CRANE HOUSING, CRANE, JACK-UP VESSEL, METHOD

Abstract

A crane housing for a leg encircling crane to be mounted onto a slew bearing includes an annular base component, two support components, and a frontal component, each having bulkheads. The support components are connected to the annular base component at respective lateral sides of a front segment thereof. The frontal component is connected to the front segment of the annular base component, between the two support components such as to interconnect these. The two support components and the frontal component together form a front torsion box, which provides torsional rigidity. The load of the boom, as applied on the support components, subjects the base component via the torsion box to a torsion that is distributed over the front segment of the base component.

Claims

1.-20. (canceled)

21. A crane housing for a leg encircling crane, for use on a jack-up vessel comprising horizontally spaced apart jack-up legs, wherein the crane housing is configured to be mounted onto a slew bearing extending about one of the jack-up legs of the jack up vessel, for allowing slew motion of the crane housing of the crane around a vertical slew axis, to support a crane boom at a front of the crane housing, and to support a crane superstructure, wherein the crane housing is a box-type construction, the crane housing comprising: an annular base component, configured to extend about a jack-up leg of the jack-up vessel, having an inner circumferential wall, an outer circumferential wall, bulkheads extending between the inner circumferential wall and the outer circumferential wall, and a top wall; two support components, each connected to the annular base component on a respective lateral side of a front segment of the annular base component, the support components each having an outer wall, that is at two ends attached to the outer wall of the base component, bulkheads extending between the outer wall of the support component and the outer circumferential wall of the annular base component, a top wall and a bottom wall; and a frontal component, connected to the front segment of the base component in front thereof, and between the two support components such as to interconnect the support components, the frontal component having a front wall that is at each of two ends thereof attached to the outer wall of a respective one of the support components, bulkheads extending between the front wall of the frontal component and the outer circumferential wall of the annular base component, a top wall and a bottom wall, wherein the crane housing is provided with two boom supports, each mounted on a respective support component, for pivotally supporting two inner ends of the boom of the crane so that said boom is pivotal about a horizontal pivot axis through the two boom supports, and wherein the two support components and the frontal component together form a torsion box that provides torsional rigidity, such that the load of the boom, as applied on the boom supports, subjects the base component via the torsion box to a torsion that is distributed over the front segment of the base component.

22. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein of the bulkheads of the support components extends outwardly from an outer end of a respective one of the bulkheads of the annular base component in the front segment thereof.

23. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein the bulkheads of the support components extend, seen in a top view of the crane housing, parallel to the pivot axis of the boom.

24. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein each of the bulkheads of the frontal component extends outwardly.

25. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein the outer wall of each support component comprises a front wall and a side wall, wherein the front wall extends in a vertical plane parallel to the pivot axis.

26. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein at least a part of the front wall of the frontal component extends forward from the two support components.

27. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein the boom supports each have a lateral distance from a longitudinal center axis of the crane housing through the slew axis that is substantially equal to or larger than the radius of the annular base component with respect to the slew axis.

28. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein the boom supports each have a longitudinal distance from a lateral center axis of the crane housing through the slew axis that is substantially equal to or larger than the radius of the annular base component with respect to the slew axis.

29. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein the top wall of the annular base component is integral with the top wall of the two support components and the top wall of the frontal component, and the top walls thus form an integral top wall.

30. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein the bottom wall of the annular base component is integral with the bottom wall of the two support components and the bottom wall of the frontal component, and wherein the bulkheads of the annular base component, the two support components and the frontal component are connected to the so formed integral bottom wall.

31. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein the torsion box, formed by the two support components and the frontal component, is connected to a top section of the annular base component, and the bottom walls of the front component and the support components are connected to the outer wall of the annular base component, and are vertically spaced from the bottom wall of the annular base component.

32. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein the crane housing is configured to support a crane gantry, the crane gantry comprising a crane gantry compression member and a crane gantry tension member, and is provided with two crane gantry compression member supports, each provided on one of the respective support components at one of the two boom supports, and is provided with two crane gantry tension member supports, each located on a rear segment of the annular base component, and each at a lateral distance from a longitudinal center axis of the crane housing through the slew axis that is smaller than the radius of the annular base component with respect to the slew axis.

