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US 10,766,582 B2Granted
Vessel supporting apparatus
AssigneeDevonport Royal Dockyard Limited
InventorsGeorge Kerr, Mark Lakeman, Doug Milne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A support structure for supporting a vessel. The support structure includes a pair of support blocks mounted one on top of the other with a reconfigurable intermediate operating layer in between. The intermediate operating layer can be operable to adjust a separation between the support blocks, permit relative lateral movement between the support blocks and act as a load bearing structure.
Claims19
A support structure comprising:
- a base support block;
- an upper support block mounted on an upper surface of the base support block via an intermediate operating layer;
- a compressible contact layer supported on an upper surface of the upper support block;
- a height adjustment mechanism mountable in the intermediate operating layer;
- and
- a rigid spacer mountable in the intermediate operating layer;
- wherein the intermediate operating layer is adjustable between:
- a load bearing configuration in which the rigid spacer is mounted in the intermediate operating layer to transfer a load on the upper support block to the base support block,
- an intermediate configuration in which the height adjustment mechanism is mounted in the intermediate operating layer and operable to lift the upper support block to introduce a clearance gap that permits insertion and removal of the rigid spacer, the height adjustment mechanism being configured to bear the load on the upper support block in the intermediate configuration and to compress the contact layer to form the clearance gap.
6 more elements
A method of introducing a support structure beneath a vessel, the support structure comprising:
- a base support block;
- an upper support block mountable on an upper surface of the base support block via an intermediate operating layer;
- a compressible contact layer supported on an upper surface of the upper support block;
- a height adjustment mechanism mountable in the intermediate operating layer;
- and a rigid spacer mountable in the intermediate operating layer, the method comprising:
- locating the base support block beneath a location on an undersurface of the vessel that is to be contacted by the support structure;
- mounting the height adjustment mechanism in the intermediate operating layer on the base support block;
- positioning the upper support block in a mounting position on the base support block;
- operating the height adjustment mechanism to lift the upper support block into contact with the undersurface of the vessel and introduce a separation distance between the base support block and upper support block for receiving the rigid spacer, wherein lifting the upper support block into contact with the undersurface of the vessel includes transferring a load from the vessel onto the height adjustment mechanism and compressing the contact layer;
- inserting the rigid spacer into the intermediate operating layer;
- operating the height adjustment mechanism to lower the upper support block on to the rigid spacer, whereby the rigid spacer transfers a load on the upper support block to the base support block.
8 more elements
A method of removing a support structure from beneath a vessel, the support structure comprising:
- a base support block;
- an upper support block mounted on an upper surface of the base support block via an intermediate operating layer;
- a compressible contact layer supported on an upper surface of the upper support block;
- a height adjustment mechanism mountable in the intermediate operating layer;
- and a rigid spacer mounted in the intermediate operating layer to transfer a load from the vessel on the upper support block to the base support block, the method comprising:
- mounting the height adjustment mechanism in the intermediate operating layer on the base support block;
- operating the height adjustment mechanism to lift the upper support block into contact with the undersurface of the vessel and introduce a clearance gap above the rigid spacer, wherein lifting the upper support block into contact with the undersurface of the vessel includes transferring a load from the vessel onto the height adjustment mechanism and compressing the contact layer;
- removing the rigid spacer from the intermediate operating layer;
- operating the height adjustment mechanism to lower the upper support block and create a gap between the contact layer and the undersurface of the vessel;
- and
- moving the upper support block relative to the base support block away from its mounting position on the base support block.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.