Unit loading cargo vessel

2,363,797

P. LOVFALD

UNIT LOADING CARGO VESSEL

Filed Oct. 16, 1940

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INVENTOR

Peer £oy/c7/d

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ATTORNEY

4Nov. 28, 1944. p. lovfald 2,363,797

UNIT LOADINC- CARGO VESSEL

Filed Oct. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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BY

INVENTOR

IPMsr

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ATTORNEY

Patented Nov. 28, 1944

2,363,797

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in unit loading cargo vessels and in method of handling ¹ unit loading of various ’ types and^; particularly it relates to improvements in a multi-purpose .vessel which may be used for carrying trucks in peace time and which, without any changes, may be used to carry military and naval equipment such as tanks, guns, supply trucks, landing equipment, and mosquito torpedo boats in time of war.

An important object of my invention is to provide a sea-going vessel which may be used for carrying loaded or empty trucks; particularly trailer trucks, over greater distances such as in coastwise trade: or even in international trade,

2,363,797

UNIT LOADING CARGO VESSEL

Peer Lovfald, Middletown, N. J.

Application October 16, 1940, Serial No. 361,333 (Cl. 114—72) deck 20 of the vessel. However, in special cases where it is desired to also carry mosquito torpedo boats, landing boats, pontoons, or similar naval equipment, the rear end of the main deck 20, designated with the slanting: platform line 22.

The stern port:

with a central longitudinal well opening of the main deck of the vessel and running nearly the length of the ship from the stern forward to near the pilot house 24 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The engine room is placed under the main deck numeral 21 is arranged as a inclining down to the water furthermore communicates ______ 20 and the two smoke stacks 15 are located one thus: making; possible: economical· shipment by 15 one. each side of. the well 23. Two rails 25, supported on the structure 26, run the entire length of the well 23 from: the rear end of the stern davits 18 to the pilot house 24. On these: rails: are placed two traveling cranes with, carriages 20 27, cabs 28, each having two Winches 29, suitable for loading or unloading products or other equipment 30 off or on to a dock 31 as indicated in

Fig. 1.: :! : ' : . :

Two structures 32, each carry a set of trans-: 25 verse rails 33, carrying cranes: with carriages 34 and winches 35 for transverse movement of the load, see Fig. 5. ::

The main deck 20 is provided with hatches 36 along the well 23. These hatches 36 may be opened and the unit loads 30 may be lowered to the lower deck 37. The lower deck 37 also has hatches 38 giving access to the bottom hold of the vessel where unit loads 39 may be placed if desired, see Fig. 5.

35. The operation of my invention is briefly as follows:

Loading and unloading of unit loads such as trailer trucks or other commercial motor vehicles in peace time and motorized artillery, landing pontoons, landing boats, or mosquito torpedo boats in time of war is accomplished by moving these loads longitudinally through the central well 23 of the vessel by means of longitudinally traveling cranes 29. When these, unit .loads are taken to the dock and placed on the deck by the longitudinally traveling cranes the loads 30 may be moved into final position in a transverse direction by the transverse cranes 35 on the upper deck. On the lower deck and main deck transverse movement may be effected by special rails and fiat cars or trucks if necessary. By the use of this specially constructed ship and special equipment it is possible to quickly load and unload a cargo and by making the ship a high speed sea-going type it is possible to quickly transport truck without unloading direct from the factory or production center to the consumer.

A further object of the invention is to provide suitable loading and unloading arrangements whereby trucks! and trailers may be quickly placed in the cargo space of the vessel both on deck and under deck.

Still· another: object of my invention is to provide a high speed cargo vessel suitable fortrans• porting tanks, motorized artillery, supply trucks, special landing equipment as well as mosquito torpedo boats in time of war.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description:

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a shear line elevation of a vessel embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a deck plan with crane arrangement . of the vessel shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section along line 3—3 in Fig. 1,

Figure 4 is a section along line 4—4 in Figures ' 40 1 and 2, and, :

Figure 5 is a section along line 5—5 in Figures and 2.

, In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration,: is shown a preferred embodiment 45 of my invention, the numeral (0 designates the bow part of the hull ί I with the keel 12, propeller 13, rudder 14, smoke stacks 15, mast 16 and IT, etc. The hull 11 is that of an ordinary vessel except for the stern which is specially formed to provide two overhanging davits 18, which are in effect overhanging stern projections forming an extension of the hull, and a large: stern port 19, see Fig. 3. The stern port 19 is preferably arranged to communicate directly with the main

2,363,797 the cargo over large distances and again rapidly unload same at its destination. In peace time it is thus possible to relieve the congestion of arterial highways between various parts of the country and truck shipment directly from the pro- 5 ducer to the door of the consumer is made possible at extremely low cost. The transportation cost is greatly reduced due to the fact that trailers may be used without the necessity of any drivers or cabs going with the cargo. A few driv- W ers and cabs at the terminal points will be sufficient to gather and subsequently deliver the trailers transported by the vessel. The number of cabs and drivers will furthermore be greatly reduced because the average trips will be very short 15 and no interstate licenses or interstate restrictions on drivers’ hours will be in effect. The trucks may, therefore, be driven by one driver as required by long-haul interstate traffic. By using high speed vessels express traffic between 20 remote parts of the country is possible with greatly reduced shipping time as compared to ordinary freight by rail.

Another very important feature of the operation of the present invention is to be found in the 25 fact that the same ships which are used in peace time as described above may be used in war time to carry tanks, artillery, pontoons, for landing, landing boats, or even a fleet of mosquito torpedo boats. This is especially valuable in the case 30 of mosquito torpedo boats which have normally very short range of operation. By the use of carriers or mother ships of the type described the action radius of these mosquito torpedo boats will be extended to anything desired and the car- 35 rier may follow the fleet for attacks at distant points. The carrier is particularly suited for landing of troops and mechanized equipment on distant shores. By anchoring at a suitable distance from shore with the stern pointing toward ⁴⁰land a Simple pontoon bridge may be quickly placed on which all kinds of military equipment may be landed. The special stem davits 18 and the traveling crane 29 makes it possible to launch mosquito torpedo boats in open sea and at full 45 speed. It is also possible to pick up these boats and stove them back into the hold in open sea and under speed.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be ⁵⁰taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.