The invention deals in particular with the capacity to drive vehicles, loading trucks etc. onboard and ashore from ships via the use of ramps.

Ramps are used to cater for the varying heights of the ship's freeboard (depending on the volume of cargo) and the varying heights of the different decks on the ship, and one end of these ramps is placed on the quay, while the other is elevated or lowered to fit the height of the actual deck level.

Ramps with various hinge constructions are also used to avoid the transitions being too sharp. This helps prevent the vehicles making impact and undergoing damage as they pass over the transition sections.

A device of the type mentioned in the introduction is already known from Norwegian patent no. 113.385. However, the lift platform and actual vehicle ramp are connected via a hinge, and the ramp cannot tilt in both directions. Moreover, it cannot function purely as a lift, as is intended by the invention presented here. It subsequently has insufficient flexibility in relation to the results intended by the invention presented here.

The present invention aims to provide a new ramp construction which rectifies the drawbacks found within the design in the Norwegian patent.

The invention also aims to provide a system whereby the ramp can be used as a lift between the ship's various decks.

The present invention aims to provide a new design for these types of vehicle ramps.

The invention also aims to provide a ramp construction which can also be used as an elevator in an elevator shaft which moves between (can service) the various decks on the ship.

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

The preferred designs for the device are specified in the dependent claims 2-8.

According to the invention, the device's intermediate ramp is designed to function as a connection between the ship's deck and a main vehicle ramp which creates a connection with the quay, or as a lift for servicing the various decks on the ship, as specified in the following claim 9.

According to the invention, the new intermediate ramp has a framework construction with a level top surface. The ramp is arranged to move in a vertical direction as it is anchored, in one or two opposing support points, to the guiding mechanisms mounted in the shaft bulkhead in the ship. The system whereby the ramp is attached via one single support point to the guiding mechanism in the shaft bulkhead is preferred, and further descriptions of the invention shall therefore be based on this design.

The guiding mechanism may comprise one or more rails on which a wagon on wheels is arranged and to which the ramp is also connected. The ramp has a revolving attachment to the wagon via a slew ring. The ramp can also revolve on a horizontal axis via at least one piston/cylinder unit, one end of which is connected to the wagon while the other end is connected to the ramp (see the figure).

There are several potential methods for the mechanism for height regulation of the ramp, such as pitch chain mechanisms, by hydraulically or electrically operated drive systems. The preferred method according to the invention is to drive the ramp up and down in the elevator shaft using direct- acting hydraulic cylinders.

This type of drive mechanism can also be used to generate the tilt/pivoting of the ramp to provide suitable transitions for vehicles driving between the main ramp and a deck.

It is also possible to combine the mechanisms which regulate the height of the ramp and those which pivot/tilt the ramp into one unit.

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 ramp construction according to the invention.

Figure 2 illustrates the ramp construction in a layout sketch.

Figure 3 illustrates a magnified section of the ramp according to the invention.

Figure 4 illustrates a cross section of the ramp mechanism for elevating and lowering of the ramp in the elevator shaft.

Figure 5 illustrates a section viewed directly in towards the freeboard.

By way of introduction, reference shall be made to figure 1 which illustrates a part section of a cargo ship 10. The ship is illustrated with its broadside 11 moored at quay at two different height levels, depending on the change in tide-a lower quay level 12a (corresponding to low tide) and an upper quay level 12b (corresponding to high tide). The water level is illustrated

as 14. This distinction has been made to illustrate two passages onto the ship, a mainly level passage and a somewhat more oblique passage respectively, and where the ramp construction according to the invention can be utilised.

On the right-hand side of the figure, a number of decks 16,18, 20,22 inside the ship are illustrated.

The ship comprises a watertight side gate 30 which, when closed, covers the gate opening and which is folded together and pulled upwards in order to swing out and adapt the vehicle ramp to the quay 12a, 12b and the actual quay height.

The innermost end 25 of the vehicle ramp 24 is attached to a mechanism which moves up and down in a framework on the inner side of the ship's broadside, in a well-known manner. It is preferable for the upwards and downwards movement to be provided by direct-acting hydraulically operated cylinders. When the gate is open, the vehicle ramp 24 svings out onto the quay, and a flap 26 swings out and is placed down. This flap has a pivotal attachment to the free end of the vehicle ramp, in order to provide a smooth transition between the quay level and the vehicle ramp.

