To connect float modules to each other and/or to an assembly and/or to a superstructure mounted onto them, for pontoons constructed of float modules

Abstract

In summation, the invention is a design to connect float modules (2) to each other and/or to assembly units and/or to the superstructure. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is applied for pontoons (1) constructed of concrete float modules (2), where prismatic float modules (2) minimally include a monolithic upper plate (3), side walls (4) and/or frame units (6) arranged along the edges (5) of the float module (2) and float modules (2) are fixed to each other by means of longitudinal tension units (15) led through said float modules (2). For tension units (15), boreholes (8) are created in the side walls (4) or the frame units (6) of the float module (2) minimum at the edges (5) of the upper plate of the prism, intersecting the prism and running parallel with the edges (5). In particular cases, directional recesses (14) are created around the exit holes (9) of boreholes (8) with skew axes (Tx, Ty, Tz), running in different directions and meeting in the corners of float modules (2). Into the directional recesses (14) between the float modules (2), resilient directional spacers (16) are inserted. Directional spacers (16) have boreholes that contain the relevant tension units (15). In present invention, at least the surfaces with the boreholes (8) for the tension units (15) are equipped with rigid corner elements (11) at the corners of the float module (2) where the impact resistance and compressive strength of the material of the corner elements (11) exceed those of the material of the float module (2); boreholes (13) are created for the exit holes (9) in the corner elements (11); the directional recesses (14) sunk into corner elements (11) are shaped as truncated cones tapering inwards and the envelope of directional spacers (16) has the same shape as that of the directional recess (14), two truncated cones with their bases facing each other.

Claims

1. A structure to connect float modules to each other for creating pontoons constructed of concrete float modules, comprising a plurality of prismatic float modules, each prismatic float module of the plurality of prismatic float modules including at least a monolithic upper plate, side walls and a frame unit arranged to form a plurality of edges of said each of said plurality of prismatic float modules, each of said prismatic float modules of the plurality of prismatic float modules [ [ are]] fixed to at least one other prismatic float module of the plurality of prismatic float modules by means of a longitudinal tension unit led through said plurality of prismatic float modules in one of the boreholes created for said longitudinal tension unit in said monolithic upper plate of each of said prismatic float modules at least at one of the plurality of said edges of said monolithic upper plate of each of said prismatic float modules, intersecting each of said prismatic float modules and running parallel with one of the plurality of said edges, an axis of at least one of said boreholes oriented in different directions meet in one of corners of each of said prismatic float modules, and directional recesses are created around exit holes of at least one of said boreholes, into which a directional spacer is inserted between each of said prismatic float modules, each said directional spacer comprising at least one of said boreholes for letting through said longitudinal tension unit wherein at least one of said boreholes for said longitudinal tension unit are equally created in said monolithic upper plate, said side walls and said frame unit of each of said prismatic float modules, said axis of at least one of said boreholes oriented in different directions meet in said corner of said corners of each of said prismatic float modules and are being skew, a rigid spatial corner elements surround at least one of said boreholes at each of said corners of each of said prismatic float modules, said rigid spatial corner elements cover one of the plurality of said edges of each of said prismatic float modules, said corner elements are made of an impact resistance material with a compressive strength that exceeds a strength of each of said prismatic float modules, at least one of said boreholes of said corner elements being in coincidence with said exit holes of at least one of said boreholes, said directional recesses having a shape of a truncated cone tapering inwards are sunk into said corner elements, said directional spacers fit into said directional recesses, said directional spacers having a shape complementary to that of said directional recesses, a shape of two truncated cones, with bases facing each other, and wherein each said directional spacer is a body made of resilient material, said body of each said directional spacer forms two truncated cones, with said bases facing each other, and along the Tz axis at least one of said borehole passes through said longitudinal tension unit.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein of at least one of said boreholes for said longitudinal tension unit are equally created in said upper plate, said side walls and said frame unit of each of said plurality of prismatic float modules and one of the plurality of said edges of said upper plate and said side walls meeting in said corner are covered by said corner element in each of said corners of each of said plurality of prismatic float modules.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein a cone angle (ϕ) of said directional recess and each said directional spacer is at least 90°.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein of each said plurality of said prismatic float modules is fixed by said longitudinal tension unit running parallel with said base and said upper plate of each of said plurality of said prismatic float modules and by said tension unit running perpendicular to said upper plate of each of said plurality of said prismatic float modules.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein each of said prismatic float modules is fixed by an expansion fixing unit inserted into at least one of said boreholes created for said longitudinal tension unit.

