A FERRY AND A METHOD OF OPERATING A FERRY

Abstract

A ferry with a first loading port defining a first portion and a second portion, the loading port allowing vehicles to roll onto a ferry deck. The first portion is closeable by a first closure, and the second portion is closable by a spray cover. The first closure is movable between an open position opening the first portion of the first loading port and forming an extension of the ferry deck and a closed position extending in an upright direction from the ferry deck to a frontal position at which it terminates and closes the first portion of the first loading port. The spray cover is movable between an open position in which it opens the second portion of the first loading port and a closed position in which it extends from a central roof position to the frontal position and closes the second portion of the first loading port.

Claims

1.-19. (canceled)

20. A ferry with a first loading port defining a first portion and a second portion, the loading port allowing vehicles to roll onto a ferry deck, the first portion being closable by a first closure and the second portion being closable by a spray cover, wherein the first closure is movable between an open position in which it opens the first portion of the first loading port and forms an extension of the ferry deck and a closed position in which it extends in an upright direction from the ferry deck to a frontal position at which it terminates and closes the first portion of the first loading port, and wherein the spray cover is movable between an open position in which it opens the second portion of the first loading port and a closed position in which it extends from a central roof position to the frontal position and closes the second portion of the first loading port, wherein the spray cover terminates at the frontal position in the closed position.

21. The ferry according to claim 20, wherein a first height h1 being a vertical distance from the ferry deck to the central roof position is larger than a second height h2 being a vertical distance from a plane defined by the ferry deck to the frontal position.

22. The ferry according to claim 20, wherein the ferry deck terminates at an edge portion, the first closure being pivotally attached to the ferry deck along a pivot axis extending along the edge portion of the ferry deck.

23. The ferry according to claims 22, wherein movement of the first closure between the open position and the closed position is a pivotal movement around the pivot axis.

24. The ferry according to claim 20, wherein movement of the spray cover between the open position and the closed position is a movement along a path.

25. The ferry according to claim 20, wherein the first closure in the closed position and the spray cover in the closed position engage each other.

26. The ferry according to claim 20, wherein the spray cover in the closed position extends in an at least partly inclined position from the central roof position to the frontal position.

27. The ferry according to claim 21, wherein the first closure has a length 11 being defined as the dimension of the first closure in a loading direction, the length 11 being of the same size as the second height h2 or being larger than the second height h2 and smaller than the first height h1.

28. The ferry according to claim 20, wherein the spray cover comprises at least one sliding panel.

29. The ferry according to claim 20, wherein the spray cover comprises at least two sliding panels arranged to move into a stacked configuration in the open position of the spray cover.

30. The ferry according to claim 20, further comprising a top opening arranged between the central roof position and a top roof position.

31. The ferry according to claim 20, the ferry comprising an additional closure and an additional spray cover to provide a second loading port at the opposite end of the ferry relative to the first loading port.

32. The ferry according to claim 20, wherein a bending stiffness of the spray cover is lower than a bending stiffness of the first closure.

33. The ferry according to claim 20, further comprising a sealing element arranged along an edge portion of the first loading port.

34. A method of operating a ferry according to claim 20, wherein the spray cover is moved independent on movement of the first closure.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the ferry is sailed with the spray cover in the open position or in an at least partly open position, and the first closure in a closed position.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the spray cover is moved, while the ferry sails.

37. The method according to claim 34, further comprising a step of determining a height of a vehicle, and a step of moving the spray cover in direction of the central roof position in dependency of the determined height.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] Embodiments of the disclosure will now be further described with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0051] FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art ferry;

[0052] FIG. 2 illustrates a longitudinal-sectional view along the ferry deck of an embodiment of the ferry;

[0053] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates moving of the first closure between the open and closed position;

[0054] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the first closure and the spray cover in their respective closed positions;

[0055] FIG. 5 illustrates a front-view of an embodiment of the ferry, where the first and the second portion of the first loading port are closed;

[0056] FIG. 6 illustrates parts of an embodiment of the ferry, where the first and the second portion of the first loading port are closed, while the top opening is in the closed configuration; and

[0057] FIG. 7 illustrates parts of an embodiment of the ferry where the first portion is closed, and where the second portion of the first loading port is in the open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating embodiments of the disclosure, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

[0059] FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art ferry 101 having a first loading port 103 allowing vehicles to roll onto a ferry deck (not shown). The first loading port 103 is closed by a ramp 105 fully closing the loading port. When loading and unloading the ferry 101, vehicles may roll on and roll off the ferry deck via the ramp 105. An additional entrance hatch 107 is arranged on the outside of the ramp 105 to protect the ramp. The entrance hatch 107 is pivotally connected at a bearing 109 at the ferry. In order to load and unload the ferry 101, both the entrance hatch 107 and the ramp 105 have to be fully opened.

