Ship hull cleaning apparatus and method of use
An apparatus and method for cleaning a ship hull includes a support frame, at least one articulated arm installed on the support frame having a plurality of members interconnected by hinge connections, a hydraulic cylinder mounted between respective ones of the members about each hinge connection, and a brush head assembly mounted at the free end of the articulated arm so as to be positionable by the articulated arm against the ship hull. The apparatus is installed on a carrier such as a boat. The brush head assembly may include one, two, or three or more brush drums rotatably mounted within a yoke that is installed on the free end of the articulated arm. A monitoring device and a pressure nozzle are mounted on or about the brush head assembly to cooperate in monitoring the location and movement of the assembly relative to the ship hull.
This application is a follow-on application to U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/232,027 filed Sep. 12, 2001, and entitled “Improved Ships Hull Cleaning System.” The contents of the aforementioned application are incorporated by reference herein.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCEApplicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference, any and all U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents and printed matter cited or referred to in this application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cleaning devices, and more particularly to ship hull cleaning devices.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Sierra et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,692 describes a device for cleaning immersed surfaces comprising a supporting structure carrying rotary circular brushes for cleaning the surface and wheels for moving the device on the surface. When rotated the brushes produce a force of attraction towards the surface. Transmission means, for example, calibrated springs, transmit to the wheel a predetermined part of the force of attraction so that the force with which the brushes are pressed against the surface is diminished and the adhesion of the wheels to the surface is ensured.
Maasberg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,944 describes a device for cleaning surfaces which extend in a vertical plane and particularly ship's sides, tank walls and similar surfaces which are made of ferromagnetic material, comprises a lifting mechanism which has roller means permitting it to run along a ship's railing or similar structure adjacent the top of the surface to be cleaned. The lifting mechanism includes one or more winding drums or hoists, which carry support line means which extend from the lifting mechanism to a carrier for a cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus advantageously includes a housing having an undercarriage, which is movable along the surface to be cleaned and which includes magnetic means for causing an attraction between the carrier and the surface to be cleaned so that the carrier is held thereagainst during the cleaning operation. The cleaning apparatus advantageously comprises a cleaning spray beam which extends substantially horizontally and which has one or more spray nozzles along its length for the spraying outwardly of a cleaning agent, such as a liquid, or for applying a sand-blasting action or a cleaning substance against the surface to be cleaned. The support line means advantageously comprises at least a flexible conduit, which permits the support of the carrier as well as the transmission of a fluid to the spray, which is mounted on the carrier. The flexible conduit is advantageously connected to a high pressure pump for supplying the liquid or similar substance to the carrier at its location along the surface to be cleaned and the hoisting means is effective to move the carrier upwardly and downwardly as the lifting mechanism is advanced along the length of the surface.
Wickersham, U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,440 describes a boat cleaning apparatus comprising framework for suspending a boat in the air, a frame having rotatable brushes positioned to clean a portion of the length of the sides and bottom of the boat, spray nozzles attached to the frame for directing an aqueous acid solution or steam against the boat, and wheels supporting the frame and enabling the frame to be moved along the length of the boat. The brushes rotate as the frame is moved along the length of the boat and thereby clean the full length of the sides and bottom of the boat.
Sabella, U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,047 describes a device for cleaning the bottom of a boat or the like while the boat is afloat in the water comprising a pair of rods pivotally connected at corresponding end, a cleaning member pivotally connected to the end of one rod and an adjustable clamp for setting a desired angular position between the rods. Stabilizing members assist in aligning the cleaning member with the surface of the boat.
Norris et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,477 describes a device for progressively cleaning the hull of a boat being moved forwardly along a prescribed path. The device includes a submersed stationary support frame. A hull-cleaning framework is mounted to the support frame and is elevationally movable thereon between a partially submerged operative condition, and an above surface inoperative condition. A number of brush supporting arms are pivoted on the hull cleaner framework and extend along the path of a boat through the device at their outer ends. The arms are biased inwardly toward the path for yieldably urging the rotating brushes against the boat hull regardless of its configuration. The device will automatically adapt itself to a wide variety of powerboat and sailboat hull shapes. Vertical brushes are provided to clean the downwardly projecting keels of sailboats. Transverse bottom, intermediate and side brushes are independently pivoted to accommodate sailboat hulls or many other forms of boat hulls. The keel, bottom, intermediate and side brushes transversely overlap each other to clean adjoining longitudinal sections of a boat hull regardless of the hull shape.
Oram, U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,328 describes a cleaning device for removing foulant from the hull of a sea going vessel comprising a carriage, a plurality of cleaning nozzles secured to the carriage, a reactor nozzle aligned to produce a reactive force which opposed the force component of the cleaning nozzles which tends to urge the carriage away from the hull of a ship, and control members for displacing the carriage across the hull surface of the vessel. The control member can be flexible, in which case the reactor nozzle is also aligned to tension the control members. In any case, the control members provide remote control of the carriage throughout a regular pattern of predetermined paths.
Burgers et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,344 describes a device for scrubbing marine growth from the submerged portion of a boat hull; said device being particularly concerned with manual operation by one person from deck or dockside and comprising an operator's guidance handle attached to a flexible arm to which is fastened on its underside, surface-seeking-flotation and to its upper surface, scrubbing material which when moved about on the submerged portions of a boat's hull scrubs therefrom unwanted marine growth.
Feurt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,078 describes a floating small boat cleaning facility formed from a floating dock assembly having a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending side walls, a front entrance end wall, a rear exit end wall, a bottom wall, and a top wall spaced downwardly from the top edge of the side walls, to form a buoyancy chamber. The outside surface of the side walls have brackets to receive anchor pilings that have their bottom ends secured to the sea bottom. The front end wall and the rear end wall have a cutout portion formed adjacent their top edge and a plurality of vertically oriented strips of flexible material have their bottom ends attached to this top edge to form an entrance curtain and an exit curtain through which boats may pass. The curtains have structure for maintaining them in a floating substantially vertical orientation. As a boat passes through the entrance curtain, its presence is detected and signals are transmitted to the central control and computer room, which controls the drive wheels that carry the boat through the floating dock assembly. As the boat progresses through the floating dock assembly, its presence is further detected which causes the brush wheel assemblies to be actuated for cleaning the water surface area of the boat.
Nellessen, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,894 describes a trolley to convey brushes for cleaning a stationary hull that is drawn along the bottom and sides of the hull. Brushes are supported by variable buoyancy chambers to make the biasing of the brushes against the hull also in turn variable. The trolley can be supported and stored in a dock or alternatively supported by a floating platform. There is an electrical motor drive for a chain, which pulls the trolley. A diesel prime mover may be used in the floating platform to generate power for the electric motor chain drive and for the submersible motors.
Sterling, U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,533 describes a boat brush for cleaning the submerged portion of the hull. The brush has a high degree of structural strength, adequate clearance during operation as no part of the brush frame will make unwanted contact with the hull, and the brush contacts all of the hull with a two position locking brush head.
Rogers, U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,222 describes a device for in-water cleaning of a ship's hull. The device includes a body having inboard and outboard faces joined by a peripheral side, the faces having coaxial central apertures which are joined to form a central opening through the body, in which is mounted a hydraulic motor-driven propeller. The propeller maintains the device in contact with the hull during cleaning. There are detachable wheel modules recessed into the body to propel the device along the hull and a hydraulic motor-driven steering wheel to steer the device. Hydraulically driven cleaners are mounted on the inboard face to clean the hull. There is also a light recessed into the peripheral side to provide illumination to the hull. The device may also include an adjustable buoyancy chamber mounted on the body to provide sufficient buoyancy to the device to enable the device to effectively clean the hull at the waterline. Also disclosed is a unique double bearing for mounting each of the wheels, cleaning means and propeller which prevents hydraulic fluid leakage and permits easy demountable of the compounds.
Maloney et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,452 describes an apparatus that includes a support mechanism for supporting the cleaning apparatus in the body of water, a hull cleaning assembly including a plurality of brush assemblies, and a mechanism for moving the brush assemblies between hull cleaning positions and hull clearing positions. The brush assemblies each have a buoyancy element, a motor supported by the buoyancy element, and a cleaning brush coupled to a drive shaft of the motor. The buoyancy elements of the brush assemblies are hinged together to constitute a unified hull cleaning assembly. The moving mechanism includes a control device for controlling the movement of the brush assemblies. In addition, the moving mechanism includes a plurality of control lines movably engaging the support mechanism. The control lines are connected to the brush assemblies respectively at one end and to the control device at the other end. The support mechanism includes a pulley arrangement rotatably secured therein. The control lines movably engage the support mechanism through the pulley arrangement. Methods are also contemplated by the present invention. These methods comprise the steps of (1) supporting the cleaning apparatus in the body of water; (2) maneuvering the boat hull over the brush assemblies; (3) floating the brush assemblies to a cleaning position around a bottom portion of the boat hull by employing the buoyancy elements of the brush assemblies; and (4) actuating the cleaning brushes of the brush assemblies into a cleaning action by driving the motors of the brush assemblies.
Templet, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,122 describes an apparatus for cleaning ship hulls underwater. A frame is supported by controlled buoyancy tanks, which may be flooded to sink the apparatus beneath a ship, blown to a neutral buoyancy for easy underwater maneuvering, or blown to a positive buoyancy so to adhere against the inverted hull of a ship. The apparatus, when underwater against a hull, rides on two independently powered wheels, which are individually driven by hydraulic motors for individual control by the diver. These wheels, extending above the upper surface of the apparatus in its submerged position, engage the hull, driving the apparatus along the hull. At the forward end of the apparatus is a reciprocating chipper blade, an angled or concave, hardened steel blade driven by a vibratory impact apparatus at a high repetition rate through a very short stroke. The distance of the stroke and the speed of the blade is such that the impact of the blade cleans the hull of the barnacles, but does not exert a rearward force which would overcome the traction of the wheels. The apparatus will clean the hull of marine growth, but does no damage to the hull or to the paint on the hull.
Weber, U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,921 describes a cleaning installation which consists of at least one cleaning roller which can be driven to rotate, is rotatably mounted in a rack and whose roller structures are positioned at least partially below the surface of the water.
Our prior art search with abstracts described above teaches a device for cleaning ship's hulls and other immersed surfaces, a device for cleaning ship's sides, tank walls, and similar surfaces, a boat cleaning machine, a device for cleaning the bottom of a boat, a boat hull cleaning device, a ship hull cleaning device, a floating small boat cleaning facility, a hull cleaner, a boat bottom cleaning device, an apparatus for cleaning of ship hulls, a boat hull cleaning apparatus, an apparatus for cleaning the submerged portion of ship hulls, and a device for external cleaning of ship's hulls, but does not teach a ship hull cleaning apparatus and method of use comprising an articulated arm that is dynamically adjustable and has a brush head assembly pivotably mounted on its free end for cleaning the underwater portion of a ship's hull. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
The present invention is an apparatus and method of use for cleaning the underwater portion of a ship hull and includes a support frame, at least one articulated arm installed on the support frame having a plurality of members interconnected by hinge connections, a hydraulic cylinder mounted between respective ones of the members so as to adjust each hinge connection and thus manipulate the arm, and a brush head assembly mounted at the free end of the articulated arm so as to be positionable by the articulated arm against the ship hull. The support frame is rotatably mounted on a base that is installed on a carrier such as a land mass, a pier, a dock, a land vehicle, or a boat, so as to allow for convenient positioning of the apparatus adjacent to the ship to be cleaned. A laterally-extending stand-off arm is mounted on the support frame to safely locate the carrier adjacent to and spaced from the ship. The brush head assembly may include one, two, or three or more brush drums rotatably mounted within a yoke that is pivotably installed on the free end of the articulated arm. A monitoring device is mounted on or about the brush head assembly to monitor the location and movement of the assembly relative to the ship hull. A pressure nozzle is also mounted on or about the brush head assembly to cooperate with the brush drums in removing debris from the ship hull and in clearing the area for better monitoring by the monitoring device.
In use, the ship and the ship hull cleaning apparatus of the present invention are located adjacent to and spaced from one another. The articulated arm is then manipulated to position the brush head assembly underwater in the vicinity of the ship hull. The hydraulic cylinder system installed on the articulated arm cooperates with the monitoring device under the direction of a control device in the nature of a control loop so as to dynamically and automatedly position the articulated arm so that the brush head assembly is in contact with the underwater hull. The brush drums mounted within the brush head assembly are then rotated to clean the underwater hull. The pressure nozzle may also be activated to remove debris loosened by the brush drums.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide such an invention with an articulated arm capable of positioning a brush head assembly mounted on the free end of the arm in contact with the underwater portion of a ship's hull for cleaning.
A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of dynamic adjustment of the location and movement of the brush head assembly.
A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of automated adjustment of the location and movement of the brush head assembly.
A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of installation on a number of carriers for convenient location of the invention adjacent to a ship to be cleaned.
A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of safely locating the invention adjacent to and spaced from a ship to be cleaned.
A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of improved removal of debris from a ship hull.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:
The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention in at least one of its preferred embodiments, which is further defined in detail in the following description.
