EP2836421B1 - Module for producing a roll-on/roll-off ferry (ro-ro) - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a module for the production of an Ambidrome Crossing Equipment (MAF) and more particularly of the modular tank type for the crossing of streams, the modules possibly also being coupled to form a bridge.

The present invention also relates to a dedicated loading interface for said module.

The floating bins and decks are intended primarily to allow military vehicles to cross a river or river outside any deck or other permanently installed ferry system. The applications can also be civil, after floods or flood for example or for the crossing of a river in the absence of permanent work and in particular to allow the passage of heavy vehicles for construction or intervention for example.

The most particularly targeted vehicles are tracked or wheeled vehicles of average mass of up to 30 to 60 tons.

The constituent modules of the tank or the ad hoc bridge can in particular be brought to the desired crossing point and assembled.

In general, a floating ferry or deck is made from one or more buoyancy chambers, possibly motorized, and designed to support a raceway for the circulation of vehicles on the ferry or on the deck.

In a complementary manner, said bridge or tank may be terminated at one or both ends by an access ramp, generally folding, or angularly adjustable, allowing the loading and unloading of the transported vehicles. Advantageously, however, the ferry or deck will be ambidrome.

In the case of a floating bridge assembly, the number of assembled modules will depend on the distance to be traveled and the floatation characteristics of the floats. In the case of a transport bin assembly, the number of assembled modules will obviously depend on the vehicles to be transported and their load according to the flotation characteristics of the caissons. A module comprising all the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known from the document WO02 / 2752A1 .

There is no autonomous module containing all the elements necessary for the assembly of the ferry or floating bridge to be made, with the exception of autonomous motorized and amphibious vehicles such as Forward Crossing Machines (EFA). ). Such devices are not easily movable far from their point of attachment, especially by air and remain relatively expensive since having their own amphibious engine system also requiring greater maintenance.

Concerning the transportable systems, there are floating bins and bridges made from boats on which deck pieces, constituent elements of the final taxiway, are installed transversely to the boats.

The assembly of a ferry or floating bridge currently requires the transport of said boats, bridges, engines to install on boats, etc ... or many scattered components generally difficult to quickly get on site.

In addition, the different elements being separated, the assembly requires a relatively long time and remains complex, the weight of each element to be worn by a man not to exceed the military limits.

The present invention aims to provide a module for the realization of a tray or modular floating bridge grouping the maximum, and preferably all, of the constituent elements and thereby simplifying the assembly operations.

Such a module must of course remain easily routable on site and must comply with international military standards and meet particular constraints of weight and dimensions of road, air and rail gauge.

To do this, the present invention relates to a module for the realization of a modular tank and / or floating bridge comprising a buoyancy chamber, characterized in that said buoyancy chamber is made in the form of two half-boxes of floating hinged together about a hinge line between an open position in which the two half-boxes are substantially aligned and form the buoyancy chamber, and a closed position in which a half-box is folded on the other half-box in the manner of a lid thus forming a container box containing all or part of the elements of realization of the tray or floating bridge.

Thus, by providing a floating caisson in two half-boxes articulated one on the other, said flotation box is transformed into a box for the storage of at least a portion, and preferably all, of the various constituent elements ferry or moving bridge.

Generally, for the realization of a tray, so it will be sufficient to transport two caissons / boxes according to the invention, these boxes containing the essential elements and necessary for the realization of the tray which can be started immediately.

This results in a significant logistical gain due to the ease of transport and the speed of installation.

Advantageously, the half-boxes are equipped with at least one mechanical means of assistance for opening and closing, in particular of the jack type.

Advantageously, at least one of the two half-boxes comprises at least one means of propulsion and aquatic direction, in particular of jet propulsion type water, preferably orientable. In particular, it will be possible to provide a main thruster, in particular steerable, and secondary thrusters for steering complement. Thus, it will not be necessary to provide the installation of external thrusters reported on the float box, the box / box according to the invention may contain its own means of motorization and propulsion.

More specifically, propulsion means whose thrust is intended to give the ferry or deck speeding capabilities on the water of at least 4m / s.

According to an advantageous embodiment variant, it is possible to provide two steerable main thrusters situated respectively at the front and at the rear of a half-box. This embodiment allows increased maneuverability and does not require the establishment of secondary thrusters of additional direction.

The motor may also power one or more hydraulic generators, and / or electric, and / or pneumatic, to supply different organs, including, for example, type of actuators. In the case where two motors are installed, this will also redundant its functions, including pneumatic generator, hydraulic, and / or electric.

