Apparatus and methods for ship propeller shaft removal
AssigneeVigor Industrial LLC
InventorsScott Fischer, Jonathan Donahue
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A shaft support assembly for removing a propeller shaft from a ship can include an insert portion and a frame portion. The insert portion can move along an axis of motion relative to the frame portion. A mechanical lifting device can be disposed within insert portion. A cradle can be coupled to an upper side portion of the insert portion and configured to receive and support a propeller shaft. An adjustment portion may be included and can allow the cradle to rotate about a rotational axis and/or to translate in a direction parallel to the axis.
Claims24
A shaft support assembly for removing a propeller shaft from a ship, the shaft support assembly comprising:
- a vertical axis of motion;
- a jack member disposed along the vertical axis of motion and comprising a main body and a hydraulic ram, wherein the hydraulic ram extends along the vertical axis of motion;
- an insert portion coupled to the hydraulic ram and extending over the jack member when the ram is in a retracted position within the main body;
- a lead screw coupled to an upper side portion of the insert portion and disposed along a translation axis, wherein the translation axis is orthogonal to the vertical axis of motion;
- a cradle disposed on the lead screw wherein the cradle is configured to move laterally on the lead screw along the translation axis;
- and
- a frame disposed around the insert portion and the jack member and configured to support the insert portion, wherein the frame comprises a base portion, a first support portion which extends around the insert portion and is spaced from the base portion along the vertical axis of motion, and a plurality of inwardly angled struts which extend between the base portion and the first support portion,
- wherein the insert portion and the frame are configured to protect the jack member from lateral loading during relative motion between the insert portion and the frame.
(canceled)
(canceled)
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(canceled)
A shaft support assembly for removing a propeller shaft from a ship, the shaft support assembly comprising:
- an axis of motion;
- an insert portion configured to be coupled to a mechanical lifting device and to extend over the mechanical lifting device when the mechanical lifting device is in a retracted position;
- a cradle coupled to an upper side portion of the insert portion, wherein the cradle is configured to rotate about a rotational axis, wherein the rotational axis is orthogonal to the axis of motion, and wherein rotation of the cradle about the rotational axis is limited to 30 degrees in either direction from the axis of motion;
- and
- a frame disposed around the insert portion and configured to support the insert portion, wherein the frame comprises a base portion, a first support portion which extends around the insert portion and is spaced from the base portion along the axis of motion, and a plurality of inwardly angled struts coupled to the base portion and the first support portion to form a pyramid shape, and wherein the insert portion and the frame are configured to protect the mechanical lifting device from lateral loading during relative motion between the insert portion and the frame.
(canceled)
A method for removing a propeller shaft from a ship, the method comprising:
- positioning a self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT) under a propeller shaft, wherein the SPMT comprises a first shaft support assembly and a second shaft support assembly and wherein the SPMT is capable of multi directional positioning of the first shaft support assembly and the second shaft support assembly;
- attaching the first shaft support assembly and the second shaft support assembly to the propeller shaft;
- and
- retracting the propeller shaft by moving the first shaft support assembly and the second shaft support assembly in a direction which withdraws the propeller shaft from the ship.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.