Turret bearing structure for vessels
A radial bearing arrangement ( 2 ) including a turret ( 14 ) carried by a vessel ( 10 ), the turret ( 14 ) having an outer annular rail ( 38 ) secured about its outer circumference. The radial bearing arrangement ( 2 ) also includes a plurality of rollers ( 104 ) attached to the vessel ( 10 ) via bearing assemblies ( 74 ). The bearing assemblies ( 74 ) are arranged and designed to urge the rollers ( 104 ) into contact with the annular rail ( 38 ), and to limit radial movement of the vessel ( 10 ) relative to the turret ( 14 ). A plurality of bearing pads ( 114 ) are attached to the vessel ( 10 ) and positioned circumferentially between the bearing assemblies ( 74 ). The bearing pads ( 114 ) are arranged and designed to contact the rail ( 38 ) under peak loading to limit radial movement of the vessel ( 10 ) relative to the turret ( 14 ).
1. A radial bearing arrangement ( 2 a ) comprising,
a turret ( 14 ) carried by a vessel ( 10 ), said turret ( 14 ) having an outer circumferential rail ( 38 ) secured about its outer circumference;
a plurality of roller ( 104 )/bearing assembly ( 74 ) arrangements attached to said vessel ( 10 ), said roller/bearing assembly arrangements placed circumferentially about said outer circumferential rail ( 38 ) of said turret ( 14 ), said roller/bearing assembly arrangements having a circumferential space between each of said arrangements ( 104 , 74 ), with bearing assemblies ( 74 ) designed to urge associated rollers ( 104 ) into contact with said circumferential rail ( 38 ) and to limit radial movement of said vessel ( 10 ) relative to said turret ( 14 ); and
a plurality of bearing pads ( 114 ) attached to said vessel ( 10 ), each bearing pad of said plurality of bearing pads ( 114 ) positioned in a circumferential space between said rollers ( 104 ), each of said bearing pads ( 114 ) arranged and designed to contact said circumferential rail ( 38 ) of said turret ( 14 ) under peak loading to further limit radial movement of said vessel ( 10 ) relative to said turret ( 14 ) and increase radial load capacity of said bearing arrangement.
2. The radial bearing arrangement ( 2 a ) of claim 1 , further comprising,
shims ( 120 ) positioned between said bearing pads ( 114 ) and said vessel ( 10 ), said shims ( 120 ) arranged and designed to adjust the radial position of said bearing pads ( 114 ) relative to said outer circumferential rail ( 38 ).
3. A radial bearing arrangement ( 2 b ) comprising,
a turret ( 14 ) carried by a vessel ( 10 ), said turret ( 14 ) having an outer circumferential rail ( 38 ) secured about its circumference, and said circumferential rail ( 38 ) functioning as a circumferential roller/bearing surface of said turret ( 14 ), said turret ( 14 ) also having, a bearing pad contacting surface ( 39 ) that is vertically separated from said outer circumferential rail ( 38 );
a plurality of rollers ( 104 ) attached to said vessel ( 10 ) via bearing assemblies ( 74 ), said bearing assemblies ( 74 ) arranged and designed to urge said rollers ( 104 ) into contact with said circumferential rail ( 38 ) and to limit radial movement of said vessel ( 10 ) relative to said turret ( 14 ); and
a plurality of bearing pads ( 114 ) carried circumferentially by said vessel ( 10 ), said bearing pads ( 114 ) arranged and designed to contact said bearing pad contacting surface ( 39 ) of said turret ( 14 ) under peak loading to further limit radial movement of said vessel ( 10 ) relative to said turret ( 14 ) and increase radial load capacity of said bearing arrangement.
4. The radial bearing arrangement ( 2 b ) of claim 3 , wherein
said bearing contacting surface ( 39 ) is stainless steel.
5. The radial bearing arrangement ( 2 c ) of claim 3 , wherein each of said plurality of said bearing pads ( 125 ) is positioned so that there is a gap between each of said bearing pads ( 125 ) and said turret ( 14 ).
6. The radial bearing arrangement ( 2 c ) of claim 3 , wherein said bearing pad contacting surface ( 39 ) is stainless steel.
7. The radial bearing arrangement ( 2 c ) of claim 3 , further comprising, shims ( 120 ) positioned between each of said bearing pads ( 125 ) and said vessel ( 10 ), said shims ( 120 ) arranged and designed to adjust the horizontal position of said bearing pad ( 125 ) of said vessel ( 10 ) relative to said turret ( 14 ).
8. A radial bearing arrangement ( 2 d ) comprising,
a turret ( 14 ) carried by a vessel ( 10 ), said turret ( 14 ) having a bearing pad contacting surface ( 39 );
radially moveable bearing pads ( 170 ) attached to said vessel ( 10 ) via spring packs ( 172 ), said spring packs ( 172 ) arranged and designed to urge said moveable bearing pads ( 170 ) into contact with said bearing pad contacting surface ( 39 ), and to limit radial movement of said vessel ( 10 ) relative to said turret ( 14 ); said radially moveably bearing pads ( 170 ) arranged circumferentially about said bearing contact surface ( 39 ), said plurality of radially moveable bearing pads ( 170 ) having a circumferential space between each of said bearing pads ( 170 ), and
fixed bearing pads ( 168 ) attached to said vessel ( 10 ) each one of said fixed bearing pads ( 168 ) positioned in one of said circumferential spaces between said plurality of radially moveable bearing pads ( 170 ), said fixed bearing pads ( 168 ) arranged and designed to contact said bearing pad contacting surface ( 39 ) under peak loading to further limit radial movement of said vessel ( 10 ) relative to said turret ( 14 ).
9. The radial bearing arrangement ( 2 d ) of claim 8 , wherein
said bearing pad contacting surface ( 39 ) is stainless steel.
10. The radial bearing arrangement ( 2 d ) of claim 8 , further comprising,
shims ( 120 ) positioned between said fixed bearing pads ( 168 ) and said vessel ( 10 ), said shims ( 120 ) arranged and designed to adjust the horizontal position of said fixed bearing pads ( 168 ) relative to said turret ( 14 ).