Apparatus for cleaning the hull of a floating vessel

Abstract

Improvements to a cleaning assembly include a support for a rotating object, a rotary brush, an apparatus for manoeuvring a floating vessel and an arm arrangement for cleaning a surface. Thus, an inventive cleaning assembly is provided, the cleaning assembly comprising a submersible framework, and two arms of the aforementioned arrangement pivoted to the submersible framework at the opposite end of the arm to the brush and gimbal arrangement, the arms having a substantially horizontal rest position and pivoted to allow the arms to move to move the brush to clean both sides of a floating vessel.

1 . An arm arrangement for cleaning a surface, comprising: 
 an arm;    a brush and gimbal arrangement on the end of the arm, the brush and gimbal arrangement including:    a brush;    a drive means for rotating the brush about a first axis;    pivots to allow the brush and drive means to rotate about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis and a third axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis and to the second axis to allow the brush to pivot on the end of the arm to follow the surface for cleaning.    
   
   
       2 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the brush and drive means are fixed to a first mounting bracket pivoted to a second mounting bracket about the second axis,    
   
   
       3 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 2 , wherein the second mounting bracket is a multi-portion linkage, a portion of the linkage being pivoted to a first arm portion about an axis parallel to and spaced apart from the third axis, wherein the linkage is arranged to translate rotation of the said portion about the pivot to rotation of the first mounting bracket about the third axis.  
   
   
       4 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 1  wherein the first, second and third axes intersect at a point.  
   
   
       5 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the brush and drive means are spaced along the first axis on opposite sides of the pivot;    wherein the arm further includes adjustment means for adjusting the position of the pivot of the first mounting bracket in the second mounting bracket along the first axis to balance the brush and drive means.    
   
   
       6 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 5  further comprising: 
 a three-way connector having opposed first and second hose connectors, a third hose connector in communication with the first and second hose connectors, and a bearing, the three-way connector being mounted with the bearing; and    hoses connecting the first and second hose connectors to the drive means.    
   
   
       7 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 6 , wherein the hose connectors are within the first mounting bracket.  
   
   
       8 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 2 , further comprising a first arm portion, wherein the second mounting bracket is pivoted to the first arm portion around the third axis.  
   
   
       9 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 8  further comprising a second arm portion, wherein the first arm portion is pivoted to the second arm portion to allow motion about a fourth axis substantially parallel to the second axis and spaced from the second axis, and a fifth axis extending along the length of the second arm portion.  
   
   
       10 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 9  wherein the second arm portion is mounted on the end of the arm and extends in the longitudinal direction of the arm.  
   
   
       11 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 2 , further comprising a first arm portion connected to the arm, wherein: 
 the second mounting bracket comprises first, second and third bracket portions;    the first mounting bracket is connected between opposing first and second bracket portions;    the third bracket portion is pivoted to the first arm portion around a fourth axis substantially parallel to the third axis and spaced apart from the third axis; and    the first and second bracket portions are pivotally connected to the third bracket portion such that the brush and drive means rotate about the third axis when the third bracket portion rotates about the fourth axis.    
   
   
       12 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 11  further comprising a second arm portion, wherein the first arm portion is pivoted to the second arm portion to allow motion about a fourth axis substantially parallel to the second axis and spaced from the second axis.  
   
   
       13 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 12  wherein the second arm portion is mounted on the end of the arm and extends in the longitudinal direction of the arm.  
   
   
       14 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the brush has an inner front face and an outer front face, wherein the inner front face rotates about the first axis and the outer front face does not rotate about the first axis.  
   
   
       15 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the brush has a substantially flat front face supporting a plurality of cleaning means, the cleaning means being arranged in rows extending radially from the first axis about which the brush rotates.  
   
   
       16 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 15  wherein the cleaning means are bristle clumps or cleaning pads.  
   
   
       17 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the brush has a flat front face and guide means arranged around the flat front face to guide the brush over the surface.  
   
   
       18 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the brush is in fluid communication with the drive means.  
   
   
       19 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 1 , further comprising means to retain foreign matter removed from the surface during cleaning.  
   
   
       20 . An arm arrangement according to  claim 19  wherein the means to retain foreign matter are arranged to cooperate with the surface to form an enclosure around the brush and drive means during cleaning.  
   
   
       21 . An arm arrangement according to any  claim 1  further comprising resilient springs, the resilient springs being arranged such that when the brush and drive means are rotated about the second axis the brush and drive means are urged to an equilibrium position in which the first to third axes are substantially perpendicular to each other.  
   
   
       22 . A cleaning assembly, comprising: 
 a submersible framework;    means for mounting the submersible framework to a fixed body; and    two arm arrangements according to any preceding claim, each arm being pivoted to the submersible framework at the opposite end of the arm to the brush and gimbal arrangement, the arms being pivoted to allow the arms to move the brush to clean both sides of a floating vessel, arranged such that when the assembly is mounted the arms have a substantially horizontal rest position.    
   
   
       23 . A cleaning assembly according to  claim 22 , 
 further comprising a drive for moving the floating vessel forward and aft in the longitudinal direction;    bidirectional drive means having a plurality of longitudinally spaced drive positions; and    attachment means adapted to attach a plurality of different places on the floating vessel to respective drive positions;    wherein the bidirectional drive means is arranged to drive the plurality of longitudinally spaced drive positions together to move the vessel fore and aft.    
   
   
       24 . A cleaning assembly according to  claim 22 , further comprising arm connecting means, opposed ends of the arm connecting means being attached to the two arms, wherein the arm connecting means are arranged such that substantially lateral displacement of the arms is substantially symmetrical about a substantially longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       25 . A cleaning assembly according to  claim 22 , wherein the first and second arms rotate about a common substantially lateral axis on the submersible framework substantially perpendicular to the length of the arms, 
 wherein the mounting means is arranged such that the rest position of the lateral axis is tilted at an angle of 0.1° to 10° from the horizontal so that the one of the arms is slightly raised above the other of the arms.    
   
   
       26 . A cleaning assembly according to  claim 22 , further comprising means for moving the submersible framework in either of two generally opposing lateral directions.  
   
   
       27 . A cleaning assembly according to  claim 22 , further comprising buoyancy containers and means for adjusting the depth by which the submersible framework is submersed.  
   
   
       28 . A support for a rotating object, the object rotating about a first axis, wherein the support comprises: 
 a drive means for rotating the object about the first axis;    a gimbal arrangement for supporting the drive means and the object, the gimbal arrangement having pivots to allow the drive means and object to rotate about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis and a third axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis and to the second axis, and a pivot to allow the object to rotate about a fourth axis substantially parallel to the second axis and spaced from the second axis.    
   
   
       29 . A support for a rotating object according to  claim 28 , wherein the gimbal arrangement further comprises a pivot to allow the object to rotate about a fifth axis substantially parallel to the third axis and spaced apart from the third axis.  
   
   
       30 . A support for a rotating object according to  claim 28 , wherein the first, second and third axes intersect at a point.  
   
   
       31 . A support for a rotating object according to  claim 28 , wherein the gimbal arrangement includes a first mounting bracket holding the brush and drive means, a second mounting bracket pivoted to the first mounting bracket about the second axis, and a first arm portion pivoted to the second mounting bracket about an axis substantially parallel to the third axis.  
   
   
       32 . A support for a rotating object according to  claim 31  wherein the first arm portion is pivoted to the second mounting bracket about the third axis.  
   
   
       33 . A support according to  claim 31 , further comprising a second arm portion pivoted to the first arm portion to allow motion of the second arm portion about the fourth axis and the second arm portion is pivoted about the fifth axis.  
   
   
       34 . A rotary brush comprising: 
 a surface that rotates about an axis; and    a plurality of bristle clumps attached to the surface, the bristle clumps being arranged in rows extending radially from the first axis.    
   
   
       35 . A rotary brush according to  claim 34  wherein the axis of rotation intersects the brush surface at a point that is substantially in the centre of the brush surface.  
   
   
       36 . A rotary brush comprising: 
 a surface that rotates about an axis; and    a plurality of bristle clumps attached to the surface, wherein the bristle clumps are arranged to form a channel between adjacent bristle clumps, the channel having a lower density of bristles attached to the surface of the brush than that of the bristle clumps and extending outwardly from the axis of rotation to the edge of the brush surface.    
   
   
       37 . A rotary brush according to  claim 36 , wherein the channel extends radially from the first axis.  
   
   
       38 . A rotary brush according to  claim 36 , wherein the channel is curved in the direction of rotation.  
   
   
       39 . Apparatus for manoeuvring a floating vessel forward and aft in the longitudinal direction comprising: 
 bidirectional drive means having a plurality of longitudinally spaced drive positions; and    attachment means adapted to attach a plurality of different places on the floating vessel to respective drive positions,    wherein the bidirectional drive means is arranged to drive the plurality of longitudinally spaced drive positions together to move the floating vessel fore and aft.    
   
   
       40 . The apparatus according to  claim 39  having a fixed portion of the drive means for attachment to a pontoon or mooring.  
   
   
       41 . The apparatus according to  claim 39  wherein the drive means comprises a chain, the longitudinally spaced drive positions being on the chain.  
   
   
       42 . The apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the attachment means comprises at least one carriage arranged to cooperate with an elongated track such that the carriage is operable to move along the track.  
   
   
       43 . Apparatus for guiding the movement of a floating vessel comprising: 
 at least one track elongated in a longitudinal direction;    means for mounting the at least one track to a substantially upright side of a pontoon or fixed body;    a carriage comprising coupling means for coupling the floating vessel to the carriage, wherein the carriage is arranged to engage with the at least one track such that the carriage can move along the longitudinal direction of the at least one track.    
   
   
       44 . Apparatus according to  claim 43 , wherein the at least one track and the upright side are arranged to define a channel for guiding the longitudinal movement of the carriage, the comprising upper, lower, left and right surfaces, 
 and wherein the carriage comprises a plurality of wheels adapted such that:    a wheel is arranged to engage the upper surface of the channel to restrict movement of the carriage in a substantially vertical direction;    a wheel is arranged to engage the lower surface of the channel to restrict movement of the carriage in a substantially vertical direction;    a wheel is arranged to engage the left surface of the channel to restrict movement of the carriage in a substantially lateral direction; and    a wheel is arranged to engage the right surface of the channel to restrict movement of the carriage in a substantially lateral direction.    
   
   
       45 . Apparatus according to  claim 43 , wherein the at least one track and the upright side are arranged to define two substantially parallel and spaced apart guide channels each having a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape, wherein the guide channels are oriented such that their U-shaped cross-sections face along substantially the same line of direction.  
   
   
       46 . Apparatus according to  claim 43 , wherein the carriage comprises: 
 at least one wheel rotatably supported such that it may rotate about a first axis of rotation which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the at least track; and    at least one wheel rotatably supported such that it may rotate about a second axis of rotation which is substantially perpendicular to both the first axis of rotation and the longitudinal direction of the tracks, wherein,    the wheels of the carriage engage with the at least one track such that the carriage can move along the longitudinal direction of the at least one track while movement of the carriage in directions parallel to the first and second axes of rotation is restricted by the wheels.