A Seafloor Vertical Hoisting System and Method
AssigneeNautilus Minerals Singapore Pte Ltd
InventorsJohn Michael Parianos, Roland Gunter Berndt
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Abstract
A seafloor vertical hoisting system for hoisting ore from the seafloor, the hoisting system comprising a drive mechanism, at least one line adapted to be driven by the drive mechanism, a plurality of containers adapted to be operatively attached to the at least one line, a first casing adapted to at least partially encase the at least one line and the plurality of containers as they are hoisted relative to the seafloor and a second casing adapted to at least partially encase the at least one line and the plurality of containers as they are lowered towards the seafloor.
Claims33
A seafloor vertical hoisting system for hoisting ore from the seafloor, the hoisting system comprising:
- an ore receiving vessel;
- a drive mechanism attached to the ore receiving vessel;
- at least one line adapted to be driven by the drive mechanism;
- a plurality of containers adapted to be operatively attached to the at least one line;
- a first casing adapted to at least partially encase the at least one line and the plurality of containers as they are hoisted relative to the seafloor;
- and
- a second casing adapted to at least partially encase the at least one line and the plurality of containers as they are lowered towards the seafloor.
A spindle for a seafloor vertical hoisting system, the spindle comprising:
- a frame rotatably connected to a support;
- and
- a plurality of sheaves rotatably connected to the frame and adapted to engage at least one line operatively connecting a plurality of containers;
- wherein the frame is selectively rotatable relative to the support and each of the sheaves is selectively rotatable relative to the frame;
- and
- wherein the frame and/or sheaves are adapted to drive the at least one line.
A spindle for a seafloor vertical hoisting system, the spindle comprising:
- a sheave rotatably connected to a support and adapted to engage at least one line operatively connecting a plurality of containers;
- a cradle adapted to selectively rotate with the sheave and space each of the plurality of containers from the sheave as each of the plurality of containers travel around at least part of the sheave.
A method of constructing a seafloor hoisting system, the method including the steps of:
- providing a plurality of conduits;
- connecting the plurality of conduits to form at least one casing;
- lowering the at least one casing towards the seafloor;
- providing at least one line operatively connecting a plurality of containers;
- locating at least part of the at least one line within the at least one casing;
- and
- providing a drive mechanism adapted to drive the at least one line.
A method of hoisting ore from the seafloor, the method including the steps of:
- providing ore from the seafloor to an ore hopper;
- feeding ore from the ore hopper into a plurality of containers operatively connected by at least one line located within at least one casing;
- and
- hoisting the plurality of containers towards an ore receiving vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.