Barge transportation system and refurbishing system and method of transporting and refurbishing barges

Abstract

A transportation system and method of transferring a barge from a waterway and to a refurbishing system. The transportation system includes transport systems that move the barge out of water and onto to a position away from the water, then moves the barge into the refurbishing system. The transport systems then move the refurbished barge back into the water.

1 . A method of transporting a barge from a waterway and to a refurbishing system, comprising:
 moving the barge out of and away from the waterway;   moving the barge to the refurbishing system; and   moving the barge away from the refurbishing system and into the waterway.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein moving the barge out of and away from the waterway comprises laterally moving the barge with respect to the waterway. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein moving the barge to the refurbishing system comprises longitudinally moving the barge with respect to the waterway. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising moving the barge within the refurbishing system which comprises longitudinally moving the barge with respect to the refurbishing system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein moving the barge away from the refurbishing system comprises longitudinally moving the barge away from the refurbishing system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein moving the barge away from the refurbishing system and into the waterway comprises laterally moving the barge with respect to the waterway. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein moving the barge out of and away from the waterway comprises moving the barge in a level orientation up a marine way and onto a transportation system, the transportation system including at least one transfer lift. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein moving the barge away from the waterway and to the refurbishing system comprises changing the direction of movement of the barge at the transfer lift without changing the orientation of the barge. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein moving the barge back into the waterway comprises lowering, in the same orientation, the barge down the marine way. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the refurbishing system comprises a blast system. 
     
     
         11 . A method of transporting a barge from a waterway and within a refurbishing system, the method comprising:
 positioning a transport system into the waterway;   moving the barge from the waterway onto the transport system;   supporting the barge on the transport system;   moving the transport system and the supported barge, in a first direction, out of the waterway and toward an inland position;   removing the barge from the transport system and positioning the barge on another transport system at the inland position; and   moving the other transport system and the barge, in a second direction, into the refurbishing system, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising moving the barge within the refurbishing system in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising moving the barge within the refurbishing system in a fourth direction that is perpendicular to the third direction and parallel to the second direction. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising moving the barge out of the refurbishing system and toward the waterway in a third direction which is perpendicular to the second direction and parallel to the first direction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising moving the other transport system and the barge out of the refurbishing system. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the transport system comprises a first transport system and a second transport system and the first system removably connects with the second transport system. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising disconnecting the first transport system from the second transport system at the inland position and moving the first transport system and supported barge away from the disconnected second transport system and toward another inland position. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein moving the barge from the transport system and positioning the barge on the other transport system comprises lifting the barge off of the first transport system and lowering the barge onto the other transport system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  wherein moving the barge from the transport system and positioning the barge on the other transport system comprises lifting the barge off of the transport system and lowering the barge onto the other transport system 
     
     
         20 . A transportation system for moving a barge along a rail system from a waterway to a refurbishing system, said rail system comprising a first set of rails extending into said waterway and under a barge positioned thereabove, said first set of rails constituting a marineway, a second set of rails extending in the same direction as said marineway rails, and a third set of rails extending generally perpendicular to said second set of rails and leading to and into said refurbishing system, the transportation system comprising:
 a first transport system wheel mounted on said marineway rails and being configured to support the barge and to move the supported barge along said marineway rails from the waterway;   a second transport system configured to carry said barge along said second set of rails to an inland position:   a third transport system positioned at said inland position and being movable on wheels along said third set of rails so as to carry said barge toward and into said refurbishing system; and   a transfer system configured to transfer the barge from the second transport system and to the third transport system.   
     
     
         21 . The transportation system of  claim 20  wherein the transportation system further comprises a drive system that operatively moves the first, second and third transport systems along their respective sets of rails, and further comprises a control system which controls the drive system. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled)