EP1201536A2 - Arrangement for storing vessels on land with automatic hauling and launching - Google Patents

Abstract

The motor boat dry docking handling system has a motorized trolley (6) lifting boats out of water to storage positions (22), using a transfer position (16). The boats are guided (4,12), with a microprocessor used to control loading. The operations are remotely controlled. Boat users are identified by the system.

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to the field of parking of motorized pleasure boats and in particular port equipment for the dry hauling of boats and their setting in water, the boats being brought between the two operations to parking

Exhibition of the prior art

The manufacture of pleasure boats is permanent and the old boats have a lifespan of several decades. This results in a permanent need for new parking spaces, or the increase in “afloat harbors” spaces traditional is almost impossible if only for reasons of limitations physical. Another possibility is to park the boats out of the water, in "Dry ports", on simple or stepped supports up to 4 levels. In this case the boat should be lifted by forklift and not by crane.

At the boater's request, an employee seizes the boat, generally in the direction of the length from the rear, perpendicular to the dock. He uses a machine self-propelled diesel with a capacity of at least ten tonnes, specially team. It thus carries out the afloat or the grounding.

However, "dry port" encounters several problems; indeed the boater wishes to use his boat, at all hours of the day or night, as if it were afloat, and without waiting. The constraints of the dry port opening hours prevent the owner to dispose of his boat as he pleases. Waiting to get a boat afloat is often too long, especially if several people arrive at the same time. Noise and odor nuisance due to diesel engines is painful for everyone, and hardly accepted by the neighborhood.

The physical or material risks due to human error are permanent, seen the size of the machine / boat, the fragility and the price of the load. The size of the traffic lanes essential for large vehicles, and the limitation storage elevation due to the difficulty of sighting and the lack of visibility, requires a very high land use.

In the return to parking operation, the boat normally docked parallel to the pontoon. It must then be positioned perpendicular to it in order to be able to be grabbed from behind with the machine. The maneuver to rotate it 90 ° is delicate and dangerous. Finally the difficulties of gripping afloat due to differences in height of the tides are difficult to control.

Subject of the invention

• prendre un bateau de plaisance à moteur à flot quel que soit le niveau de l'eau,
• le lever, le déplacer, le faire pivoter, et éventuellement le rincer,
• le ranger à sa place sur des structures de stationnement terrestres étagées sur plusieurs niveaux,
• pouvoir le remettre à flot immédiatement à partir de cette place.

The present invention aims to provide a solution to the above problems and provides for automated machinery, the main functions of which are:

• take a pleasure boat afloat regardless of the water level,
• lift it, move it, rotate it, and possibly rinse it,
• put it in its place on terrestrial parking structures stepped on several levels,
• be able to float it immediately from there.

All these operations are carried out quickly and safely, without any personnel, several times a day or night. They are controlled by the user using a coded.

The invention therefore makes it possible to use a boat with as much pleasure as if it were afloat in a traditional port, without the schedule or waiting constraints of "dry ports", but to take advantage of the benefits of these, such as not applying every year specific anti-fouling paints against algae and shells. This contributes limit pollution of the aquatic environment, and eliminate the risk of osmosis of hulls polyester, and corrosion or electrolysis of engines. The owner makes significant savings, on cleaning products, handling, and possibly on shore parking during its wintering periods.

In addition, the invention provides many other advantages: The exclusive use of electric motors for all handling eliminates noise and odor nuisances.
By eliminating human intervention in delicate handling, the physical and material risks disappear.

Being able to neglect the problems of human aiming at several meters in height, this automated machinery makes it possible to reach great parking heights, and considerably reduces the occupation of the floor space, in relation to the number of places created. The absence of major development and earthworks for the circulation of heavy vehicles, and the use of the maximum elevation allow reduce their installation costs. Lack of staff reduces costs operating. Electric motors reduce maintenance costs.

Characteristics of the invention

The invention relates to a port device for the mechanical movement of boats including pleasure craft between a lifting / afloating station and a parking within an out-of-water parking complex, characterized in that it comprises: a) at least one motorized lifting trolley suitable for gripping and moving a boat from its floating position to said lifting station to an intermediate transfer station or a parking space; b) means of rest and immobilization of the boat arranged on said carriage; vs) means for guiding the movement of said carriage, such as rails, one of which lower end extends below the water level allowing the said carriage to position, being submerged, directly above the lifting / floating position and allowing thus the positioning of the floating boat above the said means of rests arranged on the carriage; d) means for detecting and identifying the user and / or the boat to be moved, and means for locating the instant positioning of the carriage, e) remote control means of the operation of the displacement motors of said carriage; f) logical means such that a microprocessor can grasp, from said means of detection, and process data relating to the identification of the boat to be moved or of a user, instant positioning of the boat or cart and able to manage consequence the operation of the said carriage movement motors.

According to a preferred embodiment, the port device of the invention has a second motorized cart or storage cart suitable for ensuring gripping a boat brought by said first carriage to a transfer station and to bring it by moving on guide means to a final location of parking; this second carriage being provided with mobile support means suitable for take care of the boat from its position on said first carriage to a rest position at the final parking location.

According to another characteristic, the logical management means are capable of capturing and record the free / occupied situation of parking spaces within the parking lot, to determine the choice of a free site and to direct the carriage carrying the boat to said location, said means being able to memorize and display the agreement between the reference assigned to a boat and the reference of the location that receives it

Advantageously, the lifting carriage comprises support means, for guiding and of centering, and in particular of the lower pads arranged on either side of the location of the keel of the boat and suitable for receiving the rest of the walls lower side of the hull.

The guide means of the first lifting carriage consist of side rails cooperating with rolling means coming from the carriage and capable of ensuring successively the vertical displacement of the carriage supporting the boat from its float position at the lifting station to a higher position above the level of the platform supporting the parking unit, then moving the carriage and the boat in substantially horizontal translation to a transfer station or to its parking space, the cart and boat remaining constantly in horizontal position.

And preferably each of the side rails has two sections, either a first substantially horizontal section from the transfer station or location parking and ending directly above the lifting station with a curved part defining a downward-facing elbow, the base of said elbow is extended by a second section of substantially vertical axis and ending below the water level on lower to allow immersion of the cart and floating insertion of the boat above the carriage, said second section is integral with the curved end of the first section and the top of this second section follows a radius curvature of curvature equal to that of the curve followed by the upper face of said first section, the rails support three undercarriages, either on each side and for each rail a crew of three cylindrical wheels or rollers from the supporting structure of the carriage, including a first bearing in the upper position to come to bear on the face upper of the rail in its horizontal section, a second bearing capable of bearing on the underside of said rail, the axis of this second bearing being offset longitudinally with respect to the vertical of the first bearing in one direction opposite to the center of gravity of the carriage, the latter thus resting in its course on the horizontal cantilever section on the two bearings, each crew carried by each side cheek of the carriage has a third bearing or roller descent located directly above the said first bearing so that when this first upper bearing approaches the entrance to the convex curvature formed by the terminal bend of the first section, the said third lower bearing comes to carry on the entrance of the curve formed by the top of the vertical section of the rail, the carriage being subsequently supported cantilevered on this vertical section of descent by the second and third bearings, while remaining parallel to itself on the two courses

And according to another feature of the invention, the radius of curvature of the curvature concave (internal) of the end bend of the horizontal section of the rail is equal to the radius curvature of the convex (external) curvature of said elbow, increased by the sum of radii of the first and second cylindrical bearings, so that along the course of the first and second bearings on their respective faces of said elbow, the positioning of the center distance of the two bearings remains parallel to itself now the carriage in constant horizontal position.

According to a more particular embodiment, said sections respectively horizontal and vertical of each rail are of equal thickness, the three bearings are of equal radii and the centers of the first and second respectively bearings, on the one hand, and second and third bearing, on the other hand, are of equal length and form an angle of 45 ° with the vertical

Preferably the operation of the lifting trolley is controlled by an electric winch connected to said carriage by a pull and return cable.

The means for centering the boat arranged on the lifting carriage include two pairs of lateral arms, of substantially vertical axis, these arms are movable in transverse planes relative to the axis of the incoming floating boat at above the submerged cart, each arm being connected to mechanical means specific to ensure its movement between a peripheral rest position and a position active towards the center of the cart occupied by the boat; the combined movement of arm thus being able to position the boat in the middle position vertically rest supports intended to receive it.

According to a simpler variant of embodiment, the guide rails of the lifting carriage follow a straight course in an inclined plane from the lifting / floating station up to the level of the platform supporting the parking unit.

And in a development of the invention, the support and maintenance means for the boat, such as skids and side arms arranged on the lifting carriage carried by a pivoting intermediate plate allowing to modify the positioning the axis of the boat relative to the carriage and in particular to bring it into position collinear with the axis of movement of the carriage, to possibly facilitate its evacuation at the transfer station or parking space.

And according to another development, the second cart or storage cart has gripping means of the transported boat, consisting of horizontal arms parallel and telescopic mechanically operated and suitable for passing from one retracted position to an active engagement position under the sides of the boat, in place on the lifting trolley, for gripping and immobilizing of the latter then supported by said arms, releasing the lifting carriage; these arms then being suitable, the storage trolley having arrived opposite the free space wanted, to carry the boat above its receiving cradle within the says location and drop it there.

