 is pivoted through co-operation with actuation stop 22 and dolly stop 23, respectively, in order to load I and release II, respectively, the mechanism 11 by moving said deck for cargo 1 and thereby cause lifting 3 of hanging down 4 portion of the deck for cargo 1 which co-operates with the arrangement 21, preferably the corners 4 of the deck for vehicle cargo, but also for example intermediate or other hanging down portions of said deck for vehicle cargo can be lifted up when

required .

An arrangement 21 according to the present invention adapted to, at deck for cargo 1 in ship 2, lift up 3 hanging down parts 4 of said deck for cargo, which is lifted up 5 and lowered 6, respectively, by means of a scissor lift 7 or another lifting device acting on the underside 10 of and/or along the peripheral edge of said deck for cargo 1, such as for example ropes, comprises a mechanically acting loadable mechanism 11 for accumulating energy. This mechanism 11 is arranged to, by means of automatic actuation from between the cargo space 24 of the ship and the deck for cargo 1 in question located actua- tion part 12 and lifting part 13, respectively, actuate the mechanism 11 to be released for subsequent forcible lifting up 3 of the hanging down part 4 of the deck for cargo to a level, which makes it possible to fold out/ retract the ordinary supports 9 of the ship to support said deck for cargo 1. Said loadable mechanical mechanism 11 is arranged to be loaded by the downward or upward movement 6, 5 of the deck for cargo 1.

Such a mechanism 11 consists preferably of a spring, a helical spring of the compression spring type, but it is also possible to use a tension spring if the direction of the spring force is correct, or of other mechanical loadable known types of mechanisms. The mecha- nism 11 illustrated consists of a compression spring, which can be stretched S and released U, respectively, by actuation. Mounting articulations 15, 16 for said loadable mechanism 11 and mounting articulations 14, 15 for said lever 17 are arranged to have overcenter locking function L, see Figs. 2 and 3, in a certain pivoting position for the lever 17 and the loadable mechanism 11, and thereby automatically hold the mechanism in locked loaded position, but still be in a position ready to be released and without it being necessary to arrange any additional locking means.

Suitably, such a lever 17 consists of a lever with multiple arms, which is pivotably mounted around a shaft 14 and comprises an attachment 15 for the loadable mechanism 11, and an actuation part 12 for co- operation with an actuation stop 22 and a lifting part 13 for co-operation with a dolly stop 23. Said lever 17 is arranged to be forcibly pivoted around its mounting shaft 14 through co-operation between the actuation part 12 and an actuation stop 22, after actuation by the loadable mechanism 11 and through co-operation between the lifting part 13 and the dolly stop 23. Suitably, the actuation part 12 consists of a rotatable wheel or a rotatable roll, and the actuation part 12 and the lifting part 13, respectively, are arranged to bear on a wedge-shaped portion along its oblique lower surface 22 and on its straight upper surface 23, respectively.

In Figs. 1-7 a lever 17 with three arms in the shape of a Y is shown, while in Figs. 9-11 a lever 117 in the shape of a T is shown. In the last mentioned embodiment the loadable mechanism 111 is mounted between an attachment 150 on a deck for cargo 101 and an

attachment on an arm portion 119. At the end of an arm portion 118 a rotatable wheel 112 is arranged, which bears on a wedge-shaped dolly part and its inclined surface 122, while an intermediate arm portion 120 serves as actuation part against a supporting part 123 in order to lift up the deck for cargo 101 after the spring etc. Ill has been released when the overcenter function of said arm 117 has been started and passed the locking position. By means of a pivoting articulation 114 the T-shaped arm 117 is pivotably mounted on said panel 101.

When said supports 9 have been folded out the deck is supported thereon at regular intervals at the periphery of the deck.

Then, when the deck 1 is lowered 6 by means of the scissor lift 7, after first having been lifted up a little, so that it has been possible to fold the supports 9 to the side, the loadable mechanism 11 is activated when the arm 20 hits the support 23 and the arm 17 is pivoted in the shown clockwise direction 30, and also the arm 19 with the articulation 15 of the spring is pivoted downwards, so that the neutral position N, shown in Fig. 4, is passed. Continued lowering of the deck 1 and pivoting of the arm 17 causes that this and the mechanism 11 come to an overcenter position ready to be activated when the platform is lifted up again. Fig. 2 illustrates a lifting position, and Fig. 3 illustrates how the wheel 12 is rolling along the obligue surface 22. The mechanism 11 is in activated loaded position L.

Fig. 4 illustrates the arm 17 in a neutral intermediate position N.

Fig. 5 illustrates the arm 17 and the mechanism 11 after activated position II, where the supporting part 20 on the arm 17 bears on the support 23, so that the arm 17 is pivoted to the top position and the deck 1 is lifted up to its uppermost position close to the above located, stationary deck 40 in order to be received on top of the supports 9, which can be folded out, at the subsequent lowering of the deck 1 by means of the scissor lift 7.

The nature and function of the invention should have been understood from the above description and the drawings .

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Modifications are possible, especially as far as the nature of the different parts is concerned, or by using equivalent technique, without departing from the scope of the invention as it is defined in the patent claims.