System for blast-cleaning a barge bottom

Abstract

A system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom providing for safety and avoidance of damage to the barge and to persons, where a barge is blast-cleaned with a blasting tractor having a transverse track beam along which positioning units move blaster heads. In one embodiment, the blasting tractor is controlled by a person in a cab of the blasting tractor, where the operator can see the blaster heads. In another embodiment, the blasting tractor is robotically controlled from a robotic controller which has access to a three-dimensional plan of the barge, communicating with the robotic blasting tractor via RF antennae, and receiving real-time data from sensors located on each blaster head. Optionally, the system for blast-cleaning a barge can provide blaster-head cameras for real-time remote monitoring of operations and for recording of the operations allowing review of any issue, such as damage, that might arise.

Claims

1. A system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom, supported on blocks in a work building, robotically, the system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom comprising: (i) a robotic blasting tractor adapted to move longitudinally along the underside of the barge; (ii) a transverse track beam mounted upon said robotic blasting tractor; (iii) at least one positioning unit adapted to move along said transverse track beam; (iv) at least one blaster head mounted upon a said positioning unit adapted to move with said positioning unit and move relative to said positioning unit; (v) a blaster-head sensor mounted upon each said blaster head, adapted to sense the absolute location and attitude of said blaster head, and sense objects in proximity to said blaster head; (vi) a robotic controller adapted to receive, interpret, and record data from said blaster-head sensor and control the operation of said robotic blasting tractor with reference to a stored three-dimensional plan of the barge and fittings; (vii) an RF antenna mounted upon said robotic controller and said robotic blasting tractor, adapted to facilitate real-time communications; where, in use, said positioning unit with said blaster head is moved along said transverse track beam, and said blaster head is moved in relation to said positioning unit, under the control of said robotic controller using real-time data from said blaster-head sensor with reference to the three-dimensional plan such that all unblocked surfaces of the barge bottom are reached with blast media.

2. The system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of claim 1, further comprising a blaster-head camera.

3. The system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of claim 1, where said blaster-head sensor is further adapted to sense objects through a cloud of blast media.

4. The system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of claim 1, where said blaster-head sensor is further adapted to make sensor readings during pauses between pulses of blasting.

5. The system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of claim 1, where said blaster-head sensor is further adapted to determine absolute location from fixed reference beacons placed inside the work building.

6. The system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of claim 1, further comprising a blaster-head camera, where video from said blaster-head camera is recorded and is combined with recorded data from said blaster-head sensor to provide for a detailed inspection of all surfaces and fittings of the barge bottom before, during, and after blasting.

7. The system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of claim 1, further comprising a blaster-head camera, where video from said blaster-head camera is recorded for later use in analyzing and investigating blasting operations.

8. The system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of claim 1, where the three-dimensional plan of the barge is obtained from an existing outside source.

9. The system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of claim 1, where the three-dimensional plan of the barge is generated from the data obtained by said blaster-head sensors.

10. The system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of claim 1, where said robotic controller prevents said blaster head from making contact with any object sensed by the sensors.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side schematic view of the operation of a first embodiment of the system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a side schematic view of the operation of a second embodiment of the system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a front schematic view of the operation of a first embodiment of the system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a front schematic view of the operation of a second embodiment of the system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of the invention; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a detail schematic view of the blaster head of the system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) Referring to all of the figures generally, the system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom 10, 20 of the invention is shown. A first embodiment 10 of the system provides for control by a human operator within eyesight of the blaster heads. A second embodiment 20 of the system provides for robotic control of the blaster heads.

(8) Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, in a first embodiment 10 of the system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom, a barge is blast-cleaned with a blasting tractor 2 moving longitudinally underneath the barge, between the support blocks. The support blocks are known in the art. The blasting tractor 2 has a transverse track beam 1 along which positioning units 3 move blaster heads 4. The blasting tractor 2 is controlled by a person inside a cab in the tractor, with a view of the transverse track beam 1, positioning units 3, and blaster heads 4. The operator is able to see the position and operation of the blaster heads 4 of the blasting tractor 2. This embodiment requires that the work building be well-ventilated and that the used blast media and removed particles be heavily filtered, in order to allow personnel to work in the building, and to allow the operators to see the blasting operation.

(9) Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, in a second embodiment 20 of the system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom, a robotically controlled robotic blasting tractor 5 is used, having a transverse track beam 1, positioning units 3 and blaster heads 4 like the blasting tractors 2 of the first embodiment. This robotic embodiment does not require personnel to be inside the work building, and therefore does not require ventilation and air filtering.

(10) Each blaster head 4 is provided with a blaster-head sensor 8 which can sense both the absolute position of the blaster head 4 within the whole work building, and can also sense proximate objects such as the structure or underside fittings of the barge. Calculations based on these data can generate a three-dimensional model of the barge and its fittings. The sensors can be a combination of sensor types known in that art, such LIDAR (laser), ultrasonic, microwave, ultraviolet, visible, or infrared light, all based upon detecting signals emitted by or reflecting off of objects, and accelerometers, tilt sensors, and position finders based on fixed reference beacons inside the work building, from which the position, attitude, and movement of the blaster head 4 can be determined, tracked, and recorded. Optimally, the sensors will be able to function in spite of blast media being emitted by the blast head 4 and reflecting or falling off of the blasted object. The blaster-head sensor 8 should be mounted upon or within the blaster head 4 in such a way that obstruction by blast media is minimized. In circumstances where the blast media is obstructing the blaster-head sensor 8 the blasting can be performed in a sequence of pulses or bursts, between which the sensors can operate in compatibly timed pulses.

(11) The blasting operations are robotically controlled from a robotic controller 6, which has access to the three-dimensional plan of the barge. The three-dimensional plan of the barge will almost always be available as part of the published standards to which barges must be built. If such an existing three-dimensional plan is not available, a plan can be generated by making a dry run of the operations and capturing the sensor data. Communication between the robotic blaster units 5 and the robotic controller 6 can be accomplished via RF antennae 7, using a type and frequency of signals which are not blocked by blast media suspended in the air. Careful antenna placement can avoid signals being blocked by the barge itself.

(12) In use, the robotic controller 6 receives real-time data from sensors located on each blaster head. This data stream can be recorded, creating a very detailed record of the blasting operation which can be referred to should any question or dispute about the operation be raised. If the robotic controller 6 is working from a standard three-dimensional plan of a barge, then the real-time data from the blaster-head sensors can be checked against the standard plan, and any deviation from the plan can be detected and flagged. Optionally, any such deviation might trigger an automatic pausing of the blasting operations, at least for that blaster head, until the deviation can be inspected. The robotic controller 6 should prevent the blaster head 4 from making contact with any object detected by the blaster-head sensor 8 except under an explicit override.

(13) Referring to FIG. 5, in use, the blaster heads 4 of the system for blast-cleaning a barge bottom can reach and blast all underside areas of the barge except for the small amount of area resting on the support blocks.

(14) Optionally, the system for blast-cleaning a barge can provide blaster-head cameras 9 for real-time remote monitoring of operations and for recording of the operations. The blaster-head cameras 9 are mounted upon or within the blaster head 4 such that exposure to bouncing blast media is minimized or prevented. As with the blaster-head sensors 8, a pulsed operation of the blasting may be used to allow the taking of clear photos or video during the non-blasting periods.

(15) Real-time video from such a blaster-head camera 9 could optionally be used as an additional sensor to be analyzed in real time by the robotic controller 6. Recorded photos or video of the blasting operation can be referred to should any question or dispute about the operation be raised.

(16) Many other changes and modifications can be made in the system and method of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I therefore pray that my rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.