33. The crane housing according to claim 21, wherein the two crane gantry tension member supports are located vertically above the rear segment of the annular base component, such that, when seen in a top view, the two crane gantry tension member supports substantially overlap with the annular base component.

34. A crane housing for a leg encircling crane for use on a jack-up vessel comprising horizontally spaced apart jack-up legs, wherein the crane housing is configured to be mounted onto a slew bearing extending about one of the jack-up legs of the jack up vessel, for allowing slew motion of the crane housing of the crane around a vertical slew axis, to pivotally support a crane boom at a front of the crane housing so that the boom is pivotal about a substantially horizontal pivot axis, and to support a crane superstructure at a back of the crane housing, wherein the crane housing is a box-type construction, and the crane housing comprises an annular base component, configured to extend about a jack-up leg of the jack-up vessel, the annular base component having a substantially constant cross section, having an inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential wall that are circular and concentric, and a top wall and a bottom wall extending between the inner circumferential wall and the outer circumferential wall, and furthermore, the annular base component comprises bulkheads that extend between the inner circumferential wall and the outer circumferential wall, and the top wall, wherein the crane housing is provided with two boom supports, for pivotally supporting two inner ends of the boom of the crane so that said boom is pivotal about a horizontal pivot axis through the two boom supports, wherein the crane housing is configured to support a crane gantry, the crane gantry comprising a crane gantry compression member and a crane gantry tension member, and is provided with two crane gantry compression member supports, each provided at one of the two boom supports, and is provided with two crane gantry tension member supports, each located on a rear segment of the annular base component, wherein the two crane gantry tension member supports are each connected to the annular base component via an A-shaped support frame, the support frames each comprising two support arms that diverge in a direction towards the annular base component, and the support arms being, at a lower end, mounted to the annular base component, wherein the support arms of the A-shaped support frames are box-type elements, the support arms comprising a front wall, a rear wall, an inside wall and an outside wall, wherein, for each of the support arms, for each of the support frames, the front wall has an outside surface that faces towards a lateral center axis of the crane housing through the slew axis, and the rear wall has an outside surface that faces away from the lateral center axis of the crane housing, wherein, for each of the support arms, for each of the support frames, the inside wall has an outside surface that faces towards a longitudinal center axis of the crane housing through the slew axis, and the outside wall has an outside surface that faces away from, and is parallel to, the longitudinal center axis of the crane housing, and wherein, the annular base component comprises bulkheads, each of the support arms being associated with at least one of these bulkheads, the bulkheads being provided in the annular base component at the lower ends of the support arms, each of the bulkheads being with a top end in register with one of the inside walls or outside walls of the support arms, and being perpendicular to the boom pivot axis.

35. A leg encircling crane comprising the crane housing according to claim 21, a slew bearing extending about one of the jack-up legs of a jack up vessel, for allowing slew motion of the crane housing of the crane around a vertical slew axis, a crane boom supported at a front of the crane housing, and a crane superstructure.

36. The leg encircling crane comprising the crane housing according to claim 34, a slew bearing extending about one of the jack-up legs of a jack up vessel, for allowing slew motion of the crane housing of the crane around a vertical slew axis, a crane boom supported at a front of the crane housing, and a crane superstructure.

37. A jack-up vessel comprising jack-up legs, a hull, and the leg encircling crane according to claim 35.

38. A jack-up vessel comprising jack-up legs, a hull, and the leg encircling crane according to claim 36.

39. A method for handling an object from a jack-up vessel at an offshore location, by using the leg encircling crane according to claim 35, wherein the inner ends of the boom of the crane are both supported on the crane housing of the crane outwardly from the annular base component, and wherein the load of the boom, as applied on the boom supports, subjects the base component via the torsion box to a torsion that is distributed over the front segment of the base component.

40. A method for handling an object from a jack-up vessel at an offshore location, by using the leg encircling crane according to claim 36, wherein the inner ends of the boom of the crane are both supported on the crane housing of the crane outwardly from the annular base component, and wherein the load of the boom, as applied on the boom supports, subjects the base component via the torsion box to a torsion that is distributed over the front segment of the base component.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0083] The invention will now be described with reference to the embodiment shown in the appended figures. Of the figures:

[0084] FIG. 1 illustrates in a top-side-frontal perspective view a crane housing according to the invention in a leg encircling crane,

[0085] FIG. 2 illustrates in the same view the same crane housing isolated from the leg encircling crane,

[0086] FIG. 3 illustrates in the same view the same crane housing isolated from the leg encircling crane,

[0087] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates different components of the same crane housing in a top view thereof, and

[0088] FIG. 5 illustrates in a bottom-side-frontal perspective view the same crane housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0089] The figures illustrate a possible embodiment of the crane housing 100 according to the invention. In FIG. 1, the crane housing 100 is shown in leg encircling crane 1. The crane housing 100 is configured to be mounted onto a slew bearing (not shown), extending about one of the jack-up legs of the jack up vessel, for allowing slew motion of the crane housing 100 of the crane around vertical slew axis 5.

[0090] The crane housing 100 is furthermore configured to support a crane boom at a front of the crane housing. Thereto the crane housing 100 is provided with two boom supports 102, for pivotally supporting two inner ends 2 of the boom, here an A-frame boom, of the crane 1 so that said boom is pivotal about a horizontal pivot axis 3 through the two boom supports 102.

[0091] The crane housing 100 is furthermore configured and to support a crane crane gantry, not shown here, at a back of the crane housing 100. Thereto the crane housing 100 is provided with two crane gantry supports, in the embodiment shown two crane gantry compression member supports 404, of the crane 1.

[0092] The crane housing 100 is a box-type construction.

[0093] FIG. 2 illustrates the crane housing 100 with a part of the integral top wall 110 thereof being removed at a front part of the crane housing 100, so that the internal structure is visible.

[0094] FIG. 3 shows the crane housing 100 again, but now without removal of a part of the top wall 110, and with an indication of a few parts thereof by dashed and dotted lines. In FIG. 4, a schematic top view is shown in which the arrangement of these same parts is visible.

[0095] As can be verified from the combination of these figures, the crane housing comprises an annular base component 105, a left support component 108a, a right support component 108b, and a frontal component 106.

[0096] The annular base component 105 is configured to extend about a jack-up leg of the jack-up vessel. It has an inner circumferential wall 103, an outer circumferential wall 104, and bulkheads 101 extending between the inner circumferential wall and the outer circumferential wall. The bulkheads 101 of the annular base component 105 extend radially with respect to the slew axis 5 at least in front segment 107 of the annular base component.

[0097] The two support components 108a, 108b are each connected to the annular base component 105 on a respective lateral side of a front segment 107 of the annular base component 105.

[0098] The support components 108a, 108b each have an outer wall 112, 113, that is at two ends attached to the outer wall 104 of the annular base component 105. The outer wall 112, 113 of each support component 108a, 108b comprises a front wall 112 and a side wall 113. The front wall 112 extends in a vertical plane parallel to the pivot axis 3 and the side wall 113 extends in a vertical plane perpendicular to the pivot axis 3thus when seen in top view, parallel to the longitudinal axis 6, see FIG. 4.

[0099] The support components 108a, 108b each have bulkheads 109 extending between the outer wall 112, 113 of the support component 108a, 108b and the outer circumferential wall 104 of the annular base component 105. In FIG. 2 it is visible that these bulkheads extend in vertical planes. The bulkheads extend, seen in a top view of the crane housing, parallel to the pivot axis 3 of the boom. Each of the bulkheads 109 of the support components 108a, 108b extends outwardly from an outer end of a respective one of the bulkheads 101 of the annular base component 105 in the front segment 107 thereof.

[0100] The frontal component 106 is connected to the front segment 107 of the base component 105 in front thereof, and between the two support components 108a, 108b. It connects the left support component 108a to the right support component 108b. The frontal component 106 has a front wall 111 that is at its left end attached to the front wall 112 of a the left support component 108a and at its right end to the front wall 112 of the right support component 108b.

[0101] The frontal component has bulkheads 114 extending between the front wall 111 of the frontal component 106 and the outer circumferential wall 104 of the annular base component 105. Each of the bulkheads 114 of the frontal component 106 extends outwardly, in particular radially, from an outer end of a respective one of the bulkheads 101 of the annular base component 105 in the front segment 107 thereof.