According to yet another characteristic, the second cart or storage cart cooperates with means for guiding and moving along a horizontal plane, such that rails receiving rolling means from said carriage, for its horizontal translation from the transfer station to a free location located at same level as the transfer station, in particular in the case of a parking unit straight with two rows of parking spaces, or box, along a central aisle.

Alternatively or additionally, the second cart or storage cart cooperates with lifting and vertical displacement means able to bring said cart and boat supported at a level higher than that of the transfer station, in the case of parking spaces stepped in height

This second cart or storage cart is provided with means allowing the 360 ° angular pivoting of the gripping means and the boat supported, allowing the orientation of the boat facing the location of parking and in the axis of the latter.

Preferably, the logical means for managing the automatic assembly include a site management program and onshore movement of boats in parking lessons, like a microprocessor able to memorize from exit movements free places to steer boats arriving and memorizing the location of each boat parked for its subsequent exit; the microprocessor being further able to memorize the codes corresponding to the identification of a user or a boat, and says so microprocessor also includes a program for managing and controlling the movement of the trolleys from the reception and recording of the orders issued from a user, the microprocessor is also associated with organs identification of said user, so that the user is fit after his identification to trigger automated operations or parking the boat, from the lifting station, or the afloat from the location of parking of the corresponding boat.

Optionally, the installation according to the invention may also include a third trolley assigned to the sole release afloat and able to apprehend, immobilize and take into account loads the outgoing boat at the transfer station and transports it to a afloat, by suitable rolling and guiding means descending for this purpose up to the water level and conform to the characteristics of the lifting carriage.

Description of an embodiment of the invention

La figure1 représente une vue en plan de dessus de l'ensemble de la machine montée en structure de rangement circulaire.

La figure 2 représente une vue en coupe verticale de l'ensemble de la machine de la figure 1

La figure 3 représente une vue de face du chariot élévateur portant une embarcation (en position transversale) et en place à la verticale du poste de levage ; la figure 4 représente une vue de coté du chariot élévateur de la figure 3, l'embarcation étant vue de face.

La figure 5 représente une vue en élévation d'une structure de rangement possible en forme de phare maritime.

La figure 6 représente une vue de dessus d'une structure de rangement rectiligne.

Les figures 7A, 7B et 7C représentent des vues en perspective d'un détail du montage des sections horizontale et verticale du rail porteur des roulements du chariot de levage et illustrant leur déplacement sur le coude intermédiaire

La figure 7D représente une variante de ce montage

La figure 8A représente un schéma théorique illustrant le passage conjugué des roulements au niveau du dit coude ; la figure 8B illustre par une vue en élévation latérale les positionnements successifs des roulements sur le coude.

Les figure 9A, 9B et 9C présentent en plan schématique trois phases de la manoeuvre de centrage de l'embarcation en flottaison au-dessus du chariot de levage alors en position immergée. Les figures 10A à 10C présentant ces trois mêmes phases vues en élévation latérale par rapport au chariot ; une figure 10D présente la phase ultérieure après début d'ascension du chariot.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows and which is given in relation to a preferred embodiment of the invention given by way of example of embodiment without limitation and with reference to the drawings. appended

Figure 1 shows a top plan view of the entire machine mounted in a circular storage structure.

Figure 2 shows a vertical sectional view of the whole machine of Figure 1

FIG. 3 represents a front view of the forklift carrying a boat (in transverse position) and in place vertically from the lifting station; 4 shows a side view of the forklift of Figure 3, the boat being viewed from the front.

Figure 5 shows an elevational view of a possible storage structure in the form of a maritime lighthouse.

Figure 6 shows a top view of a straight storage structure.

Figures 7A, 7B and 7C show perspective views of a detail of the mounting of the horizontal and vertical sections of the bearing rail of the bearings of the lifting carriage and illustrating their movement on the intermediate elbow

Figure 7D shows a variant of this arrangement

FIG. 8A represents a theoretical diagram illustrating the combined passage of the bearings at the level of said elbow; FIG. 8B illustrates by a side elevation view the successive positions of the bearings on the elbow.

FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C show in schematic plan three phases of the maneuver for centering the boat in flotation above the lifting carriage while in the submerged position. FIGS. 10A to 10C showing these same three phases seen in lateral elevation relative to the carriage; FIG. 10D shows the subsequent phase after the carriage has started to climb.

