Vertical load transfer

Claim 2

Means suitable for effecting the vertical or substantially vertical transfer of objects between an upper station and a lower station subject to unpredictable but limited relative vertical movements, comprising: a. constant tension winch means carried by said lower station; b. pulley means carried by said upper station; c. first cable means having a first end and a second end; d. a first connection between said first end of said first cable means and said winch means; e. a second connection between said second end of said cable means and said object; f. an intermediate part of said cable means extending from said first end to said pulley means and thence to said second end; g. further cable means having a first end and a second end; h. a third connection between said first end of said further cable means and said object; i. haul down winch means carried by said lower station; j. a connection between said second end of said further cable means and said haul down winch means; k. readily releasable means which serve as said third connection between said first end of said further cable means and said object; l. messenger winch means provided at said upper station; and m. said messenger winch means being adapted when operated to raise said second end of said further cable means from said lower station to said upper station; whereby said object is supported by said first cable means with a substantially constant force, and said load is forcibly drawn from said upper station to said lower station by the force in said further cable means.

Claim 3

Transfer means according to claim 1, and in which: a. said first cable means include a first cable and a second cable; b. said pulley means are in the form of a drum; c. said drum is adapted to accommodate several turns of said first cable and several turns of said second cable; d. a first end of said first cable constitutes said first end of the cable means; e. a second end of said first cable is connected to said drum; f. a first end of said second cable is connected to said drum; and g. a second end of said second cable constitutes said second end of said cable means.

Claim 4

Transfer means according to claim 2, and in which: a. said drum is mounted in a freely rotatable manner; and b. a brake is associated with said drum and is effective to hold the drum in a desired position.

Claim 5

Transfer means according to claim 3, and in which motor means are provided operatively connected to said drum, and effective when activated to drive said drum in either direction as desired.

Claim 6

Transfer means according to claim 1, and in which; a. a snaTch absorbing device is provided; and b. said further cable means during vertical transfer of said object extend from said object to said snatch absorbing device and then to the haul down winch.

Claim 7

Transfer means according to claim 5, and including; a. a first set of pulleys; b. a second set of pulleys; c. biasing means arranged to bias the two sets of pulleys apart by a force which increases as said sets of pulleys approach one another; said sets of pulleys and said biasing means with part of a cable of said further cable means forming a cable accumulator which serves as said snatch absorbing device.

Claim 8

Transfer means according to claim 1, and in which: a. a snatch absorbing device is provided; b. the first cable means pass through the snatch absorbing device; and c. the snatch absorbing device is positioned close to the constant tension winch means.

Claim 9

Transfer means according to claim 7, and including: a. a first set of pulleys; b. a second set of pulleys; c. biasing means arranged to bias the two sets of pulleys apart by a force which increases as the sets of pulleys approach one another; said sets of pulleys and said biasing means with part of a cable of said first cable means forming a cable accumulator which serves as said snatch absorbing device.

Claim 10

Transfer means according to claim 8 and including: a. a first transducer providing an output indicative of the speed of said first cable means at said winch side of said cable accumulator; b. a second transducer providing an output indicative of said speed of said first cable means at said load side of said cable accumulator; c. sensitive means arranged to received these two outputs; and d. a control system including said first and second transducers and said sensitive means and arranged to control said constant tension winch means; said control system being arranged in accordance with the output from said sensitive means to provide an anticipatory control of said winch means tending to keep the cable tension constant.

Claim 11

Transfer means according to claim 1, and including: a. a transducer providing an output indicative of the speed of said second cable means; b. a control providing an output indicative of a desired speed for said second cable means; c. sensitive means to which these two outputs are applied; and d. a control system including said transducer, said control and said sensitive means, and arranged to control the operation of said haul down winch means, and arranged to control said winch means to keep the speed of the second cable means constant.

Claim 12

Transfer means according to claim 1, and in which said object includes a C-shaped load support frame adapted to accommodate and support the weight of a load to be transferred between said upper and lower stations.

Claim 13

Transfer means according to claim 11, and in which said C-shaped load support frame is provided at its top with a buffer by which upward movement of the frame is checked when it reaches said upper station.

Claim 14

Transfer means according to claim 1, and in which said further cable means are coupled to the bottom of said object through a remotely releasable shackle.

Claim 15

Means suitable for effecting the vertical or substantially vertical transfer of objects between an upper station and a lower station subject to unpredictable but limited vertical movements, comprising: a. constant tension winch means carried by the lower station; b. first cable means including a first cable and a second cable and having a first end and a second end; c. drum pulley means carried by the upper station adapted to accommodate several turns of the first cable and several turns of the second cable; d. a connection between the first end of the first cable and the winch means; e. a connection between the second end of said first cable and the said object; f. said first end of the first cable connected to the drum by A readily detachable coupling; g. a first end of the second cable connected to the drum; h. a second end of the second cable constituting the said second end of the cable means; i. an intermediate part of the cable means extending from the said first end of said first cable to the pulley means and thence to the second end; j. further cable means having a first end and a second end; k. a connection between the first end of the further cable means and the said object; l. haul down winch means carried by the lower station; m. a connection between the second end of the further cable means and the said haul down winch means; whereby the said object is supported by the first cable means with a substantially constant force, and the load is forcibly drawn from the upper station to the lower station by the force in the further cable means; n. readily releasable means serve as the said connection between the first end of the further cable means and the said object; o. messenger winch means provided at the upper station; and p. said messenger winch means are adapted when operated to raise the said second end of the further cable means from the lower station to the upper station.

Claim 16

Means suitable for effecting the vertical or substantially vertical transfer of objects between an upper station and a lower station subject to unpredictable but limited vertical movements, comprising: a. constant tension winch means carried by the lower station; b. first cable means including a first cable and a second cable and having a first end and a second end; c. drum pulley means carried by the upper station adapted to accommodate several turns of the first cable and several turns of the second cable; d. a connection between the first end of the first cable and the winch means; e. a connection between the second end of said first cable and the said object; f. said first end of the first cable connected to the drum by A readily detachable coupling; g. a first end of the second cable connected to the drum; h. a second end of the second cable constituting the said second end of the cable means; i. an intermediate part of the cable means extending from the said first end of said first cable to the pulley means and thence to the second end; j. further cable means having a first end and a second end; k. a connection between the first end of the further cable means and the said object; l. haul down winch means carried by the lower station; m. a connection between the second end of the further cable means and the said haul down winch means; whereby the said object is supported by the first cable means with a substantially constant force, and the load is forcibly drawn from the upper station to the lower station by the force in the further cable means; n. readily releasable means serve as the said connection between the first end of the further cable means and the said object; o. messenger winch means provided at the upper station; and p. said messenger winch means are adapted when operated to raise the said second end of the further cable means from the lower station to the upper station.