A SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR TRANSPORTING VESSELS AROUND NAVIGATION BARRIERS IN A BODY OF WATER

摘要

The present invention refers to a system for transporting river vessels around barriers in a body of water, in which a vessel (10), in a body of water (9) which has barriers (5) to navigate, navigates to the inner part of a first lift (1), that is submerged in the body of water and located upstream from the barrier (5). The lift has, supported on its platform (25) and submerged as well, a conveyor (13) at which base (21, 22) the vessel is docked. The assembly of the conveyor (13) and vessel (10) is then lifted, through the lift, to the outer side of the body of water (9) and the lift platform, when lifted, aligns to a path (2) located outside the body of water medium. This path makes the connection between the first lift and a second lift (6), located in the body of water and downstream from said barrier. The assembly of the conveyor and vessel couples to a propulsion means which, through its means for performing a translation movement, moves the assembly from the platform (25) to the path, and, consequently, to the second lift. This lift, as well as the first, aligns its platform to the path in such a way that the assembly may, though this second lift, submerge again into the body of water and afterwards, release the vessel so that it continues navigating from a downstream point away from the barrier to navigation. The conveyor (13) further has coupling devices fixed onto its base (21, 22) for coupling thereto the propulsion means, which may be a locomotive. The propulsion means causes the conveyor to move along the path (2) from the first lift towards the second lift. These lifts, each have a platform (25) for supporting the conveyor upon the withdrawal or placing of the vessel onto the body of water medium (9), the platform including an adapted surface for the conveyor to translate over it, and align with the path, when in a lifted position, so that the conveyor may move from the platform to the path, and vice versa.