Construction of ships

Claim 2

A seagoing vessel, adapted to propel a cargo-holding vessel, having a hull equipped with propulsion machinery and steering gear, said hull having a keel and a bow formation comprising a stem, a forefoot and an upper part, said bow formation including static underwater latching means adapted to interact automatically when brought into register with a complementarily formed static stern part of the cargo-holding vessel for rigidly connecting the two vessels together below water level, and mechanical means for connecting the vessels together above water level, said underwater latching means and said above water level connecting means serving jointly to afford transverse and longitudinal abutment and resistance to shear, torsion and longitudinal bending.

Claim 3

A vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said underwater connecting means includes, at the forefoot of said bow formation, a downwardly open recess adapted to receive a complementary upward projection at the stern of said cargo-holding vessel, the recess being formed to transmit force laterally in both directions, and rearwardly, to said projection.

Claim 4

A vessel as claimed in claim 2, wherein said recess extends transversely of said bow formation, is of substantially V-form convex forwardly, in plan, and is defined by relatively deeper rear and shallower forward walls, the rear walls rising from the level of the keel, and the upper part of said bow formation is adapted to apply forward propelling force and lateral steering forces to the stern part of the cargo-holding vessel.

Claim 5

A vessel as claimed in claim 2, wherein said recess extends longitudinally of said bow formation and has substantially vertical lateral walls and a forward wall including a vertical portion which at its lower end merges into the base of the stem and at its upper end merges into a wall extending rearwardly and obliquely downwards to the keel, and the upper part of said bow formation is adapted to apply forward propelling force and lateral steering forces to the stern part of the cargo-holding vessel.

Claim 6

A vessel as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stem of said bow formation is of V-form And is adapted to engage in a complementary V-form recess at the stern of said cargo-holding vessel.

Claim 7

A vessel as claimed in claim 4, wherein the stem is of substantially V-form, and said bow formation has above water level at a substantially straight transverse portion adapted to transmit propelling force, said portion projecting forwardly and laterally over said V-form stem.

Claim 8

A vessel as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bow formation has a transverse peak bulkhead forward of said recess and a ballast tank capable of being filed and emptied to vary the fore-and-aft trim of the vessel to effect respectively engagement and disengagement of said recess with the complementary projection at the stern of the cargo-holding vessel.

Claim 9

A vessel as claimed in claim 7, including a sternward tank and wherein said ballast tank has valve means controllable from above water level and a duct whereby it is rapidly dischargeable by gravity into said sternward tank for rapidly varying the fore-and-aft trim from a bow-down attitude to a bow-up attitude for disengagement of said recess from said projection.

Claim 10

A cargo-holding vessel, adapted to be propelled and maneuvered by a seagoing vessel having a hull equipped with propulsion machinery and steering gear, said hull having a bow formation comprising a V-form stem, a forefoot and an upper part, said bow formation including static underwater latching means comprising a downwardly open, transversely extending recess in said forefoot, said cargo-holding vessel having a keel and a stern formation including an underwater latching part adapted to interact automatically with the complementarily formed bow formation of said seagoing vessel for connecting the two vessels together below the water line, and mechanical means for connecting the vessels together above water level.

Claim 11

A cargo-holding vessel, adapted to be propelled and maneuvered by a seagoing vessel having a hull equipped with propulsion machinery and steering gear, said hull having a bow formation comprising a V-form stem, a forefoot and an upper part, said bow formation including static underwater latching means comprising a downwardly open, transversely extending recess in said forefoot, said cargo-holding vessel having a keel and a stern formation including an underwater latching part adapted to interact automatically with the complementarily formed bow formation of said seagoing vessel for connecting the two vessels together below the water line, and mechanical means for connecting the vessels together above water level.

Claim 12

A cargo-holding vessel according to claim 9 wherein said stern formation comprises a rearwardly open cavity which is upwardly, forwardly and laterally divergent from the keel level to above water level of said cargo-holding vessel, and an upward projection in said cavity adjacent said keel level, said projection being adapted, when engaged in said recess in the forefoot of said seagoing vessel, to transmit forces applied laterally in both directions, and rearwardly.

Claim 13

A cargo-holding vessel according to claim 10, wherein the stern formation comprises, adjacent the keel level in said cavity, a rearwardly extending shelf, and said projection is a transverse rib of substantially V-form convex forwardly, in plan upon the rear margin of said shelf to engage upwardly in the said transverse recess in the forefoot of said seagoing vessel, and the upper part of said cavity is adapted to transmit forward propulsive force and lateral steering forces applied by the upper part of the bow formation of said seagoing vessel.

