Elevated crane support system and method for elevating a lifting apparatus

• US 20020079278A1
• Filed: 08/15/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Levingston Corporation
• Original Assignee: Paul Butler, Ronald E. Sanders
• Inventors: Butler, Paul, Sanders, Ronald E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,607,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 212/307
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/52 Floating cranes floating dredgers E02F
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 17/021 with relative movement between supporting construction and platform
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 17/08 for raising or lowering
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 2017/006 with lattice style supporting legs

Abstract

A support structure for supporting a lift crane, and in particular to a lift crane jack-up structures, including rigs, platforms, barges, boats or the like, wherein the lift crane is positioned about a leg of the jack-up structure atop the jack-house. The preferred embodiment of the present invention contemplates a system for elevating a lift crane above the deck and about the leg of the jack-up structure, without relying upon the leg for structural support. A structurally reinforced jack-house having jacking units interfacing with the leg is provided at the deck of the vessel the jack-house configured to engage and support a crane tube column upon the roof of the jack house, which crane tube column in turn has situated thereupon the lift crane. The combined jack-house/crane tube column design allows one to support a crane above the deck in a stable manner independent of the leg situated therethrough, so as to provide a superior structural support for the lift crane, while providing ample space within the jack-house for the jacking units. The combined jack-house/crane support structure thereby affords significant space savings upon deck of the platform, while providing enhanced support of the lift crane. The substructure of the vessel comprises longitudinal and transverse bulkheads intersecting to form a support cell having a perimeter, the portion of the bulkheads forming the cell extend vertically through the deck to form the walls of the jack house and support for the platform. In an alternative embodiment, a truss-type bracing assembly engages the perimeter of the support cell below deck to form a raised platform without walls.

Claims

1. A system for providing a raised platform above the deck of a vessel having a deck and a hull, comprising:

a substructure situated between the hull and deck, said substructure comprising longitudinal bulkheads configured to laterally engage, in spaced fashion, transversal bulkheads and the hull so as to form a planar support cell having a perimeter;

an upper deck structure having upper and lower ends, said lower ends engaging said perimeter of said planar support cell through the deck;

a crane tub having a flange situated upon said upper end of said deck structure, said crane tub formed to support a crane thereupon.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said upper deck structure comprises an extension of said lateral and longitudinal bulkheads so as to form vertical, planar walls extending through the deck so as to form a jack house.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said upper deck structure comprises a plurality of braces in lattice configuration to form a truss assembly, said truss assembly having upper and lower ends, said lower end of said truss assembly resting upon said planar support cell, said upper end of said truss assembly supporting said crane tub.

4. The method of providing a raised platform above the deck of a vessel having a hull, comprising the steps of:

a. forming a substructure situated between the hull and deck, said substructure comprising longitudinal bulkheads configured to laterally engage, in spaced, fashion, transversal bulkheads and the hull so as to form a planar support cell;

b. extending said portions of said lateral and longitudinal bulkheads forming said planar support cell through the deck of the vessel, providing an extension of the bulkhead emanating through the deck;

c. placing an object upon said extension of said bulkhead emanating through the deck, so as to provide said object in spaced relation above said deck.

5. The method of providing a jack house on a vessel having a deck and a hull, comprising the steps of:

a. forming a substructure situated between the hull and deck, said substructure comprising longitudinal bulkheads configured to laterally engage, in spaced fashion, transversal bulkheads and the hull so as to form a planar support cell having a perimeter;

b. extending said portions of said lateral and longitudinal bulkheads forming said planar support cell through the deck of the vessel, providing an extension of the bulkhead emanating through the deck;

c. utilizing said extension of said bulkhead emanating through the deck to form walls, providing a jack house having a top.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein there is provided the further step “

d”

of placing a crane tub squarely upon said top of said jack house.

7. The method of providing a jack house on a vessel having a deck and a hull, comprising the steps of:

a. forming a substructure situated between the hull and deck, said substructure comprising longitudinal bulkheads configured to laterally engage, in spaced fashion, transversal bulkheads and the hull so as to form a planar support cell forming a perimeter;

b. providing a plurality of braces in lattice configuration to form a truss assembly, said truss assembly having upper and lower ends, said lower end of said truss assembly resting upon said perimeter of said planar support cell;

c. Placing upon said upper end of said truss assembly a crane tub.

9. The crane support apparatus of claim 7, wherein there is further provided angled bracing having first and second ends, said first end engaging said hull of said vessel, said second end engaging said vertical support members.

8. A crane support apparatus for supporting a crane on a jack-up vessel having a leg a nd a jacking unit, a deck and a hull, comprising:

a jack house having walls formed of vertical support members extending through the deck of said vessel, said vertical support members having first and second ends, said first ends engaging the hull of the vessel, said second ends forming the upper edge of the jack house, said walls of said jack house having a width, and an interior with a leg passageway formed therethrough, said jack house formed so as to accommodate a jacking unit configured to engage the leg of the vessel;

a pedestal having a circular cross-sectional configuration, a diameter and first and second ends, said diameter of said pedestal coinciding with said width of said jack house, said first end of said pedestal engaging said walls of said jack house, said second end of said pedestal having a flange mounted thereupon, said flange formed so as to support and rotatingly engage a crane..

10. The crane support apparatus of claim 8, wherein said vessel has longitudinal and transversal bulkheads formed in its substructure, and wherein said vertical support members comprise first and second vertical support members having a planar configuration, said first vertical support member integrated into said longitudinal bulkhead, said second vertical support member integrated into said lateral bulkhead, said first and second vertical support members engaged with other vertical support members to form a support cell having a perimeter.

11. The method of supporting a crane on a jack-up vessel having a leg and a jacking unit, a deck and a hull, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a jack house having walls formed of vertical support members having first and second ends, said first ends engaging the hull of the vessel, said second ends forming the top of the jack house, said walls of said jack house having a width, and an interior with a leg passageway formed therethrough, said jack house formed so as to accommodate a jacking unit configured to engage the leg of the vessel;

b. providing a pedestal having a circular cross-sectional configuration, a diameter coinciding with said width of said jack house, and first and second ends, said second end of said pedestal having a flange mounted thereupon, forming said flange so as to support and rotatingly engage a crane;

c. mounting said first end of said pedestal to said walls of said jack house;

d. mounting a crane to said second end of said pedestal;

e. allowing said walls of said jack house to support said pedestal and crane