JP7832618B2 - Block loading vessel and method for loading blocks - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a block-deploying vessel and a method for deploying blocks, and more particularly, to a block-deploying vessel and method for deploying blocks that can reduce the load on a movable hook device and lighten the labor involved in securing one end of a wire rope to the movable hook device.

Construction work is being carried out to create artificial fishing grounds on the seabed by using block-deploying vessels to deposit numerous blocks into the seabed and form artificial mounds (raised structures) (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). The block-deploying vessel has a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that slope downward from the outside in the width direction of the hull toward the center in the width direction, and an openable cargo hold with side walls erected on the outside in the width direction of the bottom surfaces. In the block-deploying vessel, numerous blocks are arranged in a line on the pair of left and right bottom surfaces of the cargo hold, and the vessel operates with multiple blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction, each secured by fastening means.

As described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in conventional block-loading vessels, a wire rope was wrapped around the outer circumference of multiple blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction of the ship. One end of the wire rope was attached to a movable hook device installed on the inner wall surface of the side wall of the cargo hold, and the other end of the wire rope was connected to a fixed part installed on the inner wall surface of the side wall, thereby securing the multiple blocks. In this conventional structure, the large load of the multiple blocks being secured is directly applied to the movable hook device via the wire rope. Therefore, it was necessary to employ a heavy and large movable hook device capable of withstanding the load of multiple blocks, and the work of fixing the movable hook device to the inner wall surface of the side wall required a great deal of effort. Furthermore, in the work of securing multiple blocks, workers had to stand on the relatively steep slope of the bottom surface of the cargo hold to connect one end of the wire rope to the movable hook device, and the working space was narrow when the blocks were placed on the bottom surface. Therefore, the work of connecting one end of the wire rope to the movable hook device required a great deal of effort.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-335423 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-144830

The object of the present invention is to provide a block-deploying vessel and a block-deploying method that can reduce the load on the movable hook device and lighten the labor involved in securing one end of the wire rope to the movable hook device.

To achieve the above objective, the block-deploying vessel of the present invention comprises a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that slope downward from the outside in the width direction of the hull toward the center in the width direction, and a cargo hold that can be opened and closed, having side walls erected on the outside in the width direction of the bottom surfaces, and a securing means for securing a plurality of blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction on the bottom surfaces to the cargo hold, wherein the securing means comprises a wire rope wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, a movable hook device to which one end of the wire rope is locked, and a fixing part to which the other end of the wire rope is connected, wherein the movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall, and further, the movable hook The device has a folded portion installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the hook device in the length direction of the ship, and a guide portion fixed to the inner wall surface of the side wall. In the secured state in which the multiple blocks are secured to the cargo hold by the securing means, the wire rope extends from one end, which is locked to the movable hook device, in the length direction of the ship, is wrapped around the folded portion, bends in the width direction of the ship, then extends toward the guide portion in a direction along the inner wall surface, is wrapped around the guide portion and bends again, is wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion installed on the inner wall surface.
Another block-deploying vessel of the present invention comprises a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that slope downward from the outside in the width direction of the hull toward the center in the width direction, and a side wall erected on the outside in the width direction of the bottom surfaces, and a securing means for securing a plurality of blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction on the bottom surfaces to the cargo hold, wherein the securing means comprises a wire rope wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, a movable hook device to which one end of the wire rope is locked, and a fixing part to which the other end of the wire rope is connected, wherein the movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall, and further comprises a folded-back portion installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the movable hook device in the length direction of the vessel, The side wall has a guide portion installed on the inner wall surface, and in the secured state in which the multiple blocks are secured to the cargo hold by the securing means, the wire rope extends in the direction of the ship's length from the one end that is locked to the movable hook device, is wrapped around the folded portion and bent in the direction of the ship's width, then extends toward the guide portion in a direction along the inner wall surface, is wrapped around the guide portion and bent again and wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion installed on the inner wall surface, and the side wall has a protective portion that covers the upper corner portion on the center side in the direction of the ship's width, and in the secured state, the wire rope is in contact with the protective portion.
A further block-deploying vessel of the present invention comprises an openable cargo hold having a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that slope downward from the outside in the width direction of the hull toward the center in the width direction, and side walls erected on the outside in the width direction of the bottom surfaces, and a securing means for securing a plurality of blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction on the bottom surfaces to the cargo hold, wherein the securing means comprises a wire rope wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, a movable hook device to which one end of the wire rope is locked, and a fixing part to which the other end of the wire rope is connected, wherein the movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall, and further comprises a folded portion installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the movable hook device in the length direction of the hull, and a guide portion installed on the inner wall surface of the side wall, and the securing means In the secured state in which the multiple blocks are secured to the cargo hold, the wire rope extends from one end, which is locked to the movable hook device, toward the length of the ship, is wrapped around the folded portion and bent toward the width of the ship, then extends toward the guide portion in a direction along the inner wall surface, is wrapped around the guide portion and bent again and wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion installed on the inner wall surface. A sway suppression portion is installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the folded portion toward the length of the ship, and in the secured state, the wire rope wrapped around the folded portion is not wrapped around the sway suppression portion and is arranged between the folded portion and the sway suppression portion.
A further block-deploying vessel of the present invention comprises a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that slope downward from the outside in the width direction of the hull toward the center in the width direction, and a closable cargo hold having side walls erected on the outside in the width direction of the bottom surfaces, and a plurality of blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction on the bottom surfaces for securing to the cargo hold, wherein the securing means comprises a wire rope wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, a movable hook device to which one end of the wire rope is locked, and a fixing part to which the other end of the wire rope is connected, wherein the movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall, and further installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart in the length direction from the movable hook device The device has a folded portion and a guide portion installed on the inner wall surface of the side wall, and in the secured state in which the multiple blocks are secured to the cargo hold by the securing means, the wire rope extends from one end, which is locked to the movable hook device, toward the length of the ship, is wrapped around the folded portion and bent toward the width of the ship, then extends toward the guide portion toward the inner wall surface, is wrapped around the guide portion and bent again and wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion installed on the inner wall surface, and a guide bar is laid along the inclined surface of the bottom portion to guide the sliding direction of the blocks.
A further block-deploying vessel of the present invention comprises a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that slope downward from the outside in the width direction of the hull toward the center in the width direction, and a side wall erected on the outside in the width direction of the bottom surfaces, and a securing means for securing a plurality of blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction on the bottom surfaces to the cargo hold, wherein the securing means comprises a wire rope wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, a movable hook device to which one end of the wire rope is locked, and a fixing part to which the other end of the wire rope is connected, wherein the movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall, and further, a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the movable hook device in the length direction of the vessel The structure has a folded-over section installed on the side wall and a guide section installed on the inner wall surface of the side wall, and in the secured state in which the multiple blocks are secured to the cargo hold by the securing means, the wire rope extends from one end, which is locked to the movable hook device, toward the length of the ship, is wrapped around the folded-over section and bends toward the width of the ship, then extends toward the guide section in a direction along the inner wall surface, is wrapped around the guide section and bends again and is wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing section installed on the inner wall surface, and a platform extending toward the length of the ship is installed at an intermediate height on the inner wall surface.

