Barge

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING MARINE DRILLING OR PRODUCING EQUIPMENT, A PLURALITY OF BARGES INCLUDING A MAIN BARGE AND ONE OR MORE AUXILIARY BARGES, EACH BARGE BEING ELONGATED AND HAVING A NUMBER OF FLOODABLE BUOYANT TANKS CAPABLE, WHEN EMPTY, OF FLOATING THE BARGE OF WHICH THEY ARE COMPONENT, SAID TANKS INCLUDING FORE TANKS ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF AND AFT TANKS ADJACENT THE OTHER END, SAID AFT TANKS BEING FLOODABLE INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID FORE TANKS WHEREBY THE FORE TANKS MAY BE KEPT BUOYANT BY REMAINING UNFLOODED KEEPING THE FORE PORTION OF EACH BARGE AFLOAT AND THE AFT TANKS MAY BE FLOODED CAUSING THE AFT END OF EACH BARGE TO SINK WHILE THE FORE PORTION MAY REMAIN AFLOAT, A WORK PLATFORM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT THE FORWARD END OF SAID MAIN BARGE, MEANS FOR SWINGING SAID PLATFORM TO MAINTAIN IT IN HORIZONTAL POSITION WHEN SAID MAIN BARGE ASSUMES AN ANGULAR POSITION UPON SINKING OF THE AFT END OF SAID BARGE, MEANS CONNECTING THE FORWARD END OF THE MAIN BARGE TO THE FORWARD END OF EACH OF SAID AUXILIARY BARGE WITH THE AFT END OF EACH AUXILIARY BARGE SUNK, EACH BARGE CONSITUTING A DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY EXTENDING LEG OF A SUPPORT FOR SAID PLATFORM.