Patent US456925A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3729940A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3729940A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Offshore tower
Assignee: Brown and Root Inc
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Filing: 1971-03-05
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Granted: 1973-05-01
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Expires: 1991-03-05
Abstract
Abstract A tower suitable for use in offshore well operations and the like and including a plurality of generally vertical columns extending from the bed of a body of water to a position above the surface of the body of water for supporting a platform thereupon. A quaternary batter brace system is connected to the generally vertical columns in a position intermediate the ends of the columns and beneath the surface of the body of water. Piling jacket clusters are connected to the free end of each of the batter brace members and are designed to rest upon the bed of the body of water. A plurality of piles extend through the batter piling jacket clusters and pin the offshore tower to the bed of the body of water. A reinforcing lattice connects adjacent batter brace members and pile jacket clusters solely on opposite sides of the vertical columns. The region between alternate batter braces and pile jacket clusters on opposite sides of the vertical columns are free of inner connecting reinforcing structure.
Inventors
- 👤 A Koehler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:16
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B17/00; E02B17/02; E02B17/027
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
An offshore tower adapted to rest upon the bed of a body of water with an upper portion thereof extending above the surface of the body of water for supporting a platform thereupon as defined in claim 1 wherein: said batter pile jacket means comprises a plurality of casings in a cluster having generally parallel axes and being rigidly interconnected with braces.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
282 words
An offshore tower adapted to rest upon the bed of a body of water with an upper portion thereof extending above the surface of the body of water for supporting a platform thereupon, said tower comprising: a plurality of generally vertical columns extending between the bed of the body of water and the platform, said columns being generally symmetrically disposed about a vertical axis; means interconnecting adjacent vertical columns along the length thereof for enhancing the stability thereof; a plurality of batter brace means symmetrically disposed about the axis of said vertical columns and each being fixedly connected at one end thereof to one of said vertical columns at a location intermediate the length of said vertical column for stabilizing and enhancing the load carrying capacity of said vertical column; batter pile jacket means connected to the other end of each of said batter brace means for connecting said batter brace means to piles embedded in the bed of the body of water; interconnecting structural support members solely connected between alternate pairs of said batter brace means and batter pile jacket means; including a first plurality of horizontally disposed brace members extending between alternate pairs of said batter pile jacket means and pairs of said batter brace means, a plurality of struts connected between said first plurality of longitudinally disposed brace members, and a second plurality of horizontally disposed brace members interconnecting said first plurality of horizontally disposed brace members and adjacent ones of said vertical columns; whereby said offshore tower will be provided with a spread base stabilizing structural system having portions of said spread base stabilizing structure devoid of interconnecting structural work beyond the region of said generally vertical columns.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
An offshore tower adapted to rest upon the bed of a body of water with an upper portion thereof extending above the surface of the body of water for supporting a platform thereupon as defined in claim 14 wherein each of said batter pile jacket means comprises: a cluster of interconnected batter pile jackets having generally parallel axes adapted to enhouse a plurality of piles for securing said offshore tower to the bed of the body of waTer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
An offshore tower adapted to rest upon the bed of a body of water with an upper portion thereof extending above the surface of the body of water for supporting a platform thereupon as defined in claim 4 wherein: said generally vertical columns are watertight tubular members and devoid of water in the final erected working position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
An offshore tower adapted to rest upon the bed of a body of water with an upper portion thereof extending above the surface of the body of water for supporting a platform thereupon as defined in claim 5 and further comprising: controllably floodable ballast tanks disposed solely within the interior of said batter brace means for raising and lowering said offshore tower within the body of water.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
237 words
An offshore tower adapted to rest upon the bed of a body of water with an upper portion thereof extending above the surface of the body of water for supporting a platform thereupon, said tower comprising: four generally vertical columns extending between the bed of the body of water and the platform, said columns being generally symmetrically disposed about a vertical axis; means interconnecting adjacent vertical columns along the length thereof for enhancing the stability thereof; four batter brace members, each one being fixedly connected at one end to a corresponding one of said vertical columns intermediate the length thereof for stabilizing and enhancing the load carrying capacity of said vertical column; four batter pile jacket clusters, each one being fixedly connected to a corresponding one of said batter brace members at the other end thereof for connecting said batter brace members to a plurality of piles embedded in the bed of the body of water; a first interconnecting structural support lattice connected between an adjacent pair of said batter brace members and said batter pile jacket clusters; and a second interconnecting structural support lattice connected between a second adjacent pair of said batter brace members and said batter pile jacket clusters, whereby said offshore tower will be provided with a spread base stabilizing structural system having opposite sides of said spread base stabilizing devoid of interconnecting structural work beyond the region of said generally vertical columns.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of erecting an offshore tower having generally watertight columnar members extending the vertical length thereof, batter brace members and batter piling jackets connected to the base thereof adapted to rest upon the bed of a body of water comprising the steps of: floating said offshore tower in a horizontal posture on a flat barge to a desired location; pulling said flat barge from beneath said offshore tower thus leaving said offshore tower disposed generally along the surface of the body of water in a generally horizontal posture; flooding ballast chambers solely within the batter brace members thus inducing a rotational quarter turn of said offshore tower and further inducing a generally vertical descent until the piling jackets rest upon the bed of the body of water; inserting piles within the piling jackets; driving the pilings into the bed of the body of water; and securing the pilings to the piling jackets to thus fixedly pin the tower structure to the bed of the body of water.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
260 words
A method of erecting an offshore tower having generally watertight column members extending the vertical length thereof, batter brace members and batter piling jackets connected to the base thereof adapted to rest upon the bed of a body of water comprising the steps of: floating a first tower section comprising a major portion of the offshore tower including most of the columnar portion and half of the batter brace portion and batter piling jackets in an assembled condition to a desired erection location on a first barge; floating a second tower section comprising the remaining columnar portion and batter brace members and batter piling jackets iN an assembled condition to the desired erection location on a second barge; removing the second tower section from the second barge; manipulating said second tower section into mating engagement with said first tower section; uniting said first tower section with said second tower section thus forming said offshore tower; removing said offshore tower from said first barge thus leaving said offshore tower disposed generally along the surface of the body of water in a generally horizontal posture; flooding ballast chambers solely within the batter brace members thus inducing a rotational quarter turn of said offshore tower and a generally vertical descent until the piling jackets rest upon the bed of the body of water; inserting piles within the piling jackets; driving the pilings into the bed of the body of water; and securing the pilings to the piling jackets to thus fixedly pin the tower structure to the bed of the body of water.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
214 words
An offshore tower adapted to rest upon the bed of a body of water with an upper portion thereof extending above the surface of the body of water for supporting a platform thereupon, said tower comprising: a plurality of columns extending between the bed of the body of water and the platform, said columns being generally symmetrically disposed about a vertical axis; means interconnecting adjacent vertical columns for enhancing the stability thereof; a plurality of batter brace means symmetrically disposed about the axis of said vertical columns each being fixedly attached at one end thereof to one of said vertical columns at a position intermediate the ends of said column; said plurality of columns being constructed with at least one increase in diameter thereof between the platform and the intersection of said columns with said batter brace means and having at least one decrease in diameter thereof between said intersection of said columns with said batter brace means and the bed of the body of water; and batter pile jacket means connected to the other end of each of said batter brace means for encasing at least one pile suitable to be embedded within the bed of the body of water for pinning the offshore tower to the bed of the body of water.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-30 | 1976-10-30 | 1977-05-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-30 | 1980-10-30 | 1981-05-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-30 | 1984-10-30 | 1985-05-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |