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.
Claims28
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.
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-8. (canceled)
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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;
- 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.
-30. (canceled)
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;
- 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.
-34. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.