Western Gear Corporation

Deepsea Ventures, Inc.

Thomas J Reynolds

John P Latimer

Robert M Donaldson

James P Blanchet

Loren D Skiles

Harold MacPhaiden

Henry Schauer

Michael Cross

This invention provides apparatus for use on, for example, an ocean mining surface vessel, for transporting lengths of pipe from a horizontal storage rack to a main dredge line hoist, which vertically supports connected lengths of pipe from the ocean surface to the ocean floor. The apparatus includes a track between the storage rack and the dredge line support system, the track being supported at one end adjacent the storage rack and at the second end adjacent the main dredge line hoist. The main dredge line hoist being preferably supported on a platform which is pivotally connected to the vessel about at least two transverse axes. The track also preferably is segmented, the segment closest to the main dredge line hoist support being pivotable about two transverse axes relative to the pipe rack on the vessel. Preferably, the two segments of track can be connected through a vertical pivot and/or a horizontal pivot or about two horizontal pivots. Carriages, riding along the track, support each end of a pipe being transported from the rack to the main hoist support. The main hoist support further comprises an elevator for raising a horizontally supported pipe to a vertical position above the dredge line so that the lower end of the pipe can be connected to the dredge line. Further, preferably, the track is longitudinally movable and the carriages are driven along the track.

Pipe transfer system

A riser is tensioned from a floating platform by the use of one or more active hydraulic heave compensator units, each having an in-line backup unit coupled thereto so that the backup unit will automatically take over the load if there is loss of pressure in the active unit.

Riser tension system for floating platform

A floating barge crane that is provided with a heave compensator package between the traveling block of the crane and the load hook of the crane and with the package containing substantially all of the components of a hauldown system. The hauldown system includes four winches which carry hauldown cables that pass from the package to the load and to the stationary structure at circumferentially spaced points to pull the load toward the stationary structure and control lateral, vertical and rotational movement of the load.

Crane hook heave compensator and method of transferring loads

Growing community of inventors

Lake Stevens, WA, United States of America

Thomas J Reynolds