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US 4,324,194 AGranted
Stabilized hoist rig for deep ocean mining vessel
AssigneeHydra-Rig, Inc.
InventorThomas L. Elliston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeHydra-Rig, Inc.
InventorThomas L. Elliston
Estimating the term…
A stabilized hoist rig for lowering, lifting, and supporting a pipe string from a vessel or floating platform in a deep ocean is disclosed. A resilient bearing member is disposed in load supporting relation intermediate the vessel and the hoist rig. A powered system is provided for angularly displacing the hoist rig with respect to the vessel to maintain vertical alignment of the hoist rig with respect to the pipe string as the vessel rolls and pitches during pipe stabbing and removal operations. In a preferred embodiment, the pipe string is supported by a slip bowl and a second resilient bearing member disposed intermediate the slip bowl and the hoist rig, and a system is provided for locking the hoist rig in a fixed position with respect to the vessel for permitting the vessel and hoist rig to roll and pitch with respect to the slip bowl in response to movements of the ocean in a passive support operating mode.
In combination:
In a vessel of the type including a hoist rig for supporting a string of pipe in pendulous suspension, a bearing member disposed intermediate the hoist rig and the vessel for supporting the hoist rig and a pipe string suspended therefrom, the bearing member comprising a first annular section of a substantially spherical laminated body of superposed layers of an elastic material and a relatively inelastic material to permit angular displacement of the hoist rig with respect to the vessel and a second annular section of a substantially spherical laminated body of superposed layers of an elastic material and a relatively inelastic material spaced axially from said first annular section with respect to the longitudinal axis of said string of pipe to permit angular displacement of the hoist rig with respect to the pipe string.
In a vessel of the type including means for assembling and suspending a pipe string from the vessel, the combination of means for pendulously suspending a pipe string and bearing means interposed between the vessel and said means for pendulously suspending a pipe string for supporting said means for pendulously suspending a pipe string and a pipe string suspended therefrom, the bearing means comprising separate first and second axially spaced apart annular sections of a substantially spherical laminated body of superposed layers of an elastic material and a relatively inelastic material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.