Apparatus and method for removing and/or adding column sections to a column of a marine structure

Claim 2

In a marine structure including a platform having a plurality of vertically extending openings therethrough and a column extending through each of said openings, apparatus for removing and adding a column section to a column comprising: a. a carriage adapted to support a vertically extending column section and including vertically spaced upper and lower members, each detachably secured to said column section and rigidly connected to each other, and a base rigidly connected to each of said members, b. means mounting said carriage to said platform for horizontal movement between a first position wherein said column section is horizontally spaced from said column and a second position wherein said column section is in vertical alignment with said column and including a pair of spaced rails with said base slidably mounted on said rails, and c. means mounted on said platform and adapted to independently move said platform and said column vertically relative to each other and between a third position wherein the top of said column is vertically spaced from the bottom of said column section when said carriage is in said first position and a fourth position wherein the top of said column is in contact with the bottom of said column section when said carriage is in said second position.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said column and said column section have a circular horizontal cross section.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower members each comprise a pair of semicircular portions detachably secured to each other.

Claim 5

In a marine structure including a platform having a plurality of vertically extending openings therethrough and a column extending through each of said openings, apparatus for removing and adding column sections to a column comprising: a. a plurality of carriages each adapted to support a vertically extending column section, each carriage includes vertically spaced upper and lower members each detachably secured to said column section and rigidly connected to each other and a base rigidly connected to each of said members, b. means mounting said carriages to said platform for horizontal movement between a first position wherein said column section is horizontally spaced from said column and a second position wherein said cOlumn section is in vertical alignment with said column and including two pairs of spaced rails, each pair extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said column and to each other, and a portion of the carriages have their bases slidably mounted on one pair of rails and the remainder of the carriages have their bases mounted on the other pair of rails, and c. means mounted on said platform and adapted to independently move said platform and said column vertically relative to each other and between a third position wherein the top of said column is vertically spaced from the bottom of said column section when said carriages are in said first position and a fourth position wherein the top of said column is in contact with the bottom of said column section when said carriages are in said second position.

Claim 6

In a marine structure including a platform having a plurality of vertically extending openings therethrough and a column extending through each of said openings, apparatus for removing and adding column sections to a column comprising: a. a plurality of carriages each adapted to support a vertically extending column section, each carriage includes vertically spaced upper and lower members each detachably secured to said column section and rigidly connected to each other and a base rigidly connected to each of said members, b. means mounting said carriages to said platform for horizontal movement between a first position wherein said column section is horizontally spaced from said column and a second position wherein said cOlumn section is in vertical alignment with said column and including two pairs of spaced rails, each pair extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said column and to each other, and a portion of the carriages have their bases slidably mounted on one pair of rails and the remainder of the carriages have their bases mounted on the other pair of rails, and c. means mounted on said platform and adapted to independently move said platform and said column vertically relative to each other and between a third position wherein the top of said column is vertically spaced from the bottom of said column section when said carriages are in said first position and a fourth position wherein the top of said column is in contact with the bottom of said column section when said carriages are in said second position.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said column and said column section have a circular horizontal cross section.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said upper and lower members each comprise a pair of semicircular portions detachably secured to each other.

Claim 9

In a marine structure including a platform having a plurality of vertically extending openings therethrough and a column extending through each of said openings, a mat rigidly connected to the lower end of each column, apparatus for removing and adding column sections to each column comprising: a. a plurality of carriages each adapted to support a vertically extending column section adjacent each column, and including vertically spaced upper and lower members, each detachably secured to a column section and rigidly connected to each other, and a base rigidly connected to said members, b. means mounting said carriages to said platform for horizontal movement between a first position wherein its column section is horizontally spaced from its adjacent column and a second position wherein its column section is in vertical alignment with the column and including a pair of spaced rails with said base slidably mounted on said rails, and c. means mounted on said platform and adapted to independently move said platform and each column substantially in unison vertically relative to each other and between a third position wherein the top of the columns are vertically spaced from the bottom of the column sections when said carriages are in said first position and a fourth position wherein the top of the columns are in contact with the bottom of the column sections when said carriages are in said second position.

