Crew transfer system
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsLily T. Birmingham, Corey A. Fleischer, Alexander C. Boon, Kevin Quinn
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Abstract
A crew transfer system for transferring personnel from a vessel to a stationary platform, such as an oil rig, is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, the system includes a ramp that is coupled to the vessel in such a way as to permit one translational and three rotational degrees of freedom at the vessel-end of the ramp. When the ramp couples to the stationary platform, the coupling permits no translational and only two rotational degrees of freedom.
Claims17
A system for transferring personnel or material from a transport vessel to a stationary platform at sea, wherein the system comprises:
- a ramp, wherein in use, a first end of the ramp is movably coupled to the transport vessel and a second end of the ramp is movably coupled to the stationary platform, and wherein the ramp includes a planar base that is suitably dimensioned and configured to enable personnel to walk thereon;
- a first coupling, wherein:
- (a) the first coupling movably couples together a first end of the ramp and the transport vessel;
- (b) the first coupling provides three rotational degrees-of-freedom and one translational degree-of-freedom to the first end of the ramp;
- and
- a second coupling, wherein:
- (a) the second coupling movably couples together a second end of the ramp and the stationary platform;
- and
- (b) the second coupling provides at least one rotational degree-of-freedom and no more than two rotational degrees-of-freedom and no translational degrees-of-freedom to the second end of the ramp.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.