Abstract
In one aspect, the present invention provides a security bulwark for mounting outside a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation. The bulwark has a front face comprising a projecting mound. The mound has an underside which provides the bulwark with an overhang. The mound is also convex in a direction of the breadth of the bulwark. The invention also provides a perimeter protection system comprising a plurality of such security bulwarks arranged side-by-side and adjacent to each other. Finally, the invention further provides a method of protecting a perimeter of a vessel or marine installation. The method comprises positioning a plurality of security bulwarks side-by-side and adjacent to each other along a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation, attaching some of the plurality of security bulwarks to the railing, and connecting remaining ones of the plurality of security bulwarks which are not attached to the railing to ones of the plurality of security bulwarks which are attached to the railing. Thus even if a security bulwark cannot be mounted directly to the perimeter railing, for example because of a gap in the railing or an obstruction in the way of the railing, the bulwark can still be positioned in the same location outside the railing and securely mounted in that location by being connected to an adjacent security bulwark which can be mounted to the perimeter railing.
Claims
1. A security bulwark for mounting outside a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation, the security bulwark having a front face comprising a projecting mound, wherein the projecting mound has an underside providing the security bulwark with an overhang and the projecting mound is curved and convex shaped in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction of the security bulwark, wherein the projecting mound is configured to extend from the perimeter railing and is convex shaped more than halfway back to the perimeter railing.
2. A security bulwark according to claim 1, wherein the projecting mound has a side surface angled at between 60 and 82 degrees to the front face of the security bulwark.
3. A security bulwark according to claim 1, wherein the projecting mound is not more than 300 mm wide at its furthest projection from the front face of the security bulwark.
4. A security bulwark according to claim 1, wherein the projecting mound rises from the front face of the security bulwark not more than 150 mm from a side edge of the security bulwark.
5. A security bulwark according to claim 1, wherein the front face of the security bulwark comprises a pair of projecting mounds divided by a valley, a deepest part of which is not more than 300 mm wide between the pair of projecting mounds.
6. A security bulwark according to claim 5, the security bulwark having an eyelet formed through the front face of the security bulwark, wherein the eyelet is substantially aligned with the deepest part of the valley.
7. A security bulwark according to claim 1, further comprising a left side face and a right side face oriented substantially perpendicular to each other, wherein at least one of the left side face and the right side face comprises a connection site for connecting the security bulwark to an adjacent security bulwark.
8. A security bulwark according claim 1, wherein the security bulwark has a back comprising a recess able to receive the projecting mound on the front face of a similar security bulwark, whereby the security bulwarks can be nested together.
9. A security bulwark according to claim 1, wherein the recess is formed by an interior surface of the projecting mound and the projecting mound further comprises a raised crest adapting the recess to receive a corner of the perimeter railing.
10. A security bulwark according to claim 1, further comprising a borehole running in the direction of the breadth of the security bulwark and alongside an uppermost edge of the security bulwark.
11. A security bulwark according to claim 10, further comprising a rear panel for mounting inside the perimeter railing, wherein the rear panel is hinged relative to the front face of the security bulwark substantially parallel to the uppermost edge of the security bulwark.
12. A security bulwark according to claim 11, further comprising a rod disposed in the borehole and wherein the rear panel is hinged relative to the front face of the security bulwark by rotation about the rod, the rod being removable from the borehole, whereby the rear panel is detachable from a rest of the security bulwark.
13. A perimeter protection system comprising a plurality of security bulwarks, wherein the plurality of security bulwarks comprises a first security bulwark for mounting outside a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation, the first security bulwark having a front face comprising a projecting mound, wherein the projecting mound has an underside providing the first security bulwark with an overhang and the projecting mound is curved and convex shaped in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction of the first security bulwark, wherein the projecting mound is configured to extend from the perimeter railing and is convex shaped more than halfway back to the perimeter railing, and wherein the plurality of security bulwarks are arranged side-by-side and adjacent to each other.
14. A perimeter protection system according to claim 13, wherein the perimeter protection system comprises three adjacent security bulwarks and a rod passing through a borehole of a central one of the three adjacent security bulwarks and into at least one of respective boreholes of a leftmost one and a rightmost one of the three adjacent security bulwarks.
15. A perimeter protection system according to claim 13, further comprising a spacer positioned between and abutting each of an adjacent pair of the plurality of security bulwarks, wherein the spacer comprises a through-hole for connecting the adjacent pair of the plurality of security bulwarks to each other.
16. A perimeter protection system according to claim 13 arranged along the perimeter railing of the vessel or marine installation.
17. A perimeter protection system according to claim 16, further comprising cargo protected by the perimeter protection system.
18. A method of protecting a perimeter of a vessel or marine installation, the method comprising: positioning a plurality of security bulwarks side-by-side and adjacent to each other along a perimeter railing of the vessel or marine installation, wherein the plurality of security bulwarks comprises a first security bulwark for mounting outside the perimeter railing of the vessel or marine installation, the first security bulwark having a front face comprising a projecting mound, wherein the projecting mound has an underside providing the first security bulwark with an overhang and the projecting mound is convex in a horizontal direction of a breadth of the first security bulwark; attaching some of the plurality of security bulwarks to the perimeter railing; and connecting remaining ones of the plurality of security bulwarks which are not attached to the perimeter railing to ones of the plurality of security bulwarks which are attached to the perimeter railing.
