# US 7,607,864 B2 · Buoyant building foundation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,607,864 B2 - Document ID: US7607864B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/424,164 - Filed: 2006-07-20 - Published: 2007-07-19 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2006-01-17 - Inventors: Stephen Michael Kenady - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7607864B2 ## CPC - B63B 21/50: Anchoring arrangements {or methods} for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers - B63B 35/44: Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices {(construction methods for floating offshore platforms B63B75/00)} - B63B 2035/4426: {Stationary floating buildings for human use, e.g. floating dwellings or floating restaurants} - Y02A 30/00: Adapting or protecting infrastructure or their operation - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract An anchor system for a structure which experiences periodic buoyancy situations. The anchor system has a member connected at one end to a foundation and the other end to the buoyant structure. The member restricts movement of the buoyant structure in the transverse and longitudinal directions. The system allows the buoyant structure to move vertically between an upper and lower limit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An anchor system for a floating structure experiencing buoyancy within a body of water, said body of water having a high level water mark and a low level water mark, said anchor system comprising: a. a member having a first end and a second end, said first end substantially fixed at a first position said second end substantially fixed to said structure; b. said member configured to allow said structure translation between said first position and a second position, said translation occurring in a substantially vertical translation range while restraining said structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse alignment position; c. said member further comprising: i. a lower arm having a lower hinge located at said first position, said lower arm further comprising a first medial hinge configured to connect to an upper arm; ii. said upper arm having a second medial hinge configured to interact with said first medial hinge, said upper arm further comprising an upper hinge located at said second position; iii. said lower arm and said upper arm operating within said vertical translation range while retaining said structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse alignment position. ### Claim 2 An anchor system for a structure experiencing buoyancy within a body of water, said body of water having a high level water mark and a low level water mark, said anchor system comprising: a. a member having a first end and a second end, said first end substantially fixed at a first position said second end substantially fixed to said structure; b. said member configured to allow said structure translation between said first position and a second position, said translation occurring in a substantially vertical translation range while restraining said structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse alignment position; c. said member further comprising an elevation locking section configured to maintain said structure at a high-level buoyancy position substantially matching said high level water mark, d. said member further comprising: i. a lower arm having a lower hinge located at said first position, said lower arm further comprising a first medial hinge configured to connect to an upper arm; and ii. said upper arm having a second medial hinge configured to interact with said first medial hinge, said upper arm further comprising an upper hinge located at said second position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2 wherein said first end is substantially fixed at said first position to a foundation element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2 wherein said member is further configured to resist intermittent loading applied to said structure in a substantially horizontal plane. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system according to claim 4 wherein said intermittent loading is further applied to said member at said second end, said member having a section modulus large enough to resist the moment and shear forces resulting from said intermittent loading applied to said second end. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2 wherein said structure comprises a houseboat. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2 wherein said structure comprises a floating bridge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2 wherein said structure consists of one or more of the following: a mobile home, a building, a bridge, a pipeline, a pier, a water going vessel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The system according to claim 3 wherein said foundation element further consists of one or more of the following: a caisson, a drilled pier, a basement wall, a strip footing, a slab on grade, a retaining wall structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2 wherein said member further comprises: a. a lower arm having a lower hinge located at said first position, said lower arm further comprising a first medial hinge configured to connect to an upper arm; b. said upper arm having a second medial hinge configured to interact with said first medial hinge, said upper arm further comprising an upper hinge located at said second position; c. said lower arm and said upper arm operating within said vertical translation range while retaining said structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse alignment position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2 wherein said elevation locking section further comprises a hydraulic cylinder having one end of said cylinder connected to said lower arm and the other end of said cylinder connected to said upper arm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The system according to claim 2 wherein said elevation locking section further comprises a ratcheting lever mechanism. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system according to claim 10 wherein said upper arm further comprises an upper arm transverse section depth and said lower arm further comprises a lower arm transverse section depth. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 wherein said upper arm and transverse section depth and said lower arm transverse section depth each have adequate section modulus in the transverse direction to resist said intermittent loading applied to said second end. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system according to claim 10 wherein said member further consists of one or more of the following: a fiberglass material, a carbon fiber material, a composite material, a steel material, an aluminum material, an alloy material. ### Claim 16 An anchor system for a structure experiencing buoyancy in a body of water having a high level water mark and a low level water mark, said structure experiencing intermittent loading including wind loading and water current, said anchor system comprising: a. a member comprising a lower arm having a lower hinge located in a first position, said lower arm further comprising a first medial hinge configured to connect to an upper arm; b. said upper arm having a second medial hinge configured to interact with said first medial hinge, said upper arm further comprising an upper hinge connected to said structure; c. said upper arm and said lower arm each having a section modulus large enough to resist a moment and shear force resulting from said intermittent loading applied to said structure and transferred to said second end, thus retaining said structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse position relative to said first position; d. said member further comprising an elevation locking section comprising a hydraulic cylinder having one end of said cylinder connected to said lower arm and the other end of said cylinder connected to said upper arm said hydraulic cylinder configured to maintain said structure at a high-level buoyancy position substantially matching said high level water mark after said body of water has receded. ### Claim 17 A buoyancy system for a non-buoyant structure, said non-buoyant structure experiencing periodic flooding, the flooding having a high level watermark, the non-buoyant structure having a foundation, said non-buoyant structure experiencing periodic uplift and shear on said foundation, said buoyancy system comprising: a. a tank comprising a volume of air, said tank configured to displace a portion of the water from said flooding with said volume of air to buoy said non-buoyant structure, said tank connected to an anchor system; b. said anchor system comprising: a member having a first end and a second end, said first end substantially fixed at a first position to an anchor system foundation, said second end substantially fixed to said non-buoyant structure; c. said member configured to allow said non-buoyant structure to be buoyed by said tank and translate between said first position and a second position, said translation occurring in a substantially vertical translation range while retaining said non-buoyant structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse alignment position; d. said member further comprising an elevation locking section configured to maintain said structure at a high-level buoyancy position substantially matching said high level water mark, and; e. a prerelease mechanism configured to connect said non-buoyant structure to said anchor system foundation during non-periodic flooding and configured to release said non-buoyant structure from said anchor system foundation during periodic flooding. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The buoyancy system according to claim 17 wherein said member is further configured to resist intermittent loading applied to said structure in a substantially horizontal plane. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The buoyancy system according to claim 18 wherein said intermittent loading is further applied to said member at said second end, said member having a section modulus large enough to resist the moment and shear forces resulting from said intermittent loading applied to said second end. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The buoyancy system according to claim 17 wherein said structure consists of one or more of the following: a houseboat, a mobile home, a building, a bridge, a pier, a boat, a water going vessel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The buoyancy system according to claim 17 wherein said anchor system foundation includes at least one of the following: a caisson, a drilled pier, a basement wall, a strip footing, a slab on grade, a retaining wall structure. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The buoyancy system according to claim 17 wherein said member further comprises: a. a lower arm having a lower hinge located at said first position, said lower arm further comprising a first medial hinge configured to connect to an upper arm; b. said upper arm having a second medial hinge configured to interact with said first medial hinge, said upper arm further comprising an upper hinge located at said second position; c. said lower arm and said upper arm operating within said vertical translation range while retaining said structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse alignment position. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The buoyancy system according to claim 17 wherein said elevation locking section further comprises a hydraulic cylinder having one end of said cylinder connected to said lower arm and the other end of said cylinder connected to said upper arm. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The buoyancy system according to claim 17 wherein said elevation locking section further comprises a ratcheting lever mechanism. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The buoyancy system according to claim 22 wherein said upper arm further comprises an upper arm transverse section depth and said lower arm further comprises a lower arm transverse section depth. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The buoyancy system according to claim 25 wherein said upper arm and transverse section depth and said lower arm transverse section depth each have adequate section modulus in the transverse direction to resist said intermittent loading applied to said second end. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The buoyancy system according to claim 25 wherein said member includes at least one of the following: a fiberglass material, a carbon fiber material, a composite material, a steel material, an aluminum material, an alloy material. ### Claim 28 A buoyancy system for a non-buoyant structure, said non-buoyant structure experiencing periodic flooding, the flooding having a high level watermark, the non-buoyant structure having a foundation, said non-buoyant structure experiencing periodic uplift and shear on said foundation, said buoyancy system comprising: a. a tank comprising a volume of air, said tank configured to displace a portion of the water from said flooding with said volume of air to buoy said non-buoyant structure, said tank connected to an anchor system said anchor system having an anchor system foundation; b. said anchor system comprising: i. a member comprising a lower arm having a lower hinge located in a first position, said lower arm further comprising a first medial hinge configured to connect to an upper arm; said upper arm having a second medial hinge configured to interact with said first medial hinge, said upper arm further comprising an upper hinge connected to said structure; ii. a prerelease mechanism configured to connect said non-buoyant structure to said anchor system foundation during non-periodic flooding and configured to release said non-buoyant structure from said anchor system foundation during periodic flooding; iii. said upper arm and said lower arm each having a section modulus large enough to resist a moment and shear force resulting from said intermittent loading applied to said structure and transferred to said second end, thus retaining said structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse position relative to said first position; iv. said member further comprising an elevation locking section comprising a hydraulic cylinder having one end of said cylinder connected to said lower arm and the other end of said cylinder connected to said upper arm, said hydraulic cylinder configured to maintain said structure at a high-level buoyancy position substantially matching said high level water mark after said body of water has receded. ### Claim 29 A buoyancy assembly for a non-buoyant structure, said non-buoyant structure experiencing periodic flooding, the flooding having a high level watermark, the non-buoyant structure having a plurality of foundation elements, said non-buoyant structure experiencing periodic uplift and shear on said foundation, said buoyancy system comprising: a. a plurality of tank components each comprising a volume of air, said plurality of tank components configured to displace a portion of the water from said flooding with said volume of air to buoy said non-buoyant structure, said tank connected to an anchor system; b. said anchor system comprising: a plurality of member components each having a first end and a second end, each of said first ends substantially fixed at a plurality of relative first positions in relation to a plurality of anchor system foundations, each of said second ends substantially fixed to a plurality of second positions on said non-buoyant structure; c. said plurality of member components each configured to allow said non-buoyant structure to be buoyed by said plurality of tanks and translate between said first position and a high water position, said translation occurring in a substantially vertical translation range while retaining said non-buoyant structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse alignment position; d. said plurality of member components each further comprising an elevation locking section configured to maintain said structure at said high water position; and, e. a prerelease mechanism configured to connect said non-buoyant structure to said anchor system foundation during non-periodic flooding and configured to release said non-buoyant structure from said anchor system foundation during periodic flooding. ### Claim 30 A buoyancy assembly for a non-buoyant structure, said non-buoyant structure experiencing periodic flooding, the flooding having a high level watermark, the non-buoyant structure having a plurality of foundation elements, said non-buoyant structure experiencing periodic uplift and shear on said foundation, said buoyancy system comprising: a. means for displacing a portion of water from said flooding to buoy said non-buoyant structure; b. means for anchoring said non-buoyant structure in relation to a plurality of anchor foundations; c. means for allowing translation of said non-buoyant structure between a first position and a high water position; d. means for restraining said non-buoyant structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse alignment position; e. means for locking said non-buoyant structure at said high water position; and, f. means for detaching said non-buoyant structure from said anchor foundation during periodic flooding. ### Claim 31 A buoyancy process for a non-buoyant structure, said non-buoyant structure experiencing periodic flooding, the flooding having a high level watermark, the non-buoyant structure having a plurality of foundation elements, said non-buoyant structure experiencing periodic uplift and shear on said foundation, said buoyancy process comprising: a. displacing a portion of water from said flooding to buoy said non-buoyant structure; b. anchoring said non-buoyant structure in relation to a plurality of anchor foundations; c. detaching said non-buoyant structure from said anchor foundation during periodic flooding; d. allowing vertical translation of said non-buoyant structure between a first position and a high water position; e. restraining said non-buoyant structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse alignment position; f. locking said non-buoyant structure at said high water position g. wherein the step of restraining said non-buoyant structure utilizes a member further comprising: i. a lower arm having a lower hinge located at said first position, said lower arm further comprising a first medial hinge configured to connect to an upper arm; ii. said upper arm having a second medial hinge configured to interact with said first medial hinge, said upper arm further comprising an upper hinge located at said second position; and iii. said lower arm and said upper arm operating within said vertical translation range while retaining said structure in a substantially longitudinal and transverse alignment position.