The present invention is a ship hull cleaning apparatus 10 generally comprising a support frame 20, at least one articulated arm 40 configured having a plurality of members 42 interconnected by hinge connections 44 and installed on the support frame 20 so as to have a free end 46, hydraulic cylinders 48 mounted between respective members 42 of the articulated arm 40 for dynamically adjusting the hinge connections 44, and a brush head assembly 60 mounted at the free end 46 of the articulated arm 40 so as to be positionable by the articulated arm 40 against the ship hull 102 for cleaning. As shown in
Turning now to
In use, the cleaning apparatus 10 is first located adjacent to a ship 100 to be cleaned. When the apparatus 10 is installed on a carrier 90 such as a boat, the apparatus may be brought to the ship 100, rather than bringing the ship 100 to the cleaning apparatus 10, enabling the cleaning of a ship anchored at sea or in a harbor far from a dock or pier. This is particularly advantageous for cleaning large tankers and cargo ships that are not easily, and sometimes not possibly, brought in to port. Even when installed on a land mass, pier, dock, or land vehicle, the cleaning apparatus 10 of the present invention serves the beneficial purpose of cleaning a ship hull 102 without having to take the ship 100 out of the water, thereby avoiding the expense and inconvenience of dry docking the ship 100 to clean it. Once the cleaning apparatus 10 is located adjacent to the ship 100, a stand-off arm 26 mounted on the apparatus 10 is extended laterally outwardly so as to contact the ship hull 102 above the water line and thereby safely space the apparatus 10 from the ship 100. Because the ship 100 and the carrier 90, even anchored, will be bobbing in the water and moving relative to one another during cleaning, the stand-off arm 26 is further provided with a roller 28 on its distal end so as to make rolling contact with the ship hull 102 and further protect it. Multiple stand-off arms 26 may also be provided to better keep the ship 100 and the carrier 90 spaced safely from each other along their respective entire lengths. With the apparatus 10 thus safely positioned adjacent to the ship 100, the cleaning process can begin. The articulated arm 40 is maneuvered into the water between the carrier 90 and the ship 100 so as to generally orient the brush head assembly 60 toward the underwater portion of the ship hull 102. In the preferred embodiment, the location of the brush head assembly 60 relative to the ship hull 102 is monitored in real time through a monitoring device 74 such as a sensor, motion detector, or camera. This real-time positioning data can be provided to a control device (not shown) such as a computer or processor, which control device may then in automated fashion control the movement of the articulated arm 40 by specifically controlling the hydraulic cylinders 48 installed along the arm about the hinge connections 44 between the arm's members 42. In this way, a control loop is established between the monitoring device 74 and the control device so as to dynamically manipulate the articulated arm 40 through the hydraulic system. It will be appreciated that numerous types and configurations of such control loop systems may be employed in the present invention for providing automation of the movement and positioning of the articulated arm 40. Through such real-time, dynamic control and manipulation, the brush head assembly 60 is ultimately brought into contact with the underwater portion of the ship 102 as shown in
While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that the inventor(s) believe that the claimed subject matter is the invention.
Claims
1. An apparatus for cleaning a ship hull, comprising:
- a support frame;
- at least one articulated arm installed on the support frame so as to have a free end, the articulated arm having a plurality of members arranged end-to-end and interconnected by hinge connections;
- means for dynamically adjusting the hinge connections mounted between respective ones of the members; and
- a brush head assembly mounted at the free end of the articulated arm so as to be positionable by the articulated arm against the ship hull; wherein the brush head assembly is configured with opposing foot plates that are substantially triangular in shape, the yoke being mounted on the free end of the articulated arm so as to pivot substantially about the centers of the respective foot plates; and
- three brush drums are mounted within the yoke between the foot plates substantially at respective corners of the foot plates and in a substantially parallel, spaced-apart arrangement, the yoke being freely pivotable such that two of the three brush drums are substantially in contact with the ship hull during cleaning.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one stand-off arm mounted on the support frame so as to extend laterally therefrom to space the apparatus from the ship hull during cleaning.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the stand-off arm is formed on a distal end with a roller configured to make rolling contact with the ship hull.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support frame provides a means for mounting the support frame on a base installed on a carrier, the carrier being selected from the group consisting of a land mass, a pier, a dock, a land vehicle, and a boat.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the frame is enabled for rotation relative to the base.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the apparatus is configured with a counterweight positioned for counterbalancing a weight and a movement of the articulated arm so as to stabilize the frame.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adjusting means is selected from the group consisting of at least one hydraulic cylinder, hydraulic ram, hydraulic motor, pneumatic cylinder, pneumatic ram, pneumatic motor, and a motor.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a means for monitoring positions of the brush head assembly.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the monitoring means is selected from the group consisting of a sensor, a motion detector, and a camera.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the articulated arm includes three members, each such member being at least three feet in length.
11. (canceled)
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the yoke is configured for mounting two brush drums in a substantially parallel, spaced-apart arrangement.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein a means for dynamically pivoting the yoke about the free end of the articulated arm is mounted therebetween, the pivoting means being operable to selectively pivot the yoke such that the two brush drums are substantially in contact with the ship hull during cleaning.
14. (canceled)
15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one pressure nozzle mounted on the brush head assembly and positioned so as to selectively direct a pressure spray toward the ship hull substantially adjacent to the brush head assembly.
16-20. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 10, 2004
Publication Date: Sep 15, 2005
Inventor: William Ecklund (Pahrump, NV)
Application Number: 10/798,528