Inventors:
John C. Balston - San Rafael CA
Assignee:
The Rucker Company - Oakland CA
International Classification:
B63B 2106
B63B 2156
Abstract:
A hydro-pneumatic device secures and releases a mooring or towing hawser to a vessel. A carriage reciprocates on a frame on the vessel and moves a bollard between one position securing a hawser to the towing or moored vessel and another position releasing the hawser. Movement of the carriage on the frame is accompanied by movement of a piston in a cylinder on the frame, the piston being connected to the carriage by a chain trained around a sprocket on the piston rod. A combination of liquid and gaseous fluid systems with various manual and automatic controls is connected to the cylinder and normally allows the piston to oscillate about a chosen average position. The fluid system by manual or automatic control lets the carriage move to a predetermined, extreme position on the frame. In such position the carriage actuates the bollard to release position, freeing the line. The carriage can be locked to the frame in the extreme position.