The present invention's method for deploying blocks involves arranging multiple blocks in the width direction and length direction on a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that form an openable cargo hold of a block-deploying vessel, each of which slopes downward from the outside in the width direction toward the center in the width direction. A wire rope is wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction, one end of the wire rope is attached to a movable hook device, and the other end of the wire rope is connected to a fixed part, thereby securing the multiple blocks to the cargo hold. The block-deploying vessel is then moved to the target location for deploying the multiple blocks, and after opening the pair of left and right bottom surfaces, the attachment of one end by the movable hook device is released, thereby releasing the securing state of the multiple blocks and allowing the multiple blocks to slide along the bottom surfaces and be deployed into the water. In the method of deploying the lock, the movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall erected on the outer side of the bottom surface in the ship width direction, a folded portion is installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the movable hook device in the ship length direction, a guide portion is fixed to the inner wall surface of the side wall, and when securing a plurality of blocks to the cargo hold, the wire rope is extended in the ship length direction from one end that is locked to the movable hook device, wrapped around the folded portion, bent in the ship width direction, extended along the inner wall surface toward the guide portion, bent again by wrapping around the guide portion, wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion installed on the inner wall surface.

According to this invention, the movable hook device is installed on the upper surface of the side wall of the cargo hold, and a return section and a guide section are provided. The wire rope is extended from one end, secured to the movable hook device, in the direction of the ship's length, and looped around the return section and guide section. This allows for the stable securing of multiple blocks to the cargo hold while distributing the load of the blocks on one end of the wire rope between the movable hook device and the return section. Therefore, the load on the movable hook device can be reduced, and the movable hook device can be miniaturized. Furthermore, because the movable hook device is installed on the upper surface of the side wall of the cargo hold, the operation of securing one end of the wire rope to the movable hook device can be performed from outside the cargo hold, and a relatively large workspace can be provided. Therefore, the labor involved in securing one end of the wire rope to the movable hook device can be reduced.

This is a schematic side view illustrating the situation in which blocks are deployed into the water by the block-deploying vessel of the present invention to form a mound on the seabed. Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a block-dropping vessel in a plan view. Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a block-dropping vessel in a longitudinal cross-sectional view. This is an explanatory diagram illustrating, in plan view, the division of blocks loaded onto the block-deploying vessel shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the fastening means in a magnified plan view. This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the fastening means in a further enlarged plan view. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the fastening means in an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view. Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating, in a vertical cross-sectional view, the state in which blocks are being deployed into the water by the block-deploying vessel. This is an explanatory diagram illustrating one end of a wire rope in a magnified, plan view.

The block-deploying vessel and block-deploying method of the present invention will be described below based on the embodiments shown in the figures.

As illustrated in Figure 1, in this invention, a mound M (a raised shape) is formed on the seabed by using a block-deploying vessel 1 to deposit a large number of blocks B into the water. As illustrated in Figure 2, the block-deploying vessel 1 is a modified so-called fully open type soil transport vessel, and is equipped with an openable cargo hold 3 for loading a large number of blocks B, and a securing means 6 for securing multiple blocks B to the cargo hold 3. In the drawings, the length direction (front-to-back direction), width direction (left-to-right direction), and height direction (up-down direction) of the block-deploying vessel 1 are indicated by arrows X, Y, and Z, respectively.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the cargo hold 3 is constructed with a pair of left and right bottom sections 4A and 4B that slope downward from the outer side in the width direction toward the center in the width direction of the hull 2 of the block loading vessel 1, side walls 5 erected on the outer side in the width direction of each bottom section 4A and 4B, and an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the pair of left and right bottom sections 4A and 4B. The opening and closing mechanism is omitted in the drawing.

