Patents Assigned to NOV-BLM
  • Patent number: 10272972
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fairlead intended to engage with an anchor chain, for a system for anchoring a floating installation to the ground. The fairlead includes two structures assembled by pivot connection of axis, one upstream, for rigidly connecting the fairlead to the floating installation, and the other downstream, including—a unit for blocking the translational movement of the anchor chain, and—a guide, for guiding a change in direction of the anchor chain. Furthermore, the downstream structure includes two lateral plates delimiting the passage of the chain, the upstream end of each of the plates including a U-shaped bearing receiving an additional arm of the upstream structure and engaging together via a journal, the guide extending between the internal branches of the two bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: NOV-BLM
    Inventor: Philippe Busson
  • Patent number: 10246165
    Abstract: Disclosed is a demountable link, suitable in particular for interconnecting two chains for anchoring floating equipment to the ground. This demountable link, shaped like an oblong ring, includes two straight sections connected by two curved sections, and includes: —two side parts each forming one of the curved sections, and—two connecting parts, each forming at least one portion of one of the straight sections, the side parts being assembled with the connecting parts, through removable fastening unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: NOV-BLM
    Inventor: Philippe Busson
  • Patent number: 9702105
    Abstract: A device for translationally maneuvering a structure able to move with respect to a fixed support, includes at least one rack and at least one output pinion which is driven by motor elements via a gear train borne by a chassis. At least one element of the gear train consists in a slave element borne by a shaft equipped with torque limiting elements collaborating with the chassis and having a limit torque which is determined so as to: immobilize the slave element in terms of rotation with respect to the chassis when its torque is below the limit torque to permit translational maneuvering of the mobile structure by the turning of the output pinion; and allow the slave element to rotate with respect to the chassis when its torque is higher than the limit torque, to avoid a static or dynamic overload being applied to the gear train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: NOV-BLM
    Inventor: Francois Desprez
  • Patent number: 9567039
    Abstract: A fairlead for guiding an anchor chain, intended to equip a ground anchor system for a floating platform, includes a bending structure for guiding a direction change of the associated anchor chain, and a locking structure that includes a grip jaw consisting of two jaws associated with operating elements for rotatably moving the jaws in opposite directions. The operating elements include: (a) an inert mass, referred to as “counterweight”, which is movably coupled to the jaws and which is height-adjustable between a low position and a high position corresponding to an active position and an inactive position of the jaws, respectively, so as to operate and tend to maintain the jaws in the active position, and (b) an actuator driven by control elements, for operating the jaws from the active position to the inactive position and for operating the counterweight from the low position to the high position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: NOV-BLM
    Inventor: Philippe Busson
  • Patent number: 9233736
    Abstract: A system for anchoring to the ground, via chains, a floating platform, whose operating station includes: activatable/deactivatable stopper elements for each of the anchor chains, for locking in position the associated chain that ends by an upstream free strand including an end connection chain link, wherein the stopper elements are arranged side by side, along a same line, and are each associated with one housing-reservoir for storing the upstream free strand of the associated chain; and tensioning elements common to the different chains, and including a single tensioning winch, movably mounted above the stopper elements, wherein the tensioning winch includes a master chain strand, whose downstream end includes a downstream chain link adapted to be removably attached to the connection chain link of the upstream free strand of the anchor chains, and whose upstream end is stored in a container-reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: NOV-BLM
    Inventor: Philippe Busson
  • Publication number: 20140339485
    Abstract: A fairlead for guiding an anchor chain, intended to equip a ground anchor system for a floating platform, includes a bending structure for guiding a direction change of the associated anchor chain, and a locking structure that includes a grip jaw consisting of two jaws associated with operating elements for rotatably moving the jaws in opposite directions. The operating elements include: (a) an inert mass, referred to as “counterweight”, which is movably coupled to the jaws and which is height-adjustable between a low position and a high position corresponding to an active position and an inactive position of the jaws, respectively, so as to operate and tend to maintain the jaws in the active position, and (b) an actuator driven by control elements, for operating the jaws from the active position to the inactive position and for operating the counterweight from the low position to the high position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: NOV-BLM
    Inventor: Philippe Busson