Floating structure arrangement

Claim 2

A buoyant structure comprising a plurality of elements, each of said elements including three walls arranged in an edge-to-edge relationship to define a triangular shape, said elements being arranged in an assembly of a plurality of rows of said elements, with the bases of said elements being in end-to-end alignment in each of said rows, with the bases in one row being intermediate and interconnecting the apexes of the elements in the row adjacent thereto, said rows containing progressively one less of said elements from one side of said assembly to the other, thereby to provide said assembly with an overall triangular configuration, and to define triangular spaces between adjacent elements, said elements including means defining apertures at the apexes thereof, attaching means extending through said apertures for securing said elements to each other, and skin means covering at least a portion of said assembly.

Claim 3

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 1 in which said means defining apertures include rods forming loops at said apexes, and in which said attaching means includes a rod means at each of said apexes extending through said loops and secured thereto.

Claim 4

A buoyant structure comprising a plurality of elements, each of said elements including three walls arranged in an edge-to-edge relationship to define a triangular shape, said elements being arranged in an assembly of a plurality of rows of said elements, with the bases of said elements being in end-to-end alignment in each of said rows, with the bases in one row being intermediate and interconnecting the apexes of the elements in the row adjacent thereto, said rows containing progressively one less of said elements from one side of said assembly to the other, thereby to provide said assembly with an overall triangular configuration, and to define triangular spaces between adjacent elements, and skin means covering at least a portion of said assembly, said skin means including a concrete sheet extending over said elements, and reinforcement within said concrete sheet, said reinforcement including portions projecting outwardly beyond the edges of said sheet for attachment to other structures, said reinforcement including a plurality of rods, there being at least one of said rods extending from each apex of said assembly to the side opposite said apex and beyond the edge of said opposite side for providing said portions for attachment to other structures.

Claim 5

A buoyant structure comprising a plurality of elements, each of said elements including three walls arranged in an edge-to-edge relationship to define a triangular shape, said elements being arranged in an assembly of a plurality of rows of said elements, with the bases of said elements being in end-to-end alignment in each of said rows, with the bases in one row being intermediate and interconnecting the apexes of the elements in the row adjacent thereto, said rows containing progressively one less of said elements from one side of said assembly to the other, thereby to provide said assembly with an overall triangular configuration, and to define triangular spaces between adjacent elements, and skin means covering at least a portion of said assembly, said skin means including a concrete sheet extending over said elements, and reinforcement within said concrete sheet, said reinforcement including portions projecting outwardly beyond the edges of said sheet for attachment to other structures, said reinforcement including a plurality of rods, there being at least one of said rods extending from each apex of said assembly to the side opposite said apex and beyond the edge of said opposite side for providing said portions for attachment to other structures.

Claim 6

A buoyaant structure as recited in claim 3 in which there are at least three of said rods extending outwardly from each of said apexes to the side opposite thereto.

Claim 7

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 3 including in addition means attached to said rods and extending outwardly from said assembly at said apexes for providing additional attaching means.

Claim 8

A buoyant structure comprising a plurality of hollow substantially triangular concrete modules, reinforcement in each of said modules, said reinforcement including members capable of absorbing tension loads extending across said modules from substantially at the apexes thereof to the opposite sides thereof, said members having end portions outwardly of said modules at said apexes and at said opposite sides, and means interconnecting said end portions to provide a unitary assembly.

Claim 9

A buoyant structure comprising a plurality of hollow substantially triangular concrete modules, reinforcement in each of said modules, said reinforcement including members capable of absorbing tension loads extending across said modules from substantially at the apexes thereof to the opposite sides thereof, said members having end portions outwardly of said modules at said apexes and at said opposite sides, and means interconnecting said end portions to provide a unitary assembly.

Claim 10

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 6 including in addition means urging apart adjacent modules in said assembly for thereby producing tension in said members.

Claim 11

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 6 in which said members are rods extending from the apexes of each module to the opposite sides thereof.

Claim 12

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 6 in which said means interconnecting said end portions include horizontal rods attached thereto, and including vertical concrete walls extending from the side edges of said modules to provide a honeycomb structure, said walls receiving and embedding said horizontal rods and said end portions, and vertical rods extending through said vertical walls, said vertical rods being attached to said horizontal rods and projecting outwardly beyond the upper edges of said vertical walls.

Claim 13

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 9 including a horizontal wall over the upper edges of at least a portion of said vertical walls, and reinforcement in said horizontal wall, said vertical rods being attached to said reinforcement in said horizontal wall.

Claim 14

A buoyant structure comprising a plurality of modules, each of said modules including three walls arranged to provide a substantially triangular shape, said modules being arranged in an assembly of a plurality of rows of said modules, with the bases of said modules being substantially in end-to-end alignment in each of said rows, with the bases in one row being intermediate the apexes of the modules in the row adjacent thereto, skin means covering at least a portion of said assembly, a strength unit for each of a plurality of said modules, each of said strength units including an element capable of absorbing tension loads, said element extending across the module with which it is associated from a first location substantially at the apex thereof to a second location at the side thereof opposite said apex thereof, means interconnecting said elements at said second locations, and means interconnecting said elements at said first locations, for transmitting stresses through said assembly by means of said strength units.

Claim 15

A buoyant structure comprising a plurality of modules, each of said modules including three walls arranged to provide a substantially triangular shape, said modules being arranged in an assembly of a plurality of rows of said modules, with the bases of said modules being substantially in end-to-end alignment in each of said rows, with the bases in one row being intermediate the apexes of the modules in the row adjacent thereto, skin means covering at least a portion of said assembly, a strength unit for each of a plurality of said modules, each of said strength units including an element capable of absorbing tension loads, said element extending across the module with which it is associated from a first location substantially at the apex thereof to a second location at the side thereof opposite said apex thereof, means interconnecting said elements at said second locations, and means interconnecting said elements at said first locations, for transmitting stresses through said assembly by means of said strength units.

Claim 16

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 11 in which a plurality of said modules include three of said strength units with one of said elements extending across the same from each of the apexes thereof to each of the opposite sides thereof.

Claim 17

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 12 in which each of said strength units includes a plurality of said elements substantially in juxtaposition with each other at the apex from which they extend and spaced apart at the opposite side to which they extend.

Claim 18

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 13 in which each of said strength units includes three of said elements.

Claim 19

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 14 in which said elements are rods.

Claim 20

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 14 in which said elements where extending across said modules are buried in said skin means.

Claim 21

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 12 including in addition means urging said modules apart for placing said elements in tension thereby to prestress the same.

Claim 22

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 11 in which said rows contain progressively fewer of said modules from one side of said assembly to the other thereby to provide said assembly with a substantially triangular overall configuration.

Claim 23

A buoyant structure as recited in claim 18 including a plurality of said assemblies arranged in a larger assembly of a plurality of rows of said assemblies, with the bases of said assemblies being substantially in end-to-end alignment in each of said rows of said larger assembly, with the bases in one row of said larger assembly being intermediate the apexes of the assemblies in the row of said larger assemblies adjacent thereto, a larger strength unit for each of a plurality of said assemblies, each of said larger strength units including a larger element capable of absorbing tension loads, said larger element extending across the assembly with which it is associated from a first location substantially at the apex thereof to a second location at the side opposite said apex thereof, means interconnecting said larger elements at said second locations, and means interconnecting said larger elements at said first locations, for transmitting stresses through said larger assembly through said larger strength units.