When the block-deploying vessel 1 is in a neutral position and not tilted, the inclination angle (slope) of the respective bottom surfaces 4A and 4B with the cargo hold 3 closed is, for example, approximately 25° to 35°. The height of the side wall 5 relative to the bottom surfaces 4A and 4B is, for example, approximately 1.5m to 3.0m. When the block-deploying vessel 1 is in a neutral position, the upper end surface 5b (so-called coaming) of the side wall 5 is approximately horizontal, and the width of the upper end surface 5b in the ship's width direction is, for example, approximately 0.2m to 0.7m. On the outer side of the side wall 5 in the ship's width direction is a passageway 2a (upper deck) through which workers can pass, and the height difference between the passageway 2a and the upper end surface 5b of the side wall 5 is, for example, approximately 0.7m to 1.7m.

As illustrated in Figure 4, in this embodiment, 30 blocks B are loaded into each of the bottom sections 4A and 4B, for a total of 60 blocks B, into the cargo hold 3. The blocks B are arranged in two rows in the width direction and 15 rows in the length direction on each of the bottom sections 4A and 4B. Multiple blocks B (two blocks B in this embodiment) arranged in parallel in the width direction on each of the bottom sections 4A and 4B are treated as a single block group G (G1 to G3), and each block group G is secured to the cargo hold 3 by the securing means 6. In this embodiment, 15 sets of securing means 6 are installed on each of the bottom sections 4A and 4B, for a total of 30 sets of securing means 6, in the cargo hold 3. The securing means 6 are omitted in Figure 4.

As illustrated in Figures 5 to 7, the securing means 6 comprises a wire rope 7 wrapped around the outer circumference of multiple blocks B constituting the block group G, a movable hook device 8 to which one end 7a of the wire rope 7 is locked, and a fixing part 9 to which the other end of the wire rope 7 is connected. In this invention, the movable hook device 8 is installed on the upper end surface 5b of the side wall 5. Furthermore, a key feature of the securing means 6 is that it also includes a folded-back part 10 installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface 5b spaced apart from the movable hook device 8 in the ship's longitudinal direction, and a guide part 11 installed on the inner wall surface 5a of the side wall 5. The block-laying vessel 1 of this embodiment further includes a protective part 12 and a sway suppression part 13 installed on the upper end surface 5b of the side wall 5.

The movable hook device 8 includes a support frame 8a fixed to the upper end surface 5b of the side wall 5, a hook portion 8b rotatably connected to the support frame 8a, and a lever portion 8c rotatably connected to the support frame 8a on a different axis of rotation than the hook portion 8b. The movable hook device 8 further includes an actuator portion 8d connected to the lever portion 8c and a control unit 8e that controls the actuator portion 8d.

The support frame 8a is fixed to the upper end surface 5b by welding or other means. One loop-shaped end 7a of the wire rope 7 is engaged with the hook portion 8b. When the lever portion 8c is fixed in the position that locks the hook portion 8b (hereinafter referred to as the "locked position"), the hook portion 8b is fixed in a state that allows it to engage with one end 7a of the wire rope 7. When the lever portion 8c rotates relative to the support frame 8a from the locked position to the position that releases the lock on the hook portion 8b (hereinafter referred to as the "unlocked position"), the hook portion 8b becomes rotatable relative to the support frame 8a, and the engagement of one end 7a of the wire rope 7 by the hook portion 8b is released.

The actuator unit 8d has the function of fixing the lever unit 8c in the locked position and the function of rotating it to the unlocked position. In this embodiment, the actuator unit 8d is composed of an electro-hydraulic cylinder. The base for fixing the actuator unit 8d is fixed to the upper end surface 5b by welding or other means. The actuator unit 8d can also be fixed to a support frame 8a, for example. While the actuator unit 8d can also be composed of a pneumatic cylinder or a gas pressure cylinder, using an electro-hydraulic cylinder allows for a relatively compact movable hook device 8 and relatively simple wiring.

The control unit 8e switches between a state in which the lever unit 8c is fixed in the locked position and a state in which the lever unit 8c is moved from the locked position to the unlocked position by controlling the actuator unit 8d. The movable hook device 8 should be installed such that, in a plan view, the extension direction of the hook unit 8b (the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the hook unit 8b) intersects with the ship's width direction.

The folded-back section 10 is, for example, made of a metal cylinder or tube. The folded-back section 10 is erected at a position approximately 0.5 m to 1.5 m in the lengthwise direction from the movable hook device 8 (hook section 8b) on the upper end surface 5b. The upper part of the folded-back section 10 is provided with an enlarged head to prevent the wrapped wire rope 7 from slipping upwards.