6. A structure to connect float modules to each other for creating pontoons constructed of concrete float modules, comprising: a plurality of prismatic float modules, each prismatic float module of the plurality of prismatic float modules including at least a monolithic upper plate, side walls and a frame unit arranged to form a plurality of edges of said each of said plurality of prismatic float modules, each of said prismatic float modules of the plurality of prismatic float modules fixed to at least one other prismatic float module of the plurality of prismatic float modules by means of a longitudinal tension unit led through said plurality of prismatic float modules in one of the boreholes created for said longitudinal tension unit in said monolithic upper plate of each of said prismatic float modules at least at one of the plurality of said edges of said monolithic upper plate of each of said prismatic float modules, intersecting each of said prismatic float modules and running parallel with one of the plurality of said edges, an axis of at least one of said boreholes oriented in different directions meet in one of corners of each of said prismatic float modules, and directional recesses are created around exit holes of at least one of said boreholes, into which a directional spacer is inserted between each of said prismatic float modules, each said directional spacer comprising at least one of said boreholes for letting through said longitudinal tension unit wherein at least one of said boreholes for said longitudinal tension unit are equally created in said monolithic upper plate, said side walls and said frame unit of each of said prismatic float modules, said axis of at least one of said boreholes oriented in different directions meet in said corner of said corners of each of said prismatic float modules and are being skew, a rigid spatial corner elements surround at least one of said boreholes at each of said corners of each of said prismatic float modules, said rigid spatial corner elements cover one of the plurality of said edges of each of said prismatic float modules, said corner elements are made of an impact resistance material with a compressive strength that exceeds the strength of each of said prismatic float modules, at least one of said boreholes of said corner elements being in coincidence with said exit holes of at least one of said boreholes, said directional recesses having the shape of a truncated cone tapering inwards are sunk into said corner elements, each said directional spacer fits into said directional recess, each said directional spacer having a shape complementary to that of each said directional recess, a shape of two truncated cones, with bases facing each other, and wherein each said directional spacer is inserted between two adjacent of said plurality of prismatic float modules, in a shape of two truncated cones, with said bases facing each other, and each said directional spacer is fastened into one of each said directional recess.

7. The structure of claim 6, wherein of at least one of said boreholes for said longitudinal tension unit are equally created in said upper plate, said side walls and said frame unit of each of said plurality of prismatic float modules and one of the plurality of said edges of said upper plate and said side walls meeting in said corner are covered by said corner element in each of said corners of each of said plurality of prismatic float modules.

8. The structure of claim 6, wherein a cone angle (ϕ) of each said directional recess and said directional spacer is at least 90°.

9. The structure of claim 6, wherein of each said plurality of said prismatic float modules is fixed by said longitudinal tension unit running parallel with said base and said upper plate of each of said plurality of said prismatic float modules and by said tension unit running perpendicular to said upper plate of each of said plurality of said prismatic float modules.

10. The structure of claim 6, wherein each of said prismatic float modules is fixed by expansion fixing unit inserted into at least one of said boreholes created for said longitudinal tension unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention is described in detail by means of some examples of embodiment represented in the figures attached, where

(2) FIG. 1 is the perspective illustration of a section of the pontoon constructed of the invented float modules;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the vertical cross section of a float module marked as I. in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a magnification of Part II of the float module as illustrated in FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the partial vertical cross section of a float module marked as III. in FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 shows the partial vertical cross section of a float module marked as IV. in FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative to 10 illustrate alternatives to connecting float modules;

(8) FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative to connecting float modules;

(9) FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative to connecting float modules;