According to all of the figures, a landing pontoon 2 and a loading pontoon 3 are arranged, being held at the bank, on either side of the vertical lifting ramp formed by section 4 (fig 2) of the rail described below; this section of rail 4 is immersed at its base to allow a lifting carriage 6 circulating on this section 4 to descend, to be submerged below the lowest point of the water, for taking charge of the boat, or its afloat.
To park a boat, the user docked with the removal pontoon 2, and was identified by a code reader dedicated to the removal 5.
As a function of the data entered and recorded, a microcomputer 1 controls the operation of the lifting carriage 6 which is positioned downward along the section or ramp 4 under the surface of the water. The user advances his boat over this carriage 6.

This lifting carriage includes means for correct positioning of the boat depending on its dimensional characteristics, and the support means or support for immobilizing the boat in a stable position on the trolley. In this indeed the carriage comprises according to a first variant shown in Figures 3 and 4, a inverted U frame 10, carrying pendulum arms 10a, 10b, articulated at the corners top of said frame and maneuvered by mechanical means; initially time, an arm 10a tends to push the boat floating above the carriage, towards the edge of the trolley on the bank side, where code readers can be placed identification specific to the boat and worn by it; a second arm opposite 10b can then be programmed, depending on the characteristics of the boat entered from the said code reader, to bring this boat into position median in the center of the carriage, suitably resting on the support means; these the latter can be made up of side rails 13 suitable for receiving the base of the hull near the keel, and / or skids 8, as well as axis rollers vertical 7 carried by said frame 10

The carriage may also include level contacts on the surface of the water 9, and feelers 11 for advancing the boat. These means are able to detect the advancement of the hull and its correct positioning.

Another embodiment constituting a variant is presented below being illustrated in FIGS. 9A to 9C and 10A to 10 D. According to this more advantageous form of realization, the means of correct positioning of the boat at the lifting station, above the waiting trolley are formed by two pairs of lateral posts respectively 110a and 110b towards the front and 111a and 111b towards the rear of the boat; these substantially vertical posts rest on the horizontal structure of the carriage being movable in a transverse direction while remaining in a substantially vertical position; these posts are associated by their base with means motors (not shown) such as hydraulic cylinders ensuring their displacement in transverse translation, the posts of the same couple remaining in a symmetrical position relative to the axis 114 corresponding to the ideal positioning axis of the boat in order to ensure its stable position on the supporting beams 113a and 113b. Furthermore the actuation of the jacks ensuring the operation of the posts is coupled from a torque to the other so that the spacing between the said posts is identical from a couple to the other (double axis of symmetry).

In the inactive standby position, as shown in Figure 9A the posts are cleared laterally with maximum spacing, leaving free access to the boat to park.

A push post 115 completes the positioning system of the boat; this post 115 remaining substantially vertical is maneuvered by its base by a drive member such a hydraulic cylinder towards the bank (arrow F 1) as soon as the boat has been inserted in a suitable position above the trolley, i.e. between the posts 111a and 111b and the posts 110a and 110b; the push post comes to plate the boat against the poles 111b and 110b, the boat then being near the platform 116 secured to the carriage, thus able to receive the pilot.

At this stage and the boat being thus positioned locating and reading means such as a laser reader, arranged for example on the platform can capture the specific data for the boat, for the subsequent control of the maneuver carriage; similarly the pilot user can (fig 10A and 10B) on a digital code or other input means send identification data or instructions for the continuation of the maneuver.

In a first subsequent phase, the actuators activating the positioning posts move these in the direction of the arrows F2 (fig 9C) automatically bringing the boat in its middle position above the carriage, the push post 115 is thus passively pushed back in the direction of the arrow of retraction F3.

In this middle position the axis of the boat merges with the axis of the carriage 115; thus the hull can rest in balance on the support beams 113a and 113b. Advantageously, one of the side members, proximal to the bank, is provided for erasing. according to FIGS. 10A and 10B, to facilitate the transverse displacement of the keel of the boat; its recovery being assured when the boat arrived in middle end position, which can be detected by the movement of the actuators operation of the positioning posts.

In the middle position of the boat, the trolley can then start its upward movement according to arrow F5 in Figure 10D, being for example driven by cable from an electric winch, possibly with return pulleys.

This carriage 6 rises initially, parallel to the quay. He negotiates the change between the ramp or vertical section 4 and the horizontal section 12 without change the horizontality of the support structure of boat 13, thanks to the junction specific 14 of the rails and the arrangement of its wheels 15 illustrated by FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C, as well as FIGS. 8A and 8B.

In these figures we see that each rail of the railway constituting the path of carriage 6 guide consists of two sections, a displacement section substantially horizontal 12 at the platform or the parking area, and a substantially vertical section 4 forming the lifting or lowering ramp of the carriage down to the level below the water.