Preferably, at least one half-box comprises at least one bow float, preferably inflatable.

Such a bow float will in particular allow the module to have a drag compatible with the thrust of the thrusters to obtain the desired speed capabilities on the water.

Advantageously, at least one, and preferably each, of the half-boxes contains at least one spacer element mounted movably between a storage position in a lower part of the half-box and in a substantially longitudinal direction of said half-box, and an extended position in which the bridging element comes substantially above the half-box and is oriented substantially in a direction transverse to the half-box near a median line of the buoyancy chamber.

Advantageously, the bridging element is mounted on a jack type lifting means capable of lifting said bridging element from its storage position in the lower part of the half-box to at least one height corresponding to its deployed position.

Advantageously complementary, the bridging element is pivotally mounted at least 90 degrees, between a longitudinal orientation to the half-box and a transverse orientation to said half-box.

In a further complementary manner, the bridging element mounted translatable in a substantially longitudinal direction of the half-box so as to bring it from its storage position to its deployment position near the median line of the buoyancy chamber.

Preferably, each half-box contains a half-span. This allows in particular to balance the loads when launching the deployed floatation chamber.

Advantageously, the module, in the closed position is also able to contain one or more ramp elements constituting at least one access ramp intended to be installed at a bridging end formed of its bridging elements.

Preferably, at least one and advantageously both bridging ends consisting of its bridging elements are equipped with connecting means at one end of a bridging also consisting of its bridging elements of a second module in the deployed position. It may in particular be screeds adapted to cooperate by complementary shape and able to receive a maintenance axis.

Advantageously complementary, at least one half-box comprises at least one element of a folding mast forming a handling bracket, said box being adapted to contain the bracket in the folded position.

This bracket can also be used if necessary to the handling and lifting of bridging elements, including their pivoting and / or translation.

This stem also allows to change the place of the ramps and possibly bridges depending on transport configurations or work tray or bridge. In transport configuration, the stem is folded.

The foldable mast may comprise in particular several sectors articulated on each other and configured in such a way that the straightening of a lower sector, in particular by means of a jack or other motorized means, forming a mast foot causes the deployment of the other articulated sectors.

Alternatively, it may for example be a telescopic mast or a mast base adapted to receive said mast removably. Such a deployable mast will allow operators to handle the various elements, including ramp elements.

Preferably, at least one sparer end is equipped with at least one motorized steerable part, in particular with at least one jack, and in particular capable of orienting the access ramp, as the case may be. In addition, when one end will not be equipped with an access ramp, these orientable parts will make it possible to ensure the flatness and the good leveling of the bridges between two modules forming a tray.

Advantageously complementary, the span is equipped with at least one centering and indexing means, preferably deployable, in particular with the aid of one or more jacks, adapted to cooperate with a means of centering and indexing corresponding of a span of a second module. The centering and indexing means may be in the form of indexing arms located under the span having a substantially triangular or conical end, and adapted to penetrate into a corresponding housing of a span of a second deployed module.

Advantageously, the module is equipped with at least one gripping means by a polybenne arm, in particular of the hoop type.

The present invention also relates to a support interface for transporting a module according to the invention, comprising a platter of transport intended to receive said module and equipped with at least one gripping means by a polybenne arm characterized in that said transport tray is equipped with at least one carriage mounted to move in translation along the transport tray between a position of recovery in which the carriage is located near one end of the plate so as to allow the attachment and recovery of the module to be transported and a transport position in which the carriage is raised to the gripping means by the polybenne arm in to pull the module on the tray.

This interface is intended to greatly facilitate the transport, launching and recovery of the modules according to the invention both with banks with straight edge at the level of inclined banks.

This interface, and more particularly the polybenne arm, also allows the grounding of the module, its installation on a car, for example, or on an access ramp of a cargo plane.

• la figure 1 est une représentation schématique en perspective d'un module selon l'invention en position de fermeture,
• la figure 2 est une représentation schématique en perspective du module de la figure 1 en position d'ouverture du caisson de flottaison,
• la figure 3 est une représentation schématique en perspective de l'intérieur du caisson,
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique de dessus de deux modules selon l'invention assemblés pour former un bac,
• la figure 5 est une vue schématique de côté du bac de la figure 4,
• les figures 6 et 7 représentent respectivement une étape de mise à l'eau et une étape de récupération du module de la figure 1

The present invention will be better understood in the light of the following detailed description with reference to the appended drawing in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic representation in perspective of a module according to the invention in the closed position,
• the figure 2 is a schematic representation in perspective of the module of the figure 1 in the open position of the buoyancy chamber,
• the figure 3 is a schematic representation in perspective of the interior of the box,
• the figure 4 is a schematic view from above of two modules according to the invention assembled to form a tray,
• the figure 5 is a schematic side view of the ferry from the figure 4 ,
• the figures 6 and 7 respectively represent a launching stage and a recovery stage of the module of the figure 1

The Figures 1 and 2 show a module 1 according to the invention for the realization of a modular tank for the crossing of streams, the modules 1 may optionally also be coupled to form a bridge.

According to the invention, this module 1 comprises a buoyancy chamber 2 made in the form of two half-floating caissons 2a, 2b.

The two half-water boxes 2a, 2b are hinged together around pivoting parts 3 along a hinge line A between an open position ( figure 2 ) in which the two half-boxes 2a, 2b are substantially aligned and form the buoyancy chamber 2, and a closed position in which a half-box is folded over the other half-box in the manner of a lid forming and a container box capable of enclosing elements of realization of the tray or floating bridge.

The figure 1 shows the module 1 in the closed position, that is to say forming a box for containing the constituent elements of the tray, a half-flotation chamber 2b forming a lid of the box.

The figure 2 shows the module 1 in the open position, in which the half-buoyancy chamber 2b forming the lid of the box has been pivoted around the hinge line A so as to come in alignment with the first half-box of Flotation 2a, thus forming the complete buoyancy chamber 2.

In order to allow the operators to open the module 1, the half-boxes 2a, 2b are equipped with at least one mechanical means of assistance for opening and closing, in particular of the jack type. In this case, these mechanical means are in the form of lateral cylinders 4, having a first end connected to one of the half-boxes 2a, 2b and a second end connected to a pivoting part 3 so as to allow the operators open module 1.

These cylinders 4 may be powered by an external booster generator, for example, or possibly directly by an internal generator module 1 and started from the outside.

In the case of an internal generator, the latter may be powered by a motor internal to the module, started from the outside, and provided in particular to drive propulsion means and other generators if necessary (electrical generator, hydraulic, tires).

To this end, the module 1 comprises two engine blocks 5 each supplying power to a propulsion means associated with the waterjet propellant and arranged in a bottom of the first buoyancy chamber 2a, the latter being provided with openings result.

In this case, the half-box 2b thus forms a bow box while the half-box 2a forms a stern box.

These propulsion means are steerable and allow great maneuverability of the buoyancy chamber 2. The engine block associated with a propulsion means forms a powertrain.

More specifically and preferably, the thrusters will therefore be steerable waterjet thrusters and the output of propelled water is inclined by about 15 degrees below the hull half buoyancy chamber 2a. Thus, such a propeller allows navigation with a low water level under the hull (up to a few centimeters).

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the engine blocks 5 may each include a hydraulic generator function and / or electric and / or pneumatic.

The presence of two engine blocks 5 allows a redundancy of safety of these features and propulsion.

Alternatively, other propulsion systems can be implemented.

Thus, it will be possible to provide a single power unit supplying power to a main propulsion means of the waterjet propellant type and disposed at the bottom of the first buoyancy chamber 2a, and which will also make it possible to supply steering boosters. , in particular bow thrusters situated near a front end of the second half-box 2b and / or at the rear of the half-box 2a.

Advantageously, the main propulsion means will be similarly rotatable. It will also be possible to provide two secondary thrusters, positioned one at the front (half-box 2b) and the other at the rear (half-box 2a), each thruster comprising a helix disposed in a substantially horizontal tube opening under the waterline.

The secondary thrusters may be used to correct the trajectory of the buoyancy chamber 2, in particular during the coupling maneuvers between modules 1 to form a floating trough or deck and during navigation maneuvers of the tank formed.

The propulsion means are completed by a cockpit 7, possibly removable and stored in a half-box 2a or transportable by the pilot. The power unit 5 will preferably also be able to power one or more hydraulic power generation equipment, electrical or pneumatic.

In order to improve the navigation performance, the bow half-box 2b will be equipped with a bow float 8, glonflable, and protected by a metal plate to make the docking on the edges of the banks. This plate 8 is foldable against the half-box 2b when the float is deflated and the module 1 is in the closed position.

According to the invention, the module 1 houses, in the closed position all or part of the constituent elements of the tray to achieve.

