US Patent:
20090199354, Aug 13, 2009
Inventors:
Lily T. Birmingham - Laurel MD, US
Corey A. Fleischer - Columbia MD, US
Alexander C. Boon - Baltimore MD, US
Kevin Quinn - Brooklyn MD, US
Assignee:
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION - Bethesda MD
International Classification:
E01D 1/00
Abstract:
A crew transfer system for transferring personnel from a vessel to a stationary platform, such as an oil rig, is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, the system includes a ramp that is coupled to the vessel in such a way as to permit one translational and three rotational degrees of freedom at the vessel-end of the ramp. When the ramp couples to the stationary platform, the coupling permits no translational and only two rotational degrees of freedom.