The guide section 11 is composed of a cylindrical tube section extending in the ship's width direction and a pair of shielding sections 11a provided on both sides of the cylindrical tube section in the ship's width direction. One end of the pair of shielding sections 11a is fixed to the inner wall surface 5a of the side wall 5, and the ends of the cylindrical tube section are joined to the other ends of the pair of shielding sections 11a. A gap of approximately 5 cm to 20 cm is provided between the inner wall surface 5a and the cylindrical tube section. With the wire rope 7 inserted through the gap enclosed by the inner wall surface 5a, the cylindrical tube section, and the pair of shielding sections 11a, the wire rope 7 is wrapped around the cylindrical tube section from the inner wall surface 5a side. The guide section 11 is positioned, for example, approximately 0.5 m to 1.5 m above the lower end of the side wall 5.

The protective section 12 is a component that covers the upper corner of the side wall 5 on the center side in the ship's width direction, preventing damage to the upper corner by the wire rope 7. The protective section 12 is composed of, for example, a metal plate-shaped member or a tubular member. In this embodiment, the protective section 12 consists of semi-circular cut metal tubes fixed by welding to the upper end surface 5b and the inner wall surface 5a of the upper corner of the side wall 5. The protective section 12 can be configured in various ways, as long as it prevents the wire rope 7 from contacting the upper corner of the side wall 5. For example, the protective section 12 can also be installed by covering the upper corner of the side wall 5 with a bent metal plate.

The vibration suppression section 13 is composed of, for example, a cylindrical or cylindrical body made of metal. The vibration suppression section 13 is installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface 5b, approximately 0.2 m to 0.5 m away from the folded section 10 in the ship's longitudinal direction. In the ship's longitudinal direction, the vibration suppression section 13 is positioned on the opposite side of the movable hook device 8 from the folded section 10. The fixing section 9 consists of, for example, a rigging screw to which the other end of the wire rope 7 is connected, and a fixing bracket that rotatably connects the rigging screw to the inner wall surface 5a.

When the block group G (multiple blocks B) is secured to the cargo hold 3 by the securing means 6 (hereinafter referred to as the secured state), the wire rope 7 extends in the direction of the ship's length from one end 7a, which is locked to the movable hook device 8 (hook portion 8b), and is wrapped around the folded portion 10, bending in the direction of the ship's width. It then extends toward the guide portion 11 along the inner wall surface 5a. The wire rope 7 wrapped around the folded portion 10 is positioned between the folded portion 10 and the sway suppression portion 13. In this embodiment, when the wire rope 7 extending from the folded portion 10 in the direction of the ship's width is in contact with the upper surface of the protective portion 12, the direction of extension of the wire rope 7 bends from along the upper surface of the upper end surface 5b to along the inner wall surface 5a.

Then, the wire rope 7 extending from the folded portion 10 through the protective portion 12 is wrapped around the guide portion 11 (circular pipe portion), causing the direction of the wire rope 7 to bend from along the inner wall surface 5a to along the inclined surface of the bottom portion 4A (4B). The wire rope 7 extending from the guide portion 11 is wrapped around the outer circumference of the block group G, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion 9 installed on the inner wall surface 5a.

In the secured state, the load of the block group G is applied to the taut wire rope 7, and this load is supported by the movable hook device 8, the folded portion 10, and the fixing portion 9. When the locking state of one end 7a of the wire rope 7 by the movable hook device 8 is released, the secured state by the securing means 6 is released, and the block group G becomes able to slide on the inclined surfaces of the bottom portions 4A and 4B.

As illustrated in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the control room 17 is located on the cargo hold 3 side (bow side) of the block-deploying vessel 1's steering room 16. Inside the control room 17 are a control panel 18 for remotely controlling the movable hook devices 8, and a transmission unit 19 that transmits commands from the control panel 18 to the control units 8e of each movable hook device 8. The control panel 18 is equipped with switches corresponding to each movable hook device 8. When a switch is flipped, a command to drive the actuator unit 8d is input from the transmission unit 19 to the corresponding control unit 8e.

As illustrated in Figure 7, in this embodiment, a scaffolding 14 extending in the length direction of the ship is further installed at an intermediate height position on the inner wall surface 5a. The scaffolding 14 is supported by the shielding portion 11a of the guide portion 11, and the outer end of the scaffolding 14 is fixed to the inner wall surface 5a. The scaffolding 14 is positioned, for example, about 0.5m to 1.3m lower than the upper end surface 5b of the side wall 5. A through hole 14a is provided at a predetermined position of the scaffolding 14 located above the guide portion 11, and in the secured state, the wire rope 7 extending from the folded portion 10 is inserted through the through hole 14a and wrapped around the guide portion 11. A cover 14b is provided for each of the through holes 14a of the scaffolding 14. In the secured state, the cover 14b is open and leans diagonally against the inner wall surface 5a. When performing inspection work on the movable hook device 8, the through-hole 14a can be covered with the cover 14b, allowing for safer work on the scaffolding 14. Note that the scaffolding 14 is omitted in Figures 2 and 4-6.

In this embodiment, guide bars 15 are further laid on the bottom surfaces 4A and 4B of each block group G, on one and the other side in the ship's longitudinal direction, to guide the planing direction of block B. Each guide bar 15 extends in the ship's width direction along the inclined surfaces of the bottom surfaces 4A and 4B. The guide bars 15 are composed of, for example, rod-shaped or plate-shaped members made of metal, and are fixed to the bottom surfaces 4A and 4B by welding or other means.

Next, we will explain the method for deploying Block B using Block Deployment Vessel 1.

