Assembly system for a detachably connected offshore marine structure

Claim 2

A marine platform comprised of selectively connectable members to permIt assembly of said members into a unitary structure at an offshore body of water, which platform includes; a. a pedestal, having a base including column locking receptacles, fixedly disposed at the floor of said offshore body of water, b. a buoyant work deck having a plurality of support column jacks thereon adapted to individually receive and operably engage a support column, c. a plurality of said support columns having opposed upper and lower ends respectively, each of said columns having an upper end registered in a support column jack on said work deck, and a column lower end releasably received at said pedestal, said respective support columns being aligned in a generally upright disposition, and clamping means in said column locking receptacles being actuatable to engage a support column whereby to affix the latter within said receptacle.

Claim 3

A marine platform comprised of selectively connectable members to permIt assembly of said members into a unitary structure at an offshore body of water, which platform includes; a. a pedestal, having a base including column locking receptacles, fixedly disposed at the floor of said offshore body of water, b. a buoyant work deck having a plurality of support column jacks thereon adapted to individually receive and operably engage a support column, c. a plurality of said support columns having opposed upper and lower ends respectively, each of said columns having an upper end registered in a support column jack on said work deck, and a column lower end releasably received at said pedestal, said respective support columns being aligned in a generally upright disposition, and clamping means in said column locking receptacles being actuatable to engage a support column whereby to affix the latter within said receptacle.

Claim 4

A marine platform comprised of selectively connectable members to permIt assembly of said members into a unitary structure at an offshore body of water, which platform includes; a. a pedestal, having a base including column locking receptacles, fixedly disposed at the floor of said offshore body of water, b. a buoyant work deck having a plurality of support column jacks thereon adapted to individually receive and operably engage a support column, c. a plurality of said support columns having opposed upper and lower ends respectively, each of said columns having an upper end registered in a support column jack on said work deck, and a column lower end releasably received at said pedestal, said respective support columns being aligned in a generally upright disposition, and clamping means in said column locking receptacles being actuatable to engage a support column whereby to affix the latter within said receptacle.

Claim 5

A marine platform as defined in claim 1, wherein said respective column clamping means includes; control means extending downward thereto from the water''s surface and actuatable from said surface to permit locking of said respective clamping means on a column lower end.

Claim 6

A marine platform as defined in claim 1, including; means for separably engaging at least one of said support columns connecting said pedestal and deck respectively, to permit pivotal floating movement of the deck about said at lease one support column, whereby to properly align remaining support columsn with said pedestal.

Claim 7

Method for assembling a marine platform at an offshore body of water, said marine platform comprising discrete and separably engaged elements including a pedestal adapted to be fixedly positioned to the floor of said body of water and having upwardly facing, remotely controllable column locking clamps, at least one of said locking clamps including a lateral opening to receive a support column into a side thereof, a floatable work deck disposed above said pedestal including a plurality of support column jacks arranged in vertical alignment with said column locking clamps on said pedestal, a plurality of elongated support columns, which method includes the steps of; a. aligning said work deck when in a floating condition, at the water''s surface with said pedestal at the floor of said body of water, b. lowering a first support column from said deck to align with and engage a column locking clamp at said pedestal, b''. lowering a second support column from said deck to a position corresponding to the height of said at least one locking clamp having said lateral openings therein, c. pivotally rotating said work deck about said first support column to engage said second support column with said corresponding column locking clamp having said lateral opening therein, d. thereafter lowering the remaining support columns to engage a locking clamp at the pedestal.

Claim 8

Method for assembling a marine platform at an offshore body of water, said marine platform comprising discrete and separably engaged elements including a pedestal adapted to be fixedly positioned to the floor of said body of water and having upwardly facing, remotely controllable column locking clamps, at least one of said locking clamps including a lateral opening to receive a support column into a side thereof, a floatable work deck disposed above said pedestal including a plurality of support column jacks arranged in vertical alignment with said column locking clamps on said pedestal, a plurality of elongated support columns, which method includes the steps of; a. aligning said work deck when in a floating condition, at the water''s surface with said pedestal at the floor of said body of water, b. lowering a first support column from said deck to align with and engage a column locking clamp at said pedestal, b''. lowering a second support column from said deck to a position corresponding to the height of said at least one locking clamp having said lateral openings therein, c. pivotally rotating said work deck about said first support column to engage said second support column with said corresponding column locking clamp having said lateral opening therein, d. thereafter lowering the remaining support columns to engage a locking clamp at the pedestal.

Claim 9

Method as defined in claim 4, including the steps of fixedly engaging one end of said first support column and slidably engaging the other end thereof to permit said rotative movement of said deck with respect to said pedestal.