Shifting tween deck structure for cargo vessels

A cargo vessel adapted to haul either bulk cargo or general cargo loaded on omnipallets, which comprises:

• a cargo hold formed by the vessel's hull and by bulkheads placed transversely of said hull, said cargo hold having a hatch through which cargo is loaded and discharged;
• a plurality of pairs of horizontal rails positioned longitudinally of said hull, the members of each pair being adjustably secured at the same vertical level at opposite sides of said cargo hold so that the vertical spacing between adjacent pairs of rails can be varied;
• a plurality of parallel beams positioned transverse of said hull and supported between said pairs of rails so as to span said cargo hold, said beams having wheel assemblies mounted at each end of said beams to movably support said beams between said pairs of rails for permitting said beams to be individually movable on said rails in a direction longitudinal of said hull and movable into a position below said hatch to receive cargo loaded on omnipallets and then movable horizontally into a storage position, said beams thus being optionally movable to positions at the sides of said cargo hold adjacent to said bulkheads to convert the hold for bulk storage;
• and
• a plurality of omnipallets to carry said cargo positionable on a pair of said beams so as to be supported between said beams, at least some of said omnipallets having at least two wheels mounted at each side thereof to movably support said omnipallets between said beams whereby said omnipallets are movable along said beams in a direction normal to the direction of movement of said beams.

A cargo vessel adapted to haul either bulk cargo or general cargo loaded on omnipallets, which comprises:

• a cargo hold formed by the vessel's hull and by bulkheads placed transversely of said hull, said cargo hold having a hatch through which cargo is loaded and discharged;
• a plurality of pairs of horizontal rails positioned transversely of said hull, the members of each pair being adjustably secured at the same vertical level at opposite sides of said cargo hold so that the vertical spacing between adjacent pairs of rails can be varied;
• a plurality of parallel beams positioned longitudinally of said hull and supported between said pairs of rails so as to span said cargo hold, said beams having wheel assemblies mounted at each end of said beams to movably support said beams between said pairs of rails for permitting said beams to be individually movable on said rails in a direction transverse to said hull and movable into a position below said hatch to receive cargo loaded on omnipallets and then movable horizontally into a storage position, said beams thus being optionally movable to positions at the sides of said hull to convert the hull for bulk storage;
• and
• a plurallity of omnipallets to carry said cargo positionable on a pair of said beams so as to be supported between said beams, at least some of said omnipallets having at least two wheels mounted at each side thereof to movably support said omnipallets between said beams whereby said omnipallets are movable along said beams in a direction normal to the direction of movement of said beams.

A method for loading cargo into a ship's hold which comprises:

• 1. placing an omnipallet of cargo on a pair of individually movable supporting beams in said ship's hold below a cargo hatch and thereafter shifting said omnipallet to one end of said beams;
• 2. placing a second omnipallet of cargo on said pair of supporting beams and shifting said omnipallet to the opposite end of said beams;
• 3. placing additional omnipallets of cargo in intermediate positions on said beam;
• 4. shifting said pair of beams supporting said omnipallets to one extreme side of said cargo hold;
• 5. repeating steps (1), (2), and (3) to place additional omnipallets on a second pair of beams positioned below said cargo hatch and shifting said second pair of individually movable beams suppporting said omnipallets of cargo to the opposite side of said hold.
• 6. placing an omnipallaet of cargo in a central position on the innermost beams of each of said first and second pairs of beams toward the central portion of said hold and shifting said omnipallet to one end of said beams;
• 7. placing a second omnipallet of cargo in a central position on said innermost beams and shifting said omnipallets to the opposite end of said beams;
• and
• 8. placing additional omnipallets of cargo in intermediate positions on said innermost beams.