Patents Examined by Kyle Armstrong
  • Patent number: 11035135
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates systems and methods involving movable/adjustable guardrails. An example system includes a frame weldment and a rail assembly attached to the frame weldment. The rail assembly includes a first post and a second post. The base portion of the first post is rotatably coupled to a first pivot point of the frame weldment and the base portion of the second post is rotatably coupled to a second pivot point of the frame weldment. The system also includes a top rail rotatably coupled between a top portion of the first post and a top portion of the second post. The system yet further includes an actuator configured to controllably adjust a configuration of the rail assembly between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration with respect to the frame weldment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Tuan-Vu T. Phan, Tyler J. Shelton, Scott L. Rost
  • Patent number: 10995906
    Abstract: A method of storing hydrogen involves forming an excavation in the earth and constructing a storage tank therein comprised of integrated primary and secondary containment structures. The primary containment structure composed of a plurality of joinable cylindrical segments, or pre-fabricated sections joined to form a cylinder within the excavation. The secondary containment structure formed by pumping a curable, flowable composition into the cylinder, allowing it to flow out the bottom and up the second annulus to the earth's surface, and then hardening; thereby encasing the primary containment structure. The bottom of the cylinder is sealed with the bottom assembly. The top assembly is attached to the cylinder and tubing and packer are run into the cylinder creating a first annulus between the cylinder and tubing. Top assembly is sealed, fluids circulated out, and the tank dried. Thereafter, the tank is capable of safely storing hydrogen gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Energia de Septiembre LLC
    Inventors: Steven Meheen, Thomas Howard Shaw
  • Patent number: 10995504
    Abstract: A stabilizer, especially for a typical interior style baker scaffold, painters scaffold, and the like; used in homes and or buildings largely by various trades reduces the undesired movement of the scaffold. The stabilizer includes a first C-shaped coupler to secure a support bar at a first bar end and a second C-shaped coupler to support a second bar end to the scaffold. This stabilizer will adapt to the typical scaffold frame, and works to eliminate the wobble, wiggle, shake and sway from the scaffold when it is erected as a single piece or as multiple pieces stacked on top of themselves for additional height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Inventor: David S. Cook
  • Patent number: 10982405
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an apparatus for cutting a pile. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a shaft module including a cylindrical shaft including a first cavity configured to receive the pile. In some embodiments, the apparatus also includes a cutting module coupled to the shaft module, the cutting module including a second cavity configured to receive the pile, clamps configured to clamp onto the pile, and a saw configured to cut the pile. In some embodiments, the apparatus also includes a drilling module coupled to the cutting module, the drilling module including blades to burrow into an earth surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Inventors: Nabil Mimouni, Ronnie Wayne Wills, II
  • Patent number: 10982489
    Abstract: A method for capturing a tensile force exerted during the pulling of a pipe or line during installation, includes capturing a strain on the pipe or line via one or more sensors arranged on the pipe or line. Multiple strain sensors may be arranged such that they are offset at various angles across the circumference of the element being installed. One or more sensors may be mounted to a towing head for pulling the pipe or the line during installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: TRACTO-TECHNIK GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Holger Hesse
  • Patent number: 10968898
    Abstract: Disclosed is a guiding device for guiding an elongated element such as a cable or a pipe from the exterior into a hollow interior of a support element, the support element being a support element for supporting an offshore structure and being at least partly submerged in water, wherein the guiding device comprises; a tube having a first opening at a first end for facing the exterior and a second opening at a second end opposite to the first end for facing the hollow interior of the support element. The guiding device is configured to allow water to flow into the first opening and out of the second opening of the tube, and substantially prevent water from flowing into the second opening and out of the first opening whereby the guiding device allows water to enter the hollow interior of the support element but not exit the hollow interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Inventor: Jan Pedersen
  • Patent number: 10968894
    Abstract: A wind turbine foundation and method for making a wind turbine foundation. The wind turbine foundation preferably includes a core member including a substantially cylindrically-shaped main body, a first outer flange extending out from the main body along an upper section of the core member, and a second outer flange extending out from the main body along a lower section of the core member, and a plurality of radial girders connected to the first outer flange and the second outer flange and radiating out from the core member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: TETRA TECH, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Kemp, Cory Williams
  • Patent number: 10962144
