Powered sheave for node deployment and retrieval

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9475552-B2
Application number	US-201414457480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2014
Priority date	Aug 27, 2008
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, a marine vessel is provided. The vessel includes a cable storage device disposed on a deck of the vessel, a workstation disposed on the vessel, a ramp at least partially disposed on the deck, and a node storage and handling system disposed on the vessel. The node storage and handling system comprises a cable handler disposed between the cable storage device and the ramp, the cable handler having a cable disposed thereon and the cable defining a cable path passing over the workstation during a node deployment or retrieval operation, a node storage rack positioned between a bow and a stern of the vessel, and at least one conveyor belt to transfer nodes between the workstation and the node storage rack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A marine vessel, comprising:
a cable storage device disposed on the vessel;
a workstation disposed on a deck of the vessel;
a ramp at least partially disposed on the deck; and
a node storage and handling system disposed on the vessel, the node storage and handling system comprising:
a cable handler disposed between the cable storage device and the ramp, the cable handler having a cable disposed thereon and the cable defining a cable path passing over the workstation during a node deployment or retrieval operation;
a node storage structure positioned between a bow and a stern of the vessel; and
a plurality of conveyance mechanisms to transfer nodes between the workstation and the node storage structure, wherein at least one of the conveyance mechanisms comprises a vertically adjustable conveyor to transfer nodes to or from the node storage structure.

2. The vessel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the conveyance mechanisms a conveyor belt.

3. The vessel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the conveyance mechanisms is accessible from the workstation.

4. The vessel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the conveyance mechanisms is disposed on the node storage structure.

5. The vessel of claim 1 , wherein the node storage structure comprises a plurality of individual storage structures.

6. The vessel of claim 5 , wherein each of the individual storage structures share at least one of the conveyance mechanisms.

7. The vessel of claim 5 , wherein each of the individual storage structures share the ramp.

8. The vessel of claim 5 , wherein each of the individual storage structures comprise a first storage structure to port of a vessel center and a second storage structure to starboard of the vessel center.

9. The vessel of claim 5 , wherein each of the individual storage structures incorporates a movable surface.

10. The vessel of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the conveyance mechanisms comprises a conveyor belt.

11. The vessel of claim 5 , wherein each of the individual storage structures comprise a first vertically stacked plurality of storage structures and a second plurality of vertically stacked storage structures.

12. The vessel of claim 11 , wherein the first vertically stacked plurality of storage structures and the second plurality of vertically stacked storage structures are positioned side by side.

13. The vessel of claim 11 , wherein the first vertically stacked plurality of storage structures and the second plurality of vertically stacked storage structures are positioned end to end.

14. A marine vessel, comprising:
a cable storage device disposed on the vessel;
a workstation disposed on a deck of the vessel;
a ramp at least partially disposed on the deck; and
a node storage and handling system disposed on the vessel, the node storage and handling system comprising:
a cable handler disposed between the cable storage device and the ramp, the cable handler having a cable disposed thereon and the cable defines a cable path accessible to the workstation during a node deployment or retrieval operation;
a node storage structure positioned between a bow and a stern of the vessel to store nodes in or along a line between the bow and the stern; and
at least one vertically adjustable conveyance mechanism to transfer nodes between the workstation and the node storage structure.

15. The vessel of claim 14 , wherein the at least one vertically adjustable conveyance mechanism comprises a moving surface.

16. The vessel of claim 14 , wherein the node storage structure comprises a plurality of individual storage structures.

17. The vessel of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of individual storage structures comprise a first vertically stacked plurality of storage structures and a second plurality of vertically stacked storage structures.

18. The vessel of claim 17 , wherein the first vertically stacked plurality of storage structures and the second plurality of vertically stacked storage structures are positioned side by side.

19. The vessel of claim 17 , wherein the first vertically stacked plurality of storage structures and the second plurality of vertically stacked storage structures are positioned end to end.

20. The vessel of claim 16 , wherein each of the individual storage structures comprise a movable surface.

21. The vessel of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of individual storage structures share the at least one conveyance mechanism.

22. The vessel of claim 16 , wherein each of the individual storage structures share the ramp.

23. The vessel of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of individual storage structures comprises a first storage structure to port of a vessel center and a second storage structure to starboard of the vessel center.

24. The vessel of claim 23 , wherein each of the first storage structure and the second storage structure comprises a movable surface.

25. The vessel of claim 23 , wherein each of the first of storage structure and the second storage structure share the at least one vertically adjustable conveyance mechanism.

26. The vessel of claim 23 , wherein each of the first storage structure and the second storage structure share a conveyance mechanism.

Assignees

• Fairfield Ind Inc

Inventors

• Thompson James N
• Laws Jerry L
• Berges Larry E

Classifications

• B63B35/04

  Cable-laying vessels · CPC title

• B63B21/66 Primary

  Equipment specially adapted for towing underwater objects or vessels, e.g. fairings for tow-cables ({paravanes for dragging fishing nets A01K73/02; } salvaging underwater vessels or objects B63C7/00; towed underwater vessels B63G8/42) · CPC title

• G01V1/3843

  Deployment of seismic devices, e.g. of streamers (equipment for marine deployment in general B63B) · CPC title

• G01V1/3852

  to the seabed · CPC title