FLOATING DEVICE FOR HOISTING AND TRANSPORTING LOADS

PCT No. PCT/FR82/00166 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 1, 1983 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 1, 1983 PCT Filed Oct. 12, 1982 PCT Pub. No. WO83/01235 PCT Pub. Date Apr. 14, 1983.The invention relates to a U-shaped arrangement of floats which are ballastable and deballastable so as to raise and lower their height in the water. On each parallel leg of the float arrangement, are mounted supporting beams that are movable along their longitudinal axes so that they may extend into the center of the U-shaped arrangement of floats and also be retracted therefrom. The device may be used for lifting and transporting large loads by placing the load in the center of the U-shaped arrangement of floats while the floats are ballasted so that they sit low in the water, extending the supporting beams into the center of the arrangement of floats so that they are underneath the load, and then deballasting the floats so that they rise higher in the water while lifting the load. In the deballasted mode, the device may be transported to a desired location, where the load may then be deposited by ballasting the floats until the load is resting on its intended support, and then retracting the support beams out from underneath the load.