More specifically, each half-casing 2a, 2b encloses a bridging element 10a, 10b mounted movably between a storage position in a lower part of the half-casing 2a, 2b and in a substantially longitudinal direction of said half-casing, and a position deployed in which the bridging element 10a, 10b substantially above the half-box 2a, 2b and is oriented substantially in a direction transverse to the half-box near a center line of the buoyancy chamber.

The figure 2 shows the elements 10a, 10b of bridge 10 in storage position in their respective half-box 2a, 2b. The bridging element 10a resting on the motor-booster blocks 5, it is raised relative to the element 10b of the other box half-box 2b.

Each half-box 2a, 2b comprises a bridging element 10a, 10b each more precisely forming a half-span.

Thus, a span 10 intended to form a path of 4m wide for the passage of vehicles will be made from two half-span 10a, 10b of about two meters wide each, and more precisely about 1.8m each for take into account various interstitial spaces. The length of each element 10a, 10b of span 10 is slightly less than the length of each half-box 2a, 2b.

In order to facilitate the passage of the bridging elements 10a, 10b from their (longitudinal) storage position to their deployed (transverse) position, each element 10a, 10b of bridging element 10 is mounted on a jack, not visible, substantially central, allowing lifting said element 10a, 10b of span 10 from its low position inside the buoyancy chamber 2 to a high position slightly above the buoyancy chamber 2 so as to allow its rotation to a substantially transverse orientation.

To do this, the element 10a, 10b bridging 10 is also pivotally mounted on its lifting cylinder, or the lifting jack is itself pivotable.

Advantageously, the element 10a, 10b bridging 10 can be rotated in either direction of rotation or in the other. Indeed, depending on the configuration of the coupling means presented by the other module 1, it may be necessary to place the bridge 10 in one direction or the other.

The placement of the element 10a, 10b of span 10 is completed by a translation in a substantially longitudinal direction of the half-chamber 2a, 2b towards a substantially median zone of the buoyancy chamber 2 (at the equilibrium of the loads) .

Thus, the two bridging elements 10a, 10b meet near a center line to form the span 10 having the desired total width equal to twice the width of a half-span 10a, 10b, and thus constituting a path for vehicles to be transported.

Once the elements 10a, 10b, in place, the constitution of a tray 100 can begin.

A tray 100, as shown on the Figures 4 and 5 is made from two modules 1 by coupling the bridges 10 of each module 1.

To do this, each end of span 10 of the first module 1 is equipped with connection means at one end of a span 10 of the second module 1 in the deployed position. It may especially be a system of clevises 11 adapted to cooperate by complementarity of form and secured by the insertion of axes (not visible).

Advantageously, the axes may be mounted at one end of the span and mechanically actuated, for example by means of a jack.

Furthermore, in order to facilitate the coupling of the modules 1, the bridges 10 are advantageously equipped with deployable indexing and centering means, in particular in the form of indexing arms 12 deployed using jacks and adapted to to enter a corresponding housing 13 of the span 10 of the second module 2.

It should be noted that the indexing arm 12 is disposed in the continuity of the housing 13 through. Thus, a single central centering and indexing element can be provided that can, depending on the needs, serve as a male element (arm 12 extended through the housing 13) or female (arm 12 retracted and housing 13 free to receive an arm 12 of the bridging element 10a to be coupled.

Note that one end of each half-span 10a, 10b is equipped with at least one orientable portion 16, on an inner face of which is disposed the housing 13, associated with an actuator, in particular at least one jack, and in particular adapted to guide an access ramp 15 if necessary and block it in position during the passage of vehicles. In the case of a bridge, the parts 16 not used for the installation of a ramp 15 will be maintained substantially horizontal and will ensure the leveling of the raceway.

As mentioned above, each module 1, in the closed position is able to also contain one or more elements constituting at least one access ramp 15 to be installed at one end of span 10.

As for the span 10, the ramp 15 is in the form of two half-ramps 15a, 15b stored separately in the module 1 and assembled to form the ramp 15.

To do this, each half ramp 15a, 15b is mounted on an end of a half-span 10a, 10b associated, and more specifically, is attached to a portion 16 which will allow its orientation.

The two half-ramps 15a, 15b may then be optionally secured to one another by means of fast fastening means, or bolting to ensure the unity of the ramp 15.

According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, the half-ramps 15a, 15b will be installed using at least one handling bracket 19, equipped in particular with a hydraulic or electric winch.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the bracket is made from a foldable mast comprising several sectors articulated on each other and configured so that the recovery of a lower sector, in particular with the aid of a jack or other motorized means forming a mast base causes the deployment of other articulated sectors.