[0102] The two support components 108a, 108b and the frontal component 106 together form a front torsion box 400 which provides torsional rigidity. The load of the boom, as applied on the boom supports 102, subjects the base component 105 via the torsion box 400 to a torsion that is distributed over the front segment 107 of the base component 105.

[0103] The top wall 401 of the annular base component 105 is integral with the top wall of the two support components 108a, 108b and the top wall of the frontal component 106. The bulkheads 101, 109, 114 of the annular base component 105, the two support components 108a, 108b and the frontal component 106 are connected to the so formed integral top wall 110.

[0104] As is partly visible in FIG. 5, the bottom wall of the annular base component 105 is integral with the bottom wall of the two support components 108a, 108b and the bottom wall of the frontal component 106. The bulkheads 101, 109, 114 of the annular base component 105, the two support components 108a, 108b and the frontal component 106 are connected to the so formed integral bottom wall.

[0105] As best shown in FIG. 4, the entire the front wall 111 of the frontal component 106 extends forward from the two support components 108a, 108b. A part of the outer circumferential wall 104 of the base component 105, in the front segment, extends forward from the two support components 108a, 108b as well.

[0106] Referring again to FIG. 4, the left support component 108a, and the respective boom support 102 on top of it, is provided at an angular position with respect to the slew axis of around 40-50 from the longitudinal center line 6 of the crane housing 100 through the slew axis 5, so in a clockwise direction from the longitudinal center line 6. The right support component 108b and the respective boom support 102 on top of it is provided at the same angle from the longitudinal center line 6 in the counterclockwise angular direction. The boom supports 102 each have a lateral distance from the longitudinal center axis 6 of the crane housing 100 through the slew axis 5 that is substantially equal to the radius of the annular base component 105 with respect to the slew axis 5. The boom supports 102 each have a longitudinal distance from a lateral center axis 7 of the crane housing 100 through the slew axis 5 that is substantially equal to or larger than the radius of the annular base component with respect to the slew axis 5.

[0107] As visible from FIGS. 1-3 and 5, the integral top wall 110 and the integral bottom wall define a substantially constant height there between over the entire surface area of the top and bottom walls.

[0108] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the crane housing 100 is configured to support a crane gantry comprising a crane gantry compression member and a crane gantry tension member. The crane housing 100 is therefore provided with two crane gantry compression member supports 404, each provided on one of the respective support components 108a, 108b at one of the two boom supports 102. The crane housing is furthermore provided with two crane gantry tension member supports 405, each located on a rear segment of the annular base component 105. The two crane gantry tension member supports are each located at a lateral distance from the longitudinal center axis 6 of the crane housing 100 through the slew axis 5, which lateral distance is smaller than the radius of the annular base component with respect to the slew axis. Furthermore, the two crane gantry tension member supports 405 are located vertically above the rear segment of the annular base component 105, such that, when seen in a top view, the two crane gantry tension member supports 405 substantially overlap with the annular base component 105.

[0109] Thus, the crane housing 100 is configured for use with a crane having a crane gantry that comprises a crane gantry compression member and a crane gantry tension member, wherein the crane gantry compression member has a width, at least at a base of the crane gantry compression member, that is larger than the width of the crane gantry tension member, at least at the base thereof.

[0110] Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment shown, the annular base component 105 of the crane housing 100 has a substantially constant cross section, see for example FIG. 4. The inner circumferential wall 103 and the outer circumferential wall 104 of the annular base component 105 are circular and concentric, and the top wall 401 and the bottom wall 402 of the annular base component 105 are horizontal. Thus, the annular base component 105 forms a circular ring shaped component, which, at a front section thereof is provided with the torsion box 400, and in the exemplary embodiment shown, has a top wall 110 that is integral with the top wall of the torsion box 400, i.e. that is integral with the top wall of the two support components 108a, 108b and the top wall the frontal component 106.

[0111] Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment shown, the two crane gantry tension member supports 405 are each connected to the annular base component 105 via an A-shaped support frame 406. The support frames 406 each comprise two support arms 407 that diverge in a direction towards the annular base component 105. Furthermore, the support arms 407 are, at a lower end, mounted to the annular base component 105. Thus, the support frames 406 are an integral component of the crane housing.

