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Stabilizing system on a semi-submersible crane vessel

  • US 4,231,313 A
  • Filed: 06/07/1978
  • Issued: 11/04/1980
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1976
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A semi-submersible crane vessel comprising a platform, a plurality of vertical hollow columns supporting the platform, said columns being distributed along a circumferential outer region of the vessel, submerged bouyancy hulls supporting said columns such that the platform is above water level, and a stabilizing system for stabilizing the vessel with respect to outboard handling of loads by at least one crane on the vessel, said stabilizing system comprising ballast chambers in said bouyancy hulls, valve means for selectively admitting surrounding water into said chambers, said chambers comprising (a) air chambers at the lower ends of said columns at the level of said submerged buoyancy hulls;

  • (b) said air chambers having a top closure below the level of the water surrounding said submerged buoyancy hulls, a bottom connection in communication with the surrounding water and vertical air conduits extending upwardly from said chambers for connecting the latter to ambient atmosphere;

    (c) means for controlling said valves for admission of desired amounts of water into said air chambers during handling of a crane load in dependence on the weight of said loads and the position of said loads with respect to said vessel and measuring means including gauging means for measuring the water level in each said air chamber, said gauging means including an air pressure sensor for each of said air chambers and a water pressure sensor at the exit of each said chamber to the surrounding water, the difference between said sensed pressures being indicative of the water level in each said first air chamber.

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