Patent Application
20220411023
The present disclosure relates generally to safety systems, and specifically to safety systems for barges.
Barges are typically used for the transport of goods along inland waterways. Inland barges may operate in rivers and other narrow-access waterways. For the ease of loading, inland barges typically do not include safety rails and often are difficult for personnel operating on the barge to traverse owing to lading and configurations of barges. For example, inland tank barges typically have one or more large, centrally located tanks on the barge surface, allowing only a narrow walking deck about the perimeter of the barge. Operating at or near the gunwales or edges of the barge presents a risk of falls onto the barge and a risk of falling overboard for barge personnel.
The present disclosure provides for a fall arrest system for a barge. The fall arrest system may include a lifeline extending along a bulkhead of the barge. The fall arrest system may include a fixed cable anchor. The fixed cable anchor may be mechanically coupled to the bulkhead. The fixed cable anchor may include a hole to which the lifeline is mechanically coupled. The fall arrest system may include an intermediate bracket. The intermediate bracket may be mechanically coupled to the bulkhead. The intermediate bracket may include a cable guide through which the lifeline extends and may pass through.
The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
Barge 10 may include fall arrest system 100. Fall arrest system 100 may, for example and without limitation, include one or more apparatuses positioned to allow barge personnel to secure themselves to barge 10 while operating at or near the periphery of barge 10.
In some embodiments, fall arrest system 100 may include fall safety area demarcation line 101. Fall safety area demarcation line 101 may, in some embodiments, be a line painted on or otherwise coupled to barge 10. In some embodiments, fall safety area demarcation line 101 may be positioned a preselected distance, defined herein as a threshold distance, from the periphery of barge 10 to indicate to barge personnel their proximity to the perimeter of barge 10. For example and without limitation, in some embodiments, fall safety area demarcation line 101 may be positioned 3′ from the nearest edge of barge 10. The area of deck 14 between fall safety area demarcation line 101 and the nearest edge of barge 10 may define fall safety area 103.
In some embodiments, where deck 14 does not extend the threshold from the nearest periphery of barge 10, fall safety area demarcation line 101 may be positioned on deck 14 at the furthest point from the edge of barge 10. As a nonlimiting example, in a case where walking deck 24 is less than the threshold distance wide, such as where walking deck 24 is 2′6″ wide and the threshold distance is 3′, fall safety area demarcation line 101 may be positioned on walking deck 24 adjacent or nearly adjacent to tank 12, indicating that all of walking deck 24 is within fall safety area 103.
Barge personnel operating on deck 14 of barge 10 may wear fall arrest gear that may include, for example and without limitation, a harness and a lanyard or personal fall limiter (PFL). For the purposes of this disclosure, the fall arrest gear is referred to as a PFL. The PFL may include a clip apparatus such as a carabiner at the end thereof to allow the barge personnel to attach themselves to components of fall arrest system 100 as further described below. In some embodiments, while operating in fall safety area 103, personnel may be required to be attached to fall arrest system 100 using the PFL.
In some embodiments, fall arrest system 100 may include one or more anchor points 105. Anchor points 105 may be mechanically coupled to deck 14 of barge 10 and may provide a hardpoint for barge personnel to attach their PFL when operating in fall safety area 103. Anchor points 105 may be positioned at fall safety area demarcation line 101 or at a position proximate fall safety area demarcation line 101 outside of fall safety area 103 to allow barge personnel to couple their PFL thereto while remaining outside fall safety area 103. In some embodiments, anchor points 105 may be positioned at open areas of deck 14 such as at foredeck 16 and afterdeck 18. Anchor points 105 may be relatively low profile such that anchor points 105 present little or no tripping hazard to barge personnel.
In some embodiments, anchor point 105 may include anchor bracket 109. Anchor bracket 109 may be coupled to mounting plate 107. Anchor point 105 may include attachment point 111 mechanically coupled to anchor bracket 109. In some embodiments, attachment point 111 may be a swivel 112. In some embodiments, attachment point 111 may include shackle 113. Shackle 113 may allow barge personnel to couple their PFL to anchor point 105. While operating in fall safety area 103 at or near anchor point 105, barge personnel may couple their PFL thereto in order to, for example and without limitation, reduce the risk of falling overboard in the event that a fall occurs.
With reference to
In some embodiments, lifelines 115 may extend through intermediate brackets 119. Intermediate brackets 119 may retain lifelines 115 in a fixed position while allowing lifelines 115 to traverse therethrough while taking up loading forces in the event a fall occurs.
In some embodiments, lifelines 115 may be pretensioned to a desired degree between fixed cable anchors 117 to, for example and without limitation, provide the desired shock load capability and extension in the event one or more barge personnel experience a fall depending on the configuration and positioning of fixed cable anchors 117 and intermediate brackets 119 and the material and parameters of lifelines 115.
Anchor plate 123 may include one or more holes 125 positioned to allow lifeline 115 to couple thereto. Holes 125 may be positioned on anchor plate 123 a distance from mounting plate 121 such that lifeline 115 couples to anchor plate 123 a desired distance, referred to herein as a standoff distance, from bulkhead 13, thereby preventing or reducing contact between lifeline 115 and bulkhead 13. The standoff distance may reduce the likelihood that friction between lifeline 115 and bulkhead 13 may impede proper operation of fall arrest system 100. Additionally, the standoff distance may allow for easier interaction between barge personnel and lifeline 115 while coupling a PFL thereto as compared to an embodiment in which lifeline 115 is proximate bulkhead 13.
Intermediate bracket 119 may include cable guide 129. Cable guide 129 may be mechanically coupled to guide plate 131, which may be mechanically coupled to mounting plate 127. Cable guide 129 may be tubular such that lifeline 115 may pass therethrough. Cable guide 129 may allow lifeline 115 to remain in a fixed position relative to barge 10 while allowing lifeline 115 to pass therethrough in the event of an arrested fall, thereby localizing any non-aligned forces to intermediate bracket 119.
In some embodiments, intermediate bracket 119 may include standoff 133. Standoff 133 may extend between mounting plate 127 and guide plate 131 such that cable guide 129 is extended a desired distance from bulkhead 13, thereby preventing or reducing contact between lifeline 115 and bulkhead 13. The standoff distance may reduce the likelihood that friction between lifeline 115 and bulkhead 13 may impede proper operation of fall arrest system 100. Additionally, the standoff distance may allow for easier interaction between barge personnel and lifeline 115 while coupling a PFL thereto as compared to an embodiment in which lifeline 115 is proximate bulkhead 13.
In some embodiments, the spacing between fixed cable anchors 117 for a given lifeline 115, and therefore the overall length of lifeline 115, may be determined based on anticipated fall loads with reference to the material and diameter of lifeline 115. In some embodiments, for example and without limitation, fixed cable anchors 117 may be spaced no more than 100′ apart for a single lifeline 115. In some embodiments, the spacing between adjacent fixed cable anchors 117 and intermediate brackets 119 or between adjacent intermediate brackets 119 for a given lifeline 115 may be determined based on anticipated fall loads with reference to the material and diameter of lifeline 115. In some embodiments, for example and without limitation, the maximum distance between adjacent fixed cable anchors 117 and intermediate brackets 119 or between adjacent intermediate brackets 119 may be no more than 20′ apart for a single lifeline 115.
The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that a person of ordinary skill in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Such features may be replaced by any one of numerous equivalent alternatives, only some of which are disclosed herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
This application is a nonprovisional application which claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 63/214,456, filed Jun. 24, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63214456 | Jun 2021 | US |