[0112] By providing the crane gantry tension member supports 405 each with an A-shaped support frame 406, which support frame is provided between the crane gantry tension member supports and the annular base component, the crane gantry tension support members are located vertically above the annular base component and are vertically spaced from the annular base component, see for example FIG. 3 and FIG. 5

[0113] When the crane is in use, the tensional load on the crane gantry tension members is transferred via the crane gantry tension member supports 405 and the support frames 406 to the annular base component 105. Because the support frames 406 are A-shaped for each crane gantry tension member support, the tensional load is transferred through the individual support arms 407 of the support frame 406 to the annular base component 105 at two isolated, mutually spaced, locations.

[0114] Preferably, the A-shaped support frames 406 are each substantially symmetrical relative to a vertical center plane, see for example FIG. 3, such that, when seen in top view, the crane gantry tension member supports 405 are centered relative to the locations at which the respective support frame, more in particular the support arms 407 of the respective support frame, are mounted to, preferably the top wall 401 of, the annular base component 105.

[0115] In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, the support arms 407 of the A-shaped support frames 406, are box type elements. The support arms comprising a front wall 408, a rear wall 409, an inside wall 410 and an outside wall 411.

[0116] For each of the support arms 407, for each of the support frames 406, the front wall 408 has an outside surface that faces towards, and is parallel to, the lateral center axis 7 of the crane housing 100 through the slew axis 5, and the rear wall 409 has an outside surface that faces away, and is parallel to, the lateral center axis 7 of the crane housing 100 through the slew axis. It is noted that the lateral center axis 7 is parallel to the boom pivot axis 3.

[0117] For each of the support arms 407, for each of the support frames 406, the inside wall 410 has an outside surface that faces towards, and is parallel to, the longitudinal center axis 6 of the crane housing 100 through the slew axis 5, and the outside wall 411 has an outside surface that faces away, and is parallel to, the longitudinal center axis 6 of the crane housing 100 through the slew axis 5. It is noted that the longitudinal center axis 6 is perpendicular to the boom pivot axis 3.

[0118] Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment shown, the annular base component 100 comprises eight bulkheads associated with the support arms 406, and provided in the annular base component 100 at the lower ends of the support arms 406, which bulkheads each with a top end are in register with one of the inside walls 410 or outside walls 411 of the support arms 406, and which eight bulkheads are perpendicular to the boom pivot axis 3. The bulkheads 412 are indicated in FIG. 2 with dotted lines.

[0119] The eight bulkheads associated with the support arms 406, extend between the inner circumferential wall 103 and the outer circumferential wall 104 of the annular base component 100, and are in register with the associated walls of the support arms 406. Thus, a top end of one of the eight bulkheads and a bottom end of one of the walls 408, 409, 410, 411 of the support arms 406 are located adjacent to, and on opposite sides of, the top wall 401 of the annular base component 100. Furthermore the top end of the bulkhead is therefore aligned with, and runs parallel to, the bottom end of the associated wall of the support frame 406.

[0120] Thus, when during use the A-shaped support frames 406 are loaded by the tension member of the crane gantry, the eight bulkheads function as a continuation of the associated inside wall 410 or outside wall 411 of the respective support arm 406.

[0121] It is noted that the bulkheads, and thus the inside walls and outside walls of the support arms, do not extend in a radial direction relative to the slew axis of the slew bearing that is to support the crane housing. Instead the bulkheads are perpendicular to the boom pivot axis. This configuration of the support arms and the associated bulkheads provides during use an optimal transfer of tensional load from the tension member of a crane gantry supported by the crane housing, to the slew bearing onto which the crane housing is mounted.

[0122] In FIG. 5 it is shown that the torsion box 400, formed by the two support components 108a, 108b and the frontal component 106, is connected to a top section of the annular base component 105. The bottom walls of the front component and the support components are integral with one another to form an integral bottom wall of the torsion box 400. This integral bottom wall is connected to the outer wall 104 of the annular base component 105, and is vertically spaced from the bottom wall of the annular base component 105.

[0123] In FIG. 5, it is best visible that the annular base component comprises a bottom section 114, which is attached to a top section of the annular base component 105 of the crane housing 100. Via this bottom section 114 the crane housing 100 is mountable onto the slew bearing.

[0124] The bottom section 114 comprises bulkheads (not shown) between the inner circumferential wall 103 and the outer circumferential wall 104.