The horizontal section 12 ends at the base of the lifting or launching station by a bent part 14 oriented downwards and beyond which the rail extends by the vertical section 4 disposed laterally relative to the section 12; the contiguous ends of the two sections being integral but located in planes parallel vertical neighbors.

The vertex 4a of this vertical section follows an curvature of equal radius of curvature to the radius of curvature of the external convex surface 12a of said upper elbow (FIG. 8A).

The rails support three undercarriages, i.e. on each side a crew of three wheels or rollers coming from the carrying structure of the carriage, including a first bearing 15a positioned to come to bear on the upper face of the horizontal rail 12, a second bearing 15b capable of carrying on the underside of said rail 12 the axis of this second bearing being longitudinally offset from the vertical of the first bearing 15a in a direction opposite to the center of gravity of the carriage, the latter thus resting in its course on section 12 cantilevered on the two bearings 15a, 15b

Each crew is carried by axes extending on each side from a block 16a carriage carrier and each crew has a third bearing 15c or roller lowering positioned under and directly above the upper bearing 15a and so that when this upper bearing approaches the entry of the convex curve 12a formed by the terminal bend of the first section 12, the said lower bearing 15c comes to bear on the entry of the curvature 4a formed by the top of the section 4, the carriage being subsequently supported cantilevered on the descent section 4 by the second and third bearings 15b, 15c, while remaining parallel to itself on the two routes (Figures 7A, 7B and 7C).

These rollers or cylindrical bearings can be carried by a cheek or vertical side lateral coming from the structure of the carriage being oriented towards the center of the carriage, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, mounted on axes extending laterally towards the exterior from a block 6a secured to the structure of the carriage. The bandages of bearings 15a and 15c are laterally offset from each other to come wear on the load-bearing faces of sections 12 and 4 respectively, which are offset as previously explained; the tire of the rear bearing 15b is provided with a generator double that of others, to allow it to carry successively on the rear faces of sections 12 then 4.

An alternative embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 7D, allows positioning in a same vertical plane of the horizontal sections represented at 212 in this figure and vertical referenced 204; the faces of the elbows and the rollers receiving the same references as in the preceding FIGS. 7a-7C. We see according to this figure 7D that in the context of this variant the base of the bend in section 212 is interrupted at a distance from the bent apex 4a of section 204; this free space will allow the passage of the bearing 15c, coming to seek its support on the inlet of the elbow 4a. when the upper bearing 15a approaches the elbow 12a; and for this purpose this interruption between the neighboring ends of sections 212 and 204 are in line with the horizontal path of bearing 15c.

The two sections 212 and 204 are joined together by a third section of lateral rail 214 forming a spacer or splint and disposed on a lateral blank common to the two rails. This section 214 serves as a bearing wall for the bearing 15 b, during the passage on the elbow, avoiding a tilting of the assembly overhanging and at this effect, as previously the generator of the bearing 15 b is at least double of that of bearings 15a and 15c, to allow successive pressing on the rear faces sections 212 and 214 during the transition then 204.

The geometry of the elbow terminating section 12 (or 212) is illustrated in Figure 8A, in which is shown in solid lines a crew formed by the three bearings previously described, in the position of the carriage approaching the transition elbow between the successive routes on sections 12 and 4. In dotted lines are represented these same bearing at the end of the transition and approaching their vertical course in section 4.

The carrying trolley, in particular of the boat, must remain constantly horizontal in these two routes, the elbow 14 is provided according to the invention having a convex external curvature 12a and an internal concave curvature 12b as described below: to obtain the constant horizontality of the carriage, agrees that the latter remains constantly parallel to itself, which applies therefore first to each crew formed from the side bearings.

In the example described, the upper face of section 12 is given a curvature downward 12a of radius R1; this value can be arbitrary being reminded that this radius preferably, for a smooth transition, at least equal to the diameter of the bearings. In the example described these bearings, formed of cylindrical rollers are of equal radii, for simplification of calculations and presentation.

The crew of the three rollers is presented, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, with the axes of bearing arranged at the angles of an equilateral right triangle. The hypotenuse (center distance 15a-15c) is arranged vertically, the sides, i.e. the center distances 15a-15b and 15b-15c each form an angle of 45 ° with the vertical hypotenuse.

To allow the bearings and the carriage to negotiate the passage on the elbow 14 It is therefore appropriate that the triangle (above referred to) formed by the three rolling axes remains parallel to itself throughout the passage on the elbow, as illustrated in the Figure 8B.

For this purpose in the first place the curvature 4a at the top of the section 4 has been provided, as previously explained, with the same radius of curvature R1 as the curve 12a; thus during their twin journeys the bearings 15a and 15c will follow paths such as that their center distance will remain of fixed length and parallel to itself (Figure 8A).

