KC 13.540 User manual

Gravity corer
Model 13.540
Manual
KC Denmark A/S
Research Equipment
Limnology Oceanography Hydrobiology

13.540 - Manual for Gravity corer
2
Manual for
Gravity corer
Model no.
13.540
The gravity corer is very dangerous in
unskilled hands and you must take
serious precautions to avoid
accidents and injury.
KC Denmark A/S is not, and cannot
be held, responsible for any
damage(s) made to equipment or to
operators who ignore safety
precautions or because of misuse or
wrong operation.
Never walk under the gravity corer,
when lifted up by the winch.

13.540 - Manual for Gravity corer
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Preparation:
1
Add the necessary number of lead weights at the
main rack. Now mount the supporting frame and
secure it by fastening the bolt.
Gravity corer option:
2
For gravity corer operation, you must mount the
unit with the top lid.
Fasten the unit and secure with the M8 x 16 bolt A
Ensure the black rubber (B) is free of dirt.
3
Open the fastening device and push the tube with
the mechanical stop into the bottom. Lock the
handles, C and D, and secure with a bolt.

13.540 - Manual for Gravity corer
4
4
Close the handles correctly and secure the handles
with the bolt, E.
5
You may add more tubes, using the coupling
device and 4 spikes; see next item.
6
You can attach the carver. Fasten with 2 spikes.
7
The gravity corer is now ready, to be lowered into
the sea. You must control the speed and lower at a
reasonable speed, otherwise the corer may tilt
over, and you will get no sample.

13.540 - Manual for Gravity corer
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Piston corer option:
8
Requires the extension 13.560 (optional), see item
9 for details.
The principle for operating the piston corer
function:
An AISI 316 stainless steel heavy-duty releaser
(pos. 1), based on the Kullenberg principle, is
mounted at the top. The corer supports a
maximum of 10 lead weights (pos. 4) each 28 kg.
The upper part of the corer is made of AISI 316
stainless steel.
The corer tube (pos. 9) is made either of AISI 316
stainless steel (Ø104/Ø99 mm), or transparent
PVC plastic (Ø110/Ø99 mm). At the end of the
releaser hook (pos. 1); the 30 kg release weight
(pos. 7) is mounted.
A piston with a leather seal, (pos. 8) is positioned
at the bottom of the corer tube. The piston is
connected to the releaser (pos. 1) by an Ø8 mm
stainless steel AISI 316 wire. During the
deployment the corer tube (pos. 9) is released 1,7
m above the sediment as the releaser weight
reaches the sediment surface.
The wire (pos. 8), which has a slack of about 1 m,
allows the corer tube to fall free until the piston
(pos. 7) is activated just before the corer tube
enters the sediment. The total weight load can
regulate the depth of penetration. (pos. 4).
1 - Kullenberg releaser
2 - Wire (Ø8 mm) for piston
3 –Steering fins
4 –Lead weight
5 –Lock for corer tube
6 –Wire (Ø5 mm) for Kullenberg releaser and 30
kg weight station
7 –30 kg weight station
8 –Piston
9 –Corer tube
14 –Safety split

9
The extension kit consists of:
1. Weight station, 30 kg
2. Top lid
3. Wire set with 2 wires
4. Piston with leather seals
5. Kullenberg release
10
Remove the upper part (shown as item 2) from
the main rack and mount the upper part for piston
corer.
Fasten the unit and secure with the M8 x 16 bolt,
like item 2.
11
Attach the Kullenberg releaser arm with the
bracket and mount two bolts, F and G

12
Mount the security lock for the Kullenberg to avoid
any unattended release. Lift the release arm until
the lock fits for the square hole, insert and lock.
13
The wire from the weight station is attached to the
end of the arm of the Kullenberg releaser
14
A wire-tightener (i.e. 2 pcs PE-HD plastic plate’s
arrangement) is placed at the top of the main
rack.

15
Dismount the piston from the wire, see item 6,
pos. 2. Guide the wire to the main rack and the
core tube and mount the piston again. To ensure
the piston will be in right position during the
sample taking, adjust the wire-tightener, so the
wire can be moved easily by hand, but the piston
will remain in the core tube.
Guide the wire (with the swivel in front) through
the main rack and the corer tube. The swivel must
remain at top of the main rack).
16
Mount the wire with the swivel part at the piston
outside the end of the corer tube. Then press the
piston into the corer tube on level with the corer
edge. The photo shows an older model. For a
correct photo of the piston, see next item.
17
The piston for piston corer function.
When the sample has been taken, there is a huge
vacuum at top of the piston and pulling the white
cord will align the pressure. Otherwise it’s very
difficult to remove the corer tube.
18
Tighten the PE-HD arrangement a little bit to
ensure against a piston fall-out at sudden
movements. Use bolts J and K.

19
Mount the wire end with its steel thimble to the
KULLENBERG releaser (pos. 1) by the steel bolt.
(Do not forget to make a control check).
20
You may attach the liners into the steel tube
adding the orange peel system and the carver.
Fasten with two spikes.
For different lengths of corer tubes the steel wires
much be replaced with the appropriate length.
21
The piston corer is now ready for operating.
When the piston corer is hinged outboard the ship,
remove the safety-lock (pos. 14) and the piston
corer is ready for use.
22
WARNING: Never remove the safety lock
before the piston corer is outboard the ship.
It poses great danger for personnel to
remove the safety lock inboard the ship.

Emptying the corer tubes
23
Requires the following items:
13.548 –Piston rod + 13.559 extension
13.549 –Drum with ratchet device
13.569 –Detacher for the tube
13.904 –Trestles, see item 32, alternatively
the ship’s deck
Photo shows the tube detacher for removal and
handling of the core tubes.
24
If you cannot remove the sample tube by hand,
use the tube detacher. Tighten the handle, grab
the black handle and turn counter clockwise to
release the tube.
25
Place the corer tube horizontally on 2 trestles (see
item 31) or on deck.
If you have added the extension kit for piston
corer functionality, you must remove the piston.
Operating the corer as gravity corer, there is no
piston.
If you cannot remove the piston due to heavy
vacuum, pull the white cord to align the vacuum.
26
Fasten the ratchet device by means of A and B;
see item 32; it will only fit on the steel tube’s
reinforcement. For the PVC tube, it will fit
anywhere.
Do not over tighten “A”and “B”, as it may cause
damage to the PVC tube; furthermore the piston
may be stuck because of the deformation of the
tube.

27
Insert piston B at the end of the sample tube and
then slide adapter A down the steel tube. The
smallest part of the adapter must point towards
the sample tube.
28
Insert the tube with the wheel at opposite end of
the steel tube; the tube has a small hole. Align this
hole over the Allen screw; unscrew the Allen screw
counter clockwise to lock the tubes.
29
The adapter A will fit into the sample tube to
centre the piston rod during ejection.
30
The adapter A is now in the correct position.
31
Push D and release C; now the lock for the wire
has been disabled, pull out the wire E and guide it
over the wheel, see item 29/30. Attach the snap
hook at the end of the wire to the eye F.
Push C into opposite position and by turning the
handle forth and back, you will now force the
piston through the sample tube ejecting the
sample.
32
Trestles made of AISI 316 stainless steel will
secure the core tubes in a convenient working
height.
We can provide replaceable jaws of different sizes
allow using a wide range of tube diameters.

Maintenance
32
All parts of the piston corer can be rinsed using salt water or fresh water. For storing, we
recommend a regular cleaning with fresh water only. Check that all parts are clean and
free of sediment or sludge. For movable parts, you may smear with a thin oil, like WD-40
or a similar product.
Rev.: July 6, 2016 –lkj
KC Denmark A/S
Research Equipment
Limnology Oceanography Hydrobiology
E-mail: [email protected] website: TTThttp://www.kc-denmark.dk/
Holmbladsvej 17-19, DK 8600 Silkeborg. Denmark. Tel. [phone]. Fax [phone]
Bank: Sydbank. SWIFT: SYBKDK22 IBAN DK5070460000104832
VAT no. DK 29 61 96 62