A gangway assembly

Abstract

A gangway assembly comprises a boom supporting at least one gangway which is pivotally connected to a first support at a fulcrum. A pivoting assembly is arranged below the gangway and comprises an electric motor-and-winch assembly, a sheave assembly, and one or more wires extending between the winch assembly and the sheave. An elevator assembly comprises a rail assembly on the column, and a plurality of wheels and an electric motor-and-winch assembly arranged on the second support below the gangway, and wires connected to respective fixtures at an upper end of the column.

1 . A gangway assembly, the gangway assembly comprising:
 a main boom having a first end and a second end, wherein the main boom supports at least one gangway extending along the main boom, wherein the main boom is pivotally connected to a first support at a fulcrum; and   a pivoting assembly arranged below the at least one gangway and comprising a first electric motor-and-winch assembly, a sheave assembly, and one or more first wires extending between the first electric motor-and-winch assembly and the sheave assembly,   wherein the first electric motor-and-winch assembly is arranged in a region of the second end of the main boom, and the sheave assembly is arranged on the first support, or vice versa.   
     
     
         2 . The gangway assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fulcrum is arranged at a distance (d) from the second end of the main boom, and the distance (d) is less than half of a total length of the main boom. 
     
     
         3 . The gangway assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second support, wherein the first support is a slewing base which is connected to the second support via a slewing mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The gangway assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising an erect column, and wherein the second support is slidably connected to the erect column via a rail-and-roller assembly whereby the first support is configured to be moved up and down on at least a portion of the column. 
     
     
         5 . The gangway assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising an elevator assembly comprising a rail assembly on the erect column, and a plurality of wheels and a second electric motor-and-winch assembly arranged on the second support below the at least one gangway, and second wires connected to respective fixtures at an upper end of the erect column. 
     
     
         6 . The gangway assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary boom connected to the main boom, wherein the secondary boom is telescopically extendable and retractable with respect to the first end of the main boom. 
     
     
         7 . The gangway assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising one or more sheaves arranged in the region of a free end of the secondary boom, and a lifting wire arranged in the one or more sheaves and being operatively connected to a winch assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The gangway assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising a wire positioning device movably connected to the main boom, wherein the wire positioning device is arranged to move along the main boom, and comprises a rotatable arm having a control sheave rotatably connected to a free end of the rotatable arm in a direction towards the first end of the main boom. 
     
     
         9 . The gangway assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the rotatable arm is configured to rotate between a first position in which the control sheave is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the main boom and a second position in which the control sheave is not aligned with the longitudinal axis of the main boom. 
     
     
         10 . The gangway assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising a guide rail arranged on the main boom and extending along the longitudinal axis of the main boom, and a control member arranged on the rotatable arm and movably connected to the guide rail,
 wherein the guide rail comprises a deviating portion whereby moving the wire positioning device towards the first end of the main boom causes the rotatable arm to move towards the second position.