OFFSHORE JACKUP ELEVATING AND LEG GUIDE ARRANGEMENT AND HULL-TO-LEGS LOAD TRANSFER DEVICE

摘要

An arrangement of a jackup platform's elevating system, leg guides, hull-to-legs load transfer device, and method of operation of the load transfer device for an offshore jackup platform's hull to be supported by legs which have one or more vertical toothed gear racks attached. An apparatus consisting of rectangular blocks (14) with protruding lugs (15) that are shaped for efficient engagement with a portion of the upper faces (16) of the gear rack teeth (9), that extend vertically on the leg chords of the jackup platform. The rectangular blocks are movable in a direction perpendicular to one side of the gear rack. Powered guide assemblies (19) control movement of the rectangular blocs such that their protruding lugs (15) can move into the spaces in between the gear rack teeth. The protruding lugs (15) of the rectangular blocks (14) can then bear against the gear rack teeth (9) and faces of the rectangular blocks can bear against structure of the hull to transfer hull weight and storm induced interaction forces between the hull and the legs of the jackup platform.