19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising positioning at least one of the plurality of security bulwarks which are not attached to the perimeter railing in front of a gap in the perimeter railing or an obstruction in a way of the perimeter railing or at a corner of the perimeter railing.
20. A method according to claim 18, further comprising positioning a spacer between and abutting each of an adjacent pair of the plurality of security bulwarks, wherein the spacer comprises a through-hole for connecting the adjacent pair of the plurality of security bulwarks to each other.
Description
(1) Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which is given by way of example and in association with the accompanying drawings, in which:
(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front face of a first embodiment of a security bulwark;
(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a back of the security bulwark shown in FIG. 1;
(4) FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the security bulwark shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a plurality of the security bulwarks shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 nested together;
(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view from behind and above of a second embodiment of a security bulwark;
(7) FIG. 6 is perspective view of a back of the security bulwark shown in FIG. 5;
(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a front face of the security bulwark shown in FIGS. 5 and 6;
(9) FIG. 8 is a first perspective view of a back of a third embodiment of a security bulwark;
(10) FIG. 9 is a second perspective view of the back of the security bulwark shown in FIG. 8;
(11) FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the security bulwark shown in FIGS. 8 and 9;
(12) FIG. 11 is a first perspective view of a rear panel of the security bulwark shown in FIGS. 8 to 10;
(13) FIG. 12 is a second perspective view of the rear panel shown in FIG. 11;
(14) FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a front face of a fourth embodiment of a security bulwark;
(15) FIG. 14 is perspective view of a back of the security bulwark shown in FIG. 13;
(16) FIG. 15 is a perspective view from behind and above of the security bulwark shown in FIGS. 13 and 14;
(17) FIG. 16 is a first perspective view of a front face of a fifth embodiment of a security bulwark;
(18) FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the back of the security bulwark shown in FIG. 16;
(19) FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of the security bulwark shown in FIGS. 16 and 17;
(20) FIG. 19 is a first perspective view of a rear panel of the security bulwark shown in FIGS. 16 to 18;
(21) FIG. 20 is a second perspective view of the rear panel shown in FIG. 19;
(22) FIG. 21 is a perspective view from an outside or seaward side of a part of a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation;
(23) FIG. 22 is a perspective view from an inside or deck side of the part of a perimeter railing shown in FIG. 21;
(24) FIG. 23 is a perspective view from an outside or seaward side of a first embodiment of a perimeter protection system;
(25) FIG. 24 is a perspective view from an inside or deck side of the perimeter protection system shown in FIG. 23;
(26) FIG. 25 is a perspective view from an outside or seaward side of a second embodiment of a perimeter protection system;
(27) FIG. 26 is a perspective view from an inside or deck side of the perimeter protection system shown in FIG. 25;
(28) FIG. 27 is a perspective view from an outside or seaward side of a third embodiment of a perimeter protection system;
(29) FIG. 28 is a perspective view from an inside or deck side of the perimeter protection system shown in FIG. 27;
(30) FIG. 29 is a first perspective view of a spacer of the perimeter protection system shown in FIGS. 27 and 28; and
(31) FIG. 30 is a second perspective view of the spacer shown in FIG. 29;
(32) FIG. 31 is a perspective view from an outside or seaward side of a fourth embodiment of a perimeter protection system;
(33) FIG. 32 is a perspective view from an inside or deck side of the perimeter protection system shown in FIG. 31;
(34) FIG. 33 is a first perspective view of a spacer of the perimeter protection system shown in FIGS. 31 and 32; and
(35) FIG. 34 is a second perspective view of the spacer shown in FIG. 33; and
(36) FIG. 35 is a third perspective view of the spacer shown in FIGS. 33 and 34.
(37) FIGS. 1 to 3 are three different views of a first embodiment of a security bulwark 1 for mounting outside a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation. The bulwark 1 has a front face 2 comprising a pair of projecting mounds 3a, 3b, which are divided by a valley 7. Each mound has an underside 4a, 4b, which provide the bulwark 1 with an overhang. Each mound 3a, 3b is convex in a direction A-A of the breadth of the bulwark 1. Each mound 3a, 3b has a respective pair of side surfaces 5a, 5b; 5c, 5d, all of which are angled at between 60 and 82 degrees to the front face 2 of the bulwark 1. The respective outer side surfaces 5a, 5d of each mound 3a, 3b are both angled at approximately 78.8 degrees to the front face 2 of the bulwark 1 and the respective inner side surfaces 5b, 5c of each mound 3a, 3b, in other words, those which are adjacent to the valley 7, are angled at approximately 72.1 degrees to the front face 2 of the bulwark 1. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the side surfaces 5a, 5b; 5c, 5d are all substantially flat.
(38) Each mound 3a, 3b projects approximately 473 mm out from the front face 2 of the bulwark 1. Each mound 3a, 3b is approximately 240 mm wide at its furthest projection from the front face 2 of the bulwark 1, that is to say from where the part of each mound 3a, 3b starts to curve from the respective side surfaces 5a, 5b; 5c, 5d. Each mound 3a, 3b rises from the front face 2 of the bulwark 1 approximately 35 mm from a side edge 6 of the bulwark 1. The deepest part 70 of the valley 7, that is to say the part of the valley 7 which does not include the inner side surfaces 5b, 5c, is also curved and is approximately 193 mm wide where the deepest part 70 of the valley 7 meets the inner side surfaces 5b, 5c. The deepest part 70 of the valley 7 is also approximately 179 mm above the front face 2 of the bulwark 1.
