Collapsible structure for vessel having interior sloping wall

Abstract

A collapsible support structure for assembly inside a vessel having a downwardly and inwardly sloping interior wall includes a base frame including a plurality of pivotably-connected beams and a plurality of base foot modules mounted thereto. The base frame is movable between an expanded configuration for bracing the base foot modules against the vessel, and a collapsed configuration in which the base frame has a width smaller than that of the expanded configuration. The base frame is moved between the expanded and collapsed configurations by pivoting the plurality of beams.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A collapsible support structure inside a vessel having a downwardly and inwardly sloping interior wall, said structure comprising:
 a base frame comprising a plurality of pivotably-connected beams and a plurality of base foot modules mounted thereto;   wherein said base frame is in an expanded configuration with said base foot modules bracing against said vessel, and said base frame is movable to a collapsed configuration by pivoting said plurality of beams, said collapsed configuration having a width smaller than a width of said expanded configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a first plurality of posts mounted to said base frame so that said posts extend upwardly from said base frame at an angle corresponding to the slope of said interior wall. 
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 2 , wherein said first plurality of posts are pivotably mounted to said base frame and said angle is adjustable by pivoting said posts. 
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein each one of said first plurality of posts comprises a post foot module having an angled surface for engaging said downwardly and interior wall. 
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 4 , wherein each of said base foot modules and each of said post foot modules comprises a foot member, pivotably mounted so that the orientation of each of said angled surfaces is independently adjustable. 
     
     
         6 . The structure of  claim 5 , wherein said base foot modules comprise jacks, each of said foot members being mounted to a jack so as to be extendable towards said interior wall. 
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 2 , wherein each one of said first plurality of posts comprises a platform support bracket to cooperatively support a first plurality of joists and wherein a platform is constructed atop said first plurality of joists. 
     
     
         8 . The structure of  claim 2 , further comprising a second plurality of posts, each of said second plurality of posts attached to and extending upwardly from a corresponding one of said first plurality of posts. 
     
     
         9 . The structure of  claim 8 , wherein each one of said second plurality of posts comprises a platform support bracket to cooperatively support a second plurality of joists and wherein a second platform is constructed atop said second plurality of joists. 
     
     
         10 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein said interior wall defines an inverted frustoconical shape. 
     
     
         11 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein said vessel is a closed vessel having a portal for accessing the interior of said vessel, and wherein said width of said expanded configuration is greater than a width of said portal and said width of said collapsed configuration is less than said width of said portal. 
     
     
         12 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein said base frame is movable to said collapsed configuration by pivoting said plurality of beams in a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         13 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein said base frame is movable to said collapsed configuration by pivoting said plurality of beams about a horizontal axis. 
     
     
         14 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein said structure is suspended by at least one wire. 
     
     
         15 . A method of erecting a collapsible support structure inside a vessel with a downwardly and inwardly sloping interior wall, said method comprising:
 unfolding a base frame, comprising a plurality of pivotably-connected beams and a plurality of base foot modules mounted thereto, from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration, said expanded configuration for bracing against said interior wall and said collapsed configuration having a width smaller than a width of said expanded configuration;   positioning said base frame in said vessel so that a plurality of base foot modules brace said base frame against said downwardly-converging wall.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising mounting a first plurality of posts to said base frame so that said first plurality of posts extend upwardly from said base frame at an angle corresponding to the slope of said interior wall. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said mounting said first plurality of posts comprises pivotably mounting each one of said first plurality of posts to said base frame and pivoting said posts. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of said base foot modules comprises a pivotably mounted foot member and wherein said positioning said base frame comprises pivoting said foot members to correspond to the slope of said interior wall. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of said foot modules is mounted to a jack, and wherein said method further comprises extending or retracting a foot module using one of said jacks. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising constructing a platform atop said first plurality of posts. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising mounting a second plurality of posts atop said first plurality of posts, each of said second plurality of posts attached to and extending upwardly from a corresponding one of said first plurality of posts. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising constructing a second platform atop said second plurality of posts. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said interior wall defines an inverted frustoconical shape. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising passing said base frame through a portal in said vessel while in said collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         25 . A collapsible support structure for assembly inside a vessel having a downwardly and inwardly sloping interior wall, said structure comprising:
 a base frame comprising a plurality of pivotably-connected beams and a plurality of base foot modules mounted to thereto, said foot modules having angled surfaces for engaging said interior wall;   said base frame movable between collapsed and expanded configurations by pivoting said plurality of beams, wherein in said expanded configuration, said base frame may be positioned in said vessel so that said plurality of base foot modules brace said base frame against said interior wall, and wherein a width of said base frame in said collapsed configuration is less than a width of said base frame in said expanded configuration.   
     
     
         26 . The structure of  claim 25 , further comprising a first plurality of posts mountable to said base frame so that said first plurality of posts extend upwardly from said base frame at an angle corresponding to the slope of said interior wall. 
     
     
         27 . The structure of  claim 26 , wherein said first plurality of posts are pivotably mountable to said base frame so that said angle is adjustable. 
     
     
         28 . The structure of  claim 25 , wherein each of said first plurality of posts comprises a post foot module having an angled surface for engaging said downwardly and interior wall. 
     
     
         29 . The structure of  claim 28 , wherein each of said base foot modules and each of said post foot modules comprises a foot member, pivotably mounted so that the orientation of each of said angled surfaces is independently adjustable. 
     
     
         30 . The structure of  claim 29 , wherein said base foot modules comprise jacks, each of said foot members being mounted to a jack so as to be extendable towards said interior wall. 
     
     
         31 . The structure of  claim 26 , wherein each of said posts comprises a platform support bracket to cooperatively support a first plurality of joists. 
     
     
         32 . The structure of  claim 26 , further comprising a second plurality of posts, mountable to corresponding ones of said second plurality of posts to extend upwardly therefrom. 
     
     
         33 . The structure of  claim 32 , wherein each one of said second plurality of posts comprises a platform support bracket to cooperatively support a second plurality of joists. 
     
     
         34 . The structure of  claim 25 , wherein said interior wall defines an inverted frustoconical shape. 
     
     
         35 . The structure of  claim 34 , wherein said vessel is a closed vessel having a portal for accessing the interior of said vessel, and wherein said width of said expanded configuration is greater than a width of said portal and said width of said collapsed configuration is less than said width of said portal.