(10) FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative to connecting float modules;

(11) FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative to connecting float modules;

(12) FIG. 11 shows the longitudinal cross section of a tool developed to fix superstructures;

(13) FIG. 12 shows an axial cross section of the directional spacer fitted into the invented corner element;

(14) FIG. 13 is the perspective illustration of a part of another embodiment of the invented corner element;

(15) FIG. 14 shows a magnification of Part V of the float module as illustrated in FIG. 13;

(16) FIG. 15 shows the partial vertical cross section of a float module marked as VII. in FIG. 13, and

(17) FIG. 16 shows the partial vertical cross section of a float module marked as VII. in FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(18) FIG. 1 shows a part of a pontoon that is constructed of the invented float modules 2 where the float modules constituting the pontoon are fully identical.

(19) Float modules 2 are shaped as square based prisms. Their design is easily understood from FIGS. 1 and 2. Side walls 4 reaching downwards are attached to the edges of their square shaped upper plate 3. As explained later, even though the upper plate is used as a load bearing surface in the case of float modules with similar designs, upper plates or side walls do not have such an exquisite role in the present invention. The bottom of float modules 2 is opened and their interior is filled with plastic foam 7. If the size of float modules 2 is selected properly, they may be used to construct a pontoon 1 which is easily transported by road and cheap to install.

(20) The walls of pontoon units 2 are relatively thin; however, wall thickness is typically increased at all the edges 5 and also at the lower (free) edges 5 of side walls 4. These reinforced parts together form frame units 6 that, together with the side walls 4 as shear elements, create a thorough, reinforced, rigid frame for float modules 2.

(21) Each frame unit 6 is equipped with a longitudinal borehole 8 that runs at the entire length of the unit. The Tx, Ty or Tz axis of such boreholes 8 is parallel with the edge 5 of the given frame unit 6. The exit holes 9 of boreholes 8 open towards the side walls 4 perpendicular to the given edge 5, the upper plate 3 and that surface of the frame units 6 located at the free edges 5 of side walls 4 that runs parallel with the upper plate 3. Each borehole 8 is lined with a protective pipe 10.

(22) Each corner of the float modules 2 is equipped with a corner element 11 as illustrated in detail by FIGS. 3 and 4. In this embodiment, corner elements 11 are made of stamped steel sheets with three plates 12 which are perpendicular to each other and together form a pyramid-like peak. The external surface of plates 12 fits into the relevant surface of the float modules 2.

(23) Each plate 12 is equipped with a borehole 13 which overlaps with the exit holes 9 of the boreholes opening in the given corner and around which a directional recess 14 is created. The directional recess 14 is essentially shaped as a truncated cone with its base extending towards the external surface of the plate 12 and its axis corresponding to that of the borehole 13. The smaller diameter of said truncated cone is larger than that of the borehole 13, hence the surface of the directional recess 14 is even around borehole 13. In this embodiment, the cone angle ϕ of the truncated cone is 90°, but it can also be larger. As explained later, a lower value is not recommended as it would eliminate a technological advantage of the invention. Under the directional recesses 14, the float module 2 also has suitable spaces.

(24) Corner elements 11 may be manufactured by technologies other than stamping, for example by various moulding or other forming processes. In such cases, corner elements 11 may have a design other than the sheet shape, for example they may be shaped as slabs.

(25) FIG. 3 illustrates the position of directional recesses 14 in corner elements 11. As illustrated by the figure, if the peak of the corner element 11 is considered as an origin of coordinates “0”, then a distance Xa belonging to the directional recess 14 with an axis Tx and a distance Yb belonging to the directional recess 14 with an axis Ty are identical; however, the difference between the distances Za and Zb exceeds the diameter df (shown in FIG. 4) of the borehole 8. Distances XC and Yc belonging to the directional recess 14 with an axis Tz are identical and smaller than the distances Xa and Yb, while the difference here again exceeds the diameter df. Obviously, the axes Tx, Ty and Tz of the boreholes 8 running into the same corner of the float module 2 form three skew lines. As given by the position of the boreholes 8, the area of plates 12 is more or less the same as the diameter of frame units 6.—The construction design of the pontoon 1 is described by FIG. 5.

(26) Float modules 2 in the number needed to construct the pontoon 1 of the desired size are floated near each other and then the tension units 15 are led through boreholes 8 that are along the same line. Tension units 15 are corrosion protected bars threaded at both ends.

(27) Each tension unit 15 is equipped with a directional spacer 16 positioned between neighbouring float modules 2. Directional spacers 16 are made of a solid, resilient material and their surface forms two truncated cones joined at their bases and having a shape identical to that of directional recesses 14. Accordingly, any given directional spacer 16 will centrally fit into the adjacent directional recesses 14 of neighbouring float modules 2, thus defining the position of said neighbouring float modules 2 and transferring the force generated by the tension unit 15. Also, it transfers shearing forces generated between the float modules 2 and helps in compensating for unequal load distribution and inaccurate fits resulting from size variation, hence improving the size accuracy of the constructed pontoon 1.

(28) The dimensions of directional spacers 16 are defined in a way that the two directional recesses 14 facing each other are completely filled while providing for the desired distance of float modules 2. Due to the principle of constant volume, directional spacers 16 will only allow the further proceeding of float modules 2 to each other by spacers 16 extending into the recesses. Accordingly, the resistance of the system along the axis increases drastically, facilitating the rigid fixing of float modules 2. Resilient directional spacers 16 have a further role in distributing loads between float modules 2.

(29) Once the tension unit 15 has been led through each adjacent float module 2, it is tensed by means of nuts 18 and washers 17 placed into the directional recesses 14 of the external corner units 11 of the two float modules 2 at each end of the structure. This way, the tension unit 15 and the resilience of the directional spacers 16 provide the force necessary to fix float modules 2 to each other.

(30) Steel cables may also be used as tension units 15 instead of the bars described above. They may be tightened by turnbuckles or form-closed joints on one end and on the other end a resilient closing element with lentil shaped spring and valve nut fixing or a hydraulic power cylinder with the tension unit led through it.

(31) As obvious from the description of operation, directional spacers 16 have a double role: they facilitate the solid connection of float modules 2 and they protect the most vulnerable part of float elements 2 from potential damage.

(32) The cone shaped design of directional recesses 14 and directional spacers 16 does not only facilitate the accurate connection of float modules 2. A cone angle ϕ of 90° also facilitates the replacement of a damaged float module 2 located at one of the most vulnerable corners without the need for floating the entire pontoon 1 apart, as once the tension units 15 are pulled out, said damaged unit 2 may be removed diagonally, in parallel with those extreme walls of the 90° ϕ cone angle directional recesses 14 which are more distant from the direction of extraction and lie in the currently horizontal plane, and the new unit 2 may be inserted without moving the other float modules 2. If directional recesses with a smaller cone angle ϕ were used, these walls would lean toward each other, thus preventing the diagonal removal and re-insertion of float module 2.

(33) The new design of float modules 2 significantly increases the number of potential pontoon 1 designs constructed from the float modules. This is due to the previously mentioned fact that the upper plate 3 and the side walls 4 have no specific default position.

(34) In the arrangement shown in FIG. 6, float modules 2 are connected via their vertically positioned upper plates 3. As boreholes 8 are also created parallel with the common edges 5 of side walls 3, float modules 2 may also be accurately connected in this arrangement and fixed by the tension units 15 led through said boreholes 8. This specific design facilitates the construction of pontoons 1 of increased height with an increased load bearing capacity.

(35) Boreholes 8 running parallel with the common edges 5 of side walls 3 also facilitate the connection of float modules 2 as illustrated by FIG. 7. In this case, float modules 2 are placed on each other in two rows and overlapping rows are fixed to each other by the tension units 15 led through said boreholes 8. This also facilitates the construction of pontoons 1 of increased height with an increased load bearing capacity.

(36) By uneven loading, the design shown by FIG. 8 is recommended. This design is essentially identical to the one described above, the only difference being that the height of the pontoon 1 is increased by a second row only where it is justified by increased loads. Obviously, in this case float modules 2 added later are positioned below the coherent field of previously installed float modules.

