Oscillating installation for installing in a body of water and method for its construction
First Claim
1. An oscillatable installation installed at a fixed site in a body of water, comprising a shaft which rests on a heavy base itself resting on the bed and which at its upper part supports a platform or any other part of the installation intended to be located above the level of the water, the shaft being connected to the base by a ball-joint enabling it to oscillate in any direction under the action of swell, the shaft being ballasted near to its base such that the total weight of the assembly of this ballast, shaft, platform or other part of the installation and masses which it carries, is greater than the maximum lifting force exerted on the shaft by the strongest swells so that the ball-joint, through the intermediary of which the shaft bears upon the base, is permanently under compression.
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Abstract
The invention relates to an oscillating installation installed at a fixed site in a body of water, comprising a shaft which rests on a heavy base, which itself bears on a bed, and which supports a platform at its upper part, the shaft is connected to the base by a ball-joint consisting of two hemispherical caps. The shaft is loaded in such manner that the joint is always under compression. Examples of forms of joint comprising packings between the two caps are described. The invention also relates to a method of laying such an installation, the latter being conveyed by flotation to the site, and the correction of listing by the use of caissons disposed along the shaft.
17 Citations
26 Claims
- 1. An oscillatable installation installed at a fixed site in a body of water, comprising a shaft which rests on a heavy base itself resting on the bed and which at its upper part supports a platform or any other part of the installation intended to be located above the level of the water, the shaft being connected to the base by a ball-joint enabling it to oscillate in any direction under the action of swell, the shaft being ballasted near to its base such that the total weight of the assembly of this ballast, shaft, platform or other part of the installation and masses which it carries, is greater than the maximum lifting force exerted on the shaft by the strongest swells so that the ball-joint, through the intermediary of which the shaft bears upon the base, is permanently under compression.
- 8. An installation installed at a fixed site in a body of water, comprising a shaft which rests on a heavy base itself resting on a bed and which at its upper part supports a platform or any other part of the installation intended to be located above the level of the water, the shaft being connected to the base by a ball-joint enabling it to oscillate in any direction under the action of swell, a deformable packing inserted between a convex surface formed on the lower part of the shaft and a concave surface formed on the base, the deformable packing comprising a pile of alternate layers of elastomer and sheet metal intercalated between two metal armatures, the different layers and armatures being glued together, the shaft being ballasted near to its base such that the total weight of the assembly of this ballast, shaft, platform or other part of the installation and masses which it carries, is greater than the maximum lifting force exerted on the shaft by the strongest swells so that the ball-joint, through the intermediary of which the shaft bears upon the base, is permanently under compression.
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15. An installation installed at a fixed site in a body of water, comprising a shaft which rests on a heavy base itself resting on a bed and which at its upper part supports a platform or any other part of the installation intended to be located above the level of the water, the shaft being connected to the base by a ball-joint enabling it to oscillate in any direction under the action of swell, a deformable packing inserted between a convex surface formed on the lower part of the shaft and a concave surface formed on the base, the volume comprised between the lower part of the shaft carrying a joint member, the surface of the base carrying the second joint member, and a wall concentric with the said joint and surrounding the base of the shaft, is filled with bodies of revolution of small dimensions, the interstitial spaces being occupied by a viscous fluid, the shaft being ballasted near to its base such that the total weight of the assembly of this ballast, shaft, platform or other part of the installation and masses which it carries is greater than the maximum lifting force exerted on the shaft by the strongest swells so that the ball-joint, through the intermediary of which the shaft bears upon the base, is permanently under compression.
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17. An installation installed at a fixed site on a body of water, comprising a shaft which rests on a heavy base itself resting on a bed and which at its upper part supports a platform or any other part of the installation intended to be located above the level of the water, the shaft being connected to the base by a ball-joint enabling it to oscillate in any direction under the action of swell, the shaft and the base being provided with sets of teeth in the form of spherical caps which intermesh and roll on each other, the shaft and the base further comprising an arrangement of projections and grooves preventing the shaft from turning about its vertical axis with respect to the base, the said grooves having a V-section, the point of the V connecting according to the major axis of an ellipse, the shaft being ballasted near to its base such that the total weight of the assembly of this ballast, shaft, platform or other part of the installation and masses which it carries, is greater than the maximum lifting force exerted on the shaft by the strongest swells so that the ball-joint, through the intermediary of which the shaft bears upon the base, is permanently under compression.
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18. An installation installed at a fixed site on a body of water, comprising a shaft which rests on a heavy base itself resting on a bed and which at its upper part supports a platform or any other part of the installation intended to be located above the level of the water, the shaft being connected to the base by a ball-joint enabling it to oscillate in any direction under the action of swell, the shaft and the base being provided with sets of teeth in the form of spherical caps which intermesh and roll on each other, means are provided for injecting dense lubricant between the teeth, the shaft being ballasted near to its base such that the total weight of the assembly of this ballast, shaft, platform or other part of the installation and masses which it carries, is greater than the maximum lifting force exerted on the shaft by the strongest swells so that the ball-joint, through the intermediary of which the shaft bears upon the base, is permanently under compression.
- 24. An installation installed at a fixed site in a body of water, comprising a shaft which rests on a heavy base itself resting on a bed and which at its upper part supports a platform or any other part of the installation intended to be located above the level of the water, the shaft being connected to the base by a ball-joint enabling it to oscillate in any direction under the action of swell, the shaft being ballasted near to its base such that the total weight of the assembly of this ballast, shaft, platform or other part of the installation and masses which it carries, is greater than the maximum lifting force exerted on the shaft by the strongest swells so that the ball-joint, through the intermediary of which the shaft bears upon the base, is permanently under compression, the base and shaft, assembled by the ball-joint and the platform, connected to the shaft by links float in a substantially horizontal position, the base and the shaft, at least, afloat, the base and the end of the shaft adjacent the base being ballasted, and means supplying ballast to move the shaft progressively into the vertical position, the base and the lower part of the shaft, assembled by their joint, being held submerged by the introduction of water into the base and the shaft in such manner that only part of the shaft is emergent.
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26. An installation installed at a fixed site in a body of water, comprising a shaft which rests on a heavy base itself resting on a bed and which at its upper part supports a platform or any other part of the installation intended to be located above the level of the water, the shaft being connected to the base by a ball-joint enabling it to oscillate in any direction under the action of swell, the platform being connected to a barge by linkage means and fixed by a link hinged to the edge of the shaft, and jacks being placed in position between the platform and the shaft, the barge having ballast means and means dismantling device connecting the platform to the barge, so that when the base and the shaft are progressively righted the jacks keep the platform horizontal so that the deck can be fixed to the shaft and the jacks dismantled when the base and the shaft are in their final position, the shaft being ballasted near to its base such that the total weight of the assembly of this ballast, shaft, platform or other part of the installation and masses which it carries, is greater than the maximum lifting force exerted on the shaft by the strongest swells so that the ball-joint, through the intermediary of which the shaft bears upon the base, is permanently under compression, the base and the lower part of the shaft, assembled by their joint, being held submerged by the introduction of water into the base and the shaft in such manner that only a part of the shaft is emergent.
Specification