Drilling platform

Claim 2

A floatable structure suitable for drilling, comprising a self-propelled floating vessel, a tank footing, a leg, said vessel and said tank footing defining aligned holes through which said leg may extend, means for releasably securing said tank footing to said vessel, means for releasably securing said tank to said leg, and means for positively moving said leg through said vessel and said tank footing in both directions when said tank is secured to said vessel and for positively moving said leg, with said tank footing secured near the lower end thereof, through said vessel so that said vessel may be raised above the water with said tank footing secured thereto and with the tank footing secured to the lower end of said leg.

Claim 3

A floatable structure according to claim 1, wherein said vessel defines a recess on its underside, said recess being of sufficient size to receive said tank footing whereby said tank footing when positioned in said recess during movement of said vessel on the water, creates a minimum drag.

Claim 4

A floatable structure according to claim 1, wherein said leg includes interconnected structural members, and a footing structure secured to said structural members at the lower end of said leg.

Claim 5

A floatable structure suitable for drilling comprising a floating vessel, a tank, a leg, said vessel and said tank defining aligned holes through which said leg may extend, means for releasably securing said tank to said vessel, means for releasably securing said tank to said leg, means for positively moving said leg through said vessel in both directions, and guide means in said hole through said vessel adapted to engage said leg, said leg having an enlarged lower end whereby when it is in its uppermost position, it is tightly engaged by said guide means and when it is in a slightly lower position it may be moved freely through said guide means.

Claim 6

A floatable structure suitable for drilling comprising a floating vessel, a tank, a leg, said vessel and said tank defining aligned holes through which said leg may extend, means for releasably securing said tank to said vessel, means for releasably securing said tank to said leg, means for positively moving said leg through said vessel in both directions, and guide means in said hole through said vessel adapted to engage said leg, said leg having an enlarged lower end whereby when it is in its uppermost position, it is tightly engaged by said guide means and when it is in a slightly lower position it may be moved freely through said guide means.

Claim 7

A floatable structure suitable for drilling, comprising a floating vessel, a tank, a leg, said vessel and said tank defining aligned holes through which said leg may extend, means for releasably securing said tank to said vessel, means for releasably securing said tank to said leg, means for positively moving said leg through said vessel in both directions, upper guide means in said vessel adapted to guide the movement of said leg through said vessel, and lower guide means in said vessel adapted to guide the movement of said leg through said vessel, the lower end of said leg being enlarged to have a tight fit within said lower guide whereby when said leg is in its uppermost position, the leg is tightly held by said lower guide.

Claim 8

A floatable structure suitable for drilling, comprising a floating vessel, a tank, a leg, said vessel and said tank defining aligned holes through which said leg may extend, means for releasably securing said tank to said vessel, means for releasably securing said tank to said leg, means for positively moving said leg through said vessel in both directions, upper guide means in said vessel adapted to guide the movement of said leg through said vessel, and lower guide means in said vessel adapted to guide the movement of said leg through said vessel, the lower end of said leg being enlarged to have a tight fit within said lower guide whereby when said leg is in its uppermost position, the leg is tightly held by said lower guide.

Claim 9

A floatable structure according to claim 5, including wedge means positioned between said upper guide and said leg to secure said leg with respect to said upper guide.

Claim 10

A floatable structure suitable for drilling, comprising a self-propelled floating vessel, said vessel defining a plurality of recesses on its underside, a plurality of tank footings adapted to be received in said recesses, said recesses being of sufficient size to receive the entire tank footings therein and to thereby minimize the drag against movement of said vessel, a plurality of legs, said vessel and said tank footings defining aligned holes through which said legs may extend, means for releasably securing said tank footings in said recesses, means for releasably securing each one of said tank footings to one of said legs, and means for positively moving said legs through said vessel in both directions, said tank footings when secured to said legs and said legs moved downwardly below said vessel being connected near the lower end of said legs to provide extended bearing area For said legs, said tank footings being retained within said recesses unattached to said legs when the water bottom is sufficiently firm to support said vessel in elevated position on said legs.

Claim 11

A floatable structure suitable for drilling, comprising a self-propelled floating vessel, said vessel defining a plurality of recesses on its underside, a plurality of tank footings adapted to be received in said recesses, said recesses being of sufficient size to receive the entire tank footings therein and to thereby minimize the drag against movement of said vessel, a plurality of legs, said vessel and said tank footings defining aligned holes through which said legs may extend, means for releasably securing said tank footings in said recesses, means for releasably securing each one of said tank footings to one of said legs, and means for positively moving said legs through said vessel in both directions, said tank footings when secured to said legs and said legs moved downwardly below said vessel being connected near the lower end of said legs to provide extended bearing area For said legs, said tank footings being retained within said recesses unattached to said legs when the water bottom is sufficiently firm to support said vessel in elevated position on said legs.

Claim 12

A floatable structure according to claim 7, each of said legs includes, a removable section, and means for securing said removable section to the remaining portion of the leg.

Claim 13

A floatable structure according to claim 8 wherein each of said legs includes longitudinal members, a pin and box joint between each of the longitudinal members of said legs and said removable section.

Claim 14

A floatable structure according to claim 9 wherein said securing means includes, a plurality of segments, a plurality of mating annular grooves in said pin and box joint, said segments adapted to be wholly contained within one of said grooves, and means for moving said segments so that they are partially in each of two mating grooves to secure said pin and box joint.

Claim 15

A floatable structure suitable for drilling, comprising a floating vessel, a plurality of legs, means for providing relative movement between said vessel and each of said legs, each of said legs having a removable section and means for securing the removable section to the remaining portion of the leg, the legs and removable sections each including longitudinal members and structural members interconnecting said longitudinal members, a pin and box joint between each of the longitudinal members of said legs and said removable sections, at least one annular groove in each of the pin and box ends of said joints, a plurality of segments adapted to be wholly contained within one of said grooves, and means for moving said segments so that they are partially in each of two mating grooves to secure said pin and box joint.

Claim 16

A floatable structure suitable for drilling, comprising a floating vessel, a plurality of legs, means for providing relative movement between said vessel and each of said legs, each of said legs having a removable section and means for securing the removable section to the remaining portion of the leg, the legs and removable sections each including longitudinal members and structural members interconnecting said longitudinal members, a pin and box joint between each of the longitudinal members of said legs and said removable sections, at least one annular groove in each of the pin and box ends of said joints, a plurality of segments adapted to be wholly contained within one of said grooves, and means for moving said segments so that they are partially in each of two mating grooves to secure said pin and box joint.