Alternatively according to another embodiment given by way of example, the bracket may be installed on a telescopic mast fixed in the housing 2 substantially at the center line of the two half-bridges 10a, 10b. The telescopic mast may be replaced by a mast base adapted to receive a removable mast, which can be stored in the water box 2.

More specifically, the bracket 19 is arranged to be deployed between the half-bridges 10a, 10b in the deployed position transversely to the buoyancy chamber 2. A slight corresponding cutout may be provided on the edges of the half-bridges 10a, 10b so as to allow the passage if necessary of said bracket 19 if necessary.

The bracket 19 allows the handling of the elements contained in the module 1 and in particular the half-ramps 15a, 15b which are installed on their blank, before moving into the operative position once the half ramp 15a, 15b at least partially attached to the part 16.

A complete access ramp 15 is thus fixed by means of upper clevises of the half-span members 10a, 10b and more specifically parts 16, directly in the operative position and connection to lower clevises of said parts 16.

Advantageously, the tray 100 made will be ambideous, the first module 1 being equipped with a ramp for the mounting of the vehicle or vehicles to be transported, the second module being equipped with a similar ramp for the descent of said vehicles.

In a complementary manner, wheel guides may be stored along the bridges 10 and put in place by hand. We can also provide specific wheel guides 15 ramps, also implemented by hand. These wheel guides consist, for example, simple brackets held at the edge profile by the fusible pads.

A grating forming a small central decking may be put in place to cover the gap between the two half-ramps 15a, 15b.

In the same way, for the bridges 10, when the bracket 19 is located at the span 10, and despite the maximum approximation of the bridging elements 10a, 10b, there may remain an interval between the bridging elements 10a, 10b.

This interval can be advantageously filled by the introduction, including manual, a grating also forming central decking between the two bridging elements 10a, 10b. It may also provide foldable side wheel guides fitted to the bridging elements 10a, 10b. The outer wheel guides will be raised to delineate the edge of the raceway while the inner wheel guides will be simply set horizontally to cover the gap between the two bridging elements 10a, 10b.

A crosspiece piece may be provided to firmly bind the two ramp end half-nozzles 15 and ensure good rigidity of the ramp 15 when boarding vehicles.

After the fall of the bracket 19, the tray 100 thus formed using two modules 1 according to the invention is operational.

The length of loading off ramps will be calculated so as to be compatible with the length of the wheeled vehicles of the classes concerned. Ramps 15 can be in parts, to be loaded in ferry when sailing with light vehicles. The characteristics of the buoyancy chamber 2 will obviously be determined to satisfy the required flotation conditions.

A floating bridge will be constituted in the same manner, and composed of a necessary number of modules 2 deployed according to the desired length.

It will also be noted that apart from a use in a tray 100 or a floating bridge, the modules 1 simply open but not fully deployed ( figure 2 ) may be used as a transport barge (eg for personnel and sandbags, for example, or other packages).

In a complementary manner, each buoyancy chamber 2 may be equipped with an anchor, preferably installed in a well opening through a wall of the half-box 2b and attached to a chain. The release is done by gravity and the reassembly of the assembly can be ensured by a hydraulic or electric guide with manual emergency control, the chain can be stored in a safe.

The present invention also relates to a support interface 200 for a module 1 according to the invention. An exemplary embodiment and use of such a support interface 200 is shown in FIGS. figures 6 and 7 .

A module 1 is intended to be transported, in particular but not exclusively, on site by means of military transport trucks 300 equipped with a 301 polybag arm (known as the Versatile Versatile Carrier or PPT).

To do this, the support interface 200 comprises a transport tray 201 for receiving said module 1 and equipped with at least one gripping means 202 by the polybenne arm 301.

The transport plate 201 is equipped with a carriage 203 mounted to move in translation along the transport plate 201 between a position of recovery ( figure 6 ) in which the carriage 203 is located near one end of the plate 201 so as to allow hooking and recovery of the module 1 to be transported and a transport position in which the carriage 203 is raised towards the gripping means 202 by the polybenne arm 301 to pull the module on the plate.

The figure 7 illustrates the operation of the support interface 200 in the intermediate position to recover in the water a module 1 according to the invention at a dock with freeboard.

As previously mentioned, the proposed support interface 200 makes it possible to dispense with the type of bank and notably allows loading and unloading of the module 1 even on banks with a freeboard.