Secondly and still considering FIG. 8A, the configuration given to the concave internal curvature 12b of the rail 12 also allows this autoparallelism of the center distance 15a-15b to be maintained. The condition is that the arc Ab, representing the path of the axis of the rolling of the roller 15b is parallel and therefore the same radius as the arc Aa. The value of the radius R3 of this arc Aa is equal to the radius R1 of the curve 12a, increased by the radius r of the roller 15a. To obtain an arc Ab equal to the arc Aa, the internal curvature 12b of the rail 12 must therefore have a radius R2 equal to R3 increased by r , since the axis of the bearing 15b moves at a distance r from its bearing surface (formed by the concave curve 12b). It follows that we will adopt for the value R2 of the radius of this concave curve 12B of the elbow a value equal to the radius R1 of the convex curve 12a, increased by 2 r . This in the case where the bearings 15a and 15b are of identical radius, as in the present example; otherwise the value of the radii of the said bearings will be added to the value R1.

Along the horizontal course, on section 12, the carriage carrying the boat hauled from the lifting station, passes in front of a ramp fitted with sprinklers 19 positioned on either side of the rails, to rinse the boat.

Preferably the support means of the boat within the carriage are carried by a plate pivotally mounted along a vertical axis 17 (fig 4) on the fixed structure of the trolley; thus in its approach movement towards the transfer point 16, and according to the layout of the chosen places, the boat can thus be pivoted along this axis17 in order to to present the rear of the boat to the second storage cart 18 or to a transfer or parking space

The second carriage 18 is dedicated exclusively to parking storage.
At the transfer point 16 connecting the running rails of the two carriages, the storage cart 18 takes the boat placed on the lifting cart 6 by advancing its telescopically horizontal sliding arms 25 under the boat, and lifting it slightly to release it. This storage cart includes safety sensors and locating the positioning of the boat. The electric motors for moving this storage cart are controlled and controlled by the same computer (1) as the lifting cart. Said storage trolley mounts the boat to the desired level thanks to a cage 21 of the elevator type; the trolley assembly 18 and its upward cage can pivot 360 °, on the central axis 20 (fig 2), thus making it possible to place the boat, whatever the shape of the storage structure, facing a radial location 22.

Horizontal sliding arms 25 associated with mechanical operating means are carried on this storage cart; these arms are able to move the boat to inside the storage structures 22. They descend slightly inside the the cage 21) thus depositing the boat on its support inside the space of storage, then retract to disengage and then the carriage 18 can start again wait at transfer point 16.

Parking storage structures can be tiered on multiple levels straight (fig6) or circular in the shape of a maritime lighthouse (fig5), open or protected from the weather. If the structure is straight (fig6), the lift cage 21 is moves on longitudinal rails, lower 26 and upper 27.

Conversely, to put a boat afloat, the yachtsman is identified by the reader code dedicated to the float 23, and the system performs the maneuver in order opposite to that described above by moving from the parking on the cart 18, then on the lift / float cart 16, which moves the boat up to the foot of section 4 where the boat emerges from the carriage by simple floatation; the microprocessor for programming the movement of the carriage 16, informed about the draft of the boat and the instantaneous level of the flow of water, is able to slow down the movement of the carriage from the start of immersion, then stop the movement after floating of the boat. As soon as his boat floats, the boater advance and leave the launch site as soon as possible so as not to annoy other users. It may eventually go to dock nearby for a few moments at an embarkation / disembarkation pontoon 24, located nearby.

For safety, switches of the “punch” type, allow at any time to stop the machine manually. Abnormal operation information is systematically transmitted to the managing microprocessor, and visually signaled or otherwise at a watch and surveillance post. A connected telephone set directly to the management center makes it possible to respond to the possible problem of boater.

For very large installations, and in order to make the system even faster, a another line of rails can be installed to connect transfer point 16 and the pontoon afloat 3. In this case, a carriage similar to the carriage 6 but simplified, borrows this line and drops boats afloat only.

Possibly the rails connecting the transfer station 16 to the lifting / floating stations can be arranged in an inclined plane, for example close to 45 °, instead of the rails successively vertical and horizontal 4 and 12.

The above description helps to understand the operation and the advantages installation practices for the user

The various automated handling operations are entrusted to two trolleys complementary. This principle significantly reduces the wait for a afloat or parking, compared to the dry port of the prior art.