(39) As may best be seen in FIG. 1, the security bulwark 1 has a plurality of eyelets 8 formed through the front face 2 of the bulwark 1. A central one of these eyelets 8 is substantially aligned with the deepest part 70 of the valley 7. Thus the bulwark 1 can be attached to a perimeter railing by passing a tying member through this central eyelet 8 and around both the bulwark 1 and the perimeter railing. The alignment of the central eyelet 8 with the deepest part 70 of the valley 7 ensures that the tying member follows the shortest path around both the bulwark 1 and the perimeter railing and is held in place by the pair of mounds 3a, 3b on each side of the valley 7.
(40) The bulwark 1 has two side faces 16 oriented substantially perpendicular to the front face 2 of the bulwark 1. Each side face 16 comprises a plurality of connection sites 17 for connecting the bulwark 1 to an adjacent security bulwark. The connection sites 17 each comprise a through-hole formed in the respective side 16 of the bulwark 1 and which is able to receive a connector 18, such as a bolt. The bulwark 1 further comprises two boreholes 11, which are longitudinally aligned with each other and run in a direction A-A of the breadth of the bulwark 1, alongside an uppermost edge 12 of the bulwark 1. These boreholes 11 are each able to receive a rod therein in the direction A-A.
(41) The security bulwark 1 has an overall height, h, from the uppermost edge 12 of the bulwark 1 to a lowermost part thereof, which includes the plurality of eyelets 8, of 755 mm. Thus all of the gaps between the courses of rails in a railing to which the bulwark 30 is mounted, from the lowest course of rails to the topmost handrail, can be at least partially covered by the bulwark 1, whilst still leaving an opening between a lowermost edge of the bulwark and the deck, to allow seawater from waves which break on to the deck to wash back over the edge of the vessel or marine installation into the sea. The security bulwark 1 also has a breadth, b, from one to the other of the two side faces 16 of 1078 mm, which is sufficiently large to cover a length of perimeter railing quickly and easily with a plurality of such bulwarks, whilst also being sufficiently small for one person to be able to handle the bulwark 1 with ease when mounting it to a railing.
(42) As may best be seen in FIG. 2, the security bulwark 1 has a back 9 comprising a recess 10 able to receive the pair of mounds 3a, 3b on the front face 2 of a similar bulwark. Thus a plurality of such similar bulwarks 1 can be nested together in the manner shown in FIG. 4, wherein nine such similar bulwarks 1 have been nested together and stacked on a shipping pallet 60 for quick and easy transportation.
(43) FIGS. 5 to 7 are three different views of a second embodiment of a security bulwark 30 suitable for location at a corner of a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation. In contrast to the security bulwark 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the security bulwark 30 has a left side 31L and a right side 31R which are oriented substantially perpendicular to each other. Each of the left side 31L and the right side 31R comprises a plurality of connection sites 37 for connecting the security bulwark 30 to an adjacent security bulwark. The connection sites 37 each comprise a through-hole formed in the respective one of the left side 31L and the right side 31R of the bulwark 30 and which is able to receive a connector 18, such as a bolt.
(44) The bulwark 30 has a front face 32 comprising a projecting mound 33. The mound 33 has an underside 34, which provides the bulwark with an overhang, and is convex in a direction from the left side 31L to the right side 31R of the bulwark 30. The mound 33 has a pair of side surfaces 5e, 5f which are angled at between 60 and 82 degrees to the front face 32 of the bulwark 30. As can be seen from FIG. 5, the side surfaces 5e, 5f are both substantially flat. The mound 33 rises from where the front face 32 meets the left and right sides 31L, 31R of the bulwark 30 and projects more than 400 mm out from the front face 32 of the bulwark 30. The mound 33 is not more than 300 mm wide at its furthest projection from the front face 32 of the bulwark 30, that is to say, from where the mound 33 starts to curve from the side surfaces 5e, 5f.
(45) The security bulwark 30 has a height, h, of between 500 mm and 1000 mm, which is substantially equal to the height of the security bulwark 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 minus the height of each of the plurality of eyelets 8 on the front face 2 thereof. Thus all of the gaps between the courses of rails in a railing to which the bulwark 30 is mounted, from the lowest course of rails to the topmost handrail, are at least partially covered by the bulwark 30, whilst still leaving an opening between a lowermost edge 62 of the bulwark and the deck, to allow seawater from waves which break on to the deck to wash back over the edge of the vessel or marine installation into the sea. The security bulwark 30 also has a breadth, b, of between 350 mm and 700 mm. Thus the bulwark 30 is able to cover a corner of a perimeter railing of any thickness generally found on a vessel or marine installation, whilst also being sufficiently small for one person to be able to handle the bulwark with ease in order to locate it at the corner.