Claim 10

In a marine structure including a platform having a plurality of vertically extending openings therethrough and a column extending through each of said openings, a mat rigidly connected to the lower end of each column, apparatus for removing and adding column sections to each column comprising: a. a plurality of carriages each adapted to support a vertically extending column section adjacent each column, and including vertically spaced upper and lower members, each detachably secured to a column section and rigidly connected to each other, and a base rigidly connected to said members, b. means mounting said carriages to said platform for horizontal movement between a first position wherein its column section is horizontally spaced from its adjacent column and a second position wherein its column section is in vertical alignment with the column and including a pair of spaced rails with said base slidably mounted on said rails, and c. means mounted on said platform and adapted to independently move said platform and each column substantially in unison vertically relative to each other and between a third position wherein the top of the columns are vertically spaced from the bottom of the column sections when said carriages are in said first position and a fourth position wherein the top of the columns are in contact with the bottom of the column sections when said carriages are in said second position.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each column and each column section has a circular horizontal cross section.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said upper and lower members each comprise a pair of semicircular portions detachably secured to each other.

Claim 13

In a marine structure including a platform having a plurality of vertically extending openings therethrough and a column extending through each of said openings, a method for adding a column section to a column comprising: a. providing a carriage and jacking means on said platform, b. detachably supporting a vertically extending column section on said carriage at a first position wherein said column section is horizontally spaced from said column, c. operating said jacking means to position the top of said column at a lower elevation than the bottom of said column section when said carriage is in said first position, d. moving said carriage from said first position to a second position wherein said column section is in vertical alignment with said column, d. operating said jacking means to bring the top of said column into contact with the bottom of said column section when said carriage is in said second position, and f. joining said column section to said column.

Claim 14

In a marine structure including a platform having a plurality of vertically extending openings therethrough and a column extending through each of said openings, a method for adding a column section to a column comprising: a. providing a carriage and jacking means on said platform, b. detachably supporting a vertically extending column section on said carriage at a first position wherein said column section is horizontally spaced from said column, c. operating said jacking means to position the top of said column at a lower elevation than the bottom of said column section when said carriage is in said first position, d. moving said carriage from said first position to a second position wherein said column section is in vertical alignment with said column, d. operating said jacking means to bring the top of said column into contact with the bottom of said column section when said carriage is in said second position, and f. joining said column section to said column.

Claim 15

The method of claim 10 further comprising: g. detaching said column section from said carriage.

Claim 16

The method of claim 11 further comprising: h. operating said jacking means to position the top of said column section at a lower elevation than the bottom of said carriage, and i. moving said carriage from said second position to said first position.

Claim 17

In a marine structure including a platform having a plurality of vertically extending openings therethrough and a column extending through each of said openings, a method for removing a column section from said column comprising: a. providing a carriage and jacking means on said platform, b. positioning said carriage at a first position wherein said carriage is in vertical alignment with said column, c. operating said jacking means to bring said column within said carriage, d. securing an upper portion of said column to said carriage, and e. severing the upper portion from said column.

Claim 18

In a marine structure including a platform having a plurality of vertically extending openings therethrough and a column extending through each of said openings, a method for removing a column section from said column comprising: a. providing a carriage and jacking means on said platform, b. positioning said carriage at a first position wherein said carriage is in vertical alignment with said column, c. operating said jacking means to bring said column within said carriage, d. securing an upper portion of said column to said carriage, and e. severing the upper portion from said column.

Claim 19

The method of claim 13 further comprising: f. moving said carriage from said first position to a second position wherein said carriage is horizontally spaced from said column.

Claim 20

In a marine structure including a platform having a plurality of vertically extending openings therethrough and a column extending through each of said openings, apparatus for removing and adding a vertically extending column section to a column comprising: a. a carriage including vertically spaced upper and lower members, each detachably secured to said column section and rigidly connected to each other, and a base rigidly connected to each of said members, and b. means mounting said carriage to said platform for horizontal movement thereon.

Claim 21

In a marine structure including a platform having a plurality of vertically extending openings therethrough and a column extending through each of said openings, apparatus for removing and adding a vertically extending column section to a column comprising: a. a carriage including vertically spaced upper and lower members, each detachably secured to said column section and rigidly connected to each other, and a base rigidly connected to each of said members, and b. means mounting said carriage to said platform for horizontal movement thereon.