Patents by Inventor Stewart Kenyon Willis
Stewart Kenyon Willis 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: 8201787Abstract: There is disclosed a clamp, a self-advancing climbing device including two such clamps, and a method of coupling such a clamp to a tubular. In one embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a clamp (1) for a tubular, in particular a thin-walled tubular such as the tower (3) of a wind-turbine. The clamp (1) comprises at least one clamp member in the form of a friction pad (9) adapted to grip the tower (3), and at least one flexible elongate energising element in the form of a tendon (16) adapted to exert a force on the friction pad (9) to urge the pad (9) to grip the tower (3), whereby the pad (9) and the tendon (16) are adapted to exert a substantially uniform radial clamp load on the tower (3).Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2005Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: ITI Scotland LimitedInventors: James Ingram, Stewart Kenyon Willis
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Patent number: 7909538Abstract: A pipelaying vessel comprises storage (502) for a number of pipe units to be assembled into a pipeline and S-lay apparatus (312, 314, 316) for fabricating and paying out of a pipeline by repeated addition of new sections (506). The end of said pipeline being laid is held aligned with a fabrication axis closer to horizontal than vertical, the S-lay apparatus including a stinger (312) for supporting the pipeline in an arcuate path to a departure axis which is more vertical than horizontal. Auxiliary apparatus (318/810) is provided for use in fitting singular items to one end of the pipeline. The supporting structure (320/802) of said auxiliary apparatus is located above a lower end of the stinger of the S-lay apparatus, substantially aligned with said departure axis, so as to facilitate handing over of the suspended pipeline and singular item from one of said apparatuses to the other. The auxiliary apparatus may be an A-frame (810) or a complete J-Lay apparatus (318-322) for additional laying tasks.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2006Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Acergy UK LimitedInventors: Stewart Kenyon Willis, Alan William Henry West
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Patent number: 7806628Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus and methods for laying of elongate articles from a vessel. The vessel includes a tower (2), on which is supported tensioning means (20,21), straightening means (19), and a hold-off clamp (14). The hold-off clamp (14) is mounted independently of the tower on a trolley (13) which can be moved into and out of alignment with the laying axis of the tower while supporting the elongate article under laying tension. This enables the pipe string to be moved out of the line of the tower (2) for the fitting of equipment such as mid-line connectors and PLETs. Methods are disclosed for using the apparatus for fitting a connection to the elongate article being laid using cranes etc provided on the vessel to move the trolley (13) and hold the laid pipe string or connection.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2004Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: Acergy UK LimitedInventor: Stewart Kenyon Willis
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Publication number: 20100040417Abstract: There is disclosed a variety of arrangements for laying of rigid pipe from reeled storage and/or on-board welding fabrication. Thirteen independent aspects of the invention are identified. In one particular arrangement (FIGS. 3a-3b), a tilting lay tower (106) having two travelling clamps (210, 220) is provided centrally on a pipelay vessel with a radius control arch (140) pivotable to receive rigid pipe from either port or starboard lay paths. A vertical axis reel or carousel (104) is provided, within an arrangement of curved take-off arms (130, 134) and a large radius curved wall (128). By these means, pipe can be loaded onto the carousel either clockwise or anti-clockwise, and can be supplied to the lay tower via the port or starboard lay path. Continuous rigid product fabricated by a selection of welding lines (112, 114, 116) at the port side can be guided around the large radius wall either for reeling onto the carousel or for direct feeding to the lay tower.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2009Publication date: February 18, 2010Inventors: Gabriel Andre Bursaux, David Alexander Cowie, Gordon Spencer Harvey, Stewart Kenyon Willis, Malcolm John Goss, Malcolm Bowie, Thomas Gibson Welsh, Lee Karl Rolf
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Publication number: 20100021237Abstract: A pipelaying vessel comprises storage (502) for a number of pipe units to be assembled into a pipeline and S-lay apparatus (312, 314, 316) for fabricating and paying out of a pipeline by repeated addition of new sections (506). The end of said pipeline being laid is held aligned with a fabrication axis closer to horizontal than vertical, the S-lay apparatus including a stinger (312) for supporting the pipeline in an arcuate path to a departure axis which is more vertical than horizontal. Auxiliary apparatus (318/810) is provided for use in fitting singular items to one end of the pipeline. The supporting structure (320/802) of said auxiliary apparatus is located above a lower end of the stinger of the S-lay apparatus, substantially aligned with said departure axis, so as to facilitate handing over of the suspended pipeline and singular item from one of said apparatuses to the other. The auxiliary apparatus may be an A-frame (810) or a complete J-Lay apparatus (318-322) for additional laying tasks.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2006Publication date: January 28, 2010Inventors: Stewart Kenyon Willis, Alan William Henry West
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Patent number: 7581904Abstract: There is disclosed a variety of arrangements for laying of rigid pipe from reeled storage and/or on-board welding fabrication. Thirteen independent aspects of the invention are identified. In one particular arrangement (FIGS. 3a-3b), a tilting lay tower (106) having two travelling clamps (210, 220) is provided centrally on a pipelay vessel with a radius control arch (140) pivotable to receive rigid pipe from either port or starboard lay paths. A vertical axis reel or carousel (104) is provided, within an arrangement of curved take-off arms (130, 134) and a large radius curved wall (128). By these means, pipe can be loaded onto the carousel either clockwise or anti-clockwise, and can be supplied to the lay tower via the port or starboard lay path. Continuous rigid product fabricated by a selection of welding lines (112, 114, 116) at the port side can be guided around the large radius wall either for reeling onto the carousel or for direct feeding to the lay tower.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2004Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: Stolt Offshore Limited, a UK corporationInventors: Gabriel Andre Bursaux, David Alexander Cowie, Gordon Spencer Harvey, Stewart Kenyon Willis, Malcolm John Goss, Malcolm Bowie, Thomas Gibson Welsh, Lee Karl Rolf
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Publication number: 20080203246Abstract: There is disclosed a clamp, a self-advancing climbing device including two such clamps, and a method of coupling such a clamp to a tubular. In one embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a clamp (1) for a tubular, in particular a thin-walled tubular such as the tower (3) of a wind-turbine. The clamp (1) comprises at least one clamp member in the form of a friction pad (9) adapted to grip the tower (3), and at least one flexible elongate energising element in the form of a tendon (16) adapted to exert a force on the friction pad (9) to urge the pad (9) to grip the tower (3), whereby the pad (9) and the tendon (16) are adapted to exert a substantially uniform radial clamp load on the tower (3).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2005Publication date: August 28, 2008Applicant: ITI SCOTLAND LIMITEDInventors: James Ingram, Stewart Kenyon Willis
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Publication number: 20020021942Abstract: The invention relates to pipe handling apparatus for laying elongate articles, such as pipes (16) in deep waters. The apparatus includes a tiltable pipe handling structure (22) housing a travelling clamp (26) for holding and/or paying out under tension the elongate article and a fixed clamp (28). The travelling clamp is driven via an articulated rack (202, 204) located by guide means (22). The rack is driven by pinion drive means (200) located and acts at a lower portion of the rack (202), such that the center of gravity of the apparatus is lowered, and loading in the structure (22) is reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2001Publication date: February 21, 2002Inventors: Stewart Kenyon Willis, Richard W. Turnbull