(46) As may best be seen in FIG. 6, the security bulwark 30 has a back 39 opposite to the front face 32. The back 39 comprises a recess 36 to receive the corner of a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation. The recess 36 is formed by an interior surface 35 of the projecting mound 33. The mound 33 further comprises a raised crest 44 adapting the recess 36 to receive the corner of the perimeter railing. The recess 36 is also able to receive the mound 33 on the front face 32 of a similar bulwark 30, whereby two or more such bulwarks 30 can be nested together in a similar manner to that shown in FIG. 4 for the bulwark 1.
(47) FIGS. 8 to 10 are three different views of a third embodiment of a security bulwark 19 for mounting along a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation. The security bulwark 19 has a front face 2 and two sides 16, all of which are the same as those of the security bulwark 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and comprise the same features. The security bulwark 19 differs from the security bulwark 1, however, in that it further comprises a rear panel 13 on the back 9 thereof for mounting inside a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation. The rear panel 13 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 11 and 12. As may best be seen in FIG. 11, the rear panel 13 comprises a borehole 45, which is located between and longitudinally aligned with the two boreholes 11 described above in relation to the security bulwark 1. Like the two boreholes 11, the borehole 45 also runs in the direction A-A of the breadth of the bulwark 19, alongside an uppermost edge 12 of the bulwark 19. Thus a rod 15 can be inserted into a first one of the two boreholes 11, through the borehole 45 in the rear panel 13 and then into a second one of the two boreholes 11, so that the rear panel 13 can be hinged relative to the front face 2 of the bulwark 19 substantially parallel to the uppermost edge 12 of the bulwark 19 by rotation about the rod 15. Moreover, the rod 15 is removable from the boreholes 11, 45, so that the rear panel 13 can be detached from the rest of the bulwark 19.
(48) As may best be seen in the exploded view of FIG. 10, however, even when the rear panel 13 is attached to the rest of the bulwark 19 via the rod 15, the shape of the rear panel 13 is such that the rear panel 13 can adopt a position in which it is parallel to but spaced apart from the front face 2 of the security bulwark 19. The separation of the rear panel 13 from the front face 2 in this position is sufficiently great to accommodate the thickness of any perimeter railing generally found on a vessel or marine installation. Thus the rear panel 13 can be hinged apart from the front face 2 of the bulwark 19, and the bulwark 19 can be mounted over a perimeter railing, with the front face 2 disposed on the outside or seaward side of the railing and the rear panel 13 on the inside or deck side of the railing. The rear panel 13 and the rest of the bulwark 19 can then be hinged back together until the rear panel 13 is parallel to but spaced apart from the front face 2 of the security bulwark 19 once again. In this position, a lowermost edge 62 of the rear panel 13 aligns with the lowermost part of the front face 2, which includes the plurality of eyelets 8, so that the overall height of the security bulwark 19 is the same as that of the security bulwark 1.
(49) As can be seen in FIGS. 11 and 12, the rear panel 13 comprises a plurality of connection sites 38, for connecting the rear panel 13 to the front face 2 of the security bulwark 19. The connection sites 38 each comprise a through-hole formed in the rear panel 13 which is able to receive a connector 28, such as a bolt. The locations of the connection sites 38 on the rear panel 13 correspond to the locations of the eyelets 8 on the front face 2 of the security bulwark 19. Thus once the bulwark 19 has been mounted over a perimeter railing, a connector 28, such as a bolt, can be inserted into a through-hole at one of the connection sites 38 on the rear panel 13 and through the corresponding one of the eyelets 8 on the front panel 2, in a direction perpendicular to the perimeter railing over which the bulwark 19 has been mounted. The bolt can then be fitted with a nut, for example, and both can be tightened together until the rear panel 13 and the front face 2 are secured together, thereby preventing the security bulwark 19 from being removed from the perimeter railing to which it has been mounted without firstly undoing the connector 28.
(50) As may also be seen in FIGS. 11 and 12, the rear panel 13 further comprises two apertures 14 or cut-outs for accommodating an obstruction in the way of the railing. Thus the rear panel 13 does not completely cover the recess 10 in the back 9 of the security bulwark 19 in the location of each of the apertures 14, as can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. This means that if two such security bulwarks 19 are mounted side-by-side adjacent to each other over a perimeter railing, one of the apertures 14 on a first one of the two adjacent security bulwarks 19 will be adjacent to another such aperture 14 on the other of the two adjacent security bulwarks 19. The two adjacent apertures 14 thus allow the two adjacent security bulwarks 19 to be positioned on the railing either side of a location where there is an obstruction on the inside or deck side of the railing, and for the respective sides 16 of the two adjacent security bulwarks 19 to abut each other with the obstruction accommodated in the combined space created by the two adjacent apertures 14.
(51) FIGS. 13 to 15 are three different views of a fourth embodiment of a security bulwark 130 for mounting outside a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation. The bulwark 130 has a pair of side faces 116, which are oriented substantially parallel to each other and which each have a front edge 106. The front edges 106 of the two side faces 116 together define a front face of the bulwark 130, which is perpendicular to the side faces 116. The front face of the bulwark 130 comprises a projecting mound 133. The mound 133 rises directly from the front edge 106 of each side face 116. The mound 133 has an underside 134, which provides the bulwark 130 with an overhang, and is convex in a direction A-A of the breadth of the bulwark. The mound 133 also has a pair of side surfaces 5g, 5h which are angled at between 60 and 82 degrees to the front face of the bulwark 130, that is to say, at between 120 and 98 degrees to a respective one of the side faces 116. As can best be seen from FIG. 15, the side surfaces 5g, 5h of the mound 133 are both substantially flat. The mound 133 projects more than 400 mm out from the front face of the bulwark 130, and is not more than 300 mm wide at its furthest projection from the front face of the bulwark 130, that is to say, from where the mound 133 meets the side faces 116 of the bulwark 130 at their front edges 106.
