Abstract: The present invention is a transmission used with a winch drum. The transmission includes a drive shaft, an output shaft, a hydraulic or pneumatic system, a cooling system, a gear coaxially mounted on the output shaft, and an electric motor for powering the gear. The drive shaft is adapted to drive the winch drum and includes a clutch disc extending generally radially outwards from the drive shaft. The clutch disc has a face. The output shaft coaxially surrounds at least a portion of the drive shaft and includes a friction surface extending generally radially inward. The friction surface has a face opposing the face of the clutch disc. The hydraulic or pneumatic system is adapted to bring the faces into contact, and the cooling system is adapted to remove heat from the friction surface via a fluid coolant.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, is a system for receiving and delivering into a base the radial loads imposed on a crane where the crane has a center post operably connected to the base with a generally cylindrical outer bearing surface and the crane rotates in at least a partial circle around the axis of the center post. The system comprises three or more radial load rollers arranged in a linked sequence in an arc at the outer bearing surface of the center post. Each radial load roller includes an axle and an axis of rotation that is generally parallel to the axis of the center post. The system also comprises a means for anchoring a first radial load roller at one end of the arc and anchoring a second radial load roller at the other end of the arc. The system also comprises links connecting each roller between the first and the second radial rollers to its adjacent rollers to form a flexible chain of said rollers.

Abstract: A heave compensation system provides a direct acting heave compensator that reduces stress and fatigue on a line, the system includes a single sheave system that compensates for heave as it carries a load line and moves along a curve profile of the heave compensator tangent to the point the load line comes off of a line handling system. The length of the line extending from the line handling system to the sheave remains substantially the same length during heave compensation operations, and the point where the line takes off from the line handling system is substantially the only point of changing stress on the line.

Abstract: The present invention is a transmission used with a winch drum. The transmission includes a drive shaft, an output shaft, a hydraulic or pneumatic system, a cooling system, a gear coaxially mounted on the output shaft, and an electric motor for powering the gear. The drive shaft is adapted to drive the winch drum and includes a clutch disc extending generally radially outwards from the drive shaft. The clutch disc has a face. The output shaft coaxially surrounds at least a portion of the drive shaft and includes a friction surface extending generally radially inward. The friction surface has a face opposing the face of the clutch disc. The hydraulic or pneumatic system is adapted to bring the faces into contact, and the cooling system is adapted to remove heat from the friction surface via a fluid coolant.

Abstract: The present invention is a fairlead for guiding and securing an anchor chain between an offshore structure and an anchor. The fairlead comprises a fairlead frame, a pivoting latch, and an actuator. The fairlead frame is pivotally mounted to the offshore structure and supports an axle for a chain sheave. The pivoting latch is mounted to pivot on the axle and comprises a tension link with a chain latch and a counterweight for urging the chain latch into engagement with the chain. The pivoting latch is configured to engage the chain only when the chain is traveling in the payout direction. The actuator controls the action of the counterweight.

Abstract: A computer system for managing replacement components for equipment having a plurality of components, each component having a limited useful life, has a computer program module defining a duty profile comprising a plurality of usage cases for the equipment, each usage case involving two or more of the components and specified operating conditions for the involved components during execution of the usage cases. A further program module determines a theoretical useful life for each component involved in a duty profile, based on component useful life data under specified operating conditions; and sensors determine and monitor the occurrence of equipment operation corresponding to a usage case and measur actual operating conditions and number of operations. A further program module computes an adjusted theoretical useful life for a component experiencing operations, based on a comparison of actual operating conditions to those assumed for the usage case.

Abstract: The present invention is a fairlead for guiding and securing an anchor chain between an offshore structure and an anchor. The fairlead comprises a fairlead frame, a pivoting latch, and an actuator. The fairlead frame is pivotally mounted to the offshore structure and supports an axle for a chain sheave. The pivoting latch is mounted to pivot on the axle and comprises a tension link with a chain latch and a counterweight for urging the chain latch into engagement with the chain. The pivoting latch is configured to engage the chain only when the chain is traveling in the payout direction. The actuator controls the action of the counterweight.