EP3459901A1

EP3459901A1 - Shifting tool for mooring rope and mooring winch

Info

Publication number: EP3459901A1
Application number: EP18188478.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kosuke KUWANO
Original assignee: Nippon Pusnes Co Ltd
Current assignee: Nippon Pusnes Co Ltd
Priority date: 2017-09-25
Filing date: 2018-08-10
Publication date: 2019-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 2038-08-10
Also published as: EP3459901B1; CN109553016A; KR20190035492A; JP2019059261A; TWI660882B; KR101975434B1; JP6318295B1; TW201914899A; CN109553016B; SG10201806572WA

Abstract

A shifting tool for a mooring rope (10) attachable to a mooring winch (11) includes an outside fixing member (25), a partition side fixing member (26), and a guiding member (27). The mooring winch (11) includes a drum (13) having outside flanges (12) on both sides. The drum (13) is divided into a storage section (22) and a tension section (23) for a mooring rope (20) by a partition flange (21) provided with a notch (24). The outside fixing member (25) is fixed to the outside flange (12) on the storage section (22) side. The partition side fixing member (26) is fixed to the partition flange (21). The guiding member (27) spanned between the outside fixing member (25) and the partition side fixing member (26) moves the mooring rope (20), which is wound onto the storage section (22) along with rotation of the drum (13), toward the notch (24).

Description

Technical Field

The present invention is related to a shifting tool for a mooring rope and a mooring winch that enable to easily shift a mooring rope from a storage section to a tension section of a drum during a mooring operation.

Background Art

Commonly, for a mooring winch mainly installed on a ship such as a crude oil tanker, basically, a drum divided into a storage section for winding up and storing a mooring rope and a tension section (a tensile force portion) for winding the mooring rope in a single layer and then tensioning the mooring rope (a split drum) has been adopted.
In a case where a mooring operation is executed, first, an end of the mooring rope paid out from the drum is hitched to a piece of mooring equipment in a port, and the mooring rope is wound onto the storage section by rotating the drum of the mooring winch. Then, to fix the ship ultimately, the mooring rope is tensioned by shifting the mooring rope from the storage section to the tension section and winding the mooring rope in a single layer (for example, approximately 5 to 10 turns). This brings a rated capacity at the first layer, and no tension is imposed to the mooring rope wound onto the storage section, and in the storage section, outer layers of the mooring rope are prevented from biting down into lower layers, and wear damage of the mooring rope from abrasion between the layers is avoided. Here, a notch for communicating between the storage section and the tension section is provided in advance in a partition flange (a split flange, a separating flange) dividing the drum into the storage section and the tension section. By passing the mooring rope through the notch, the mooring rope can be shifted from the storage section to the tension section.
However, in a case of using a wire rope as the mooring rope, since its own weight and restoring force are large, it is required that two or three workers haul and shift the mooring rope through the use of tools such as a rope hook, that is, four or five people are necessary including an operator and an operation leader. Thus it is an operation requiring much labor and time. Also, there are risks that the workers are caught up in the rope, are knocked over by the rope, or trip over the rope and fall down during the operation.
In light of this, for example, patent literature 1 suggests a drum for a ship that has flanges on both sides and a rotating shaft in the center, wherein a right notched disc and a left notched disc are provided in the middle of the drum, a tension drum (a tension section) and a storage drum (a storage section) are configured by obliquely connecting notch edges of the right notched disc and the left notched disc with a plank, and a guiding groove which diameter eccentrically, gradually decreases is configured.

Citation List

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Examined Utility Model Application Publication No. 52-22760

Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

However, patent literature 1 aims at effortlessly leading the rope, which has already passed through the notch of the right notched disc on the storage drum side and guided to the guiding groove, to the tension drum side. Thus, when shifting the rope, it is necessary to manually haul and pass the rope through the notch over the right notched disc, and almost the same amount of labor and time as ever are required. Thus, there is a problem that it is insufficient in terms of labor saving and workability. Also, there is a problem that it is insufficient in terms of resource conservation seeing that the structure of the drum is complicated, a dedicated drum has to be made, and thus an existing drum cannot be utilized effectively.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a shifting tool for a mooring rope easily attachable to a drum of an existing mooring winch, enabling to improve workability of a shifting operation of a mooring rope and excellent in convenience, and a labor-saving, safe mooring winch enabling to decrease needed staff and easily carry out the shifting operation of a mooring rope by including the above mentioned shifting tool for a mooring rope.

