Patent Application
20210246650
Not Applicable.
The present disclosure relates generally to systems for supporting a work surface, such as a floating roof during maintenance of the associated tank. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to providing a system composed on elements which can be transported without constrictive spaces, assembled within work area, and employed to provide support to a structure above and to provide a safe working environment therein.
Working below structures can pose danger. Is it therefore beneficial to provide a system for supporting a work surface while operations are being conducted, whether to support a a floating roof, or pipe, or other structures were in-fill from adjacent soil is not at issue. For example, internal floating roof tanks are well known and use an inner floating roof to prevent tank volatilization of the chemical liquid stored therein. But, like all storage containers, from routine and emergency maintenance is recognized a potential needs. In such situations, vertical support is needed to maintain the floating roof in a position to facilitate such maintenance. However, these tanks lack large access doors or access through the tank shell to permit used of large equipment. Therefore. various cribbing systems have been developed over time to provide the support to the floating roof while being composed of such components that the cribbing system can transported into the storage tank.
External floating roof tanks are well-known and are commonly used to store large quantities of petroleum products such as crude oil or condensate. The tank includes an open-topped cylindrical steel shell and a roof which floats on the top surface of the liquid, and thus maintains position relative to the top surface of the stored liquid and reduces fire risk. The floating roof reduces the potential for a vapor space and thereby loss of the stored liquid.
But maintenance is essential. The American Petroleum Institute (“API”) has developed API Standard Tank Inspection Protocol 653 (API 653) as the standard for tanks over 50 feet tall or having a diameter greater than 30 feet, and which covers the maintenance, inspection, alteration and repair of steel, field erected above-ground storage tanks (ASTs) built to API 650 or API 12C standards. Internal inspections under API 653 are required every ten (10) years. Internal inspection assesses the internal and external condition of the above-ground tank and determine its suitability for continued use. However, when the roof-supporting fluid is removed, the roof must still be maintained in a position above the tank floor so personnel may access, inspect, repair, or clean the tank. The system used to provide the roof support must be of components sufficiently narrow that each can pass through door or alternate access before assembly of the components into the system sufficient to provide support to the floating roof and space for working within the tank.
Prior art systems for providing a working area below a surface were not internally adjustable in height without increasing the load on the system during assembly, frustrating the construction of the “cribbing” system. Such systems included stacks of short wood braces, essentially constructing a log cabin structure from the bottom up, which required driving the last section between the floating roof and the prior sections. Alternatively, systems included interlocked components which required the persons assembling the system to forcible reposition the upper sections, under load from the roof, to a suitable height. Other systems provide a frame with a removable pin and various height positions where the height may be adjusted before tying in diagonal cross members, either by moving the components and pinning in place directly under the floating roof or by laying the upright down to disassemble and reassemble the parts for a different height before rotating the upright back into position and then tying-in the connecting and cross-members.
None of these systems contemplate reducing the height of the support system and rolling the support system to a different location. Once in position to support the floating roof, repositioning requires disassembly and forcible relocation.
It would therefore be an improvement to provide a support system which is comprised of components which is readily transported into a work area through even a restrictive space, is adjustable in height in real time without extensive effort or disassembly/reassembly, is adjustable in height at one end without separately engaging multiple jacks, which is stable, and can be readily repositioned.
The present disclosure therefore meets the above needs and overcomes one or more deficiencies in the prior art. The disclosure provides a support system which includes four support members, each support member having a jack, a lower attachment plate at a support member lower section, and an upper attachment plate at a support member upper section, and a cap, where the jack has a foot at a jack lower end and a crank shaft penetrating through a jack first side and a crank shaft coupling attachment accessible from a jack second side opposite the jack first side, and the cap is coupled to the support member at a support member top, and has eight connectors and two connecting shafts, each connecting shaft sized to couple to the crank shaft coupling attachment. Additional aspects, advantages, and embodiments of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the various embodiments and related drawings.
So that the manner in which the described features, advantages, and objects of the disclosure, as well as others which will become apparent, are attained and can be understood in detail; more particular description of the disclosure briefly summarized above may be had by referring to the embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the drawings, which drawings form a part of this specification. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical preferred embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope as the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
In the drawings:
The present disclosure provides a support system, and which may be used during maintenance of a floating roof tank or to support a piping overhead, or otherwise to provide a supported work space below where in-fill from adjacent soil is not an issue. As can be appreciated, other functional materials may be applied to or included within the components of the disclosure.
Referring to
Assembly of the support system 100 is straightforward. A first supporting member 102a is connected to a second supporting member 102b by a first connector 104a engaging the first support member upper attachment plate 116a and the second support member upper attachment place 116b and a second connector 104b engaging the first support member lower attachment plate 114a and the second support member lower attachment plate 114b, tying the first support member 102a and the second support member 102b together.
Likewise, a third supporting member 102c is connected to the second supporting member 102b by a third connector 104c engaging the second support member upper attachment plate 116b and the third support member upper attachment plate 116c and a fourth connector 104d engaging the second support member lower attachment plate 114b and the third support lower attachment plate 114c. The first support member 102a, second support member 102b, and the third support member 102c may connected in place or connected on the ground before rotation into an upright position. If positioned vertically during assembly, the third support member 102c is positioned out of alignment with the first support member 102a and second support member 102b, thus providing a three-point stand with an angle between the first support member 102a and the second support member 102b. If assembled on the ground then rotated up, the third support member 102c rotated around to provide an assembly in two planes. Finally, a fourth supporting member 102d is connected to the third support member 102c and first support member 102a by a fifth connector 104e and a sixth connector 104f engaging the third support member upper attachment plate 116c and the first support member attachment plate 116a, and a seventh connector 104g and the eighth connectors 104h engaging the third support member lower attachment plate 114c and first support member lower attachment plate 114a, respectively. Once all four support members 102 are joined, the support system 100 provides a stable rectangular prism which provides four points of contact to the floating roof and a protected work environment between the support members 102. To contact the floating roof and protect the support members 102, each of the support members has a cap 120a, 120b, 120c and 120d coupled to a support member 102 at its support member top 122. The cap 120 may be pivotably coupled to the support member 102 to flex in one plane to better mate to the shape of the floating roof at the point of contact.
