Dry docking method

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF LAUNCHING A DEEP-DRAFT SHIP INTO A WATERWAY FROM A DRY DOCK IN WHICH SAID SHIP IS INCAPABLE OF FLOATING WHEN SAID DRY DOCK IS FLOODED BY REASON OF SAID DRY DOCK HAVING A SHIP-SUPPORTING FLOOR DISPOSED AT AN ELEVATION WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE WATER LEVEL OF SAID WATERWAY BUT HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE UNDERBOTTOM OF THE SHIP IN ITS FLOATING CONDITION, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A BOTTOM SUPPORT UNDER SAID SHIP, SAID BOTTOM SUPPORT BEING DETACHED FROM SAID FLOOR OF THE DRY DOCK, FLOODING SAID DRY DOCK, POSITIONING A FLOATING SIDEWALL TANK IN ADJACENT RELATION WITH EACH OF THE RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BOTTOM SUPPORT, THEN LOWERING THE RESPECTIVE DRAFT ELEVATIONS OF SAID SIDEWALL TANKS TO A DEPTH WHEREAT THEIR RESPECTIVE UNDERSIDES ARE SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE ELEVATION OF THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID BOTTOM SUPPORT, AND RIGIDLY ATTACHING SAID BOTTOM SUPPORT TO EACH OF SAID TANKS TO THEREBY FORM A FLOATABLE CRADLE FOR SUPPORTING SAID SHIP, ALTERING THE DRAFT ELEVATION OF SAID CRADLE TO FLOAT THE SAME CLEAR OF SAID DRY DOCK FLOOR WITH SAID SHIP SUPPORTED THEREIN, THEN MOVING SAID CRADLE AND SHIP OUT OF SAID DRY DOCK INTO SAID WATERWAY, LOWERING THE DRAFT ELEVATION OF SAID CRADLE TO PERMIT SAID SHIP TO FLOAT FREE AND CLEAR OF SAID BOTTOM SUPPORT, AND PROVIDING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID SHIP AND SAID CRADLE WHEREBY SAID SHIP FLOATS IN SAID WATERWAY OUTSIDE OF SAID CRADLE.