Anchoring of structures
AssigneeRaymond International Inc.
InventorsLindsey J. Phares, George J. Gendron
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Anchoring arrangements for structures such as offshore towers. Wedges which fit down into spaces defined by downwardly converging surfaces fixed to the structure and to an anchor member, respectively, are held in frictional locking engagement by means of bias weights. Two sets of wedge type interlocks are provided in longitudinally displaced relationship and are arranged in reverse order so that downward bias forces on the wedges serves to provide locking against relative movement in opposite longitudinal directions.
Claims44
Apparatus for anchoring a structure, said apparatus comprising an elongated anchor member adapted to be anchored at a given location, a tubular sleeve member adapted to be affixed to said structure and to surround said anchor member, first and second wedge type locking assemblies interposed between said sleeve and anchor members at longitudinally spaced apart locations therealong to prevent relative movement of said sleeve member in either a first or an opposite longitudinal direction with respect to said anchor member, the first wedge type locking assembly comprising means defining a first surface region on said sleeve member which faces and is inclined toward a corresponding first surface region on said anchor member as said surfaces extend in said first longitudinal direction, at least one first wedge element extending into and configured in accord with shape of the space between said first surface regions for locking same together when said first wedge element is moved in said first direction, the second wedge type locking assembly comprising means defining a second surface region on said anchor member which faces, and is inclined toward, a corresponding second surface region on said sleeve member as said surfaces extend in said first longitudinal direction, at least one second wedge element extending into and configured in accord with the shape of the space between said second surface regions when said second wedge element is moved in said first direction, means biasing said first and second wedge elements in said first longitudinal direction and the corresponding surface regions being held against movement in said opposite longitudinal direction with respect to their associated members.
A method for anchoring a structure to an elongated anchor pile driven into the earth, said method comprising the steps of arranging said structure so that a tubular sleeve near the bottom thereof extends around the upper end of an anchor pile, said sleeve having an inner surface region that tapers inwardly toward said pile in a downward direction, lowering a plurality of wedges down into the tapered space defined by said inner surface region of said sleeve and the corresponding surface region of said anchor pile, lowering bias weight means onto said wedges to force the wedges into frictional engagement with said inner and corresponding surface regions to lock said sleeve against upward movement relative to said anchor pile, positioning a locking member against said anchor pile within said sleeve and above said bias weight means so that said locking member is supported against vertical movement with respect to said pile, said locking member having an inclined outer surface region that inclines toward a corresponding surface region of said sleeve in a downward direction, lowering second wedges into the tapered space defined by said inclined outer surface region and the corresponding surface region of said sleeve and lowering second bias weight means onto said second wedges to force the wedges into frictional engagement with said outer and corresponding surface regions to lock said sleeve against downward movement relative to said anchor pile.
Apparatus for anchoring a structure to an elongated anchor member extending out of the earth, said apparatus comprising means forming first and second mutually facing surface portions adapted to be fixed, respectively, with respect to said structure and to said anchor member, said surface portions converging towards each other in a downward direction, at least one wedge element tapered to fit between said surface portions and bias weight means positioned on top of said wedge element to rest upon and to press downwardly on said wedge element to cause said element to maintain a continuous frictional interlock between said anchor member and said structure.
A method of anchoring a structure to an elongated anchor member extending up out of the earth, said method comprising the steps of causing said structure and anchor member to be positioned so that portions of said structure and of said anchor member extend adjacent each other, with said anchor member secured to the earth, positioning at least one wedge element, which is tapered inwardly in a downward direction, down between a pair of correspondngly tapered surface regions fixed, respectively, to said anchor member and to said structure and positioning bias weight means on said wedge elements to maintain a continuous downward force thereon to cause said wedge element to maintain a continuous frictional interlock between said anchor member and said structure.
An offshore tower construction comprising an elongated framework structure positioned on a sea bed and extending up past the surface of the sea to support an elevated platform, at least one tubular sleeve attached to the lower end of said structure adjacent the sea bed, an elongated anchor pile extending down into and anchored to the sea bed, the upper end of said anchor pile extending up into said tubular sleeve, means forming first and second mutually facing surface portions fixed, respectively, with respect to said structure and to said anchor member, said surface portions converging toward each other in a downward direction, wedge elements tapered to fit between said surface portions and bias weight means positioned on top of said wedge elements to rest on and to press downwardly on said wedge elements to cause said elements to maintain a continuous frictional interlock between said anchor pile and said structure.
A method of anchoring a structure to the earth, said method comprising the steps of driving anchor piles into the earth with the portion of the piles above the earth extending up into tubular sleeves secured to said structure, positioning tapered wedge elements into engagement with and between cooperating surfaces of said sleeves and piles, said cooperating surfaces also tapering toward each other in a downward direction and thereafter positioning bias weights on top of said wedge elements to maintain them in locking engagement between said sleeves and their associated piles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.