This machinery makes it possible to automatically rotate the boat in order to orient it 90 ° relative to the docking pontoon, and eliminates the danger of human intervention afloat for this delicate maneuver.
This machinery is removable and movable. It does not create real estate. It is simply placed on the ground and on running rails, on the edge of an existing quay or on the bank of a navigable watercourse.
The general shape of the various self-supporting metal structures can be straight or circular. The circular shape makes it possible to use the aspect of maritime lighthouse, and thus favors an almost natural integration in a navigable environment.
The structure can be embellished by a decorative cover, flexible or rigid, which will also have a role of protection against bad weather and various aggressions.
This machinery is controlled on site by microcomputer, but can be managed remotely, by telephone line. It increases the performance, quality and reliability of the service.

The rails which bring the boat to the storage structures can be placed at several meters high; this makes it possible to overcome various obstacles and to maintain the parking enclosure is permanently closed to increase intrusion security. During its displacement the boat can be rinsed by sprinklers placed on its passage.

Automated machinery consists of several complementary elements.
A microcomputer controls and organizes: the logic of all the maneuvers, the operation of the electric motors, the various positioning probes, the mechanical detection and safety systems. It identifies the user by a code, linked to the parking space, to be typed on a keyboard or written on a card using barcode, magnetic stripe, computer chip, or other technology. This code is assigned, validated or invalidated by another computer management system, which can be external, linked by telephone line, which can group several other PLCs remotely. Cameras can be connected to this system for monitoring.

The foregoing description has been given by way of non-limiting example only and may, from the data described, carry out various variants and embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (19)