(37) Another preferred embodiment is the design shown by FIG. 9. A float module 2 is turned with its opened bottom up, the foam filling 7 is removed and the empty float module 2 is fitted into the pontoon 1. This way, a storing unit is inserted into the uniform surface, where the mechanical equipment of the superstructure may be installed for example.

(38) By increasing the dimension of the directional spacer 16 along its axis, the distance between neighbouring float modules 2 may be increased, facilitating the construction of the connection illustrated by FIG. 10, where float modules 2 are accurately positioned at a preset distance from other, forming a flexible structure. This design is recommended for alternatives where units are allowed to turn around an edge at a wide angle.

(39) Boreholes 8 running parallel with the common edges 5 of side walls 3 do not only facilitate the fixing of float modules 2 in a way that diverges from the ordinary, but are also suitable to fix the superstructure. One way of this is to fix the superstructure by means of the tension units 15 led through the aforementioned vertical boreholes 8. Another method is illustrated by FIG. 11. In this alternative, the aforementioned vertical boreholes 8 and the directional recesses 14 surrounding them are used, combined with an expansion fixing unit 19. The expansion fixing unit 19 is constructed of a goblet shaped seat 20—the figure only shows its bottom part as the upper part may have various designs depending on the object fixed and the reason for fixing it—and the split projection 21 connected to it from below. The split projection 21 inserted into the borehole 8 is fixed by the fixing screw 22 and the tension wedge 23 at its end. By these methods, equipment generally needed for navigation may be fixed on float modules 2 such as cleats, skid holders or anchors.

(40) Two corner elements 11 located above each other vertically may be used to fix pool ladders or boat cranes to the pontoon. The upper recesses of two neighbouring corner elements 11 may be used to fix rails for bitts or double cleats. By means of spreaders, a catamaran design may also be developed. If necessary, the pontoon 1 may be equipped with an outboard motor, by means of fixing an outboard motor base on it using neighbouring corner elements 11 and expansion fixing units 19.

(41) The assembly unit and especially the eventual replacement of float modules 2 can be facilitated in the manner shown in FIG. 12. A part of the directional spacer 16 is fastened by gluing on a surface into directional recess 14 of the corner element 11 which houses this part. The permanent fastening of the directional spacer 16 effectively creates male-female sides. This makes it significantly easier to pass through tensioning unit 15 at the junction of float modules 2, which represents a major advantage for connections beneath the water surface. Naturally, since the corresponding corner element 11 of float module 2 must contain an “empty” directional recess 14, a regular system must be designed and followed for gluing.

(42) The alternative presented in FIG. 13-14, which is analogous to the case of directional spacers 16 permanently fastened into corner elements 11, requires more precise manufacturing, but also enables more accurate assembling. As can be seen in FIG. 13 from one, two, or all three plates 12 of corner element 11—depending on the application—a conical form protrudes instead of directional recess 14, whose shape is identical to one half of directional spacer 16, which has the shape of a truncated cone. During the manufacturing of float module 2 the conical form is filled with concrete, thus producing a rigid directional semi-spacer 24. This allows the adjacent float modules 2 to be connected without using the resilient directional spacer 16, completely rigidly and immobilised with respect to each other, which has significance for structures and superstructures mounted onto several float modules 2. The aforementioned favourable properties for disassembly and assembly also apply to this alternative. Naturally, the directional semi-spacers 24 must be arranged with the same regularity for individual float modules 2.

(43) The advantages of the present invention are manifested at several levels.

(44) A favourable basic characteristic of the invention is that corner elements located at the corners of float modules—prisms—, extending into all three directions and comprising cone shaped directional recesses at all three adjacent sides, are able to form connections in all three spatial directions by means of their cone shaped directional spacers and the tension units led through said corner elements.