In the process of loading Block B onto the Block Loading Vessel 1, with the cargo hold 3 closed, a crane is used to arrange multiple rows of Block B on the bottom surfaces 4A and 4B, respectively, in the width and length directions of the vessel. The blocks are then secured to the cargo hold 3 by the securing means 6, for each block group G.

More specifically, a crane is used to place multiple blocks B on the bottom surface 4A (4B) in the width direction of the ship, and the multiple blocks B (block group G) are suspended. Then, one end 7a of the wire rope 7 is attached to the locked hook portion 8b of the movable hook device 8. The wire rope 7 extending from the end 7a in the length direction of the ship is wrapped around the folded portion 10 and the guide portion 11. The middle portion of the wire rope 7 is then wrapped around the outer circumference (sides and front) of the multiple blocks B, and the other end of the wire rope 7 is connected to the fixing portion 9. Finally, the suspension of the blocks B by the crane is released, and the block group G is secured by the securing means 6.

The order of operations for placing block B on the base portion 4A (4B), securing one end 7a of the wire rope 7 to the movable hook device 8, wrapping the middle portion of the wire rope 7 around the outer circumference of multiple blocks B, and connecting the other end of the wire rope 7 to the fixing portion 9 is not particularly limited. For example, before placing block B on the base portion 4A (4B), one end 7a of the wire rope 7, which is wrapped around the folded portion 10 and the guide portion 11, is secured to the movable hook device 8, and the other end of the wire rope 7 is connected to the fixing portion 9, thereby arranging the wire rope 7 in a loop. Afterward, a crane can be used to place multiple blocks B inside the loop of the wire rope 7, and the wire rope 7 can be wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks B, thereby securing the block group G.

After the loading of block B is completed, the block-deploying vessel 1, loaded with numerous block B, is moved to the target location for deploying block B, which will form the mound M. Then, as illustrated in Figure 8, the cargo hold 3 is opened. Specifically, by using an opening and closing mechanism, the pair of left and right bottom sections 4A and 4B are opened outward in the width direction, around a rotation axis C that extends forward and backward in the center of the ship's width direction. This separates the inner ends 4c of the pair of left and right bottom sections 4A and 4B, creating an opening to the water in the center of the ship's width direction. Next, by releasing the locking of one end 7a of the wire rope 7 by the movable hook device 8, the securing of the block group G to the cargo hold 3 by the securing means 6 is released, and the multiple blocks B are slid along the bottom sections 4A and 4B and deployed into the water.

In this embodiment, when an operator switches a switch on the control panel 18, a command to drive the actuator 8d is input to the corresponding control unit 8e via the transmission unit 19. The control unit 8e then drives the actuator 8d, causing the lever 8c to rotate to the unlocked position, releasing the lock on the hook 8b. As the hook 8b rotates, one end 7a of the wire rope 7 detaches from the hook 8b, releasing the securing of the block group G by the securing means 6. Each block B then slides along the guide bar 15 on the bottom surfaces 4A and 4B toward the central opening of the cargo hold 3, passing through the opening and being lowered into the water.

As illustrated in Figure 4, in this embodiment, the block group G loaded in the cargo hold 3 is divided into five sections S1 to S5, with every three rows (block groups G1 to G3) in the longitudinal direction of the ship. The loading operation for block groups G1 to G3 is performed for each section S1 to S5. Each section S1 to S5 consists of three sets of block groups G1 to G3 loaded on one side of the bottom surface 4A and three sets of block groups G1 to G3 loaded on the other side of the bottom surface 4B. Loading reference positions T1 to T5 are set for each section S1 to S5. For example, loading reference positions T1 to T5 are set in the center of each section S1 to S5. The loading operation for block B in each section S1 to S5 is performed in two stages.

When deploying block B in section S1, the block deployment vessel 1 is moved to a position where the deployment reference position T1 in section S1 aligns with the deployment target position of block B. Next, as shown by the black arrows in Figure 4, in section S1, the block groups G1 and G3 of the first row, which are odd-numbered rows in the length direction and are mounted on one side of the bottom surface 4A, and the block group G2 of the second row, which is even-numbered rows in the length direction and is mounted on the other side of the bottom surface 4B, are deployed into the water. That is, the block groups G1 and G3 mounted on one side of the bottom surface 4A and the block group G2 mounted on the other side of the bottom surface 4B are deployed into the water alternately. Then, after the previously deployed block group G has passed through the opening of the cargo hold 3, the second row of block group G2, which is an even-numbered row in the longitudinal direction and is mounted on one side of the bottom section 4A remaining in section S1, and the first row of block group G1 and the third row of block group G3, which are an odd-numbered row in the longitudinal direction and are mounted on the other side of the bottom section 4B, are deployed into the water.

In this way, by alternately deploying the block group G mounted on one bottom section 4A and the block group G mounted on the other bottom section 4B into the water, interference between the block group G on one side and the block group G on the other side, which face each other in the ship's width direction at the opening of the cargo hold 3, can be avoided, allowing the block B to be deployed into the water more smoothly.

Sections S2 to S5 are sequentially aligned with the target placement position of block B at the reference placement positions T2 to T5, following the same procedure. Block B is then placed in two separate sections. After the block B placement is complete, one end 7a of the wire rope 7, which has been dropped into the water, is recovered onto the cargo hold 3 using a wire rope retrieval mechanism (not shown), and the cargo hold 3 is closed.

