Gripper device for column supported structures

Abstract

Gripper devices are installed in the spudwells of a platform or causeway section and manually operated to grip the pile to suspend the platform or causeway section in a level position on the piles. Each gripper device has a cylindrical bowl with a flat mounting flange at the bottom end. The bowl has large central bore extending from the top end and terminating in a smaller bore at the bottom end defining a shoulder therebetween. A series of circumferentially spaced actuator segments having a vertical outer wall and a radial flange at the top end are mounted within the bowl by bolts for vertical movement relative to the bowl. The actuator segments have a downwardly and radially outwardly tapered interior wedging surface with a T-shaped slot extending along the wedging surface. A series of slip segments have a toothed interior surface for gripping the pile and a tapered exterior wedging surface corresponding to the wedging surface of the actuator segments. A headed guide button secured to the slip rides in the T-shaped slot to guide the slips along the wedging surfaces. The piles are lowered through the bowl and set into the seabed and the platform or causeway section is leveled horizontal. As the bolts are tightened, the actuator segments move vertically downwardly relative to the bowl and the wedging surfaces engage to wedge the slips radially inward to firmly engage and grip the exterior surface of the pile.