Abstract: A device for positioning an off-shore platform (1) on a previously-installed support structure. Said platform has support piles (6) designed to rest on legs (4) of the support structure.The device includes means for bringing said support piles towards said legs which are provided with centering cones (5). Each pile is constituted by a tube containing a rod (13) associated with a damping unit (8). The lower portion of the rod (13) has a centering pin (16) and extends below the lower end of the pile in the damping unit rest position.

Abstract: An off-shore platform (1) is floated on a barge (2). A support structure is fixed to the sea bed and including a plurality of upstanding piles with at least two of said piles (4) having platform-receiving guide means (5) at their upper ends. The platform includes a plurality of legs for fixing to corresponding ones of the piles with at least two of the legs (6) being hollow and being provided with respective plungers (8) slideably mounted therein for co-operating with said platform-receiving guide means. Each plunger is associated with a releasable fastening (10, 11) capable of holding the plunger fixed in its leg, and of releasing it suddenly on command to drop into engagement with said platform-receiving guide means. The releasable fastenings of at least two of the plungers are arranged to release simultaneously on a common command.

Abstract: A device for damping impacts between a load (1) and a floating support (70) while the load is being removed from said support which includes at least one housing (10) on which the load rests. The device includes means (11, 15, 18) for automatically and irreversibly inserting a damping unit (14) between the load and its bearing point on the floating support as soon as the weight of the load is removed from the bearing point.