Solution to Problem

In order to achieve the above object, a shifting tool for a mooring rope according to a first aspect of the present invention is attachable to a mooring winch including a drum having outside flanges on both sides, and a partition flange dividing the drum into a storage section and a tension section for a mooring rope, and the partition flange is provided with a notch for shifting the mooring rope from the storage section to the tension section therethrough. The shifting tool is characterized by comprising:
an outside fixing member fixed to the outside flange on the storage section side;
a partition side fixing member fixed to the partition flange; and
a guiding member spanned between the outside fixing member and the partition side fixing member, the guiding member moving the mooring rope toward the notch, while the rope is being wound onto the storage section along with rotation of the drum,
wherein the guiding member is inclined from the outside fixing member on an upstream side toward the partition side fixing member on a downstream side with respect to a winding (moving) direction of the mooring rope.
For the shifting tool for a mooring rope according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that the outside fixing member and the guiding member be detachably connected by fitting a pin.
For the shifting tool for a mooring rope according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that the partition side fixing member be integrally provided with the guiding member and have a clamping member for holding the partition flange.
For the shifting tool for a mooring rope according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferred that the guiding member have a curvature radius 0.9 to 1.3 times as large as a radius of each of the outside flanges when viewing the drum in an axial direction.
In order to achieve the above object, a mooring winch according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises:

a drum having outside flanges on both sides; and
a partition flange dividing the drum into a storage section and a tension section for a mooring rope, the partition flange provided with a notch for shifting the mooring rope from the storage section to the tension section therethrough. The mooring winch is characterized in that the shifting tool for a mooring rope according to the first aspect of the present invention is detachably attached between the outside flange on the storage section side and the partition flange.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

The shifting tool for a mooring rope according to the first aspect of the present invention includes the outside fixing member fixed to the outside flange on the storage section side, the partition side fixing member fixed to the partition flange, and the guiding member spanned between the outside fixing member and the partition side fixing member and moves the mooring rope, which is being wound onto the storage section along with rotation of the drum, toward the notch. Thus the shifting tool for a mooring rope improves workability since just by attaching the shifting tool for a mooring rope to an existing mooring winch and rotating a drum of the existing mooring winch, the mooring rope is easily shifted from the storage section to the tension section without depending on human power. In addition, the shifting tool for a mooring rope includes the outside fixing member fixed to the outside flange on the storage section side and the partition side fixing member fixed to the partition flange, thus except when shifting the mooring rope, it is possible that the shifting tool for a mooring rope is detached, and the mooring rope is wound up onto and paid out from the storage section as usual.
In the case where the outside fixing member and the guiding member are detachably connected by fitting a pin, the partition side fixing member and the guiding member can be detached from the mooring winch while keeping the outside fixing member fixed to the outside flange, and thus the shifting tool for a mooring rope has an excellent operability for attaching and detaching.
In the case where the partition side fixing member is integrally provided with the guiding member, and has the clamping member for holding the partition flange, the guiding member is firmly fixed to the partition flange through the partition side fixing member, and thus the mooring rope can be surely led to the notch along the guiding member even if a load is imposed upon the guiding member when shifting the mooring rope, and thus the shifting tool for a mooring rope has an excellent certainty of behavior. Also, since the partition side fixing member is fixed to the partition flange with the clamping member, the attaching and detaching of the shifting tool for a mooring rope can be easily carried out.
Also, the guiding member inclines from the outside fixing member on the upstream side toward the partition side fixing member on the downstream side with respect to the winding (moving) direction of the mooring rope (inclines from the outside fixing member on the downstream side toward the partition side fixing member on the upstream side with respect to the rotating direction of the drum). Thus, the mooring rope can be smoothly moved to the notch along the guiding member, and thus the shifting tool for a mooring rope is excellent in stability of the shifting behavior of a mooring rope.
In the case where the guiding member has a curvature radius 0.9 to 1.3 times as large as the radius of each of the outside flanges when viewing the drum in the axial direction, when the mooring rope is moving along the guiding member, the mooring rope hardly interferes with a part of the mooring rope already wound onto the storage section, and thus the shifting tool for a mooring rope improves the certainty of the shifting behavior of a mooring rope.
The mooring winch according to the second aspect of the present invention can easily (automatically) carry out the shifting operation of a mooring rope with no need for human power by detachably attaching the shifting tool for a mooring rope according to the first aspect of the present invention to the mooring winch, and thus the mooring winch is excellent in terms of labor saving and safety. Also, since the shifting tool for a mooring rope can be easily attached and detached, except when shifting the mooring rope, the shifting tool for a mooring rope will not be an obstruction to movement of winding up and paying out the mooring rope in the storage section, and thus the mooring winch has an excellent operability.