Thus, in this invention, the movable hook device 8, which constitutes the securing means 6, is installed on the upper end surface 5b of the side wall 5 of the cargo hold 3. Furthermore, a folded portion 10 and a guide portion 11 are provided, and the wire rope 7, which extends in the direction of the ship's length from one end 7a that is locked to the movable hook device 8, is wrapped around the folded portion 10 and the guide portion 11. This allows the block group G to be stably secured to the cargo hold 3, while distributing the load of the block B acting on the one end 7a side of the wire rope 7 between the movable hook device 8 and the folded portion 10. Therefore, the load burden on the movable hook device 8 can be reduced, and the movable hook device 8 can be made smaller.

In other words, because the width of the upper end surface 5b of the side wall 5 is relatively narrow in the ship's width direction, it was difficult to install the conventionally used large movable hook device 8 directly on the upper end surface 5b. In contrast, the present invention makes it possible to miniaturize the movable hook device 8 by using the special configuration described above for the securing means 6, thereby enabling the movable hook device 8 to be stably installed on the upper end surface 5b of the side wall 5.

In particular, if the movable hook device 8 is installed with the extension direction of the hook portion 8b (the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the hook portion 8b) intersecting the ship's width direction, the support frame 8a constituting the movable hook device 8 and the base for fixing the actuator portion 8d can be installed more compactly and stably, even when the width of the upper surface of the upper end face 5b is narrow. Also, the locking position of the hook portion 8b to which one end 7a of the wire rope 7 is locked is positioned inward in the ship's width direction from the outer end in the ship's width direction of the folded portion 10 around which the wire rope 7 is wrapped. The movable hook device 8 is then installed in a direction such that the angle between the extension direction of the wire rope 7 from the end 7a locked to the hook portion 8b toward the folded portion 10 and the ship's width direction is, for example, 45° to 90°. With the above arrangement, one end 7a of the wire rope 7 is stably locked to the hook portion 8b, while the load of block B acting on the end 7a side of the wire rope 7 is effectively distributed by the folded portion 10. Therefore, this is more advantageous in reducing the load on the movable hook device 8.

Furthermore, in this block-deploying vessel 1, when the block B is released from its restraint by the securing means 6 and deployed into the water, the wire rope 7 at one end 7a, which is released from its locking by the movable hook device 8, is guided to pass between the pair of shielding portions 11a of the guide portion 11. This suppresses the wire rope 7 at one end 7a from becoming unruly. By suppressing the unruly movement of the wire rope 7 at one end 7a, the risk of damage to the side walls 5 and bottom portions 4A and 4B due to the wire rope 7's movement is also reduced.

Furthermore, conventionally, the movable hook device 8 was fixed to the inner wall surface 5a of the side wall 5. Therefore, when connecting one end 7a of the wire rope 7 to the movable hook device 8, or when inspecting the movable hook device 8, it was necessary to stand on the inclined surfaces of the bottom sections 4A and 4B in a relatively unstable posture. The workspace was also limited when the block B was placed on the bottom sections 4A and 4B.

In contrast, in this block-deploying vessel 1, by positioning the movable hook device 8 on the upper end surface 5b of the side wall 5, it becomes possible to perform the work of securing one end 7a of the wire rope 7 to the movable hook device 8 and the inspection of the movable hook device 8 from the passage 2a outside the cargo hold 3, and a relatively large workspace can be provided. Therefore, the work of securing one end 7a of the wire rope 7 to the movable hook device 8 and the inspection work can be made lighter and more efficient.

Furthermore, construction companies performing the construction of Mound M often modify soil transport vessels rented from leasing companies by adding securing mechanisms and other equipment to create block-deploying vessels. Conventionally, welding work to fix the movable hook device 8 to the inner wall surface 5a of the side wall 5 required considerable effort and time. In contrast, the present invention places the movable hook device 8 on the upper end surface 5b of the side wall 5, making the welding work to fix the movable hook device 8 much easier. Therefore, the present invention is extremely beneficial to those skilled in the art.

Furthermore, as in this embodiment, providing the scaffolding 14 at an intermediate height position on the inner wall surface 5a makes it easier to wrap the wire rope 7 around the folded portion 10 and secure one end 7a to the movable hook device 8, as well as to inspect the movable hook device 8. Additionally, providing a through-hole 14a in the scaffolding 14 through which the wire rope 7 passes allows for the installation of a continuous scaffolding 14 that extends over a long distance in the ship's longitudinal direction, which is advantageous for improving the work efficiency of the workers. Moreover, configuring the scaffolding 14 so that one end 7a of the wire rope 7, once released from the movable hook device 8, passes through the through-hole 14a, is advantageous in reducing the movement of the wire rope 7 at one end 7a. Note that the through-hole 14a is not a mandatory configuration; for example, multiple scaffolding 14 can be installed at intervals in the ship's longitudinal direction, avoiding the wire rope 7.

By providing a swing suppression section 13 on the upper end surface 5b of the side wall 5, the swing (vibration) in the direction away from the folded portion 10 on one end 7a of the wire rope 7, which has been released from the locking state by the movable hook device 8, can be suppressed by the swing suppression section 13. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the one end 7a of the wire rope 7, which has been released from the locking state by the movable hook device 8, from colliding with an adjacent movable hook device 8, and this is advantageous in reducing the vibration of the one end 7a of the wire rope 7.

