GROUND LAYING CRAFT Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: shipbuilding. SUBSTANCE: ground laying craft has hull 1 which is provided with through vertical trunk 2 and U-shaped truss 6 secured above it; truss 6 is provided with cargo 7; lower-hoist cross-piece 9 with hopper 3 secured on it is suspended from rope of winch 7 in trunk 2. Hopper 3 is provided with closed hermetic chamber to ensure positive buoyancy and self-floating in unloading state. Hopper 3 is provided with discharge branch pipe 5 fitted with damper 5 for dropping the ground in its lower position and holding it in hopper 3 in upper position. Ground laying craft is provided with gripping device which is made in form of flexible rope-pulley system which is closed over contour of underwater pipe line 15; hauling ropes 20 and 21 of this system which are used to carry and guide cross-piece 9 are wound on drums mounted on trusses 6 of hauling winches 18 and 19 passing separately through its pulleys 22 and 23 and then pulleys h, l, k, i at ends of cross-piece 9 towards each other. Free ends of ropes 20 and 21 which are in contact are movably and flexibly connected with underwater pipe line 15 by means of roller grips 16 and 17 for embracing it and movably crimping it. Craft is provided with limiters 29 and 30 in lowering and hoisting hopper 3, respectively. These limiters are engageable with damper 5 of discharge branch pipe 4 opening it at end of lowering hopper and closing it after hoisting the hopper to initial position for receiving the ground being loaded in it. EFFECT: enhanced reliability. 6 cl, 7 dwg