Inventors:
Kris P. Hamilton - Bellingham WA
Brian H. Glover - Bainbridge Island WA
Larry R. Halgren - Bellingham WA
Warren S. Mills - Everson WA
Assignee:
Bellingham Marine Industries, Inc. - Bellingham WA
International Classification:
E01D 1514
Abstract:
A float system comprised of modular units assembled to form relatively rigid floating assemblies in a plurality of configurations is provided. In a preferred embodiment comprising a basic two-tier assembly, the modular units form upper and lower layers which combine to define a buoyant, protected shell. The units are preferably interchangeable so that they may be used for either the upper or lower layer and are assembled in a staggered manner to form overlapping connections. The modular units may be assembled using a buoyant lower layer and a non-buoyant upper layer, or using more than two buoyant layers if desired. Preferred embodiments for unevenly loaded structures include multilayer portions at locations on the structure corresponding to increased loads.