Apparatus for dredging from the stern of marine vessels
OwnerFletcher Hanksinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dredge for operation from the stern of marine vessels and of the type having runners which enable it to be moved along a ramp at the stern of a marine vessel is provided with structure for preventing its twisting and misalignment of the dredge as it passes through the wake of the propeller or a large wave, and also with a pivotally mounted door which will snap into a latched (closed) position by impact when empty and permitted to fall freely from above and into contact with the water adjacent the stern of the vessel, and which will be automatically released as the dredge with door closed and contents intact is raised onto and slidably moved along the ramp toward the bow of the vessel and the discharge station.
Claims9
The combination with a marine vessel having a bow-wise inclined ramp mounted adjacent its stern, of a scoop-type dredge for shell fish etc.,
- said dredge comprising a generally rectangular water-pervious cage having a leading open end for scooping-up shell fish etc.,
- a gate mounted at the trailing end of said cage and adapted for free swinging movement about a horizontal axis from a pivotal connection with said cage,
- a pair of substantially spaced and transversely parallel cable receiving blocks attached to said cage adjacent its leading end
- a reciprocable support mounted on said vessel and, disposed beneath said ramp
- said support including a pair of rigidly connected, Y-shaped elements with their diverging members extending sternwise and upwardly inclined with respect to said vessel
- a sheave mounted at the intersection of the, diverging members of each of said rigidly connected Y-shaped elements
- a fluid cylinder mounted on said vessel to extend, fore-and-aft with the outer end of its piston rod operatively connected to said support
- a winch, mounted on said vessel
- a cable having both of its ends secured to said winch
- said cable defining a loop which extends through the cable receiving blocks adjacent the leading end of the aforementioned cage and,
- means mounted on said vessel for guiding the intermediate portions of said cable between said winch and the aforementioned blocks on said cage.
The combination with a marine vessel having a bow-wise inclined ramp mounted adjacent its stern of a towable scoop-type dredge for shell fish etc.;
- a winch mounted on said vessel, a cable secured to said winch and to the towable scoop-type dredge, said dredge comprising a generally rectangular water-pervious cage having a leading open end;
- a rear gate mounted at the trailing end of said cage and adapted for free swinging movement about a horizontal axis from a pivotal connection with said cage;
- a biased latch for holding said rear gate in closed position;
- said biased latch being operable to lock the freely swinging gate by impact when said dredge is released from said bow-wise inclined ramp and permitted to fall into contact with the water therebelow.
The combination with a marine vessel having a bow-wise inclined ramp mounted adjacent its stern of a towable scoop-type dredge for shell fish etc.;
- a winch mounted on said vessel, a cable secured to said winch and to the towable scoop-type dredge, said dredge comprising a generally rectangular water-pervious cage having a leading open end;
- a rear gate mounted at the trailing end of said cage and adapted for free swinging movement about a horizontal axis from a pivotal connection with said cage;
- a spring-biased latch for holding said rear gate in closed position;
- said spring biased latch being operable by means mounted on said ramp to automatically release said gate as the loaded dredge is pulled up said ramp by said cable and said winch.
The combination with a marine vessel having a bow-wise inclined ramp mounted adjacent its stern of a towable scoop-type dredge for shell fish etc.;
- a winch mounted on said vessel, a cable secured to said winch and to the towable scoop-type dredge, said dredge comprising a generally rectangular water-pervious cage having a leading open end;
- a rear gate mounted at the trailing end of said cage and adapted for free swinging movement about a horizontal axis from a pivotal connection with said cage;
- a spring-biased latch for holding said rear gate in closed position;
- said spring biased latch being operable by means mounted on said ramp to lock the freely swinging gate by impact when said dredge is released from said bow-wise inclined ramp and permitted to fall into contact with the water therebelow;
- said spring-biased latch also being operable by means mounted on said ramp to automatically release said rear gate as the loaded dredge is pulled up said ramp by said cable and said winch.
The combination with a marine vessel having a longitudinally extending bow-wise inclined ramp mounted adjacent its stern, of a towable scoop-type dredge for shell fish etc.,
- said dredge comprising a generally rectangular water-pervious cage having a leading open end for scooping up shell fish and the like,
- a rear gate mounted at the trailing end of said cage and adapted for free swinging movement about a horizontal axis from a pivotal connection with said cage and adjacent the upper end of the latter,
- a pair of substantially spaced and transversely parallel cable receiving blocks attached to said cage adjacent its leading end,
- cable means contacting said cable-receiving blocks,
- power means for reeling-in said cable means to thereby move said cage onto said vessel and up said ramp,
- spring-biased latching means for said gate,
- means on said ramp to engage and open the spring-biased latching means for the rear gate of said cage,
- said spring-biased latching means being operable to secure said gate in closed position solely by impact with the water below said ramp when said cage is released from above and permitted to fall by gravity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.