Ship connecting structure

A barge for combination with a dredger, said barge comprising:

• a hull structure;
• a cargo compartment in said hull structure;
• means for discharging material from said cargo compartment;
• a stern section and a bow section;
• and stern section defining a notch and said bow section including a bow portion corresponding to said stern notch whereby said bow portion and said stern notch are adapted to be received in and to receive the stern notch and bow portion respectively of like barges;
• conduit means for conveying dredged material extending longitudinally on said hull structure, said conduit means including connection means disposed at the bow and stern of said hull structure for connecting said conduit means to like conduit means;
• at least one outlet means from said conduit means into said cargo compartment and valve means for selectively opening and securing said outlet means;
• inflatable members provided for said stern notch and said bow portion, said inflatable members being adapted to cooperate with inflatable members in like barges for securing said barges together, said inflatable members comprising at least two vertically disposed tubes connected in said stern notch and at least one vertically disposed tube disposed on the stem of said bow portion.

A damping member for engagement between the bow portion of a pusher vessel and walls defining a recess of a barge, said damping member comprising:

• a cylindrical tube composed of rubber-like material;
• an upper flange and a lower flange connected at either end of said tube, each of said flanges being firmly secured to said bow portion;
• said upper flange being connected to a conduit;
• fluid pressure supply means connected to said conduit;
• and
• control means associated with said conduit for selectively controlling the fluid pressure within said tube;
• whereby when said bow portion is received in said recess, said tube can be expanded against both said bow portion and a wall of said recess;

A coupling combination for a first vessel and a second vessel which comprises a recess included in said first vessel for receiving an end portion of a second vessel, said recess being sufficiently large to provide a clearance around the end portion of the second vessel therein received, a pair of side walls in said first vessel defining said recess, said side walls being substantially parallel near the entry portion of said recess for receiving said end portion, a hull portion in said second vessel defining said end portion, at least two expansible members, one of each said expansible members received in said recess between a said side wall and the adjacent said hull portions, said expansible members being tubular and generally vertically disposed, a plurality of further expansible members being disposed in said recess between said side walls and said hull portions, a pair of said further expansible members being secured to the side walls proximate the innermost portion of said recess, an additional expansible member secured to the forward part of said end portion, said pair of further expansible members being spaced apart a sufficient distance to receive said additional expansible member when said pair and said additional expansible members are not expanded and to form an interlocking engagement when said pair and said additional expansible members are expanded, fluid pressure control means connected to each said expansible member for selectively increasing and decreasing the fluid pressure within each of said expansible member, whereby when said expansible members are expanded with such end portion of said second vessel received in said recess, said end portion is retained in said recess by the clamping action of said expansible members.