Abstract: The new and improved hull construction for a jack-up rig is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, a three legged jack-up rig is disclosed. The rig is supported on three legs which extend through similar corner compartments having leg elevating equipment thereat. Along the three sides of the triangular hull, side compartments of similar rectangular and or trapezoidal construction are located which encompass or enclose a central triangular compartment. The side compartments are aligned in a strengthening direction. The main side compartments have a rectangular area and hence lend themselves readily to crew quarters, machinery rooms, and the like. The rectangular construction utilizes repetitive structural members and hence a limited number of identical structural modules is used. The use of a central triangular module with side modules parallel to the sides of the platform provides major structural bulkheads for bearing the weight of the hull and the bending moments in the hull.

Abstract: An improved leg construction is disclosed for jackup barges. The barge leg is typically of triangular construction. The members of a leg including the three verticals extending along the leg are preferably constructed of tubular members. The vertical tubular members include on the inside a rack formed of teeth to engage an elevating gear drive unit. Adjacent to the teeth, an undercut on both sides of the slot in the exterior of the tubular member is formed, locking the guide mechanism to the tubular member. This construction measurably improves the profile of the jackup leg to impinging wave action from any direction, thereby reducing the resistance of the leg to water and permitting a reduction in the leg weight and hull size.