Port device for the mechanical movement of boats, in particular pleasure craft, between a lifting / floating position and a parking space within an out-of-water parking assembly, characterized in that it comprises: a) at least one motorized lifting trolley (6) suitable for gripping and moving a boat from its floating position at said lifting station (2) to an intermediate transfer station (16) or a parking space (22); b) means for positioning and immobilizing the boat arranged on said carriage; c) means for guiding (4, 12,) the movement of said carriage, such as rails, one lower end of which extends below the water level allowing said carriage to position itself, being submerged, directly above the station lifting / afloating and allowing the positioning of the boat in flotation above the said means of rest arranged on the carriage; d) means for detecting and identifying the user or the boat to be moved, and means for identifying the instantaneous positioning of the carriage and; e) means for remote control of the operation of the displacement motors of said carriage; f) logical means such as a microprocessor suitable for entering, from said detection means, and processing the data relating to the identification of the boat to be moved or of a user, to the instantaneous positioning of the boat or of the carriage and able to manage the operation of the said electric motors and the movement of the carriage accordingly. Device according to claim 1 and further characterized in that it comprises a second motorized trolley or storage trolley (18) suitable for gripping a boat brought by said first trolley (6) to a transfer station ( 16) and to bring it by moving on guide means to a final parking location (22) this second carriage being provided with mobile support means suitable for ensuring the taking over of the boat from its position on the said first carriage to a rest position at the final parking location. Device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the logical management means are suitable for entering and recording the free / occupied situation of the parking spaces within the parking assembly, and in determining the choice of a free location and to direct the carriage carrying the boat towards said location, said means being able to memorize and display the agreement between the reference assigned to a boat and the reference of the location which receives it Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifting carriage (6) comprises support, guiding and centering means, and in particular a) lower side members (13, 113) arranged on either side of the 'location of the keel of the boat and suitable for receiving the rest of the lower side walls of the hull in the carried position of the boat; b) substantially vertical lateral posts (110a, 110b, 111a, 111b), arranged in pairs on each side of the receiving axis of the boat, the posts of the same couple being symmetrically movable in a transverse direction between a position erasing device and a central position resting on the side walls of the boat, these posts being able to come into their centripetal course conjugate immobilizing the boat on its two lateral sides in the middle position on the carriage, above the said support beams Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a substantially vertical and motorized post (115) capable of pushing the boat transversely and at first pressing it against the posts of the carriage close to the bank to allow the 'personnel evacuation; and the carriage also comprises means for reading signs, such as bar code, bearing identification of the incoming boat, as well as a member for entering instructions or commands available to the user. Device according to claim 1, further characterized in that the guide means of the first lifting carriage (6) consist of lateral rails (4, 12) cooperating with rolling means coming from the carriage and able to ensure successive movement upward movement of the carriage supporting the boat from its floating position at the lifting station (2) to a higher upper position at the quay supporting the parking unit, then the movement of the carriage and the boat in translation substantially horizontal to a transfer station (16) or to its parking location (22), the cart and boat remaining constantly in a horizontal position. Device according to claim 5 and characterized in that each of the side rails has two sections, namely a first section (12, 212) substantially horizontal coming from the transfer station or parking space and ending in line with the lifting station by a curved part defining a downward-facing bend, the base of said bend is extended by a second section (4, 204) of the rail with a substantially vertical axis and ending under the lowest water level to allow immersion of the carriage and the floating insertion of the boat above the carriage, the said second section 4 is integral with the curved end of the first section, the top of this second section follows a curvature with a radius of curvature equal to that of the curving followed by the upper face of said first section in its bent part, the rails support three undercarriages, either on each side a crew of three wheels or gal ets come from the carrier structure of the carriage, including a first bearing (15a) positioned to come to bear on the upper face of the horizontal rail (12), a second bearing (15b) adapted to bear on the underside of said rail (12) the axis of this second bearing being offset longitudinally relative to the vertical of the first bearing (15a) in a direction opposite to the center of gravity of the carriage, the latter thus resting in its path on the section (12) cantilevered on the two bearings (15a, 15b), each crew comprises a third bearing (15c) or down roller positioned under the upper bearing (15a) and in such a way that when this upper bearing approaches the entry of the convex curvature (12a ) formed by the terminal bend of the first section (12), the said lower bearing (15c) comes to bear on the entry of the curve (4a) formed by the top of the section (4), the carriage being by the continued supported in rte false on the descent section (4) by the second and third bearings (15b, 15c), while remaining parallel to itself on the two courses. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the radius R2 of curvature of the curvature (12b) concave (internal) of the terminal bend of the section (12) is equal to the radius (R1) of curvature of the curvature (12a ) convex (external) of said elbow, increased by the sum of the radii ( r ) of the first (15a) and second (15b) bearings, so that along the course of the first and second bearings on their respective face of the elbow section (12) the positioning of the center distance of the two bearings remains parallel to itself maintaining the carriage in a constant horizontal position. The device of claim 6 further characterized in that the axes of the sections (12) and (4) form an angle of 90 ° therebetween, said sections being of equal thickness, the three bearings are of equal radius and the center distance of first (15a) and second (15b) bearings on the one hand and center distance of second (15b) and third (15c) bearings on the other hand, form an angle of 45 ° with the vertical center distance of the first ( 15a) and third bearing (15c). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the operation of the lifting carriage (6) is controlled by an electric winch connected to said carriage by a traction and return cable. Variant embodiment of the device of claim 5, characterized in that the guide rails of the lifting carriage follow a straight course in inclined plane from the lifting / floating station to the level of the quay supporting the parking unit . The device of claim 4, further characterized that the means boat supports, such as the side members (13,113) are carried by a plate swivel intermediate allowing to modify the positioning of the axis of the boat in relation to the carriage and in particular to bring it into a collinear position at the axis of movement of the carriage, to possibly facilitate its evacuation at the post transfer station or parking space. Device according to claim 2 characterized in that the second trolley or storage trolley (18) comprises gripping means consisting of parallel and telescopic horizontal arms (25) mechanically operated and able to pass from a retracted position to an active position d 'engagement under the sides of the boat for gripping and immobilization of the latter then supported by said second carriage, said arms then being suitable, the storage trolley having arrived opposite the desired free space, to be carried the boat above its receiving cradle within the said location and to deposit it there. Device according to claim 2 further characterized in that the second trolley or storage trolley (18) cooperates with displacement means in a horizontal plane, such as rails receiving rolling means coming from said trolley, for its translation horizontal from the transfer station to a free location on the same level as the transfer station, in particular in the case of a straight parking unit with two rows of parking spaces, or box, along a central aisle . The device of claim 2, further characterized in that the second cart or storage cart (18) cooperates with vertical displacement means (21) capable of elevating said cart and the supported craft to a level higher than that from the transfer station, in the case of high-level parking spaces. Device according to claim 14 or claim 15, characterized in that the second cart or storage cart (18) is provided with means (20) allowing the angular pivoting through 360 ° of the gripping means and of the supported craft, allowing the orientation of the boat facing the waiting parking space. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9 above, characterized in that it comprises logic means for the management of the locations and movements of the parked boats, in particular a microprocessor capable of memorizing from the output movements the free places to direct incoming boats and to memorize the location of each parked boat with a view to its subsequent exit; the microprocessor being further able to memorize the codes corresponding to the identification of a user or a boat. Device according to claim 10, further characterized in that said microprocessor comprises a program for managing and controlling the movements of the carriages (6, 18) from the reception and recording of the orders entered from a user, the microprocessor is further associated with identification members of said user, so that the user is able after his identification to trigger the operations either to park the boat, from the lifting station, or to reset stream from the location, temporary or permanent, of the corresponding boat's parking. Variant of the device according to claim 2, further characterized in that it further comprises a third carriage assigned to the sole release afloat and capable of apprehending, immobilizing and taking charge of the outgoing boat at the transfer station and at the convey to a float station, by rolling and guiding means descending for this purpose up to the level of the flow of water.

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