Barge construction

Claim 2

In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another within the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, a plurality of bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening, each one of said bracket means including a vertical wall having a pair of hook means and a horizontal wall supporting the end of the decking section of a cargo deck adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means having a plurality of pairs of apertures spaced horizontally along said bulkhead means at each level of said cargo deck, and each one of the pairs of apertures being disposed for removably receiving the pair of hook means of a bracket means so that said bulkhead means carries the bracket means and the horizontal wall of the bracket means supports the end of the decking section of a cargo deck.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1, and at least one of said bracket means of a cargo deck having coupling means on the horizontal wall coupling with an end of a respective decking section and limiting horizontal movement of the respective decking section.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1, and the horizontal wall of at least one bracket means of a cargo deck supporting ends of two adjacent decking sections.

Claim 5

In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another with the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bracket means having coupling means on the horizontal wall coupling with ends of neighboring decking sections and limiting horizontal movement of the neighboring decking sections, the horizontal wall of said bracket means supporting ends of neighboring decking sections and said coupling means including two upright members extending up from the horizontal wall, one upright member extending through an end of one decking section, and the other upright member extending through an end of another neighboring decking section.

Claim 6

In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another with the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bracket means having coupling means on the horizontal wall coupling with ends of neighboring decking sections and limiting horizontal movement of the neighboring decking sections, the horizontal wall of said bracket means supporting ends of neighboring decking sections and said coupling means including two upright members extending up from the horizontal wall, one upright member extending through an end of one decking section, and the other upright member extending through an end of another neighboring decking section.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 1, and each decking section of a cargo deck supported by respective bracket means of said bracket means, a hand hold bar on each corner area of each decking section and accessible from the top of each corner area of each decking section for setting the decking section on the respective bracket means of the cargo deck and for removing the decking section from the respective bracket meAns thereof.

Claim 8

In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another with the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge construction, each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of apertures spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level of a cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of horizontally extending decking sections at each level of the cargo deck, said hook means of the bracket means including a pair of studs extending through a respective pair of apertures of a bulkhead for carrying the bracket means on the bulkhead, said horizontal wall of each bracket means having a pair of upright guide members, one guide member extending through an end of one decking section of a cargo deck, and the other guide member extending through an adjacent decking section of the cargo deck and limiting horizontal movement of the adjacent decking sections.

Claim 9

In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another with the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge construction, each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of apertures spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level of a cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of horizontally extending decking sections at each level of the cargo deck, said hook means of the bracket means including a pair of studs extending through a respective pair of apertures of a bulkhead for carrying the bracket means on the bulkhead, said horizontal wall of each bracket means having a pair of upright guide members, one guide member extending through an end of one decking section of a cargo deck, and the other guide member extending through an adjacent decking section of the cargo deck and limiting horizontal movement of the adjacent decking sections.

Claim 10

In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another within the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means being provided with aperture means, said hook means having enlarged head means extending down and catching on the bulkhead means for holding the hook means on the bulkhead means, and the size of the aperture means being sufficient to allow the head means to pass therethrough when uncoupling the bracket means from the bulkhead means.

Claim 11

In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another within the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means being provided with aperture means, said hook means having enlarged head means extending down and catching on the bulkhead means for holding the hook means on the bulkhead means, and the size of the aperture means being sufficient to allow the head means to pass therethrough when uncoupling the bracket means from the bulkhead means.

Claim 12

In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relationship to one another within the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge construction, each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of apertures spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level of a cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of horizontally extending decking sections At each level of the cargo deck, said horizontal wall of each bracket means having a pair of upright guide members, one guide member extending through an end of one decking section of a cargo deck, and the other guide member extending through an adjacent decking section of the cargo deck and limiting horizontal movement of the adjacent decking sections.

Claim 13

In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relationship to one another within the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge construction, each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of apertures spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level of a cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of horizontally extending decking sections At each level of the cargo deck, said horizontal wall of each bracket means having a pair of upright guide members, one guide member extending through an end of one decking section of a cargo deck, and the other guide member extending through an adjacent decking section of the cargo deck and limiting horizontal movement of the adjacent decking sections.

Claim 14

In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another within the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge construction, each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of aperture means spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level of a cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of horizontally extending decking sections at each level of the cargo deck, said hook means of the bracket means including a pair of studs extending through a respective pair of aperture means of the bulkhead of a cargo deck for carrying the bracket means on the bulkhead of the cargo deck, said hook means having enlarged head means extending down and catching on the bulkhead for holding the hook means on the bulkhead, and the size of the aperture means being sufficient to allow the head means to pass therethrough when uncoupling the bracket means from the bulkhead.

Claim 15

In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another within the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge construction, each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of aperture means spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level of a cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of horizontally extending decking sections at each level of the cargo deck, said hook means of the bracket means including a pair of studs extending through a respective pair of aperture means of the bulkhead of a cargo deck for carrying the bracket means on the bulkhead of the cargo deck, said hook means having enlarged head means extending down and catching on the bulkhead for holding the hook means on the bulkhead, and the size of the aperture means being sufficient to allow the head means to pass therethrough when uncoupling the bracket means from the bulkhead.

Claim 16

The invention according to claim 1, and said bulkhead means having an inside, a cargo deck having opposed bracket means of said bracket means, each decking section including an elongated generally rectangular section with the lengthwise portion of the elongated section extending crosswise of the length of the barge construction and having its lateral ends coupling with the opposed bracket means of the cargo deck disposed on the inside of the bulkhead means, each decking section being provided with outside longitudinal side beam members and crossbeam members connecting with the side beam members, and deck flooring being on top of the side beam members and crossbeam members.

Claim 17

The invention according to claim 7, and said enlarged head means having a portion extending down below the rest of the hook means and engaging the bulkhead means for retaining the bracket means hooked on the bulkhead means.

Claim 18

The invention according to claim 1, and at least one of said bracket means having lifting handle means.