(52) Each of the side faces 116 comprises a plurality of connection sites 137 for connecting the security bulwark 130 to an adjacent security bulwark. The connection sites 137 each comprise a through-hole formed in one of the side faces 116 of the bulwark 130 and which is able to receive a connector 18, such as a bolt. The bulwark 130 further comprises two boreholes 111, which are longitudinally aligned with each other and run in the direction A-A of the breadth of the bulwark 130, alongside an uppermost edge 112 of the bulwark 130. These boreholes 111 are each able to receive a rod therein in the direction A-A. Like the security bulwark 30 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the security bulwark 130 has a pair of eyelets 8 formed through the front face of the bulwark 130.
(53) The security bulwark 130 also has dimensions similar to those of the security bulwark 30 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7. Thus all of the gaps between the courses of rails in a railing to which the bulwark 130 is mounted, from the lowest course of rails to the topmost handrail, are at least partially covered by the bulwark 130, whilst still leaving an opening between a lowermost edge 62 of the bulwark and the deck, to allow seawater from waves which break on to the deck to wash back over the edge of the vessel or marine installation into the sea. The bulwark 130 is thus also sufficiently small for one person to be able to handle it with ease.
(54) As may best be seen in FIG. 14, the security bulwark 130 has a back 139 opposite to the front face of the bulwark 130. The back 139 comprises a recess 136 which is formed by an interior surface 135 of the projecting mound 133. The mound 133 further comprises a raised crest 144 adapting the recess 136 to receive the corner of a perimeter railing. Thus the bulwark 130 may be mounted not only along a straight run of perimeter railing, but also at a corner thereof. The recess 136 is also able to receive the mound 133 on the front face of a similar bulwark 130, whereby two or more such bulwarks 130 can be nested together in a similar manner to that shown in FIG. 4 for the bulwark 1.
(55) FIGS. 16 to 18 are three different views of a fifth embodiment of a security bulwark 119 for mounting along a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation. The security bulwark 119 has a front face and two sides 116, all of which are the same as those of the security bulwark 130 shown in FIGS. 13 to 15 and comprise the same features. The security bulwark 119 differs from the security bulwark 130, however, in that it further comprises a rear panel 113 on the back 139 thereof for mounting inside a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation. The rear panel 113 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 19 and 20. As may best be seen in FIG. 19, the rear panel 113 comprises a borehole 45, which is located between and longitudinally aligned with the two boreholes 111 described above in relation to the security bulwark 130. Like the two boreholes 111, the borehole 45 also runs in the direction A-A of the breadth of the bulwark 119, alongside an uppermost edge 112 of the bulwark 119. Thus a rod can be inserted into a first one of the two boreholes 111, through the borehole 45 in the rear panel 113 and then into a second one of the two boreholes 111, so that the rear panel 113 can be hinged relative to the front face of the bulwark 119 substantially parallel to the uppermost edge 112 of the bulwark 119 by rotation about the rod. Moreover, the rod is removable from the boreholes 111, 45, so that the rear panel 113 can be detached from the rest of the bulwark 119.
(56) As may best be seen in the exploded view of FIG. 18, however, even when the rear panel 113 is attached to the rest of the bulwark 119 via such a rod, the shape of the rear panel 113 is such that the rear panel 113 can adopt a position in which it is parallel to but spaced apart from the front face of the security bulwark 119. The separation of the rear panel 113 from the front face in this position is sufficiently great to accommodate the thickness of any perimeter railing generally found on a vessel or marine installation. Thus the rear panel 113 can be hinged apart from the front face of the bulwark 119, and the bulwark 119 can be mounted over a perimeter railing, with the front face disposed on the outside or seaward side of the railing and the rear panel 113 on the inside or deck side of the railing. The rear panel 113 and the rest of the bulwark 119 can then be hinged back together until the rear panel 113 is parallel to but spaced apart from the front face of the security bulwark 119 once again. In this position, a lowermost edge 62 of the rear panel 113 aligns with the lowermost part of the front face of the security bulwark 119, which includes the pair of eyelets 8, so that the overall height of the security bulwark 119 is the same as that of the security bulwark 1.
(57) As can be seen in FIGS. 19 and 20, the rear panel 113 comprises a pair of connection sites 38, for connecting the rear panel 113 to the front face of the security bulwark 119. The connection sites 38 each comprise a through-hole formed in the rear panel 113 which is able to receive a connector, such as a bolt. The locations of the connection sites 38 on the rear panel 113 correspond to the locations of the eyelets 8 on the front face of the security bulwark 119. Thus once the bulwark 119 has been mounted over a perimeter railing, a connector, such as a bolt, can be inserted into a through-hole at one of the connection sites 38 on the rear panel 113 and through the corresponding one of the eyelets 8 on the front panel, in a direction perpendicular to the perimeter railing over which the bulwark 119 has been mounted. The bolt can then be fitted with a nut, for example, and both can be tightened together until the rear panel 113 and the front face are secured together, thereby preventing the security bulwark 119 from being removed from the perimeter railing to which it has been mounted without firstly undoing the connector.
