The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 25, 1978
Filed:
May. 31, 1977
Edward O Anders, Houston, TX (US);
Global Marine, Inc., Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
A stationary offshore platform is protected against damage from moving ice sheets by a conical shield surrounding the platform support structure and having means, such as a pneumatic biasing system, for raising or lowering the shield along the platform support. A system of mooring lines, thrustors, or the like is used to rotate the shield about the platform support. After an advancing ice sheet contacts the narrower upper portion of the shield, the shield is raised so that a wider lower portion of the shield can exert an upward force on the ice sheet to break the ice into pieces. The shield is rotated, while in its elevated position, to carry the broken ice with it to a location downstream from the advancing ice sheet. The shield is then lowered to dump back into the ocean the ice pieces broken by the upstroke of the shield. Means are provided for heating the exterior surfaces of the shield to melt ice pieces sticking to it.