Gangway apparatus
AssigneeIHC Engineering Business Limited
InventorsMichael John Watchorn, Andrew James Eaton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gangway apparatus (10) for transfer between vessels or between a vessel (38) and a fixed structure such as an offshore construction or a quay is disclosed. The gangway apparatus (10) includes a gangway component (16) which is preferably buoyant and may be inflatable. The gangway component (16) is mounted on a skate or bogie and traverses a fixedly mounted runway (14). The runway (14) may be inclined. Control means are provided for controlling the motion of the gangway component on the runway. These may include biasing means such as a counterweight. The apparatus is preferably mounted in a shipping container such as a 40′ ISO container.
Claims20
Apparatus for providing bridge structure from a first marine structure to a second marine structure, the apparatus comprising:
- i) a gangway component having a first end and a second end, the distance between the first and second ends of the gangway being fixed when the gangway is in a use position;
- ii) a runway arranged on the first marine structure, the runway engaging the gangway component, the gangway component operatively moveable linearly along the runway between a stored condition and the use condition, the first and second ends being on the runway in the stored condition, the second end extending beyond the runway to the second marine structure and the first end remaining on the runway in the use condition;
- and
- iii) control means operative to control the movement of the gangway component to or from the stored condition;
- wherein the gangway component is expandable from a compact condition to an extended condition by inflation thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.