The support system 100 may further include a scaffold board 126 and a handrail 130, where the handrail 130 is adapted to be affixed by a coupler 128 to a first connector of the eight connectors 104 associated with the lower attachment plate 112 and by a second coupler 132 to an opposing second connector of the eight connectors 104 the lower attachment plate 112. The scaffold board 126 increases the height at which work can be performed while the handrail 130 provides a point for additional stability and to contain work to the scaffold board 126. When greater height is desired, the handrail 130 may be adapted to be affixed by a coupler 128 to the first connecting shaft 108a and by a second coupler 132 to the second connecting shaft 108b, and the scaffold board 126 positioned across the first connecting shaft 108a and the second connecting shaft 108b.
Referring to
Once assembled, the support system 100 is adjusted to the desired height. Height adjustment may be accomplished by use of a jack 110 in each support member. Each jack 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d, need not be engaged separately to accomplish this adjustment in the present disclosure. A connecting shaft 108 is sized and adapted to couple to a crank shaft coupling attachment associated with each jack 110 on its jack first side 210 or jack second side 312. A first connecting shaft 108a may be coupled to the first support member jack 110a at its rear and to the fourth support member jack 110d at its front. Thus, the first support member jack 110a is engaged, such as by a handle 164 or other driver, at its front and that handle 264 turned, the first connecting shaft 108a is likewise rotated and drives the fourth support member jack 110b. The first support member 102a and the fourth support member 102d are thus simultaneously and commonly adjusted. A second connecting shaft 108b may be coupled to the second support member jack 110b at its rear and to the third support member jack 110c at its front so the height of the second support member 102b and the third support member 102e may be simultaneously and commonly adjusted. The foot 124 provides a point of contact with the ground or floor and may be pivotally attached to the jack 110 to permit adjustment upon contact with any floor not entirely flat and perpendicular to the floating roof.
Further, as illustrated in
Referring to
Likewise, each support member 102 may have a cap coupler 230 sized to couple to the extension tube 214 and the cap coupler 230 sized to couple to the cap 120. The cap coupler 230 may have a cap coupler first passage 230 laterally therethrough and a cap coupler second passage 234 laterally therethrough perpendicular to the cap coupler first passage 232. The cap 120 may have a cap first passage 240 laterally therethrough and positioned for alignment with the cap coupler first passage 232. The extension tube 214 may have an extension tube third passage 242 laterally therethrough and positioned for alignment with the cap coupler second passage 234 or the cap coupler third passage 236 and an extension tube fourth passage 244 laterally therethrough perpendicular to the extension tube third passage 242 and positioned for alignment with the cap coupler first passage 232. A bolt, or preferably a cap coupler first toggle pin 246 sized to the jack coupler first passage 242 and sized to the cap coupler second passage 234, may be provided to pass through them to retain the two components in relation to one another. Similarly, a second bolt, or preferably a cap coupler second toggle pin 248 sized to the cap coupler first passage 232 and the cap first passage 240, may be provided to pass through them to retain the two components in relation to one another. Likewise, the cap coupler 230 couples to the cap 120. The cap coupler 230 has a cap coupler third passage 236 laterally therethrough perpendicular to the cap coupler first passage 232 and parallel to the cap coupler second passage 234 and positioned on the cap coupler 230 equidistant and opposite a cap coupler mid-plane 258 the cap coupler second passage 234 and has a cap coupler fourth passage 238 laterally therethrough perpendicular to the cap coupler second passage 234 and parallel to the cap coupler first passage 232 and positioned on the cap coupler 230 equidistant and opposite the cap coupler mid-plane 258 the cap coupler first passage 232.
When desired, to aid in repositioning, each support member 102 may a second jack 260 with a wheel 262. The second jack 260 may be engaged to lift the support member 102, the jack 110 and the foot 124 off the ground or floor and then may permit the support system 100 to be repositioned without the need for disassembly or manual lifting. Once in position, the second jack 260 may be reversed to lower the support system 100 to the floor and to lift the wheel 262 of the second jack off the floor.
Referring to
Referring again to
Having parts in vertical alignment can further aid in assembly and disassembly. Therefore, it may desirable to provide the lower attachment plate first downward opening 254 coaxial with to the upper attachment plate first downward opening 250 and the lower attachment plate second downward opening 256 coaxial with to the upper attachment plate second downward opening 252. Coaxial positioning ensures the relative positions of openings on each of the support members 102.
The first support member 102a may therefore be connected to the second support member 102b by the second connector 104b by positioning a first downward capture member 402 into the lower attachment plate first downward opening 254 of the first support member 102a and the second downward capture member 404 into the lower attachment plate second downward opening 256 so the first downward capture member outer surface 410 contacts the first support member 102a and the second downward capture member outer surface 416 contacts the second downward member 102b, providing rigidity and resisting swaying of the parts without a diagonal cross member. The elimination of a diagonal cross member is particularly beneficial as the height of the support member 102 alters the necessary length and attachment point for a diagonal cross member. Referring to
Referring to
The foregoing disclosure and description is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. The present disclosure should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.
