Patent US3599434A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3599434A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for confining oil released by leakage during offshore oil drilling operations
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1969-06-03
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Granted: 1971-08-17
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Expires: 1989-06-03
Abstract
Abstract A floatable tube and skirt assembly encircling an offshore oil drilling rig for collecting oil released by leakage during the drilling operation, and movable between an operative oilconfining position and an inoperative position in noninterfering relation to the drilling shaft. The tube is connected to the rig structure by telescopically extensible arms, there being (in one embodiment) a plurality of floatable lift canisters connected to said arms and tube, each canister having perforated walls and an inner inflatable bag, an air pump on the rig being connected to said canisters and said tube. When all the canister bags and the tube are deflated, they will sink to an inoperative position, pivotally guided inwardly to that position by said telescopic arms, said arms also serving to guide the tube into its operative floating position. A drawstring arrangement contracts the skirt into compact form against the tube, in noninterfering relation to the drilling shaft.
Inventors
- 👤 Louis Missud
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 18:35
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B41/00; E21B41/005; E02; E02B; E02B15/00; E02B15/04; E02B15/08; E02B15/0814; E02B15/0828; E02B15/0857; E02B15/0864; E02B17/00; E02B17/02; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/20; Y02A20/204
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A device for confining oil released by leakage during offshore drilling operations comprising the combination of an oil well drilling rig having a drilling shaft and oil-confining means comprising a floatable inflatable tube and a skirt depending downwardly therefrom, said assembly of tube and skirt being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft and being attached to said rig, whereby the tube is in noninterfering relation to said drilling shaft, and yieldable means connecting said tube to said rig, said tube and skirt assembly being in encircling relation to a selected portion of said rig containing said drilling shaft, said yieldable connecting means comprising a plurality of separate members disposed inwardly of said tube, and having pivotal means attached to said tube and rig, respectively, said connecting means being of telescopic construction, whereby said tube and skirt assembly can have limited motion relative to said rig and its said drilling shaft.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
151 words
A device for confining oil released by leakage during offshore drilling operations comprising the combination of an oil well drilling rig having a drilling shaft and oil-confining means comprising a floatable inflatable tube and a skirt depending downwardly therefrom, said assembly of tube and skirt being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft and being attached to said rig, whereby the tube is in noninterfering relation to said drilling shaft, and yieldable means connecting said tube to said rig, said tube and skirt assembly being in encircling relation to a selected portion of said rig containing said drilling shaft, said yieldable connecting means comprising a plurality of separate members disposed inwardly of said tube, and having pivotal means attached to said tube and rig, respectively, said connecting means being of telescopic construction, whereby said tube and skirt assembly can have limited motion relative to said rig and its said drilling shaft.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
207 words
A device for confining oil released by leakage during offshore drilling operations comprising the combination of an oil well drilling rig having a drilling shaft and oil-confining means comprising a floatable inflatable tube and a skirt depending downwardly therefrom, said assembly of tube and skirt being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft and being attached to said rig, whereby the tube is in noninterfering relation to said drilling shaft, and yieldable means connecting said tube to said rig, said skirt being of flexible material and being operatively movable between an extended operative position and a contracted folded position, said skirt in both of said positions being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft, and actuating means for moving said skirt between both of said positions, said tube and skirt assembly being movable between an operative floating position with said tube on the surface of the water and an inoperative nonfloating poSition with said tube in spaced relation to said surface, guiding and lifting means pivotally connecting said tube in said rig, said latter means having a plurality of extensible arms pivotally movable in a substantially vertical plane, thereby to guide said assembly of tube and skirt along a predetermined path between said operative and inoperative positions.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
207 words
A device for confining oil released by leakage during offshore drilling operations comprising the combination of an oil well drilling rig having a drilling shaft and oil-confining means comprising a floatable inflatable tube and a skirt depending downwardly therefrom, said assembly of tube and skirt being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft and being attached to said rig, whereby the tube is in noninterfering relation to said drilling shaft, and yieldable means connecting said tube to said rig, said skirt being of flexible material and being operatively movable between an extended operative position and a contracted folded position, said skirt in both of said positions being in encircling relation to said drilling shaft, and actuating means for moving said skirt between both of said positions, said tube and skirt assembly being movable between an operative floating position with said tube on the surface of the water and an inoperative nonfloating poSition with said tube in spaced relation to said surface, guiding and lifting means pivotally connecting said tube in said rig, said latter means having a plurality of extensible arms pivotally movable in a substantially vertical plane, thereby to guide said assembly of tube and skirt along a predetermined path between said operative and inoperative positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device according to claim 2, the said inoperative position of said tube and skirt assembly being below the surface of said water.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device according to claim 2, the said inoperative position of said tube and skirt assembly being above the surface of said water.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
A device according to claim 2, said inflatable tube having thereon a plurality of bands in circumferential spaced relation, said bands being so proportioned as to be in firm frictional engagement with the outer surface of said tube when it is operatively inflated, and loosely positioned thereover when the tube is in its operatively collapsed position, said bands being pivotally attached to said respective extensible arms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A device according to claim 5, said tube having thereon a plurality of pairs of auxiliary bands flanking said respective first-mentioned bands, each of said extensible arms having pivotally attached thereto at opposite sides thereof a pair of auxiliary arms, the latter being pivotally connected to corresponding ones of said auxiliary bands.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
134 words
A device according to claim 2, said guiding and lifting means having a plurality of floatable lift canisters pivotally connected to said tube and to said extensible arms, each of said canisters having a perforated wall and an inner inflatable bag, air supply means for inflating said bag and said tube, said bag when in an operatively inflated position being in pressing engagement with said perforated wall to block the perforations thereof, whereby the canister with the inflated bag will be buoyant, said bag when in an operatively deflated position being in collapsed condition and out of engagement with said perforated wall, whereby water can enter said canister through said perforated wall to cause the canister to sink to an immersed position and thereby to urge said tube downwardly towards a submerged inoperative position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
97 words
A device according to claim 7, one portion of said bag being connected to one wall portion of the canister and to said air supply means, another portion of said bag being connected to another wall portion of said canister, and conduit means connecting said latter wall portion with said tube, said conduit means connecting said latter wall portion with said tube, said conduit means having therein a one-way valve operatively preset to open at a predetermined pressure within said bag, whereby when said pressure is operatively attained air will flow from said bag into said tube.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device according to claim 7, and suction means operatively connected to said bag for operatively deflating it from an operatively inflated condition to its said collapsed condition.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-16 | 1975-02-15 | 1975-08-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-16 | 1979-02-15 | 1979-08-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-16 | 1983-02-15 | 1983-08-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |