Device for damping impacts between a load and a floating support when the load is removed

Claim 1

A device for damping impacts between a load and an underlying floatingg support at a load bearing point while the load is being removed from said support, said support including at least one housing extending vertically upwardly therefrom on which the load rests and defining a load bearing point, said device comprising: a damping component mounted within said housing for movement towards and away from said load, and a wedge operatively engaging said damping component for movement horizontally, and means for subjecting said wedge to a horizontal traction force to automatically and irreversibly insert said damping component between said load and its bearing point on the floating support as soon as the load is removed from said floating support.

Claim 2

A device for damping impacts between a load and an underlying floatingg support at a load bearing point while the load is being removed from said support, said support including at least one housing extending vertically upwardly therefrom on which the load rests and defining a load bearing point, said device comprising: a damping component mounted within said housing for movement towards and away from said load, and a wedge operatively engaging said damping component for movement horizontally, and means for subjecting said wedge to a horizontal traction force to automatically and irreversibly insert said damping component between said load and its bearing point on the floating support as soon as the load is removed from said floating support.

Claim 3

A device for damping impacts between and a floating support underlying said load while said load is being removed from said support, at least one housing borne by said floating support on which said load rests to define a load bearing point, a sleeve with an overlying end plate disposed inside said housing and located near the top of said housing, a damping unit mounted within said sleeve, a chock within said sleeve for holding said damping unit against said end plate, said chock having a lower surface which is inclined, aligned vertical slots provided within walls of said housing and said sleeve, a wedge passing through said housing and said sleeve via said slots and provided with an inclined surface matching that of said chock and engaging said inclined surface of said chock, said chock being vertically movable inside said sleeve, means for subjecting said wedge to a horizontal traction force, and wherein said damping unit, said chock and said wedge being dimensioned such that the upper surface of the end plate of the sleeve is level with the top of the housing during transport of the load so that it normally rests on the housing, and wherein said traction force functions to automatically and irreversibly insert said damping unit between said load and its bearing point on the floating support by transverse movement of said wedge as soon as the weight of the load is removed from said floating support at said bearing point.

Claim 4

A device for damping impacts between and a floating support underlying said load while said load is being removed from said support, at least one housing borne by said floating support on which said load rests to define a load bearing point, a sleeve with an overlying end plate disposed inside said housing and located near the top of said housing, a damping unit mounted within said sleeve, a chock within said sleeve for holding said damping unit against said end plate, said chock having a lower surface which is inclined, aligned vertical slots provided within walls of said housing and said sleeve, a wedge passing through said housing and said sleeve via said slots and provided with an inclined surface matching that of said chock and engaging said inclined surface of said chock, said chock being vertically movable inside said sleeve, means for subjecting said wedge to a horizontal traction force, and wherein said damping unit, said chock and said wedge being dimensioned such that the upper surface of the end plate of the sleeve is level with the top of the housing during transport of the load so that it normally rests on the housing, and wherein said traction force functions to automatically and irreversibly insert said damping unit between said load and its bearing point on the floating support by transverse movement of said wedge as soon as the weight of the load is removed from said floating support at said bearing point.