Method Of Manufacturing A Ship Deck And A Prefabricated Ship Deck Element For Executing The Method

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a ship deck and a prefabricated ship deck element for manufacturing the ship deck. The ship deck comprises a surface layer with an exposed upper side, e.g. of teak, being supported upon a carcase existent in the ship and having a surface that has protruding irregularities. The prefabricated ship deck element comprises said surface layer and an underlying layer of cellular plastic, and is applied upon the carcase by attaching the free lower surface of the cellular plastic layer to the carcase, such that the irregularities occurring on the surface of the carcase sink into the cellular plastic and the exposed surface layer remains essentially unaffected by said irregularities. In this way, a great surface finish can easily be achieved, at the same time obtaining significant savings of weight, subduing of footsteps and thermal insulation.

1 . A method of manufacturing a ship deck comprising a surface layer with an exposed upper side, e.g. of teak, being supported upon an essentially inelastic carcase existent in the ship and having a surface that has protruding irregularities, e.g. welding seams, wherein at least one prefabricated ship deck element, comprising said surface layer and an underlying layer of cellular plastic, is applied upon the carcase by attaching the free lower surface of the cellular plastic layer to the carcase, such that the irregularities occurring on the surface of the carcase sink into the cellular plastic and the exposed surface layer remains essentially unaffected by said irregularities.  
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ship deck element is pressed, by using some force, against the carcase such that at least some of said protruding irregularities on the carcase surface sink into the cellular plastic by being depressed therein by local deformation of the cellular plastic.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein an impression is produced on the free lower surface of the cellular plastic with markings corresponding to at least some of the protruding irregularities of the carcase, whereupon a suitable amount of cellular plastic material is removed from the lower surface of the cellular plastic at the markings, e.g. by liquefaction, milling or cutting, in order to produce recesses in the lower surface of the cellular plastic, wherein corresponding irregularities sink into the cellular plastic by being received in respective recesses as the cellular plastic layer is attached to the carcase surface.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein at least some of the protruding irregularities of the carcase are provided with a colouring substance or the like, in order to produce the impression on the cellular plastic.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the positions of at least some of the protruding irregularities of the carcase to the cellular plastic are located by measuring, whereupon a suitable amount of cellular plastic material is removed from the lower surface of the cellular plastic at corresponding locations, e.g. by liquefaction, milling or cutting, in order to produce recesses in the lower surface of the cellular plastic, wherein corresponding irregularities sink into the cellular plastic by being received in respective recesses as the cellular plastic layer is attached to the carcase surface.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein polythene or polypropylene having a specific gravity of approximately 20-60 kg/m 3 , is used as the cellular plastic.  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the prefabricated ship deck element is applied upon a carcase in the shape of a together-welded plate structure of metal, such as aluminium or steel.  
   
   
       8 . A prefabricated ship deck element for manufacturing a ship deck comprising a surface layer with an exposed upper side, e.g. of teak, being supported upon an essentially inelastic carcase that has protruding irregularities, e.g. welding seams, wherein the prefabricated ship deck element comprises said surface layer and an underlying layer of cellular plastic, and is adapted to be applied upon the carcase by attaching the free lower surface of the cellular plastic layer to the carcase, such that the irregularities occurring on the surface of the carcase sink into the cellular plastic and the exposed surface layer remains essentially unaffected by said irregularities.  
   
   
       9 . A ship deck element according to  claim 8 , wherein the cellular plastic is polythene or polypropylene having a specific gravity of approximately 20-60 kg/m 3 .  
   
   
       10 . A ship deck element according to  claim 8  wherein the surface layer comprises a plurality of prefabricated modules of a web structure with seams between the webs.