A transition ramp 30, or designated vehicle lift ramp, is arranged to provide a driving connection between the innermost end 25 of the vehicle ramp 24 and the individual decks 18,20, 22. The figure illustrates a vehicle 21 in the process of driving from the ramp 30 and onto the deck 20.

The vehicle lift ramp 30 according to the invention is designed so that when it provides the above-mentioned connection for vehicles, it can be pivoted/tilted on an horizontal axis to form various bevel angles in both directions, or be set completely horizontal. so that it forms a suitable driving angle for transferral/driving between the main ramp and the actual deck. The actual pivoting of the ramp 30 shall be described in more detail below. The ramp is illustrated in three positions in figure 1: one lower horizontal position which could be a parking position, one middle oblique position and one upper horizontal position.

The intermediate ramp 30 has a level form provided by a framework.

The size of the ramp is designed to cater for the vehicles which normally service or are stored (cars) on the decks A-G, allowing them to pass over the intermediate ramp, i. e. all types of vehicles from forklift trucks to passenger vehicles and lorries etc. The transitions between the vehicle lift ramp/the decks and the ramp for driving ashore are covered by flaps, a system which is already well-known.

The intermediate ramp 30 is not permanently anchored to the ramp for driving ashore, but is designed to operate entirely independently of the ramp for driving ashore 24.

The ramp can be moved in a vertical direction as it is anchored by one or two opposing support point (s) to the guiding mechanisms mounted in the bulkhead for the room in the ship designed for storage and operation of the ramps 24,30. Figure 2 illustrates a system with one support point in the form of a horizontal slew ring 40 on which the ramp can be pivoted. The horizontal pivoting axis is illustrated by dotted lines in figure 4.

The ramp 30 is attached via the slew ring 40 to a wagon 42, see figure 3. The wagon 42 can be driven on wheels 44 upwards and downwards on one or more guiding rails 46,48. The wagon is clamped to the guiding rails so that it cannot fall off. The wagon can also take the form of a sledge which can slide up and down the guiding rails.

Figure 4 provides the clearest illustration of how the wagon is driven up and down and its connection to the ramp 30. The ramp 30 and the wagon 42 form an L-shape with an angle of 90°. The piston 54 in a piston/cylinder unit is attached to the upper part of the wagon 42. The cylinder part 56 is then attached to the hull framework as in a ship construction or similar, not illustrated in detail. Hydraulic oil pressurises the cylinder so that the cylinder rod 54 and subsequently the wagon 42 and the ramp 30 move up and down.

The mechanism for height regulation of the ramp can be provided in several ways, such as a cog wheel or chain mechanism or electrically operated drive systems.

Furthermore, the ramp can be pivoted on a horizontal axis 49 (Y-Y) using an actuating mechanism which functions between the wagon and the ramp 30. The main preference here would be to utilise two piston/cylinder units 50,52, where one end of each unit is attached to the wagon 42, while the other end is attached to the ramp 30. For reasons of safety, two such piston/cylinder units are used. A mechanical stopper is also used to prevent the ramp 30 from tilting all the way round in the event of a fault in the hydraulic system 50/52. Similar safety measures are utilised on the hydraulic elevating system 54,56, including choke valves to prevent sudden loss of pressure in the event of a hose fracture. Automatic shut-off valves can be used on the actual piston/cylinder unit, which shut off the flow of fluids to/from the unit in the event of sudden changes in fluid pressure due to leakages in the fluid system.

The piston/cylinder units 50,52 are oblique as illustrated in the figure, and respectively attached to the ramp 30 on each side of a designed vertical axis which runs through the point 49 (or parallel with the guiding rails 46,48).

The ramp thereby has two functions: Firstly to provide access for vehicles to decks 18,20 and 22; and secondly, when cargo is to be transported to the deck higher up on the hull, such as deck 16, and which can not be reached by ramp 30, i. e. where it is not possible to drive cargo directly onboard, the ramp 30 can function purely as a lift.

Figure 5 illustrates a section viewed directly in towards the broadside 11 with the opening 31 where the ramp is in the middle position. The opening 31 in the broadside 11 can be closed by the gate 33. The ramp's railing 43 is also illustrated.

At each end of the ramp 30 is a flap or tab 60 and 62 respectively which can be tilted downwards until flat when vehicles are driving on and off the ramp, see figure 2, and which can be tilted upwards to form a traverse railing/barrier when the ramp is used as a lift.