US 9,096,294 B1 · Trolley-payload inter-ship transfer system

Abstract

The present invention is particularly efficacious when practiced as a system for transferring payloads between sideways-adjacent vessels at sea. As typically embodied, an inventive inter-locational transfer system includes: a trolley; a set of parallel cable-rails upon and along which the trolley is rollable; a pair of pulling cables, respectively connected to the two sideways-adjacent ships, for exerting pulling forces on the trolley in opposite directions along the cable-rails; at least four hoisting cables, separately and distantly attached at the bottom of the trolley and at peripheral points of the payload, for suspending a rectangular payload (e.g., ISO container with contents) from the trolley; a first computer control capability; for controlling the impelling and restraining of the trolley by the respective pulling cables; and, a second computer control capability, for controlling the lengthening and shortening of the respective hoisting cables in a coordinated manner to reduce or minimize payload pendulation.

Cargo conveyance apparatus comprising:

a track including at least two generally parallel tensioned flexible lines, said track characterized by a length, two opposite track ends, and two opposite longitudinal directions, said opposite track ends being a first track end and a second track end, said opposite longitudinal directions being a positive longitudinal direction and a negative longitudinal direction;
said positive longitudinal direction being toward said first track end, said negative longitudinal direction being toward said second track end;
a vehicle having a vehicular body and at least four wheels, said vehicular body characterized by a first vehicular end, a second vehicular end, an approximately rectangular plan shape and four vehicular corners, said four vehicular corners corresponding to said approximately rectangular plan shape, said at least four wheels arranged so as to include at least two axial pairs of said wheels, a first said wheel situated at a first said vehicular corner, a second said wheel situated at a second said vehicular corner, a third said wheel situated at a third said vehicular corner, a fourth said wheel situated at a fourth said vehicular corner, the first said wheel and the second said wheel being axially paired, the third said wheel and the fourth said wheel being axially paired, the first said wheel and the third said wheel each engaging a first said line, the second said wheel and the fourth said wheel each engaging a second said line, said vehicle being movable via said at least four wheels along and atop said track in said positive longitudinal direction and said negative longitudinal direction;
a pair of vehicle winching mechanisms, for regulating said motion of said vehicle along and atop said track in said positive longitudinal direction and said negative longitudinal direction, a first said vehicle winching mechanism being situated at said first track end, a second said vehicle winching mechanism being situated at said second track end, each said vehicle winching mechanism including a hauling cable, a first said hauling cable being included in said first vehicle winching mechanism and connected to said vehicular body at said first vehicular end, a second said hauling cable being included in said second vehicle winching mechanism and being connected to said vehicular body at said second vehicular end;
a payload container, for containing payload contents, said payload container characterized by four container corners and an approximately rectangular-prismatic shape;
four payload winching mechanisms, for regulating the pendulation of a payload suspended from said vehicle, said payload including said payload container and any said payload contents, each said payload winching mechanism including a hoisting cable, said hoisting cables connected to said vehicular body at said four vehicular corners and connected to said payload container at said four container corners;
a computer for controlling said payload winching mechanisms, said computer being configured to execute pendulation-control computer program logic that, when executed, is capable of controlling said pendulation of said container, wherein according to said pendulation-control computer program logic the combination including said vehicle, said payload winching mechanisms, and said payload essentially constitutes an inverted Stewart platform and said payload container essentially constitutes a rigid body, said payload suspended from said vehicle via said payload winching mechanisms, said computer implementing a differential between the respective tensions of said hoisting cables and independently controlling the respective said tensions of said hoisting cables so as to move said payload in any of six degrees of freedom and thereby change the position, or orientation, or both position and orientation, of said payload, wherein effectuation of said inverted Stewart platform is furthered by said approximately rectangular plan shape of said vehicle, said approximately rectangular-prismatic shape of said payload container, and the respective connections of said hoisting cables at said four vehicular corners and said four container corners.

4 more elements

Trolley-payload inter-ship transfer system

Life of this patent

Trolley-payload inter-ship transfer system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20