By providing a protective section 12 at the upper corner of the side wall 5 on the center side in the ship's width direction, damage to the upper corner of the side wall 5 by the wire rope 7 can be prevented. When the wire rope 7 is released from the locking state by the movable hook device 8, one end 7a of the wire rope 7 swings away from the folded section 10. Therefore, it is more effective to install the protective section 12 so that it extends beyond the folded section 10 in the ship's length direction to the opposite side of the movable hook device 8. If a swing suppression section 13 is provided, it is preferable to install the protective section 12 so that it extends from the folded section 10 to the swing suppression section 13 in the ship's width direction.

By laying guide bars 15 along the inclined surfaces of the bottom sections 4A and 4B to guide the sliding direction of block B, block B slides along the guide bars 15 on the bottom sections 4A and 4B, which is advantageous for stably lowering block B into the water. Furthermore, during the process of loading and securing block B on the bottom sections 4A and 4B, the guide bars 15 act as guides for the loading location of block B, making it easier to place block B in the predetermined position. Therefore, the process of securing block B with the securing means 6, particularly the process of attaching one end 7a of the wire rope 7 wrapped around the outer circumference of block B to the movable hook device 8 (hook portion 8b), can be performed more efficiently.

As illustrated in Figure 9, a thimble 7b is fitted inside the loop-shaped end 7a of the wire rope 7. However, since the end 7a of the wire rope 7 may collide with the side wall 5 or bottom surface 4A (4B) of the cargo hold 3 after being released, simply fitting the thimble 7b inside may cause it to detach from the wire rope 7. Therefore, it is advisable to provide a reinforcing member 7c at the loop-shaped end 7a of the wire rope 7 to connect the thimble 7b to the wire rope 7 which is fitted to the thimble 7b. Specifically, for example, a metal wire (e.g., steel wire) can be wrapped multiple times around the thimble 7b and the loop-shaped wire rope 7 as a reinforcing member 7c. Providing a reinforcing member 7c is advantageous in reducing the risk of damage to the wire rope 7 and the thimble 7b detaching from the wire rope 7.

The number and arrangement of blocks B to be loaded into the cargo hold 3, the number of blocks B constituting each block group G, the number of block groups G constituting each section S, and the number of sections S are not limited to the embodiment exemplified above, and can be appropriately set according to the size of the cargo hold 3 and the number of blocks B to be transported. For example, three or more blocks B may be arranged in parallel in the width direction of the ship, and three or more blocks B may be secured as a block group G by the securing means 6. Furthermore, a configuration with 14 or fewer block groups G arranged in the length direction of the ship is also possible, as is a configuration with 16 or more block groups G arranged in the length direction of the ship.

1 Block-deploying vessel 2 Hull 2a Passageway 3 Cargo hold 4A, 4B Bottom surface 4c Inner end 5 Side wall 5a Inner wall surface 5b Upper end surface 6 Binding means 7 Wire rope 7a One end 7b Thimble 7c Reinforcement member 8 Movable hook device 8a Support frame 8b Hook part 8c Lever part 8d Actuator part 8e Control unit 9 Fixing part 10 Folding part 11 Guide part 11a Shielding part 12 Protective part 13 Sway suppression part 14 Scaffolding 14a Through hole 14b Cover 15 Guide bar 16 Steering room 17 Control room 18 Control panel 19 Transmitter C Rotating shaft B Blocks G1-G3 Block group S1-S5 Section T1-T5 Deployment reference position M Mound

Claims (7)

A block-deploying vessel comprising a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that slope downward from the outside in the width direction of the hull toward the center in the width direction, and side walls erected on the outside in the width direction of the bottom surfaces, and a fastening means for fastening a plurality of blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction on the bottom surfaces to the vessel, wherein the fastening means comprises a wire rope wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, a movable hook device to which one end of the wire rope is locked, and a fixing part to which the other end of the wire rope is connected,
The movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall, and further has a folded portion installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the movable hook device in the longitudinal direction of the ship, and a guide portion fixed to the inner wall surface of the side wall.
In a secured state in which the plurality of blocks are secured to the cargo hold by the securing means, the wire rope extends from one end, which is locked to the movable hook device, toward the length of the ship, is wrapped around the folded portion and bent toward the width of the ship, then extends toward the guide portion in a direction along the inner wall surface, is wrapped around the guide portion and bent again to be wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion installed on the inner wall surface, characterized in that A block-deploying vessel comprising a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that slope downward from the outside in the width direction of the hull toward the center in the width direction, and side walls erected on the outside in the width direction of the bottom surfaces, and a fastening means for fastening a plurality of blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction on the bottom surfaces to the vessel, wherein the fastening means comprises a wire rope wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, a movable hook device to which one end of the wire rope is locked, and a fixing part to which the other end of the wire rope is connected,
The movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall, and further has a folded portion installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the movable hook device in the longitudinal direction of the ship, and a guide portion installed on the inner wall surface of the side wall.
In the secured state in which the multiple blocks are secured to the cargo hold by the securing means, the wire rope extends from one end, which is locked to the movable hook device, toward the length of the ship, is wrapped around the folded portion and bent toward the width of the ship, then extends toward the guide portion in a direction along the inner wall surface, is wrapped around the guide portion and bent again and wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion installed on the inner wall surface .
A block-deploying vessel having a protective portion that covers the upper corner portion of the side wall on the center side in the ship's width direction, wherein the wire rope is in contact with the protective portion when the vessel is secured . A block-deploying vessel comprising a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that slope downward from the outside in the width direction of the hull toward the center in the width direction, and side walls erected on the outside in the width direction of the bottom surfaces, and a fastening means for fastening a plurality of blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction on the bottom surfaces to the vessel, wherein the fastening means comprises a wire rope wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, a movable hook device to which one end of the wire rope is locked, and a fixing part to which the other end of the wire rope is connected,
The movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall, and further has a folded portion installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the movable hook device in the longitudinal direction of the ship, and a guide portion installed on the inner wall surface of the side wall.
In the secured state in which the multiple blocks are secured to the cargo hold by the securing means, the wire rope extends from one end, which is locked to the movable hook device, toward the length of the ship, is wrapped around the folded portion and bent toward the width of the ship, then extends toward the guide portion in a direction along the inner wall surface, is wrapped around the guide portion and bent again and wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion installed on the inner wall surface .
A block-deploying vessel is characterized in that a sway suppression part is installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the folded portion in the length direction of the vessel, and in the secured state, the wire rope wrapped around the folded portion is not wrapped around the sway suppression part, and is arranged between the folded portion and the sway suppression part . A block-deploying vessel comprising a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that slope downward from the outside in the width direction of the hull toward the center in the width direction, and side walls erected on the outside in the width direction of the bottom surfaces, and a fastening means for fastening a plurality of blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction on the bottom surfaces to the vessel, wherein the fastening means comprises a wire rope wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, a movable hook device to which one end of the wire rope is locked, and a fixing part to which the other end of the wire rope is connected,
The movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall, and further has a folded portion installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the movable hook device in the longitudinal direction of the ship, and a guide portion installed on the inner wall surface of the side wall.
In the secured state in which the multiple blocks are secured to the cargo hold by the securing means, the wire rope extends from one end, which is locked to the movable hook device, toward the length of the ship, is wrapped around the folded portion and bent toward the width of the ship, then extends toward the guide portion in a direction along the inner wall surface, is wrapped around the guide portion and bent again and wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion installed on the inner wall surface .
A block-laying vessel characterized in that a guide bar is laid along the inclined surface of the bottom portion to guide the sliding direction of the block . A block-deploying vessel comprising a pair of left and right bottom surfaces that slope downward from the outside in the width direction of the hull toward the center in the width direction, and side walls erected on the outside in the width direction of the bottom surfaces, and a fastening means for fastening a plurality of blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction on the bottom surfaces to the vessel, wherein the fastening means comprises a wire rope wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, a movable hook device to which one end of the wire rope is locked, and a fixing part to which the other end of the wire rope is connected,
The movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall, and further has a folded portion installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the movable hook device in the longitudinal direction of the ship, and a guide portion installed on the inner wall surface of the side wall.
In the secured state in which the multiple blocks are secured to the cargo hold by the securing means, the wire rope extends from one end, which is locked to the movable hook device, toward the length of the ship, is wrapped around the folded portion and bent toward the width of the ship, then extends toward the guide portion in a direction along the inner wall surface, is wrapped around the guide portion and bent again and wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion installed on the inner wall surface .
A block-dropping vessel characterized by having a scaffolding extending in the length direction of the vessel installed at a midpoint in the height direction of the inner wall surface. The block-deploying vessel according to claim 5, wherein a through-hole is provided at a predetermined position in the scaffolding located above the guide portion, and in the secured state, the wire rope extending from the folded portion is inserted through the through-hole. In a method for deploying blocks, a block-deploying vessel has a retractable cargo hold, on which a pair of left and right bottom surfaces, each sloping downward from the outer side in the width direction toward the center in the width direction, are arranged in multiple rows in the width direction and length direction. A wire rope is wrapped around the outer circumference of the multiple blocks arranged in parallel in the width direction, one end of the wire rope is attached to a movable hook device, and the other end of the wire rope is connected to a fixed part to secure the multiple blocks to the cargo hold. The block-deploying vessel is then moved to the target location for deploying the multiple blocks, the pair of left and right bottom surfaces are opened, and the attachment of one end of the wire rope by the movable hook device is released, thereby releasing the secure state of the multiple blocks and allowing the multiple blocks to slide along the bottom surfaces and be deployed into the water.
The movable hook device is installed on the upper end surface of the side wall erected on the outer side of the bottom surface in the width direction of the ship, a folded portion is installed at a predetermined position on the upper end surface spaced apart from the movable hook device in the length direction of the ship, and a guide portion is fixed to the inner wall surface of the side wall.
A method for loading blocks, characterized in that when securing a plurality of blocks to the cargo hold, the wire rope is extended in the direction of the ship's length from one end that is locked to the movable hook device, wrapped around the folded portion, bent in the direction of the ship's width, extended along the inner wall surface toward the guide portion, wrapped around the guide portion, bent again so that it is wrapped around the outer circumference of the plurality of blocks, and the other end is connected to the fixing portion installed on the inner wall surface.