(58) As may also be seen from FIGS. 19 and 20, the rear panel 113 differs from the rear panel 13 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 in that it does not have any apertures or cut-outs for accommodating an obstruction in the way of a railing. Thus the rear panel 113 completely covers the recess 136 in the back 139 of the security bulwark 119, as can be seen in FIGS. 16 and 17. This means that if two such security bulwarks 119 are mounted side-by-side adjacent to each other over a perimeter railing, one of the rear panels 113 on a first one of the two adjacent security bulwarks 119 will be adjacent to another such rear panel 113 on the other of the two adjacent security bulwarks 119, whereby a continuous wall maybe formed on the inside or deck side of the perimeter railing.
(59) FIGS. 21 and 22 respectively show views from an outside or seaward side and from an inside or deck side of a representative part of a perimeter railing 20 of a vessel or marine installation. Part of a side of the vessel or marine installation can be seen labelled with reference numeral 52. The perimeter railing 20 comprises a plurality of courses of rails, which include a topmost handrail 201, a middle course of rails 202 and a lowest course of rails 203. At regular intervals along the perimeter railing 20 are a plurality of vertical stanchions 204. Regulations require that the vertical stanchions 204 are spaced no more than 1.5 metres apart. The perimeter railing 20 is mounted on a deck 51 of the vessel or marine installation. The overall height, g, of the railing 20 from the deck 51 to the topmost handrail 201 is required by regulations to be at least 1 metre. The separation, f, of the lowest course of rails 203 from the deck 51 is also required by regulations to be no more than 230 mm. The middle course of rails 202 is positioned approximately equidistant between the topmost handrail 201 and the lowest course of rails 203. Thus a gap between the topmost handrail 201 and the middle course of rails 202 or between the middle course of rails 202 and the lowest course of rails 203 is given by (gf)/2, from which must also be subtracted the thickness of the courses of rails themselves. Each gap is therefore usually not more than 500 mm in height, and, in practice, is considerably less than this. Outside the railing 20 at the edge of the deck 51 is a vertical lip called a fishplate 53, the height of which depends upon the type of vessel or marine installation on which the railing 20 is mounted, but which, in general, is between about 90 and about 400 mm in height.
(60) The perimeter railing 20 is upheld at regular intervals by a plurality of support stays 205, one of which may be seen in FIG. 22. Regulations require that there must be as a minimum of one support stay 205 for every three vertical stanchions 204, although it is common for there to be a support stay 205 for every other stanchion 204. Also shown in FIG. 22 is a representative example of another obstruction 23 located on the inside or deck side of the railing 20.
(61) FIGS. 23 and 24 respectively show views from an outside or seaward side and from an inside or deck side of a representative part of a first embodiment of a perimeter protection system 101 mounted along a perimeter railing 20 of a vessel or marine installation. The perimeter protection system 101 comprises a plurality of security bulwarks 1a, 1b, 1c arranged side-by-side adjacent to each other. A leftmost one 1a and a rightmost one 1c of the three adjacent security bulwarks are both of the type described above in relation to FIGS. 8 to 12. A central one 1b of the three adjacent security bulwarks is of the type described above in relation to FIGS. 1 to 3. The adjacent security bulwarks 1a, 1b, 1c abut each other and are attached together at the respective connection sites 17 on the side faces 16 thereof by a plurality of respective connectors 18. The attachment of the three adjacent security bulwarks 1a, 1b, 1c to each other can be strengthened further by passing a rod 15 through the borehole 11b of the central security bulwark 1b and into at least one of the respective boreholes 11a, 11c of the leftmost and rightmost security bulwarks 1a, 1c.
(62) Thus whereas the leftmost and rightmost security bulwarks 1a, 1c are mounted over the perimeter railing 20, so that the railing 20 bears the weight of each such bulwark 1a, 1c, the central security bulwark 1b is only mounted outside the perimeter railing 20, that is to say, just on the seaward side of the railing, and without the weight of the central security bulwark 1b bearing directly down on the perimeter railing 20. Instead, the central security bulwark 1b is suspended from the leftmost and rightmost security bulwarks 1a, 1c via the connectors 18. Since the central security bulwark 1b is only mounted outside the perimeter railing 20, this allows it to be positioned along the railing 20 where the obstruction 23 is located on the inside or deck side of the railing 20, as shown in FIG. 24. However, since the weight of the central security bulwark 1b is distributed to the leftmost and rightmost security bulwarks 1a, 1c by being suspended from them via the connectors 18, this would alternatively also allow the central security bulwark 1b to be positioned across a gap in the railing spanned by a freely hanging chain, which is therefore not rigid enough to support the weight of a security bulwark.
