Barge ship dual trucks to transport barges thereon

Claim 1

A barge carrying ship comprising a hull having sides, a plurality of vertically spaced decks for supporting barges, an open hold beneath at least one of said decks for storing barges, a hatch opening in one of said decks at midship communicating with said hold and at least one lower deck, a first elevator located at one end of said hull for lifting and lowering a barge to and from said decks, a second elevator mounted in said hatch opening and operative to transfer a barge between said decks and said hold, pairs of rail means mounted on each of said decks, said rail means on one of said decks extending between said first and second elevators, truck means movably mount on said rail means and operative to transport barges along said decks and between said first and second elevators, said truck means comprising pairs of independent and separate barge-end-holding trucks, each pair of said truck means being adapted to operate in unison, each of said trucks having a horizontally extending cantilevered prong mounted thereon, means for pivoting said prong about a vertical axis from a first position parallel to said sides of said hull to a second position normal and inwardly of said sides, means for vertically moving said prongs to lift and deposit said barges relative to said deck, hold and elevators and means on said elevators to transfer barges to and from a respective pair of said truck means.