Brief Description of Drawings

Fig. 1 is a front view of a mooring winch equipped with the shifting tools for a mooring rope according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figs. 2A and 2B are a partially broken side view and a front view respectively of a drum to which the shifting tool for a mooring rope has been attached.
Fig. 3A is an enlarged side view of the outside fixing member of the shifting tool for a mooring rope, and Fig. 3B is a sectional diagram viewed along arrows A-A of Fig. 3A.
Fig. 4 is a sectional diagram viewed along arrows B-B of Fig. 2A.
Figs. 5A and 5B are a partially broken side view and a back view respectively of a modification of the drum to which the shifting tool for a mooring rope has been attached.

Description of Embodiment

An Embodiment of the present invention will be described next with reference to the accompanying drawings to provide an understanding of the present invention.
Hereinafter, a mooring winch 11 equipped with a shifting tool for a mooring rope 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be explained while referring to Figs. 1 to 4.
The mooring winch 11 is mainly installed on a ship such as a crude oil tanker, and used for a mooring operation. The mooring winch 11, which is a common mooring winch, has a structure where two drums 13 each having outside flanges 12 on both sides are symmetrically arranged as shown in Fig. 1, and by a driving unit 16 composed of a driving motor 14 and a speed reducer 15 in the central part of the drum, each of the drums 13 is rotated, and mooring ropes 20 are wound up and paid out. Note that one side from which the mooring ropes 20 enter toward the drums 13 is selected here as a front side, also, since the two drums 13 are symmetrically arranged and behave symmetrically (under a mirror image state), hereinafter, the drum 13 on the left side will be explained in details.
The drum 13 is divided into a storage section 22 and a tension section 23 for the mooring rope 20 by a partition flange 21 provided in a central part in a width direction of the drum 13. Incidentally, the partition flange 21 includes notches 24 for shifting the mooring rope 20 from the storage section 22 to the tension section 23 therethrough disposed in 180 degree opposed positions as shown in Fig. 2A. In addition, as shown in Figs. 1, 2A and 2B, the shifting tool for a mooring rope 10 obliquely connecting between the outside flange 12 on the storage section 22 side and the partition flange 21 of the drum 13 at respective outer circumferential sides is detachably attached to the mooring winch 11. The shifting tool for a mooring rope 10 includes an outside fixing member 25 fixed to the outside flange 12 on the storage section 22 side of the drum13 and a partition side fixing member 26 fixed to the partition flange 21. Between the outside fixing member 25 and the partition side fixing member 26, a guiding member 27 formed of a round pipe is obliquely spanned. Incidentally, in the embodiment, the mooring rope 20 is pulled in the direction indicated by an arrow b and wound from the bottom side of the drum 13 as the drum 13 rotates in the direction indicated by an arrow a in Fig. 2A. This is referred to as underwound. The partition side fixing member 26 is attached on a downstream side of one of the notches 24 with respect to a moving (winding) direction of the mooring rope 20 (on an upstream side of the notch 24 with respect to rotation of the drum 13). This makes it possible to move the mooring rope 20 wound onto the storage section 22 toward the partition flange 21 (in the direction indicated by an arrow c in Fig. 2B) along the guiding member 27, and guide the mooring rope 20 to the notch 24 by rotating the drum 13 in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 2A while keeping the shifting tool for a mooring rope 10 attached. The mooring rope 20 subsequently passes through the notch 24, is automatically shifted from the storage section 22 to the tension section 23, is wound onto the tension section 23, and can generate a predetermined tension.
A position of the outside fixing member 25 is decided based on a position of the partition side fixing member 26 (a position of one of the notches 24). For example, when connecting the outside fixing member 25 and the partition side fixing member 26 with a straight line and viewing the straight line from the front side, it is preferred that the inclination angle of the straight line be approximately 50 degrees to 75 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane (a rotational axis of the drum 13). Additionally, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2A, the guiding member 27 curves, from the outside fixing member 25 on an upstream side toward the partition side fixing member 26 on a downstream side with respect to the winding (moving) direction of the mooring rope 20, in a circular arc shape (the partition flange side is convex). This enables the mooring rope 20 to smoothly move along the guiding member 27 without being caught halfway. Here, if the curvature radius of the guiding member 27 is approximately 0.9 to 1.3 times as large as the radius of each of the outside flanges 12 when viewing the drum 13 in the axial direction, the stability and certainty of the shifting behavior of the mooring rope 20 improves, since, when the mooring rope 20 is moving along the guiding member 27, the mooring rope 20 hardly interferes with a part of the mooring rope 20 already wound onto the storage section 22, but the curvature radius is not limited to this. Particularly, as shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, in a case where the guiding member 27 curves in a circular arc shape which curvature radius is the same or larger than the radius of each of the outside flanges 12 when viewing the drum 13 in the axial direction, in other words, in a case where the guiding member 27 is formed in a circular arc shape passing outside each of the outside flanges 12, the interference of the mooring rope 20 is surely prevented.
Incidentally, as a material of the shifting tool for a mooring rope 10 (the outside fixing member 25, the partition side fixing member 26, and the guiding member 27), stainless steel, which is light in weight, excellent in strength, and resistant to rust, is preferably used, but not limited to this. For example, a metal such as iron or the like and other alloys with a rust-preventive treatment applied to the surface may be used.
Subsequently, details about the outside fixing member 25 will be explained.
As shown in Figs. 3A and 3B, the outside fixing member 25 includes an abutting piece 30 abutting on an inside face of the outside flange 12 on the storage section 22 side of the drum 13, and an opposing piece 31 oppositely disposed to the abutting piece 30 with a space therebetween. To the opposing piece 31, clamping screws 32 are screwed so as to freely move back and forth. The outside fixing member 25 can be fixed to the outside flange 12 by holding an outer periphery of the outside flange 12 between the abutting piece 30 and the opposing piece 31 and screwing up the clamping screws 32. Here, positional deviations of the outside fixing member 25 are avoided and the outside fixing member 25 can be firmly fixed by forming a knock hole 33 in advance through the outside flange 12 at a corresponding position to a position where the outside fixing member 25 is supposed to be attached, and driving the knock pin 35 from an insertion hole 34 formed through the abutting piece 30. Also, on an end side of the guiding member 27, a fitting pin 36 is provided in parallel to a rotation central axis of the drum 13, and on an edge side of the abutting piece 30, which is protruding outward from the outside flange 12, a fitting hole 37 is provided. Thus, by inserting the fitting pin 36 into the fitting hole 37 and pulling out the fitting pin 36 from the fitting hole 37 (by fitting a pin), the guiding member 27 is easily attached to and detached from the outside fixing member 25.
When rotating the drum 13 while keeping the shifting tool for a mooring rope 10 attached, the mooring rope 20 being wound onto the storage section 22 moves from a lower side to an upper side on the right side of the guiding member 27 (on the partition flange 21 side) as indicated by the arrow c in Fig. 2B, and a force is applied from the mooring rope 20 in a direction of pressing the guiding member 27 toward the outside flange 12. Thus the fitting pin 36, which is provided in parallel to the rotation central axis of the drum 13, will not come off from the fitting hole 37, and the guiding member 27 is firmly supported by the outside fixing member 25.
Note that, although the fitting pin 36 is provided on the guiding member 27 and the fitting hole 37 is provided on the abutting piece 30 in this embodiment, the fitting hole may be provided on the guiding member and the fitting pin may be provided on the abutting piece.
Subsequently, details about the partition side fixing member 26 will be explained.
As shown in Fig. 4, the partition side fixing member 26 includes a clamping member 41 having a U-shaped cross-section, and the clamping member 41 is composed of a pair of pinching pieces 39 and 40 that are oppositely disposed with a space therebetween. To the pinching piece 40, a clamping screw 42 is screwed so as to freely move back and forth. The clamping screw 42 has an operating handle 43 on its head, for rotating the clamping screw 42. Thus, the partition side fixing member 26 can be fixed to the partition flange 21 by holding an outer periphery of the partition flange 21 (a corner part of the notch 24) between the pair of pinching pieces 39 and 40, and rotating the operating handle 43 to screw up the clamping screw 42. Here, by providing the operating handle 43 on the storage section 22 side of the partition flange 21, when moving the mooring rope 20 along the guiding member 27 and shifting the mooring rope 20 to the tension section 23, the mooring rope 20 will not be caught by the operating handle 43, and it brings out excellent certainty of the shifting behavior of a mooring rope.
Incidentally, the clamping member 41 and an end part of the guiding member 27 are connected and fixed by welding or the like and thus the partition side fixing member 26 and guiding member 27 are integrated. This makes it possible that the partition side fixing member 26 firmly holds the guiding member 27. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, an abutting member 44 for abutting on an end surface of an upper end side of the notch 24 is provided on an end part on the guiding member 27 side of the clamping member 41. Thus, when the mooring rope 20 moves along the guiding member 27 as indicated by the arrow c in Fig. 2B, the clamping member 41 will not move even if a force acting to rotate the guiding member 27 in an opposite circumferential direction to the rotating direction of the drum 13 (the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 2A) is applied from the mooring rope 20. Therefore, the guiding member 27 is held at a predetermined position, and the mooring rope 20 can be surely guided to the notch 24.
When winding up and paying out the mooring rope 20, the partition side fixing member 26 and the guiding member 27 can be detached from the drum 13 while leaving only the outside fixing member 25 attached by turning the guiding member 27 together with the partition side fixing member 26 around the fitting pin 36 toward outside the drum 13, and pulling out the fitting pin 36 from the fitting hole 37 of the outside fixing member 25 after loosening the clamping screw 42 and unfixing the partition side fixing member 26. Even if leaving the outside fixing member 25 attached to the outside flange 12, there is no hindrance to winding up and paying out the mooring rope 20, and besides, this makes an attaching operation of the guiding member 27 simpler from the next time.
Although a case of the underwound where the mooring rope 20 is wound from the bottom side of the drum 13 has been described hereinbefore, as a modification, a case of overwound where the mooring rope 20 is wound from the top side of the drum 13 will be described hereinafter.
In Figs. 5A and 5B, the mooring rope 20 is pulled in the direction indicated by an arrow b as the drum 13 rotates in the direction indicated by an arrow a in Fig. 5A, and the mooring rope 20 is wound from the top side of the drum 13. This is referred to as overwound. The modification shown in Figs. 5A and 5B is upside down with respect to Figs. 2A and 2B (the positions of the notches 24 of the partition flange 21 are each shifted by 90 degrees), and the rotating direction of the drum 13 is reversed with respect to Figs. 2A and 2B. Corresponding to these differences, the attaching direction of the shifting tool for a mooring rope 10 is changed. However, the structure of the shifting tool for a mooring rope 10 is the same as that in Figs. 2A and 2B. The modification and the embodiment are also the same in that the partition side fixing member 26 is attached on the downstream side of one of the notches 24 with respect to the moving direction of the mooring rope 20 (on the upstream side of the notch 24 with respect to the rotation of the drum 13). Thus, by rotating the drum 13 in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 5A while keeping the shifting tool for a mooring rope 10 attached, the mooring rope 20 being wound onto the storage section 22 can be moved toward the partition flange 21 (in the direction indicated by an arrow c in Fig. 5B) along the guiding member 27 and guided to the notch 24. The mooring rope 20 subsequently passes through the notch 24, is automatically shifted from the storage section 22 to the tension section 23, is wound onto the tension section 23, and can generate a predetermined tension. Incidentally, also in this case, a mooring winch can be configured by symmetrically arranging two drums.
The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the structures described in the above embodiment, and includes other embodiments and modifications conceivable within the scope of the matters described in the scope of the claims.
Although a case where two notches are provided in the partition flange is described in the above embodiment, the shifting tool for a mooring rope is for guiding the mooring rope being wound onto the storage section to one of the notches when shifting the mooring rope from the storage section to the tension section of the drum, and thus it is enough to attach the shifting tool for a mooring rope with respect to one notch. Therefore, the shifting tool for a mooring rope is applicable regardless of the number and the shape of the notches. Also, the structures and the fixing method of the outside fixing member and the partition side fixing member are selectable depending on the situation. For instance, the outside fixing member may be directly fixed to the outside flange by means of screwing or the like after providing a through hole in the outside flange. Further, in the above embodiment, a mooring winch where the driving unit is provided in between (in the central part of) the drums on the right side and the left side is described. However, the structure of the mooring winch is not limited to this. For instance, the driving unit may be provided on the end part of one side of the right side and the left side.
Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when curving the guiding member from the outside fixing member toward the partition side fixing member in a circular arc shape in front view, the guiding member is formed so as to bulge toward the partition flange (to be convex to the partition flange side). However, the shape is selectable depending on the situation as long as it is an inclined shape that enables to smoothly guide the mooring rope toward the notch. For instance, the guiding member may be formed so as to be curved in a circular arc shape bulging toward the outside flange (being convex to the outside flange side), and also, the guiding member may be formed not in a circular arc shape, but in a straight line shape, a curved line shape, or a shape combining a circular arc shape and a straight line shape or a curved line shape.
Also, in the above embodiment, the operating handle having a rod-like shape is used. However, it is enough that the clamping screw can be rotated with the operating handle and the shape of the operating handle is selectable depending on the situation. For instance, the operating handle may be formed in a round shape, a polygonal shape, or else.

Reference Signs List

10: shifting tool for a mooring rope, 11: mooring winch, 12: outside flange, 13: drum, 14: driving motor, 15: speed reducer, 16: driving unit, 20: mooring rope, 21: partition flange, 22: storage section, 23: tension section, 24: notch, 25: outside fixing member, 26: partition side fixing member, 27: guiding member, 30: abutting piece, 31: opposing piece, 32: clamping screw, 33: knock hole, 34: insertion hole, 35: knock pin, 36: fitting pin, 37: fitting hole, 39, 40: pinching piece, 41: clamping member, 42: clamping screw, 43: operating handle, 44: abutting member

Claims

A shifting tool for a mooring rope attachable to a mooring winch, the winch including a drum having outside flanges on both sides, and a partition flange dividing the drum into a storage section and a tension section for a mooring rope, the partition flange provided with a notch for shifting the mooring rope from the storage section to the tension section therethrough, the shifting tool being characterized by comprising:
an outside fixing member fixed to the outside flange on the storage section side;

a partition side fixing member fixed to the partition flange; and

a guiding member spanned between the outside fixing member and the partition side fixing member, the guiding member moving the mooring rope toward the notch, while the rope is being wound onto the storage section along with rotation of the drum,

wherein the guiding member is inclined from the outside fixing member on an upstream side toward the partition side fixing member on a downstream side with respect to a winding direction of the mooring rope.
The shifting tool for a mooring rope according to claim 1, wherein the outside fixing member and the guiding member are detachably connected by fitting a pin.
The shifting tool for a mooring rope according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the partition side fixing member is integrally provided with the guiding member, and the partition side fixing member has a clamping member for holding the partition flange.
The shifting tool for a mooring rope according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the guiding member has a curvature radius 0.9 to 1.3 times as large as a radius of each of the outside flanges when viewing the drum in an axial direction.
A mooring winch comprising:
a drum having outside flanges on both sides; and

a partition flange dividing the drum into a storage section and a tension section for a mooring rope, the partition flange provided with a notch for shifting the mooring rope from the storage section to the tension section therethrough, the mooring winch being characterized in that the shifting tool for a mooring rope according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is detachably attached between the outside flange on the storage section side and the partition flange.