[0060] FIG. 2 illustrates a longitudinal-sectional view along of an embodiment of a ferry 1 according to the disclosure. The ferry 1 comprises a first loading port 3 allowing vehicles to roll onto a ferry deck 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the ferry 1 allows vehicles to roll onto the ferry deck 3 at both the bow and the stern. To facilitate loading and unloading at both the bow and the stern, the ferry 1 comprises a second loading port 3.

[0061] The first loading port 3 is closable by a first closure 5 and a spray cover 13, whereas the second loading port 3 is closable by an additional closure 5 and an additional spray cover 13. The first and second loading ports each defines a first portion and a second portion, where the first portion is closable by the first closure 5/the additional closure 5, and where the second portion is closable by the spray cover 13/the additional spray cover 13. In the illustrated embodiment, the first closure and the additional closure are identical. Likewise, are the spray cover 13 and the additionally spray cover 13 identical.

[0062] In the illustrated embodiment, the first closure 5 and the additional closure 5 are both movable between an open position in which they each defines a ramp onto the ferry deck 11 and a closed position where they each extends in an upright direction from the ferry deck 11 to a frontal position 15, where it terminates, and closes a first portion of the first loading port 3. In FIG. 2, the first closure 5 is in the open position defining a ramp, whereas the additional closure 5 is in the closed position extending in an upright direction from the ferry deck 11 to the frontal position 15 to thereby close a first portion of the first loading port 3.

[0063] The spray cover 13 and the additional spray cover 13 are both movable between an open position where they each opens a second portion of the first loading port 3 and a closed position where they each extends in an inclined direction from a central roof position 17 to the frontal position 15 and closes the second portion of the first loading port 3. In FIG. 2, the spray cover 13 is in open position, whereas the additional spray cover 13 is in the closed position extending in an inclined direction from the central roof position 17 to the frontal position 15 to thereby close the second portion of the first loading port 3.

[0064] A vertical distance from the ferry deck 11 to the central roof position 17 is denoted a first height h1, whereas a vertical distance from a plane defined by the ferry deck 11 to the frontal position 15 is denoted a second height h2.

[0065] The height h1 is larger than the second height h2. Thus, when loading vehicles having a height being lower than the height h2 only the first closure 5 needs to be in the open position, whereas the spray cover 13 may be in the closed position closing the second portion of the first loading port 3.

[0066] The spray cover 13 and the additional spray cover 13 may both be arranged in a partly open position, where they partly open the second portion of the first loading port 3. In the partly open position, they may extend in an inclined direction from the central roof position 17 to an intermediate position in between the central roof position 17 and the frontal position 15 and may close a part of the second portion of the first loading port 3.

[0067] The first closure 5 has a length 11 being defined as the dimension of the first closure in a loading direction (indicated by the arrow LD), where the loading direction LD is the direction in which the ferry 1 can be loaded. To facilitate closing of the first portion of the first loading port 3, the length 11 may be larger than the second height h2 and smaller than the first height h1.

[0068] To allow the first closure 5 to move between the open position and the closed position, the first closure 5 is pivotally attached to the ferry 1 along an edge 19 of the ferry deck 11. The first closure 5 extends from an attachment edge 21 along the edge 19 of the ferry deck 11 and terminates in a free edge 23 opposite to the attachment edge 21. The attachment edge 21 and the free edge 23 are substantially parallel. In the closed position, the free edge 23 of the first closure 5 terminates at the frontal position 15. The length 11 corresponds to the dimension of the first closure 5 from the attachment edge 21 to the free edge 23.

[0069] In the illustrated embodiment, the spray cover 13 and the additional spray cover 13 each comprises a plurality of sliding panels 25, which sliding panels 25 are configured to slide in a direction towards the central roof position 17 from the frontal position 15, when moving to the open position, and towards the frontal position 15 from the central roof position 17, when moving to the closed position.

[0070] The sliding panels 25 span from one side of the ferry deck 11 to the opposite side of the ferry deck 11 to allow closing of the second portion of the first loading port 3 up to the full width of the ferry deck, where the width of the ferry deck is defined as a distance between two oppositely arranged sidewalls or side girders (not shown) of the ferry 1 in a direction perpendicular to the loading direction LD.

[0071] The sliding panels 25 span between side-tracks 27 on opposite sides of the ferry deck 11 creating an entrance opening allowing passage for vehicles higher than the second height h2; up to the first height h1.

[0072] In the illustrated embodiment, the spray cover 13 and the additional spray cover 13 each comprises three sliding panels 25 arranged to move into a stacked configuration in the open position. When arranging the panels 25 in the stacked configuration, a panel 25 is telescopically slided into a cavity of an adjacent panel 25 to thereby arrange the panels in a stacked configuration, as illustrated by the panels 25 of the spray cover 13, whereas the additional spray cover 13 is arranged in the closed position.

[0073] When sliding the panels 25 towards the central roof position 17, the panels are in the illustrated embodiment configured to pass the central roof position 17 to thereby slide further away from the frontal position 15.

[0074] In the illustrated embodiment, the ferry 1 further comprises two top openings 31 arranged between the central roof position 17 and a top roof position 33. Opening of the top opening 31 may facilitate ventilation of the ferry deck 11, while the first closure 5 and the spray cover 13 are in their respective closed positions.

[0075] In the illustrated embodiment, one of the top openings 31 are closed by the spray cover 13 being in the open position.

[0076] The illustrated embodiment of the ferry further comprises two railings 29. A closing element may extend from the top roof position 33 to the railing 29 to protect the area behind the railing and a closing element from water splashes.

[0077] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates moving of the first closure 5 between the open and closed position. In the open position, the first closure 5, illustrated by the dotted line, forms an extension to the ferry deck 11, and in the closed position, the first closure 5, illustrated by the full-line, extends upright from the ferry deck 11 to the frontal position 15 at which it terminates.

[0078] When moving the first closure 5 between the open position and the closed position, the first closure 5 is pivotally moved around the pivot axis P at an angle a. The first closure 5 is pivotally attached to the ferry deck 11 along the edge 19 (see FIG. 2),

[0079] When the first closure 5 is in the open position (dotted line), the loading port 3 (see FIG. 2) has a height h2 allowing vehicles of a height up to h2 to roll onto the ferry deck 11 without moving the spray cover 13 to its open position (see FIGS. 2 and 4). The height h2 is defined as the vertical distance between a plane defined by the ferry deck 11 and the frontal position 15.

[0080] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the first closure 5 and the spray cover 13 in their respective closed positions, where the spray cover 13 extends from the central roof position 17 to the frontal position 15. When moving the spray cover 13 between the open position and the closed position, the spray cover 13 is slided along a straight path SP. The path may as an alternative by a curved path.

[0081] When the first closure 5 is in its open position (see FIG. 3), and when the spray cover 13 is in its open position, the loading port 3 (see FIG. 2) has a height h1 allowing vehicles of a height up to h1 to roll onto the ferry deck 11. The height h1 is defined as the vertical distance between the ferry deck 11 and the central roof position 17.

[0082] FIG. 5 illustrates a front-view of an embodiment of the ferry 1, where the first and the second portion of the first loading port 3 are closed by the first closure 5 and the spray cover 13, respectively.

[0083] FIG. 6 illustrates parts of an embodiment of the ferry 1, where the first and the second portion of the first loading port 3 are closed by the first closure 5 and the spray cover 13, respectively. The top opening 31 is in the closed configuration.

[0084] FIG. 7 illustrates parts of an embodiment of the ferry 1, where the first portion of the loading port 3 is closed by the first closure 5. The second portion of the first loading port 3 is in the open position, as the spray cover 13 in the form of sliding panels 25 are slided towards the central roof position 17 and have passed this position 17 to thereby close the top opening 31 (not shown).