Obstruction for Mounting along a Perimeter, Perimeter Protection System, Vessel or Marine Installation, and Method of Protecting a Perimeter

Abstract

The present invention provides an obstruction (10) for mounting along a perimeter of a vessel or marine installation, wherein the vessel or marine installation comprises a deck (51) having a perimeter railing (20) and an upstanding plate (53) along an edge of the deck. The obstruction has an elongate body comprising a longitudinal groove (12) for receiving a lowermost course of rails (203) of the perimeter railing, and a tongue (14) for overhanging the plate (53) on an outboard or seaward side thereof. The tongue comprises a rear surface (142) intended to face in an inboard direction when the obstruction (10) is mounted along the perimeter of the vessel or marine installation. A separation, s, between the rear surface (142) of the tongue and a centreline (X-X′) of the longitudinal groove (12) is between 30 and 300 mm, and the centreline (X-X′) of the longitudinal groove (12) and the separation, s, together define a plane which subtends an angle, θ, of between 90 and 135 degrees to the rear surface of the tongue. With such an obstruction, the upstanding plate (53) can be protected, so that the ability of an unauthorized potential boarder to attach a hook to the plate or to gain a handhold on the top edge of the plate are severely impeded. The invention also provides a perimeter protection system (100) comprising a plurality of such obstructions (10a, 10b), a vessel or marine installation comprising a plurality of such obstructions, and a method of protecting a perimeter of a vessel or marine installation using a plurality of such obstructions.

1 . An obstruction ( 10 ) for mounting along a perimeter of a vessel or marine installation, wherein the vessel or marine installation comprises a deck ( 51 ) having a perimeter railing ( 20 ) and an upstanding plate ( 53 ) along an edge of the deck, the obstruction having an elongate body comprising:
 a longitudinal groove ( 12 ) for receiving a lowermost course of rails ( 203 ) of the perimeter railing; and   a tongue ( 14 ) for overhanging the plate ( 53 ) on an outboard or seaward side thereof, the tongue comprising a rear surface ( 142 ) intended to face in an inboard direction when the obstruction ( 10 ) is mounted along the perimeter of the vessel or marine installation;   wherein a separation (s) between the rear surface ( 142 ) of the tongue and a centreline (X-X′) of the longitudinal groove ( 12 ) is between 30 and 300 mm; and   the centreline (X-X′) of the longitudinal groove ( 12 ) and the separation (s) together define a plane subtending an angle (θ) of between 90 and 135 degrees to the rear surface ( 142 ) of the tongue.   
     
     
         2 . An obstruction according to  claim 1 , wherein the tongue ( 14 ) has a thickness (t) which tapers in a direction away from the longitudinal groove ( 12 ). 
     
     
         3 . An obstruction according to  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal groove ( 12 ) is adapted for rotation of the obstruction ( 10 ) about the lowermost course of rails ( 203 ), whereby the obstruction can accommodate plates ( 53   a,    53   b ) of different heights along the edge of the deck. 
     
     
         4 . An obstruction according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an upper surface ( 16 ) intended to face upwards when the obstruction ( 10 ) is mounted along the perimeter of the vessel or marine installation, which upper surface is convexly curved in a direction (D-D′) of the depth of the obstruction. 
     
     
         5 . An obstruction according to  claim 4 , wherein the upper surface ( 16 ) is substantially smooth. 
     
     
         6 . An obstruction according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tongue ( 14 ) comprises a front surface ( 144 ) intended to face in a seaward direction when the obstruction ( 10 ) is mounted along the perimeter of the vessel or marine installation, which front surface is substantially smooth. 
     
     
         7 . An obstruction according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an attachment facility ( 11 ) proximate the longitudinal groove ( 12 ) for attaching the obstruction ( 10 ) to the lowermost course of rails ( 203 ). 
     
     
         8 . An obstruction according to  claim 7 , wherein the attachment facility ( 11 ) comprises one or more through-holes ( 112 ) in the obstruction. 
     
     
         9 . An obstruction according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an anti-rotation device ( 13 ) for impeding rotation of the obstruction ( 10 ) about the lowermost course of rails ( 203 ). 
     
     
         10 . An obstruction according to  claim 9 , wherein the anti-rotation device ( 13 ) comprises one or more through-holes ( 132 ) in the tongue ( 14 ). 
     
     
         11 . An obstruction according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the obstruction ( 10 ) has a width (w) of between 0.70 and 1.50 metres. 
     
     
         12 . An obstruction according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tongue ( 14 ) has a height (h) of between 200 and 600 mm. 
     
     
         13 . A perimeter protection system ( 100 ) comprising:
 a plurality of obstructions ( 10   a,    10   b ) according to any one of  claims 1  to  12 ; and   a plurality of security bulwarks ( 1   a,    1   b,    1   c ) for mounting to the perimeter railing ( 20 ) of the vessel or marine installation, above the obstructions.   
     
     
         14 . A vessel or marine installation comprising:
 a plurality of obstructions ( 10   a,    10   b ) according to any one of  claims 1  to  12  arranged side-by-side and adjacent to each other along the perimeter of the vessel or marine installation; and   a plurality of security bulwarks ( 1   a,    1   b,    1   c ) arranged side-by-side and adjacent to each other along the perimeter railing ( 20 ) of the vessel or marine installation, above the obstructions.   
     
     
         15 . A vessel or marine installation according to  claim 14 , further comprising cargo protected by the plurality of obstructions ( 10   a,    10   b ) and the plurality of security bulwarks ( 1   a,    1   b,    1   c ). 
     
     
         16 . A method of protecting a perimeter of a vessel or marine installation, wherein the vessel or marine installation comprises a deck ( 51 ) having a perimeter railing ( 20 ) and an upstanding plate ( 53 ) along an edge of the deck, the method comprising:
 positioning a plurality of obstructions ( 10   a,    10   b ) according to any one of  claims 1  to  12  side-by-side and adjacent to each other along the perimeter of the vessel or marine installation;   receiving a lowermost course of rails ( 203 ) of the perimeter railing in the longitudinal grooves ( 12 ) of the obstructions; and   hanging the tongues ( 14 ) of the obstructions over the plate ( 53 ) on an outboard or seaward side thereof.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 attaching at least one of the obstructions ( 10   a,    10   b ) to the perimeter railing ( 20 ).   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 16  or  claim 17 , further comprising:
 impeding rotation of at least one of the obstructions ( 10   a,    10   b ) about the lowermost course of rails ( 203 ). 
 
     
     
         19 . A method according to any one of  claims 16  to  18 , further comprising:
 positioning a plurality of security bulwarks ( 1   a,    1   b,    1   c ) side-by-side and adjacent to each other along the perimeter railing of the vessel or marine installation, above the obstructions.