Escape vessel with detachable landing

Abstract

A marine evacuation system includes an escape vessel, a conduit adapted to connect the escape vessel to a facility, such as a ship or an offshore platform, and a platform engaged with the escape vessel and the conduit, the platform being removable from the escape vessel to enable movement of the escape vessel away from the platform. The conduit can enable direct passage of personnel from the facility to the escape vessel, while the platform and conduit can be configured to engage a stabilization system while permitting vertical movement of the platform and escape vessel caused by wave motion. The platform can optionally include movable portions that allow rotation or other horizontal movement of the escape vessel relative to the platform, such as movement caused by severe weather.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A marine evacuation system comprising:
 an escape vessel;   a conduit adapted to connect the escape vessel to a facility; and   a platform engaged with the escape vessel and the conduit, wherein the platform is removable from the escape vessel to enable movement of the escape vessel away from the platform, the conduit, the facility, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the escape vessel comprises an inflatable vessel. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit comprises a telescoping chute extendable from the facility to a location remote from the facility. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one stabilization member engaged with the conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising at least one elongate member engaging said at least one stabilization member to the conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the platform comprises at least one orifice formed therein, and wherein said at least one elongate member passes through said at least one orifice to enable relative vertical movement between the platform and said at least one elongate member. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the escape vessel comprises an inflatable vessel and a mechanism for inflating the inflatable vessel engaged with said at least one stabilization member for enabling deployment of said at least one stabilization member to actuate the mechanism to cause inflation of the inflatable vessel. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the escape vessel, the conduit, and the platform are connected and adapted for storage in the facility, and wherein the escape vessel, the conduit, and the platform are deployable as a single unit. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the platform comprises a first member engaged to the conduit and a second member engaged to the escape vessel, and wherein the second member is rotatably movable relative to the first member for enabling horizontal movement of the escape vessel relative to the platform. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the escape vessel comprises a cut-out portion sized to accommodate the platform. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one pin engaging the escape vessel, a fastener connected to the escape vessel, or combinations thereof, to the platform, wherein said at least one pin is adapted for quick removal to enable movement of the escape vessel away from the platform, the conduit, the facility, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit comprises a first opening in communication with the facility and a second opening in communication with the escape vessel for enabling direct transport of personnel from the facility to the escape vessel through the conduit. 
     
     
         13 . A method for enabling evacuation of a facility, the method comprising the steps of:
 extending a conduit from the facility to a remote location, wherein an end of the conduit engages a platform, and wherein an escape vessel is removably engaged with the platform; and   disengaging the escape vessel from the platform to enable movement of the escape vessel away from the platform, the conduit, the facility, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of extending the conduit comprises extending a telescoping chute from the facility to the remote location. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of extending the conduit further comprises deploying at least one stabilization member engaged with the conduit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of deploying said at least one stabilization member comprises passing at least one elongate member engaged with said at least one stabilization member through an orifice in the platform to enable relative vertical movement between the platform and said at least one elongate member. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of deploying said at least one stabilization member comprises actuating a mechanism engaged with said at least one stabilization member to cause inflation of the escape vessel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of rotating a first portion of the platform relative to a second portion of the platform thereby moving the escape vessel relative to the platform along a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of disengaging the escape vessel from the platform comprises removing at least one pin from the escape vessel, a fastener connected to the escape vessel, or combinations thereof, wherein said at least one pin is adapted for quick removal to enable movement of the escape vessel away from the platform, the conduit, the facility, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of passing at least one individual through the conduit directly from the facility to the escape vessel.