US4519728A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Floating offshore structure
Assignee: Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co Ltd
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Filing: 1983-03-24
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Granted: 1985-05-28
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Expires: 2003-03-24
Abstract
Abstract A floating offshore structure which is moored at a fixed position on the sea by means of mooring hawsers and anchors connected to the ends thereof respectively for conducting a submarine excavating operation from a deck of the structure. The structure includes a moorage hull part provided with a vertical through-hole formed therein for receiving an excavating drill pipe and the mooring hawsers and a movable hull part connected to the moorage hull part so as to be rotatable within a horizontal plane. The movable hull part is constituted as a hull defining the outer wall of the floating offshore structure and connected with the moorage hull part by inserting it into a moorage hull part receiving hole formed at a position closer to the bow thereof. The movable hull part has near its water plane a horizontal section with a substantially oval shape formed by a fore draft part in a substantially circular or polygonal shape, with the moorage hull part receiving hole as a center and an after draft part taperingly projecting aft from the fore draft part.
Inventors
- 👤 Masanao Oshima
- 👤 Hitoshi Narita
- 👤 Nobuyoshi Yashima
- 👤 Hiroshi Tabuchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:44
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B21/00; B63B21/50; B63B21/507; B63B35/00; B63B35/44; B63B35/4413; B63B2211/00; B63B2211/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A floating offshore structure having a floating body with a deck on an upper surface of the floating body and adapted to float while being moored at a fixed position on the sea, comprising: a fore draft part being a front portion of the floating body, having near its water plane a circular horizontal section, said fore draft part being moored to the sea bottom; and an after draft part being a rear portion of the floating body, having near said water plane a substantially smaller width than said fore draft part, said after draft part being connected to said fore draft part so as to be rotatable within a horizontal plane about an axis located about at the center of said fore draft part.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
A floating offshore structure having a floating body with a deck on an upper surface of the floating body and adapted to float while being moored at a fixed position on the sea, comprising: a fore draft part being a front portion of the floating body, having near its water plane a circular horizontal section, said fore draft part being moored to the sea bottom; and an after draft part being a rear portion of the floating body, having near said water plane a substantially smaller width than said fore draft part, said after draft part being connected to said fore draft part so as to be rotatable within a horizontal plane about an axis located about at the center of said fore draft part.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A floating offshore structure according to claim 1, wherein said after draft part taperingly projects aft from said fore draft part so that a horizontal section of said floating offshore structure near said water plane is substantially oval.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A floating offshore structure according to claim 1, wherein said fore draft part has near said water plane a substantially circular horizontal section, while said after draft part has near said water plane a substantially circular horizontal section with a diameter smaller than that of said fore draft part.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A floating offshore structure according to claim 1, wherein a fore outer peripheral wall of said fore draft part is inclined downwardly inward.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
A floating offshore structure according to claim 1, wherein said fore draft part includes at least a moorage hull part, which is provided with a vertical through-hole formed in a center of said moorage hull part and adapted to be moored at a fixed position on the sea by means of a mooring hawser and an anchor connected to an end of said mooring hawser.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A floating offshore structure according to claim 5, wherein said vertical through-hole receives an excavating drill pipe and said mooring hawser, and a mooring hawser winch is installed on said moorage hull part.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A floating offshore structure according to claim 5, wherein a movable hull part defining at least said after draft part is connected to said moorage hull part so as to be rotatable within a horizontal plane.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
A floating offshore structure according to claim 7, wherein said moorage hull part is rotatably fitted in a moorage hull part receiving hole formed at a position closer to a bow of said movable hull part, and said movable hull part defines outer walls of said fore draft part and said after draft part, respectively.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
A floating offshore structure according to claim 7, wherein said moorage hull part has substantially an inverted-truncated cone shape, and an extended part of said movable hull part is rotatably connected to said moorage hull part, whereby said moorage hull part defines said fore draft part, while said movable hull part defines said after draft part.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
A floating offshore structure according to claim 7, wherein expanded parts are formed horizontally expanding at lower ends of said moorage hull part and said movable hull part, respectively for suppressing heaving and dipping of said floating offshore structure.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-05-27 | 1988-11-26 | 1989-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-05-27 | 1992-11-26 | 1993-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-05-27 | 1996-11-26 | 1997-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |