US 4,568,232 A · Barge mounted horizontal boom bulk unloader

Abstract

A bulk material unloader includes parallel, spaced-apart main and back barges or pontoons which are held in fixed relationship with respect to each other by four collar frames. Two parallel cargo lighters are positioned between pontoons and the unloader is moored alongside ship. The two midship collar frames support a two-legged main tower over the main barge and a two-legged back tower over the back barge. A horizontal boom assembly includes a back bridge extending between the towers and an outboard boom supported by the towers and normally extending away from the back bridge and over the ship in parallel, end-to-end alignment with the back bridge. A horizontal bulk material conveyor assembly on the horizontal boom assembly includes two fixed parallel top horizontal endless belt-type conveyors supported on the back bridge and two parallel bottom horizontal endless belt-type conveyors supported on the boom assembly to move back and forth under the top conveyors and situated to receive bulk materials leaving the top conveyors. A chute is mounted at the outboard ends of the bottom conveyors, and bulk material deposited on the bottom conveyors is discharged into the chute for delivery to a hold of the ship. A bucket trolley and a grab bucket run on tracks which extend the entire length of the boom assembly. A hopper is situated on the back barge under the tracks so the bucket can deposit materials from the lighters into the hopper. An elevating conveyor carries materials from the hopper to the top horizontal conveyors. The chute is removable for offloading so the bucket trolley can move out to the outboard end of the outboard boom.

A barge mounted, horizontal boom, bulk material loader includes:

A. barge means for supporting the unloader on the surface of a body of liquid and including an elongate main barge and an elongate back barge;
B. connecting means fixedly mounted on and extending between the barges in spaced relation to the surface of the liquid body and securing the barges in transversely spaced relation to each other, the spacing between the barges being sufficient to accommodate at least one elongate bulk material lighter between the barges;
C. an upstanding main tower carried by said main barge and an upstanding back tower carried by said back barge;
D. horizontal boom means including:
(1) a back bridge supported on and extending between said towers, and
(2) an outboard boom supported by the towers and normally extending away from the back bridge in parallel, end-to-end, longitudinal alignment with the back bridge;
E. horizontal bulk material conveyor means supported in aligned parallel relation to the horizontal boom means in position to deliver bulk materials deposited thereon to a horizontal conveyor discharge point along the outboard boom;
F. chute means supported on said outboard boom to lie below said horizontal conveyor discharge point in position to receive bulk material from said horizontal conveyor means and to discharge it to a location outboard of the main tower;
G. track means supported by said towers on the boom means to lie in aligned, parallel relation to the back bridge and to the outboard boom, the track means extending between a back portion of the back bridge, and an outer portion of the outboard boom;
H. bucket trolley means including:
(1) a bucket trolley movably supported on the track means, and
(2) means for moving the bucket trolley along the track means;
I. bucket means operably supported from the bucket trolley means and movable between
(1) digging positions below the boom means and inboard of the horizontal conveyor discharge point,
(2) elevated positions for movement with the trolley means along and under the track means;
and
(3) discharge positions along the boom means;
J. hopper means supported on the barge means in position to receive bulk materials discharged from the bucket means;
K. elevating conveyor means operative to convey bulk materials from said hopper means to said horizontal bulk material conveyor means;
L. wherein said barge connecting means includes:
(1) a pair of main collar frames in spaced parallel relation to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the horizontal boom means, one main collar frame being located on each side of said boom means, and
(2) a pair of end collar frames, each in parallel relation to the main frames, one connecting the bow and one connecting the stern of the main and back barges to each other;
M. wherein roof framing extends between at least one end collar frame and its adjacent main collar frame;
and
N. wherein a lighter hatch cover hoist assembly depends from said roof framing and includes:
(1) a plurality of cover hoist trolleys mounted for limited movement in a horizontal plane in longitudinal and transverse directions with respect to the barges,
(2) at least one lighter hatch cover hoist depending from each trolley, each hoist having a load line and a load hook depending therefrom, and
(3) strap means depending from each load hook adapted for attachment to a lighter hatch cover.

25 more elements

Barge mounted horizontal boom bulk unloader

Life of this patent

Barge mounted horizontal boom bulk unloader

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14