Patents by Inventor Philip Y. Chow

Philip Y. Chow has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5070566
    Abstract: A hybrid bridge construction comprises a pair of piers enclosed in the earth at a fixed predetermined distance apart with a cantilever section supported on each pier. Each cantilever section comprises one or more vertical towers with a pair of inner and outer rigid compression members fixed to and extending upwardly and outwardly from the base of each tower. Outer tension members are attached to the top portions of each tower and to upper end portions of the compression members. A suspension section interconnecting the cantilever sections comprises catenary cable members attached to the upper end portions of inner compression members. A road deck extends between the piers, and vertical suspender members extend between the cable members and the road deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1991
    Assignee: T. Y. Lin International
    Inventors: Tung-Yen Lin, Philip Y. Chow
  • Patent number: 5058330
    Abstract: A self-supporting pressurized or unpressurized membrane structure for lunar habitation and operation. The pressurized membrane is made up of continuous and leak-proof fabric membrane that encapsulates the entire structure and is capable of withstanding temperatures of about -190.degree. C. to about +140.degree. C. this structure has a skin preferably made up of two-spaced apart fibrous skins with a latticed web between them and foam material filling the space between the skins. Lunar soil supports the lower portions of the spherical, spheroidal, by means of a compression ring beam, or arched structure, and a lunar soil cover of up to ten feet covers the structure. The unpressurized membrane structure has a double-skin membrane arch or dome that derives its structural strength from structural foam injected into the double-skin wall of the roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: T. Y. Lin International
    Inventor: Philip Y. Chow
  • Patent number: 4907312
    Abstract: A bridge and a method of constructing the bridge over water. A bridge span is positioned longitudinally in portion through a slot in a bridge pier; then the span is moved laterally through the slot to a position in the center of the pier at a low level. Then the span is hoisted up to its correct position. The hoisting step may be preceded by or may include placing jacks under the span and directly above the bottom of the pier and then employing the jacks in the hoisting step. The bridge or bridge segment comprises a pair of pier portions with a span-accepting slot between them, each pier portion comprising an underwater footing and a vertical pier portion resting on, secured to, and rising from the footing to a deck-support platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: T. Y. Lin International
    Inventors: Y. C. Yang, Philip Y. Chow
  • Patent number: 4702052
    Abstract: A pressure vessel and a method for distributing the stresses in a thick-walled high-pressure vessel, so that they lie within allowable limits, by constructing the wall in a series of generally concentric layers, at least one intermediate layer of which is to be constructed before the other layers. The intermediate layer is constructed above a base, resting on it through a sliding joint. Then it is placed under an external prestressing pressure. Thereafter, that layer is secured to the base by a rigid concrete connection. The remaining layers of the wall are then constructed and are subjected to an external prestressing pressure. Preferably, stress-relieving slots are applied to the innermost layer, during its construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Assignee: T. Y. Lin International
    Inventor: Philip Y. Chow
  • Patent number: 4389825
    Abstract: A prestressed concrete pressure vessel capable of containing extremely high pressures in an internal cavity, 10,000 psi and higher, is constructed in such a way as to enable the application of extremely high circumferential prestressing force at the outer cylindrical surface. The extreme circumferential post-tensioning force, much greater than previously known in prestressed concrete pressure vessels, provides for containment of extreme pressure in the internal cavity, with a relatively thin-wall vessel. In order to accommodate the high circumferential post-tensioning without structural damage at the interior of the vessel, the vessel includes vertical stress relieving slots extending radially outwardly from the internal cavity surface, effective to lower peak tangential compressive stress at the cavity surface and to relocate peak stress inside the vessel wall, where the concrete is confined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1983
    Assignee: T. Y. Lin International
    Inventor: Philip Y. Chow
  • Patent number: 4373837
    Abstract: In a pier having a series of spaced-apart horizontal pile caps surmounting and connecting the supporting piles together transversely of said pier, there is an integrated one-piece deck supported atop the pile caps so that it can slide thereon. A series of prestressing tendons connect the deck to the pile caps so that when a wharf is struck by a ship, the lengthening and shortening of the tendons and the sliding friction between the deck and the pile caps absorbs the impact load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: T. Y. Lin International
    Inventors: Tung-Yen Lin, Philip Y. Chow
  • Patent number: 4313902
    Abstract: A prestressed concrete pressure-containment vessel having one or more cavities within its external shell. The cavities, whether cylindrical or other shape, are totally contained by prestressing tendons, which apply forces to contain various pressures within the structure. By permitting and actually inducing controlled cracking of the vessel in the outer portions of the thick shell wall, one embodiment of a pressure-containment vessel relieves stresses and enhances resistance to very high internal pressures and to stresses due to high internal temperatures and steep temperature gradients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1982
    Assignee: T. Y. Lin International
    Inventors: Tung-Yen Lin, Yue-Chyou Yang, Philip Y. Chow
  • Patent number: 4265066
    Abstract: A prestressed concrete pressure-containment vessel having one or more cavities within its external shell. The cavities, whether cylindrical or other shape, are totally contained by prestressing tendons, which apply forces to contain various pressures within the structure. By permitting and actually inducing controlled cracking of the vessel in the outer portions of the thick shell wall, one embodiment of a pressure-containment vessel relieves stresses and enhances resistance to very high internal pressures and to stresses due to high internal temperatures and steep temperature gradients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1981
    Assignee: T. Y. Lin International
    Inventors: Tung-Yen Lin, Yue-Chyou Yang, Philip Y. Chow
  • Patent number: 4112697
    Abstract: The method uses a construction and launch barge having a shallow draft hull with a construction deck supporting at its center a floatable offshore structure both during construction thereof and during the towing of the barge to the site where the offshore structure is to be installed. In order to maintain stability, a plurality of hollow column stabilizers are provided on the barge; these may be, e.g., four, one adjacent to each corner of the barge and extending up high thereabove. Large offshore structures of concrete are constructed on the barge in relatively shallow water and then towed across relatively shallow water to a desired location and then the barge is separated from the offshore structure by sinking the barge to a sufficient depth, releasing the then-floatable offshore structure from the barge, and then displacing the barge away from the offshore structure. Then the barge is raised again and returned to shore. The offshore structure may then be lowered into its operating location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1978
    Assignee: Lin Offshore Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip Y. Chow
  • Patent number: 4015554
    Abstract: A construction and launch barge having a shallow draft hull with a construction deck supporting at its center a floatable offshore structure both during construction thereof and during the towing of the barge to the site where the offshore structure is to be installed. In order to maintain stability, a plurality of hollow column stabilizers are provided on the barge; these may be, e.g., four, one adjacent to each corner of the barge and extending up high thereabove. A ballast compartment helps determine the desired waterline of the vessel, a mechanism being provided to displace the water therein by air or to displace the air by water. The column stabilizers are sufficiently high and occupy sufficient area for assuring the proper location of the metacenter of the fully loaded barge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1977
    Assignee: Lin Offshore Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip Y. Chow
  • Patent number: 4000624
    Abstract: A multi-component offshore platform having a floatable and ballastable central column with a base that is adapted to rest on the bottom of the sea. The column is towed to its site while floating and then upended and ballasted to sink the base to the proper site. A hitch collar is slidably arranged around the central column. At least three inclined legs, which may each be separately floatable for towing to the site and are ballastable for sinking, are hingedly secured to the hitch collar. The collar is then lowered on the central column to a desired height and secured there. The legs then are swung down by ballasting. Each leg has a foot which is hinged to one extremity of its leg for engagement with the ocean floor. The superstructure can then be placed on the top of the central column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1977
    Assignee: Lin Offshore Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip Y. Chow