    Abstract: System for use in building and deployment of an elongate element (202) in a J-lay operation. The system includes an upright structure (206); a winching element (204) retractable along an axis within the upright structure (206); a coupling element (210) connected to the winching element (204), for coupling the winching element (204) to an elongate element (202); and a catcher element (212) configured to retain the coupling element (210) in alignment with a predetermined axis within the upright structure (206) during retraction or extension of the winching element (204).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: ROYAL IHC LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael James Smith, Kathleen Margaret Gething
  • Patent number: 10954646
    Abstract: An end frame includes a guide having a channel therethrough for receiving a sheet piling and a pair of hangers for hanging the end frame from a spreader of a trench shield. The end frame hangs from the spreader and bears against the adjacent ends of the sidewalls of the trench shield to provide a channel through which sheet piling can be inserted and stabilized as the sheet piling is driven into the soil adjacent to the end of the trench shield. The sheet piling and the end frame prevent unwanted cave-ins of soil into the workspace between the sidewalls of the trench shield without imparting unwanted buckling forces to the midsection of the spreader from which the end frame hangs. The hangers may be rigidly coupled to the guide or they may be coupled to the guide through chains, cables, straps or through pivoting linkages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: CWS ROADPLATE, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Victor Cerda
  • Patent number: 10954787
    Abstract: A pumpable resin system for installation of mine roof bolts includes a resin feed cylinder pump, a catalyst feed cylinder pump, a resin cylinder pump in fluid communication with the resin feed cylinder, with the resin feed cylinder configured to transfer resin to the resin cylinder pump when the resin feed cylinder pump is actuated, a catalyst cylinder pump in fluid communication with the catalyst feed cylinder, with the catalyst feed cylinder configured to transfer catalyst to the catalyst cylinder pump when the catalyst feed cylinder pump is actuated, a resin line in fluid communication with the resin cylinder pump, and a catalyst line in fluid communication with the catalyst cylinder pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: J-LOK Co.
    Inventors: Dakota Faulkner, John C. Stankus, Richard Wharton, Lumin Ma
  • Patent number: 10947692
    Abstract: A cofferdam is disclosed that includes an open frame structure having double walls defining a hollow space within each double wall, with each double wall having an open bottom end and a closed top end. Each of the double walls are configured to act as suction piles allowing liquid to be removed from the space within each double wall to thereby induce negative pressure when the cofferdam is installed in a sub-sea configuration. Each of the double walls may include a plurality of partitions respectively defining a plurality of suction piles, the suction piles fluidically coupled by a manifold that may allow liquid to be removed from the suction pile to thereby drive the cofferdam structure into the subsea surface due to the induced negative pressure. A further embodiment cofferdam structure includes an open frame structure and one or more suction piles attached to the open frame structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: DELTA SUBSEA LLC
    Inventors: Scott P. Dingman, Perry Loughridge
  • Patent number: 10934678
    Abstract: A grouting module may include a lower surface configured for connection to a screw pile component, an upper surface configured for connection to an upper hollow pile shaft, a body disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface, and an axial bore through the upper surface and at least a portion of the body. The body may include a flange configured to create an annular space around the upper adapter and one or more flow injection conduits configured for injecting grout received from the upper hollow pile shaft through the axial bore extension into the annular space while the pile is advanced downward into a substrate. Once the final pile tip elevation is reached, the pile extensions above the grouting module are counter-rotated slightly to realign the ports in the grouting module from side to bottom discharge and allow post-grouting of the lead pile extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Inventors: Carl Dekle, Scott Slaughter, Robert Forsythe, Raja Madhyannapu, Firouz Rosti
  • Patent number: 10919606
    Abstract: This publication relates to a shallow water terminal, preferably for storing and loading or unloading hydrocarbons, such as LNG, oil or gas. The base structure comprises a floatable, and removable seabed substructure (10) intended to be supported by a seabed (30), the seabed substructure (10) comprising a base structure (11) provided preferably with an upwards extending wall structure (22), arranged along at least a part of the periphery of the base structure (11), the base structure (10) preferably also being provided with an opening (23) in the wall structure (22) for allowing the floatable module to be berthed in and supported by the seabed substructure (10). The base structure (10) is provided with strong points (24) configured to receive the ends of preinstalled vertical piles (14) for at least temporary support of the base structure (11) during a piling operation for permanent piling of the base structure (10) to the sea bed (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Sembcorp Marine Integrated Yard Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Stig Rau Andersen, Harald Vartdal
  • Patent number: 10919605
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for lowering an object in a water body from a vessel floating on the water body, the vessel comprising first hoisting means with second hoisting means arranged on or near the vessel, with at least a first anti-twist frame (ATF) being connected to a lower end of a first hoisting cable of the first hoisting means, the object being attached to the lower end of the first hoisting cable, below the ATF. The method allows for adjusting the vessel's heading prior to carrying out the method, allowing the vessel to remain substantially aligned with the wind/wave direction, and at the same time preventing the first hoisting cable from being subjected to excessive twist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Inventor: Cornelis Gerardus Nicolaas Adams