Claim 14

A cargo-holding vessel according to claim 9, comprises a rearwardly open cavity extending upwardly from the keel level and including, adjacent the keel level in said cavity, a transverse beam and an upward projection upon said beam having substantially vertical lateral walls and a forward wall which at its lower end merges into the upper surface of said beam and at its upper end merges into a face extending rearwardly and downwardly to said upper surface, to engage upwardly in said recess in the forefoot of said seagoing vessel, and the upper part of said cavity is adapted to transmit forward propulsive force and lateral steering forces applied by the upper part of the bow formation of said seagoing vessel.

Claim 15

A cargo-holding vessel according to claim 10 wherein said cavity is a V-form recess, adapted to fit closely about the V-form stem of said seagoing vessel.

Claim 16

A cargo-holding vessel according to claim 10, wherein said cavity has at its upper part a transverse straight portion for abutment by a straight transverse portion of the bow formation of said sea-going vessel, and a pair of rearwardly extending laterAl horn portions to abut the sides of said seagoing vessel.

Claim 17

A composite ship comprising a motive part which is a seagoing vessel in combination with a cargo-holding vessel, said seagoing vessel having a hull equipped with propulsion machinery and steering gear, said hull having a keel and a bow formation comprising a stem, a forefoot and an upper part, said bow formation including static underwater latching means adapted to interact automatically when brought into register with a complementarily formed static stern part of said cargo-holding vessel for rigidly connecting the two vessels together below water level, said cargo-holding vessel having a keel and a stern formation including an underwater latching part adapted to interact automatically with said underwater latching means of said seagoing vessel, and mechanical means for connecting the vessels together above water level, said underwater latching means and part and said above water level connecting means serving jointly to afford transverse and longitudinal abutment and resistance to sheer, torsion and longitudinal bending.

Claim 18

A composite ship comprising a motive part which is a seagoing vessel in combination with a cargo-holding vessel, said seagoing vessel having a hull equipped with propulsion machinery and steering gear, said hull having a keel and a bow formation comprising a stem, a forefoot and an upper part, said bow formation including static underwater latching means adapted to interact automatically when brought into register with a complementarily formed static stern part of said cargo-holding vessel for rigidly connecting the two vessels together below water level, said cargo-holding vessel having a keel and a stern formation including an underwater latching part adapted to interact automatically with said underwater latching means of said seagoing vessel, and mechanical means for connecting the vessels together above water level, said underwater latching means and part and said above water level connecting means serving jointly to afford transverse and longitudinal abutment and resistance to sheer, torsion and longitudinal bending.

Claim 19

A composite ship as claimed in claim 15, wherein said underwater latching means of said seagoing vessel includes, at the forefoot of said bow formation, a downwardly open recess, and said stern formation of said cargo-holding vessel includes a rearwardly open cavity which is upwardly, forwardly and laterally divergent from the keel level to above water level of said cargo-holding vessel, and an upward projection in said cavity adjacent said keel level engaged in said recess in the forefoot of said seagoing vessel, said recess being formed to transmit force laterally in both directions, and rearwardly, to said projection.

Claim 20

A composite ship as claimed in claim 16, wherein said recess extends transversely of the bow formation of said seagoing vessel, is of substantially V-form, convex forwardly, in plan, and is defined by relatively deeper rear and shallower forward walls, the rear walls rising from the level of the keel, and the upper part of said bow formation is adapted to apply forward propelling force and lateral steering forces to the stern formation of said cargo-holding vessel, and wherein the stern formation of said cargo-holding vessel comprises, adjacent the keel level in said cavity, a rearwardly extending shelf, and said projection is a transverse rib of substantially V-form, convex forwardly, in plan upon the rear margin of said shelf engaged upwardly in said recess, the upper part of said cavity being adapted to transmit forward propulsive force and lateral steering forces applied by the upper part of the bow formation of said seagoing vessel.

Claim 21

A composite ship as claimed in claim 16, wherein said recess extends longitudinally of the bow formation of said seagoing vessel and has substantially vertical lateral walls and a forward wall including a vertical portion which at its lower end merges into the base of the stem and at its upper end merges into a wall extending rearwardly and obliquely downwards to the keel, and the upper part of said bow formation is adapted to apply forward propelling and lateral steering forces to the stern formation of said cargo-holding vessel, and wherein said stern formation of the cargo-holding vessel includes a transverse beam in said cavity on which said upward projection is mounted, said projection having substantially vertical lateral walls and a forward wall which at its lower end merges into the upper surface of said beam and at its upper end merges into a face extending rearwardly and downwardly to said upper surface, and the upper part of said cavity is adapted to transmit forward propulsive force and lateral steering forces applied by the upper part of the bow formation of said seagoing vessel.

Claim 22

A composite ship as claimed in claim 16, wherein said cavity in the stern formation of said cargo-holding vessel is a V-form recess, and said stem of the bow formation of said seagoing vessel.

Claim 23

A vessel acCording to claim 1, wherein said above water level connecting means comprise a plurality of tensile members, in equal groups on each side of the centerline pivotal mounting means for said members on the foredeck of said seagoing vessel permitting them to be angularly displaced forwardly of the bow for engagement of their forward ends with anchorages on the stern formation of said cargo-carrying vessel, and means for applying a tensile force to each of said tensile members.

Claim 24

A vessel according to claim 20, wherein each of said tensile members has slidable engagement means for its pivotal mounting and at least one hydraulic ram means connected to said mounting for applying rearward tensioning displacement to said mounting.

Claim 25

A vessel according to claim 20, wherein at least some of each group of tensile members are disposed in tension parallel to the centerline of the vessel.

Claim 26

A vessel according to claim 20, wherein at least some of each group of tensile members are disposed in tension forwardly divergent from the centerline of the vessel.

Claim 27

A vessel according to claim 20, having in combination with said above water level connecting means a plurality of plates extending along the margin of the foredeck, a plurality of straps secured to said plates, and pins parallel to said margin forming pivots for said straps, said plates being displaceable to attitudes of forward projection over said margin in which the forward ends of said straps are connectable to clevises serving as anchorages on the stern formation of said cargo-carrying vessel.

Claim 28

A vessel according to claim 20, wherein said tensile members are substantially rigid links, and including longitudinal guide means for said links on said foredeck.

Claim 29

A vessel according to claim 25, wherein said means to apply tensile force comprises horizontal hydraulic ram means, and including opposed ram means operable to relax tension in said links.

Claim 30

A vessel according to claim 25, wherein the forward ends of said links have eyes adapted to be engaged with removable pins in anchorages upon the stern part of said cargo-holding vessel.

Claim 31

A vessel according to claim 25, wherein the forward ends of said links have hooks adapted to engage upon anchorage pins upon the stern part of said cargo-holding vessel.

Claim 32

A vessel according to claim 28, having ram means disposed upon said bow, forward of said pivots and beneath said links, to raise said links about said pivots.

Claim 33

A vessel according to claim 25, further having upon said bow at least one pair of buttresses, between which said links are disposed when extended horizontally forwards to resist lateral forces applied to said links, and at least one bar slidably engageable in eyes in said pair of buttresses located to hold said bar across said links.

Claim 34

A composite ship as claimed in claim 19, wherein the above water level connecting means of said seagoing vessel comprise a plurality of tensile members, in equal groups on each sime of the centerline, pivotal mounting means for said members on the foredeck permitting them to be angularly displaced forwardly of the bow, and means for applying a tensile force to each of said tensile members, and wherein said cargo-holding vessel includes anchorage means at its stern for engagement with the forward ends of said tensile members.

Claim 35

A composite ship according to claim 31, wherein said tensile members are substantially rigid links having hooks at their forward ends, and said cargo-holding vessel has anchorage pins on its stern with which said hooks are engageable.

Claim 36

A composite ship as claimed in claim 31, wherein said tensile members are substantially rigid links, and including longitudinal guide means for said links on the foredeck of said seagoing vessel.

Claim 37

A composite ship according to claim 33, wherein said seagoing vessel includes upon said bow at least one pair of buttresses, between which said links are disposed when extended horizontally forwards to resist lateral forces Applied to said links, and at least one bar slidably engageable in eyes in said pair of buttresses located to hold said bar across said links, and wherein said cargo-holding vessel includes at least one further pair of buttresses upon its stern between which buttresses said links are disposed when arranged and anchored to afford a tensile connection, and at least one further bar slidably engageable in eyes in said further pair of buttresses located to hold said further bar across said links adjacent their anchored ends.