US3896628A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Marine structures
Assignee: Redpath Dorman Long North Sea Ltd
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Filing: 1973-11-29
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Granted: 1975-07-29
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Expires: 1993-11-29
Abstract
Abstract A maritime assembly having its foundation raft and tower structure constructed separately, and then joined by the engagement of spigot and socket portions. By this reduction of pressure between those portions, hydrostatic force can be used to secure the tower structure to the foundation raft. Features include the use of a semi submersible to lower the foundation raft to the seabed, and the use of sand jacks to found the raft thereon.
Inventors
- 👤 Frode Johan Hansen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 23:01
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B17/00; E02B17/02; E02B17/027; E02B2017/0039; E02B2017/0043
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A maritime assembly for disposal on a sub-aqueous bed, comprising a foundation raft to be founded on the bed, and a tower structure to project upwardly therefrom when founded, in which one of the foundation raft and the tower structure has a socket portion and the other has a corresponding spigot portion for engagememt therewith, and there are on the base of the foundation raft three units, each having two vertically spaced chambers, the lower of which chambers contains particulate material and there are means to remove particulate material from the lower chambers, whereby the raft can be lowered towards the seabed by displacement of the particulate material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
A maritime assembly for disposal on a sub-aqueous bed, comprising a foundation raft to be founded on the bed, and a tower structure to project upwardly therefrom when founded, in which one of the foundation raft and the tower structure has a socket portion and the other has a corresponding spigot portion for engagememt therewith, and there are on the base of the foundation raft three units, each having two vertically spaced chambers, the lower of which chambers contains particulate material and there are means to remove particulate material from the lower chambers, whereby the raft can be lowered towards the seabed by displacement of the particulate material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which each unit has a plate arranged at the foot of the lower chamber to bear on the seabed, which plate is connected to the unit bY cables, and is slideable within the lower chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
An assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which the units themselves are moveable as pistons within cylinders attached to or forming part of the base of the raft, and the height of the pistons can be adjusted by movement of particulate material from the aforesaid cylinders.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
An assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the pistons are suspended within the cylinders to prevent them from dropping out.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of founding a maritime assembly, which includes the steps of founding a foundation raft on a sub-aqueous bed, and sinking a tower structure onto the foundation raft, in which spigot and socket portions on the foundation raft and the tower structure are engaged to secure the tower structure to the raft, and in which three units are located on the base of the foundation raft, each of which units have two vertically spaced chambers, the lower of which chambers contains particulate material and is separated from the seabed; including the step of removing particulate material from the lower chambers, whereby to lower the foundation raft towards the seabed.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of founding a maritime assembly, which includes the steps of founding a foundation raft on a sub-aqueous bed, and sinking a tower structure onto the foundation raft, in which spigot and socket portions on the foundation raft and the tower structure are engaged to secure the tower structure to the raft, and in which three units are located on the base of the foundation raft, each of which units have two vertically spaced chambers, the lower of which chambers contains particulate material and is separated from the seabed; including the step of removing particulate material from the lower chambers, whereby to lower the foundation raft towards the seabed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as claimed in claim 5, in which the units themselves are moved vertically downwards from the foundation raft within cylinders attached to or forming part of the raft prior to the founding of the raft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 5, in which further movement of the units within the cylinders is effected to level the foundation raft after the steps specified.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of founding a maritime assembly on a seabed, comprising the steps of locating a unit on the base of the assembly which unit has downwardly extending sidewalls forming an open ended downwardly facing chamber having sand therein which chamber is separated from the seabed by movable closure means arranged across the open end of the chamber and movable thereinto to reduce the capacity of the chamber, sinking the assembly onto the seabed to rest on the unit, and removing sand from the chamber to reduce its capacity and to lower the assembly toward the seabed as sand supporting the assembly is removed from the chamber thereby increasing penetration of the sidewalls of the unit into the seabed.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of founding a maritime assembly on a seabed, comprising the steps of locating a unit on the base of the assembly which unit has downwardly extending sidewalls forming an open ended downwardly facing chamber having sand therein which chamber is separated from the seabed by movable closure means arranged across the open end of the chamber and movable thereinto to reduce the capacity of the chamber, sinking the assembly onto the seabed to rest on the unit, and removing sand from the chamber to reduce its capacity and to lower the assembly toward the seabed as sand supporting the assembly is removed from the chamber thereby increasing penetration of the sidewalls of the unit into the seabed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
88 words
A unit for attachment to the base of a foundation raft to be founded on a subaqueous bed, and having downwardly extending sidewalls forming an open ended downwardly facing chamber adapted to contain particulate material, movable closure means therefor disposed across the open end of the chamber constructed and arranged to be movable thereinto to reduce the capacity of the chamber and to prevent particulate material contained therein from falling out therefrom, means movably supporting said movable closure means, and water jetting means to remove particulate material therefrom.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
88 words
A unit for attachment to the base of a foundation raft to be founded on a subaqueous bed, and having downwardly extending sidewalls forming an open ended downwardly facing chamber adapted to contain particulate material, movable closure means therefor disposed across the open end of the chamber constructed and arranged to be movable thereinto to reduce the capacity of the chamber and to prevent particulate material contained therein from falling out therefrom, means movably supporting said movable closure means, and water jetting means to remove particulate material therefrom.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
10 words
A unit as claimed in claim 9 containing particulate material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A unit as claimed in claim 9 in which the chamber has a uniform horizontal cross section, and the closure means is a horizontal plate retained within the chamber and arranged to move up or down therein.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
A unit as claimed in claim 9 in which the aforesaid chamber is a lower chamber, and there is an upper chamber arranged to receive particulate material removed from the lower chamber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The unit as claimed in claim 9 in which the chamber is itself movable as a piston within a downwardly facing cylinder for attachment to the base of the raft, and the height of the piston can be adjusted upwardly by removal of particulate material from the cylinder.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The unit as claimed in claim 13 including means for suspending the piston within the cylinder to prevent it from dropping out.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
A foundation raft for a maritime structure having at least three units of the kind set forth in claim 10 attached to its base, whereby the raft can be lowered towards the sea bed, by the displacement of particulate material chambers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
83 words
A method of founding a foundation raft for a maritime structure in which at least three units of thE kind set forth in claim 10 are located on the base of the foundation raft, and including the step of removing particulate material from the chambers to reduce their capacity and to lower the foundation raft towards the seabed as particulate material supporting the foundation raft is removed from the chambers, thereby increasing penetration of the sidewalls of the units into the subaqueous bed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 16 including the step of controlling removal of particulate material from said units to level the foundation raft after its initial founding.
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) | 1978-07-28 | 1979-01-27 | 1979-07-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-28 | 1983-01-27 | 1983-07-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-28 | 1987-01-27 | 1987-07-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |