Apparatus for providing access to equipment or structures that require maintenance
First Claim
1. An apparatus for providing access to an object to be maintained, the apparatus comprising:
- a deck;
an apparatus structure for supporting the deck;
a platform, the platform being movable with respect to the deck from a stowed position to an extended position, in the extended position the platform forming an extension to the deck; and
a platform support mechanism comprising at least one cable and at least one compression post;
the/each cable having a cable first end attached to the platform at or adjacent to a platform leading edge and a cable second end attached to the platform at or adjacent to a platform trailing edge, the/each compression post supporting the cable between the cable first end and the cable second end, the/each compression post being adapted to maintain substantially constant tension in one of said cables as the platform moves from the stowed position to the extended position,wherein the/each compression post is adapted to vary in length to maintain a substantially constant tension in the cable as the platform moves from the stowed position to the extended position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus for providing access to equipment or structures that require maintenance. More particularly, the present invention is suitable to provide access to equipment or structures located offshore, such as wind turbines or structures for oil and gas production. The apparatus comprises a deck, an apparatus structure for supporting the deck, a platform and a platform support mechanism. The platform is movable with respect to the deck from a stowed position to an extended position. In the extended position the platform forms an extension to the deck. The platform support mechanism comprises at least one cable and at least one compression post. The/each cable has a cable first end attached to the platform at or adjacent to a platform leading edge and a cable second end attached to the platform at or adjacent to a platform trailing edge. The/each compression post supports the cable between the cable first end and the cable second end and is adapted to maintain a substantially constant tension in one of said cables as the platform moves from the stowed position to the extended position.
7 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for providing access to an object to be maintained, the apparatus comprising:
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a deck; an apparatus structure for supporting the deck; a platform, the platform being movable with respect to the deck from a stowed position to an extended position, in the extended position the platform forming an extension to the deck; and a platform support mechanism comprising at least one cable and at least one compression post;
the/each cable having a cable first end attached to the platform at or adjacent to a platform leading edge and a cable second end attached to the platform at or adjacent to a platform trailing edge, the/each compression post supporting the cable between the cable first end and the cable second end, the/each compression post being adapted to maintain substantially constant tension in one of said cables as the platform moves from the stowed position to the extended position,wherein the/each compression post is adapted to vary in length to maintain a substantially constant tension in the cable as the platform moves from the stowed position to the extended position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for providing access to an object to be maintained, the apparatus comprising:
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a deck; an apparatus structure for supporting the deck; a platform, the platform being movable with respect to the deck from a stowed position to an extended position, in the extended position the platform forming an extension to the deck; and a platform support mechanism comprising at least one cable and at least one compression post;
the/each cable having a cable first end attached to the platform at or adjacent to a platform leading edge and a cable second end attached to the platform at or adjacent to a platform trailing edge, the/each compression post supporting the cable between the cable first end and the cable second end, the/each compression post being adapted to maintain substantially constant tension in one of said cables as the platform moves from the stowed position to the extended position,wherein the deck defines a deck recess adapted to receive a part of the platform, the deck recess comprising a first deck recess and a second deck recess, the first and second deck recesses being adapted to receive a first platform side edge and a second platform side edge respectively.
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18. An apparatus for providing access to an object to be maintained, the apparatus comprising:
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a deck; an apparatus structure for supporting the deck; a platform, the platform being movable with respect to the deck from a stowed position to an extended position, in the extended position the platform forming an extension to the deck; and a platform support mechanism comprising at least one cable and at least one compression post;
the/each cable having a cable first end attached to the platform at or adjacent to a platform leading edge and a cable second end attached to the platform at or adjacent to a platform trailing edge, the/each compression post supporting the cable between the cable first end and the cable second end, the/each compression post being adapted to maintain substantially constant tension in one of said cables as the platform moves from the stowed position to the extended position,wherein the/each compression post and the deck define an angle therebetween, the/each compression post being movable with respect to the deck such that the angle is variable.
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Specification