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).
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Patent number: 5070566Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 29, 1990Date of Patent: December 10, 1991Assignee: T. Y. Lin InternationalInventors: Tung-Yen Lin, Philip Y. Chow
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Patent number: 5058330Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 5, 1989Date of Patent: October 22, 1991Assignee: T. Y. Lin InternationalInventor: Philip Y. Chow
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Patent number: 4907312Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 16, 1988Date of Patent: March 13, 1990Assignee: T. Y. Lin InternationalInventors: Y. C. Yang, Philip Y. Chow
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Patent number: 4702052Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 20, 1986Date of Patent: October 27, 1987Assignee: T. Y. Lin InternationalInventor: Philip Y. Chow
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Patent number: 4389825Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 28, 1980Date of Patent: June 28, 1983Assignee: T. Y. Lin InternationalInventor: Philip Y. Chow
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Patent number: 4373837Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 28, 1981Date of Patent: February 15, 1983Assignee: T. Y. Lin InternationalInventors: Tung-Yen Lin, Philip Y. Chow
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Patent number: 4313902Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 11, 1980Date of Patent: February 2, 1982Assignee: T. Y. Lin InternationalInventors: Tung-Yen Lin, Yue-Chyou Yang, Philip Y. Chow
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Patent number: 4265066Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 19, 1979Date of Patent: May 5, 1981Assignee: T. Y. Lin InternationalInventors: Tung-Yen Lin, Yue-Chyou Yang, Philip Y. Chow
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Patent number: 4112697Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 13, 1976Date of Patent: September 12, 1978Assignee: Lin Offshore Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Philip Y. Chow
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Patent number: 4015554Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 2, 1975Date of Patent: April 5, 1977Assignee: Lin Offshore Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Philip Y. Chow
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Patent number: 4000624Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 10, 1975Date of Patent: January 4, 1977Assignee: Lin Offshore Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Philip Y. Chow