(45) In a preferred embodiment of the corner element proposed in the present invention, it is suitable to connect modules made of concrete or other materials that are essentially characterised by a high compressive strength and to protect their corners when said corner element is fixed by steel reinforcement and tensioning units are led along edges in protective pipes of high compressive strength that connect/support cone shaped directional recesses. This way, the corner element may be used to connect any types of bodies with a braced shell structure in the case of metal and plastic structures (steel-aluminum, etc., float modules and fibre reinforced etc. float modules, respectively), where said corner elements are made of the own material of float modules by means of reinforcing the corners and connecting is facilitated by tension units led in load carrying pipes in the internal space of units.

(46) Further favourable characteristics of the invention are manifested at installation.

(47) Tension units together with the protective pipes of high compressive strength running in float modules form a Bowden cable-like system, i.e. the tension unit prevents the supporting protective pipe from bending outwards. When float modules are fixed to each other forming a pontoon field, tightened tension units and frame unit-like structures located on the edges and forming a prismatic frame running along the edges of the prism act together as a Bowden cable structure i.e. the tightened tension unit runs very near along the central line (core) of the borehole with a protective pipe that form a frame unit. Similarly to a Bowden cable system, the force system thus created does not allow the bending out of the frame unit, hence increasing the load bearing capacity of the float module.

(48) The tension unit led through the elementary frame units of the chain-like system thus created operates in a similar way, i.e. it provides for the compressive load on elementary frame units even when the relative position of such units shifts like that of the beads in a necklace and the connection facilitated by the cone shaped elements of the connecting system prevent the overlapping of edges and the generation of extra bending moment where the units meet.

(49) Favourable characteristics are also manifested when float modules are assembled to form a pontoon field.

(50) One such further favourable basic characteristic is that thanks to the cone-shaped design of directional recesses and corner elements, corner elements can be connected and detached from the direction of the axis of the cone-shaped directional recess all the way to the direction of the wall of the cone. As a result, following the removal of the inserted tensioning units the float modules previously connected on their two perpendicular sides can be pulled or floated out from the internal corners lying in their plane along the angle bisector (diagonally), and replacement units may be floated to their place in the same way and assembled by re-tightening the tensioning units.

(51) Accordingly, when a float module needs to be replaced or extra float modules installed in an internal corner, it is not needed to disassemble the pontoon field and the favourable characteristics of the tension units described previously may be preserved. It means that a float module located at a given corner of the pontoon field and connected to it via its two adjacent perpendicular sides may be floated out of the field diagonally by disconnecting and partially pulling out the tension units led through it. This is facilitated by the cone shape design of corner elements.

(52) The three favourable characteristics described in the previous sections are also present along the spatial diagonal of the pontoon; that is a float module may be lifted out and removed along its spatial diagonal from its connected position in the inner corner by means of partially pulling out the tension units led through it. This is also facilitated by the cone shaped design of corner elements.

(53) From the above characteristic it follows that the disassembly and assembly of float modules is also possible along the diagonal of the modules. As a result, the float modules of a pontoon field can be floated alongside each other along a greater distance in both directions with respect to each other, all tensioning units and directional spacers can be inserted into the float modules in a single step, and by tightening the tensioning units nearly simultaneously the pontoon field can be stretched to the necessary extent in a single phase. The operation described above can also be carried out in the direction of disassembly, without the complete disassembly of float modules.

(54) Finally, the favourable characteristics described in the previous sections are also present when the pontoon field is constructed by connecting the bottom and upper plates of float modules i.e. when the pontoon constructed includes float modules arranged in one row and the pontoon has increased height.

LEGEND

(55) “O”—origin of coordinates Tx—axis Ty—axis Tz—axis df—diameter xa—distance xb—distance xc—distance ya—distance yb—distance yc—distance za—distance zb—distance zc—distance ϕ—cone angle 1—pontoon 2—float unit 3—upper plate 4—side wall 5—edge 6—frame unit 7—foam filling 8—borehole 9—exit hole 10—protective pipe 11—corner element 12—plate 13—borehole 14—directional recess 15—tension unit 16—directional spacer 17—washer 18—nut 19—expansive fixing element 20—seat 21—split projection 22—fixing screw 23—wedge 24—directional semi-spacer