System for conveying a barge over a levee in a level attitude

Abstract

A system for conveying a barge over a levee in a level attitude providing for safety and avoidance of damage to the barge, the levee, and of persons, where a barge is to be conveyed from a waterway, over a levee, through a floodgate in a floodwall, and into a maintenance building, and the reverse operation, by placing a barge in a drydock, resting on support blocks, aligning the drydock with the floodgate, placing level-raising tractors with tractor controllers underneath the barge, raising the barge off of the support blocks, and rolling and lifting the barge over the levee while keeping the barge in a level attitude, optionally under the additional control of a person using a hand-remote tractor controller.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]This provides a system for conveying a barge over a levee in a level attitude, providing for safety and avoidance of damage to the barge, the levee, and persons.[0002]Barges are flat-bottomed boats used primarily for river and canal transport of heavy or bulk goods. Many barges are not self-propelled, and must be towed or pushed by towboats or other means. Many barges are long and narrow in order to provide a large amount of internal area without presenting a width that would interfere with navigation. The construction and operation of barges is subject to regulations and safety considerations. Barges, being vessels designed to float on relatively calm waters, and accordingly being supported substantially uniformly along their entire structures, are generally not able to withstand significant differential supporting or torsional forces without damage to the structure of the barge. Therefore, when on land, such as for repair, retrofitting, or maintenance, barges must ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This invention is a system that allows a barge to be safely and easily moved over a levee and into a building for maintenance. The system includes a barge, a drydock, and tractors with controllers that can move the barge over the levee and keep it in a level position. This system ensures safety and prevents damage to the barge, levee, and people. The "technical effect" of this invention is a more efficient and safe way to move barges over levees and into maintenance buildings.

Problems solved by technology

Barges, being vessels designed to float on relatively calm waters, and accordingly being supported substantially uniformly along their entire structures, are generally not able to withstand significant differential supporting or torsional forces without damage to the structure of the barge.

The rivers, canals, and waterways upon which the barges travel are often susceptible to periodic flooding.

The maintenance facility is unlikely to be located on the water side of the flood protection, because of insufficient area, legal considerations about the ownership of and rights attached to waterside land, and a need to protect the maintenance facilities from flooding.

Damage to a levee's structural integrity might be impossible to repair in time for future high water, and might not even be detected until after a catastrophic failure.

Such an operation would apply damaging folding and buckling forces to the barge, rendering it unfit for further use in commerce, and would further apply damaging lateral forces to the levee, diminishing its integrity.

Also, such an operation, with large shiftings of force and direction, would be susceptible to uncontrolled falling of the barge, further damaging the barge, the levee, and any personnel in the vicinity.

The prior art does not provide for a system for conveying a barge over a levee in a level attitude that does not generate the problems discussed above.

All electrical installations are explosion-proof.

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