(63) FIGS. 25 and 26 respectively show views from the outside or seaward side and from the inside or deck side of a part of an embodiment of a perimeter protection system 102 in the region of a corner 21 of a perimeter railing 20 of a vessel or marine installation. The perimeter protection system 102 comprises a plurality of security bulwarks 19a, 19b, 30 arranged side-by-side adjacent to each other, which continue along the perimeter railing 20 beyond the part of the perimeter protection system 102 at the corner 21, which is shown in FIGS. 25 and 26. The plurality of security bulwarks comprises two security bulwarks 19a, 19b of the type shown in FIGS. 8 to 12 and a security bulwark 30 as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7. The two security bulwarks 19a, 19b are each positioned along substantially straight runs of the perimeter railing 20 which meet at the corner 21. The security bulwark 30 is located at the corner 21 of the perimeter railing 20. Thus the security bulwark 30 is located between and adjacent to each of the two security bulwarks 19a, 19b.
(64) Since the left side 31L and the right side 31R of the security bulwark 30 are oriented substantially perpendicular to each other, each of the left and right sides 31L, 31R can be aligned parallel to and in abutment with a respective one of the sides 16 of the security bulwarks 19a, 19b. The left and right sides 31L, 31R of the security bulwark 30 can then be connected to the respective sides 16 of the security bulwarks 19a, 19b via respective connectors 18. Thus whereas the two security bulwarks 19a, 19b are mounted over the perimeter railing 20, so that the railing 20 bears the weight of each such bulwark 19a, 19b, the security bulwark 30 is only mounted outside the perimeter railing 20, that is to say, just on the seaward side of the railing, and without the weight of the security bulwark 30 bearing directly down on the perimeter railing 20. Instead, the security bulwark 30 is suspended from the two security bulwarks 19a, 19b via the connectors 18. Since the security bulwark 30 is suspended from the two security bulwarks 19a, 19b, this allows it to be positioned at the corner 21 of the railing 20 without any need to attach the security bulwark 30 to the perimeter railing 20, as can be seen in FIG. 26.
(65) FIGS. 27 and 28 respectively show views from an outside or seaward side and from an inside or deck side of a representative part of a third embodiment of a perimeter protection system 103 suitable for mounting along a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation. The perimeter protection system 103 comprises a first plurality, a, of security bulwarks 19a, 19b, 19c of the type shown in FIGS. 8 to 12 arranged side-by-side adjacent to each other. The perimeter protection system 103 also comprises a second plurality, b, of spacers 40a, 40b positioned between and abutting each of an adjacent pair of the plurality of security bulwarks 19a, 19b, 19c. Each of the security bulwarks 19a, 19b, 19c has a first width, w. Each of the spacers 40a, 40b has a second width, v, which is a fraction of the first width, w, that is to say, substantially less than the width, w, of the security bulwark 1a.
(66) The combined width, aw+bv, of the first plurality, a, of security bulwarks 19a, 19b, 19c and the second plurality, b, of spacers 40a, 40b can be made substantially equal to a length, e, of the perimeter railing by an appropriate choice of the respective numbers, a and b, of the security bulwarks and spacers. For example, suppose that the length, e, of the perimeter railing is 34.56 metres, the width, w, of each security bulwark is 1 metre, and the width, v, of each spacer is 25 mm. Then by choosing the number, a, of security bulwarks to be 34 and the number, b, of spacers to be 22, the combined width, aw+bv, of the security bulwarks and spacers is equal to (341)+(220.025)=34.55 metres, which is substantially equal to the length, l=34.56 metres, of the perimeter railing. The small difference of 34.5634.55=0.01 metres (or just 10 mm) between the combined width of the security bulwarks and spacers on the one hand and the length of the perimeter railing on the other can be accommodated by some slight flexibility of the security bulwarks 19a, 19b, 19c, or by very small variations, each of less than 1 mm, in the separation of the adjacent pairs of security bulwarks.
(67) FIGS. 29 and 30 are two different views of a spacer 40 in the perimeter protection system 103 shown in FIGS. 27 and 28. The spacer 40 comprises a first side 41 and an opposing second side 43, both of which can be positioned abutting a respective one of the sides 16 of the security bulwark 1. As can be seen, the profile of the sides 41, 43 mirrors that of the sides 16 of the security bulwark 19. The spacer 40 also comprises a plurality of through-holes 42 from the first side 41 to the opposing second side 43 of the spacer 40. The locations of the through-holes 42 on the spacer 40 correspond to the locations of the connection sites 17 on the sides 16 of the security bulwarks 19. Thus if a pair of such security bulwarks 19 are arranged side-by-side adjacent to each other with one or more of the spacers 40 positioned between them, the through-holes 42 on the spacers 40 can be aligned with the connection sites 17 on the sides 16 of the security bulwarks 19. The adjacent pair of security bulwarks 19 can then be connected to each other via the respective through-holes 42 of the one or more spacers 40. For example, a connector 18, such as a bolt, can be inserted into a through-hole in the side 16 of a first one of the pair of security bulwarks 19, through the respective through-hole 42 of the one or more spacers 40 and out of a through-hole in the side 16 of the other one of the pair of security bulwarks 19, in a direction parallel with a perimeter railing to which the perimeter protection system 103 is mounted. The bolt can then be fitted with a nut, for example, and both can be tightened together until the adjacent pair of security bulwarks 19 and the one or more spacers 40 positioned between them abut each other. This allows for quick and easy connection of the adjacent pair of the security bulwarks 19 to each other via the one or more of the spacers 40 positioned between them, to form a strong and structurally sound security barrier comprising the adjacent pair of security bulwarks 19 and the one or more spacers 40.