Alternatively, in the case of lower freeboard docks, it is possible to dispense with the support interface and perform a launching and recovery using a telescopic polybenne arm.

Obviously, the polybenne arm can also be used directly or through its support interface to load or unload a module 1 in the absence of free edge, on a gently sloping bank, including a beach. In such a case, we can also consider launching and direct recovery of the module down the rear of the truck to the water level.

According to additional advantageous features, the module 1 will be designed so as to be insubmersible when empty. It may also be rendered insensitive to small arms fire by providing for a multi-compartmentalization of the walls and bottom and compartmentalization of the bow float. In addition the module can be equipped with powerful bilge pumps.

Modules 1 can also be used for the implementation of a culvert. To do this, use a first module 1 simply open but not deployed, and a second module 1 open and whose span 10 has been deployed as explained above.

The two modules 1 will be placed on the ground, arranged next to each other, as close as possible and substantially parallel.

The span 10 of the second module is deployed and therefore extends across the assembly. The ramp elements stored in the first module 1 and the ramp elements of the second module 1 are put in place at the ends of the span.

The means for fixing the span 10 to the telescopic jack of its module 1 are dismounted.

Thus the culvert is made of a spur 10 forming a raceway and its end ramps and is separated from the buoyancy chambers 2.

Thus assembled, the culvert culvert can be carried at the level of the ditch to be crossed by the transport truck 300 as previously described.

Depending on the mass to be passed on the culvert, it will be possible to adpter the assembly using only the ramps and not the span 10 so as to form a slightly shorter culvert but having a resistance to bending increased.

The ramps on either side of the span 10 will support the culvert on the edges of the ditch and the passage of vehicles.

Although the invention has been described with a particular embodiment, it is obvious that it is in no way limited and that it includes all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if they enter into the scope of the invention.

Claims (14)

1. A module (1) for realizing a modular floating ferry (100) and/or bridge comprising a floatation tank (2) realized in the form of two floatation half-tanks (2a, 2b) hinged (3) together about a hinge line (A) between an open position in which the two half-tanks are substantially aligned and form the floatation tank, and a closed position in which a half-tank is folded down on the other half-tank in the same manner as a lid thereby forming a container box, characterized in that the module encloses all or part of the elements of realizing the floating ferry or bridge whose at least one span (10) element (10a, 10b) movably mounted between a stowed position in a bottom portion of the half-tank and along a substantially longitudinal direction of said half-tank, and a deployed position in which the span element is substantially above the half-tank and is oriented substantially along a direction transverse to the half-tank proximate to a centerline of the floatation tank (2).
2. The module (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the half-tanks (2a, 2b) are equipped with at least one opening and closing assistance mechanical means, in particular of the cylinder (4) type.
3. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of the two half-tanks (2a) comprises at least one aquatic steering and propulsion (5) means, in particular of the preferably orientable water-jet propulsor type.
4. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one half-tank (2b) comprises at least one preferably inflatable stem float (8).
5. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the span element (10a) is mounted on a cylinder-type lifting means able to raise said span element from its stowed position at the bottom portion of the half-tank up to at least a height corresponding to its deployed position.
6. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the span element (10a, 10b) is pivotally mounted by at least 90 degrees, between an orientation longitudinal to the half-tank (2a, 2b) and an orientation transverse to said half-tank.
7. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the span element (10a, 1 b) is mounted in translation along a direction substantially longitudinal to the half-tank (2a, 2b) so as to be able to bring it from its stowed position toward its deployed position proximate to the centerline of the floatation tank (2).
8. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each half-tank (2a, 2b) encloses a half-span (10a, 10b).
9. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the module, in the closed position, is also able to enclose one or several element(s) (15a, 15b) constitutive of at least one access ramp (15) intended to be installed at one span (10) end.
10. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that at least one span (10) end is equipped with connection means to an end of a span (10) of a second module in the deployed position.
11. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least one span (10) end is equipped with at least one motorized orientable portion, in particular by means of at least one actuator, and in particular able to orient the access ramp (15) when required.
12. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that at least one half-tank (2a, 2b) comprises a least one foldable mast element forming a handling jib (19), said tank being able to contain the jib in the folded position
13. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the span (10) is equipped with at least one preferably deployable centering and indexing means (12) able to cooperate with a corresponding centering and indexing means (13) of a span of a second module.
14. The module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it is equipped with at least one gripping means through a skip loader arm, in particular of the bow-type.

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