Access means

A gangway designed to extend between two bodies which are three-dimensionally movable with respect to each other comprising:

• (A) a support platform mounted on one of said bodies and pivotable with respect to the body about a nominally vertical axis,
• (B) an elongate support structure incorporating a pair of channel members disposed parallel to each other with the mouths of the channels facing towards each other,
• (C) a first coupling connecting the support structure to the platform and permitting the support structure to pivot with respect to the support platform about a nominally horizontal axis extending transverse to its longitudinal, axis,
• (D) a series of platforms together forming a substantially planar walk-way surface carried by the support structure,
• (E) the walk-way platform at one end being fixed to the support structure and the remainder of the platforms being longitudinally slidable relative to the support structure,
• (F) each walk-way platform comprising a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending slats with the slats of adjoining walk-way platforms intermeshed to permit relative sliding movement of the platforms,
• (G) the walk-way platforms being linked by a pair of lazy-tong structures located one at each side of the slidable walk-way platforms, and each comprising a plurality of interconnected pairs of pivotally connected crossing members each of which carries a roller at the crossing point longitudinally movable within a respective channel,
• (H) the slidable walk-way platform furthest from said one end of the support structure forming or being connected to an extension having a second coupling for securing the extension to the other body, which coupling is such as to permit a degree of pivoting movement of the gangway relative to the body about nominally vertical and horizontal axes.