(68) Whereas the perimeter protection system 103 has been described above as comprising a plurality of security bulwarks 19a, 19b, 19c of the type shown in FIGS. 8 to 12, it could alternatively or additionally comprise one or more security bulwarks 1, 30 of the types respectively shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5 to 7. In other words, the present invention envisages perimeter protection systems comprising any possible combination of the different types of security bulwarks 1, 19, 30 and spacer 40 described herein.
(69) FIGS. 31 and 32 respectively show views from an outside or seaward side and from an inside or deck side of a representative part of a fourth embodiment of a perimeter protection system 104 suitable for mounting along a perimeter railing of a vessel or marine installation.
(70) The perimeter protection system 104 comprises a first plurality, a, of security bulwarks 119a, 119b, 119c of the type shown in FIGS. 16 to 20 arranged side-by-side adjacent to each other. The perimeter protection system 104 also comprises a second plurality, b, of spacers 140a, 140b positioned between and abutting each of an adjacent pair of the plurality of security bulwarks 119a, 119b, 119c.
(71) Each of the security bulwarks 119a, 119b, 119c has a first width, w. Each of the spacers 140a, 140b has a second width, v, which is a fraction of the first width, w, that is to say, substantially less than the width, w, of the security bulwark 1a. The combined width, aw+bv, of the first plurality, a, of security bulwarks 119a, 119b, 119c and the second plurality, b, of spacers 140a, 140b can therefore be made substantially equal to a length, e, of the perimeter railing by an appropriate choice of the respective numbers, a and b, of the security bulwarks and spacers, in a similar manner to that described above in relation to FIGS. 27 and 28.
(72) Moreover, whereas the perimeter protection system 104 is shown in FIGS. 31 and 32 to comprise only security bulwarks 119 of the type shown in FIGS. 16 to 20, any one of these security bulwarks 119 can be substituted by a similarly sized security bulwark 130 of the type shown in FIGS. 13 to 15. In such a manner, an obstruction in the way of a perimeter railing located on the deck side or inside of the railing can be accommodated by the perimeter protection system, by positioning a security bulwark 130 of the type shown in FIGS. 13 to 15 at the location of the obstruction. The perimeter protection system 104 may alternatively or additionally also comprise a security bulwark 30 of the type shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, whereby the perimeter protection system 104 can be extended around a corner of a perimeter railing on a vessel or marine installation. In other words, the present invention envisages perimeter protection systems comprising any possible combination of the different types of security bulwarks 30, 119, 130 and spacer 140 described herein.
(73) FIGS. 33 to 35 are three different views of a spacer 140 in the perimeter protection system 104 shown in FIGS. 31 and 32. The spacer 140 comprises a first side 141 and an opposing second side 143, both of which can be positioned abutting a respective one of the sides 116 of either one of the security bulwarks 119 and 130. As can be seen, the profile of the sides 141, 143 mirrors that of the sides 116 of both of the security bulwarks 119, 130. The spacer 140 also comprises a plurality of through-holes 142 from the first side 141 to the opposing second side 143 of the spacer 140. The locations of the through-holes 142 on the spacer 140 correspond to the locations of the connection sites 117 on the sides 116 of the security bulwarks 119, 130. Thus if a pair of such security bulwarks 119 and/or 130 are arranged side-by-side adjacent to each other with one of the spacers 140 positioned between them, the through-holes 142 on the spacers 140 can be aligned with the connection sites 117 on the sides 116 of the security bulwarks 119, 130. The adjacent pair of security bulwarks 119, 130 can then be connected to each other via the respective through-holes 142 of the spacer 140 positioned between them. For example, a connector, such as a bolt, can be inserted into a through-hole in the side 116 of a first one of the pair of security bulwarks 119 or 130, through the respective through-hole 142 of the spacer 140 and out of a through-hole in the side 116 of the other one of the pair of security bulwarks 119 or 130, in a direction parallel with a perimeter railing to which the perimeter protection system 104 is mounted. The bolt can then be fitted with a nut, for example, and both can be tightened together until the adjacent pair of security bulwarks 119, 130 and the spacer 140 positioned between them abut each other. This allows for quick and easy connection of the adjacent pair of the security bulwarks 119, 130 to each other via the spacer 140 positioned between them, to form a strong and structurally sound security barrier comprising the adjacent pair of security bulwarks 119, 130 and the spacer 140.
(74) As may also be seen in FIGS. 33 to 35, the spacer 140 differs from the spacer 40 shown in FIGS. 29 and 30 in that the spacer 140 further comprises a nose 146. When the spacer 140 is positioned between an adjacent pair of security bulwarks 119 and/or 130 in a perimeter protection system, the nose 146 projects outwardly in a seaward direction between the adjacent side surfaces 5g, 5h of the mounds 133 on respective ones of the adjacent pair of security bulwarks 119, 130, as may best be seen in FIG. 30. This provides an additional obstruction to thwart unauthorized potential boarders from trying to squeeze between the adjacent pair of security bulwarks 119, 130.