  • Patent number: 10895056
    Abstract: Disclosed is a shielding apparatus for high-depth groundwater well pollution prevention grouting comprising: a shielding portion which is provided on the outer circumferential surface of a grouting casing installed in an excavation hole in the ground and compressed to be in close contact with a hollow wall of the excavation hole; a compression portion which is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the grouting casing and formed to descend toward the shielding portion and brings the shielding portion into close contact with the hollow wall of the excavation hole to guide the excavation hole to be sealed; and a pressure equalization injection tube portion which is connected with the compression portion on the outer circumferential surface of the grouting casing and lowers the compression portion by water pressure generated by supplying water from the outside through a water supply tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: G&G Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Ouk Choi, Sang Gin Park, Heuy Nam Cho
  • Patent number: 10890418
    Abstract: A vessel barrier system to prevent vessel movement through a passageway includes a flexible vessel barrier element coupled to one or more energy dissipating units. The vessel barrier element may be a single, typically large diameter element, for example a large diameter, high strength synthetic rope, or alternatively may be a barrier net suspended on a number of floats. The vessel barrier element is coupled by a cable to the energy dissipating unit(s), which may be large weights suspended from a frame. When a vessel contacts and moves the vessel barrier element, placing it in tension, the weights are moved from a first, lower position, to a second, elevated position. The kinetic energy of the vessel is transferred to an increase in the potential energy of the weights, and the vessel is brought to a stop. The system is particularly suitable for Large Displacement Vessels or LDVs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: OCEANETICS, INC.
    Inventors: Erick Knezek, Matt Marcy, William Stuart
  • Patent number: 10890051
    Abstract: A method transports and installs a heavy subsea structure such as a subsea processing center for produced crude oil or natural gas. The method includes controlledly flooding at least one ballast tank attached to or incorporated into the structure to the extent that the structure becomes negatively buoyant at a pre-determined towing depth. The method also includes towing the negatively-buoyant structure at the towing depth by the Controlled Depth Towing Method (CDTM). After towing to the installation location, the method includes further flooding the ballast tank to lower the structure onto the seabed. At the seabed, a fluid transportation pipe of a subsea production installation may be coupled to pipework of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Subsea 7 Norway AS
    Inventor: Sigbjorn Daasvatn
  • Patent number: 10889951
    Abstract: Flexible containment tubes form sections of a dike for fluid containment. Structural supports are inserted into the flexible contain tubes and the tube sealed to form structure supported dike sections. For example, a supporting structure may be configured with a given length and cross sectional diameter to provide structural support to a vinyl-coated polyester tube with a 12-36 inch diameter. The structure is sealed within the tube and, in turn, the tube may be filled with a fluid such as water to create structure supported containment dike. The length of the supporting structure may be selected based on the width of an entryway to create structure supported dike section of a give length that provide a seal across the entryways against floodwaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: P.V. Flood Control Corp.
    Inventor: Paul Vickers
  • Patent number: 10889356
    Abstract: An offshore structure has an upending device for upending an elongate suppo structure from a substantially horizontal loading position on a deck of the offshore structure to a substantially vertical launch position outboard of the offshore structure. The upending device has a pivot axis situated near a side of the offshore structure for pivoting the upending device between the loading position and the launch position. A first end of the upending device has a connector member for pivotally connecting to the elongate support structure. The connector member in the launch position is in a position outboard from the side of the offshore structure. A second end of the upending device is attached to a pulling device that is located on the deck of the offshore structure. The upending device is within reach of one or more hoisting means for the elongate support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Seaway Heavy Lifting Engineering B.V.
    Inventor: Bernardus Martinus Zaal
  • Patent number: 10883241
    Abstract: A truss-like hydraulic lifting apparatus with plugs including a pile reinforcing frame, a truss structure extending through and mounted within the pile reinforcing frame and a first number of uniformly disposed support legs, each having a support leg inserting hole. A first number of power source devices each has a plug corresponding to the support leg inserting hole. A detachable mechanism is provided for detachably fixing each of the power source devices to the pile reinforcing frame. The detachable mechanism includes a base plate laterally fixed relative to the pile reinforcing frame and having an opening through which the support leg vertically passes and forms a protective cap above the power source device. The lateral dimension of the protective cap is larger than the lateral dimension of the power source device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Xibohan (Shanghai) Marine Equipment Technology Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Yongdong Chen