Ship transport system

A transport system for transferring cargo between a first location and a second location comprising:

• hoisting means located at the first location;
• a hoist line having one end thereof connected to said hoisting means;
• a carrier device connected to the other end of said hoist line;
• operator control means for generating operator command signals;
• control means connected to said operator control means and said hoisting means, said control means being operable in response to operator command signals to generate control signals, said hoisting means being responsive to said control signals to effectuate movement of said carrier device between said first and second locations;
• tension means operatively coupled to said hoist line, said tension means being operable to maintain said hoist line at a constant tension independently of said hoisting means over a predetermined range when said carrier is in a landed position at one of said locations;
• encoder means operable to detect movement of said hoisting means and said tension means in order to determine the extent of hoist line extension when said carrier is landed and to provide a line signal to said control means representative of hoist line extension resulting from the relative movement of said first and second locations, said control means being operable to store the values of said line signals, said control means being further operable in response to a operator command signal to raise said carrier to delay execution of said command until a line signal is received at said control means from said encoder means that is less than or equal to each of said stored values.

A transport system for transferring cargo between a first location and a second location comprising:

• hoisting means;
• a hoist line having one end thereof connected to said hoisting means;
• a carrier device connected to the other end of said hoist line, said carrier device comprising:
• a housing for carrying cargo;
• and
• a locking device located on the top of said housing, said locking device being arranged for connection to the hoisting mechanism;
• latching means mounted on said hoisting means and selectively operative to engage said locking device of said carrier device to thus secure said carrier device to said hoisting means independent of said hoist line;
• operator control means for generating command signals;
• and
• shock absorbing means for providing a relatively constant tension on said hoist line, said shock absorbing means having variable stroke positions and having a maximum and a minimum stroke position, said shock absorbing means being operable to change its stroke position in response to a change in tension on said hoist line;
• stroke measuring means for measuring the stroke position of said stroke measuring means, said stroke measuring means being operable to transmit stroke position signals;
• control means connected to said operator control means, said stroke means and said hoisting means, said control means being operable in response to operator control signals and stroke position signals to generate control signals to operate said hoisting means to cause movement of said hoist line;
• and
• means for measuring said movement of said hoist line caused by said hoisting means and for generating line movement signals to said control means, said control means generating control signals to operate said hoisting means to cause upward movement of said carrier device based on said stroke position signals and said line movement signals.