Riser support structure
A ship is described which is useful for recovery of liquid minerals from the ocean floor. A rotatable plug through an aperture in the ship's hull is moored to the ocean floor with a riser pipe from the ocean floor passing through the center of the plug and connected to a substantially vertically extending tower above the ship to permit the ship to weathervane. The tower, supporting the upper end of the riser, rotates with the ship, and vertical translation of the upper end of the riser relative to the length of the tower is permitted. The tower is mounted on gimbals near its base for tilting relative to the deck of the ship to remain aligned with the riser end. A tube connected to the tower extends below the gimbals and surrounds the riser. Rollers at the lower end of the tube engage the riser to permit longitudinal motion of the tube relative to the riser, and transfer some of the tilting force between the riser and the tower. The tube is rotatable about its axis to remain fixed relative to the riser while the ship rotates. (2 claims)
- Assignee:
- North Amer Rockwell Corp.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 3601075
- OSTI ID:
- 5580620
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 2 Jul 1969
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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