Patents Assigned to Seatek Corporation
  • Apparatus for reducing roll and pitch motions of floating vessels
    Patent number: 4458619
    Abstract: Apparatus for substantially reducing the roll and pitch motions of a floating vessel in commonly occurring seas is described. The apparatus comprises a recessed cavity formed in a substantial area of the bottom of the hull of the vessel and has an airblower coupled to the cavity for introducing air into it. The apparatus may include horizontal planes for restoring the effect of the added mass of the water on the stability of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1984
    Assignee: Seatek Corporation
    Inventor: Gunnar B. Bergman
  • Method and apparatus for suppressing heave in a floating structure
    Patent number: 4452165
    Abstract: A heave resonant damper for semisubmersible platforms includes tanks and ducts constructed so that their resonant period approximately equals the resonant heave period of the platform, wherein the ducts have selectively varied cross-sectional area to optimize damping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Assignee: Seatek Corporation
    Inventor: Gunnar B. Bergman
  • System for stabilizing a floating vessel
    Patent number: 4261277
    Abstract: A seagoing vessel is stabilized by a passive system including tanks symmetrically disposed on the vessel below the water line. The tanks are connected by a conduit and pressurized with air to a selected pressure level. During each oscillatory roll and/or pitch cycle of the vessel, the tanks alternately fill and drain with selected volumes of water to reduce the righting moment of the vessel. The period of oscillation of the vessel is thus lengthened beyond the period of wave motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1981
    Assignee: Seatek Corporation
    Inventor: Gunnar B. Bergman
  • Control force tank and method for stabilizing floating vessels
    Patent number: 4176614
    Abstract: Control forces for stabilizing semi-submersible platforms are provided outboard the platform columns, at a point approximately where the free surface of the water intersects the columns, without altering the internal arrangements or structure of the platform and employing equipment which develops pressures needed to impose control forces only. In a similar manner, control forces for stabilizing pitch and roll motions in ships and to effectively damp the oscillatory motion of the water level in a "moon pool" are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1979
    Assignee: SeaTek Corporation
    Inventors: Wilbur H. Goss, Gunnar B. Bergman
  • Heave stabilization of semi-submersible platforms
    Patent number: 4112864
    Abstract: Semi-submersible offshore drilling platforms are stabilized to reduce heave at wave periods which are shorter than those at which heave resonance occurs. Platform structures include supporting columns and pontoons. The pontoons extend outboard of the columns and have non-uniform cross sections. In addition, the pontoons may be shifted outwardly from the column center-lines. Reduced heave response to head-on, stern-on and beam waves is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1978
    Assignee: Seatek Corporation
    Inventor: Gunnar B. Bergman