Patent ID: 8579034

Claim:
A tensioner for maintaining a tensile force in a riser having an axis and extending from a subsea wellhead assembly through an opening in a floating platform deck, the tensioner comprising: a plurality of tensioner legs, each having a lower end for mounting to the deck; a circular support ring formed of at least one curved segment positioned proximate to upper ends of the tensioner legs; a plurality of leg attachment plates, each having an opening formed therethrough, the support ring passing through the opening in each leg attachment plate so that each leg attachment plate is proximate to a respective one of the tensioner legs; a slot formed in the upper end of each tensioner leg, each slot corresponding to one of the leg attachment plates, and a lower end of each leg attachment plate mounted in one of the corresponding slots; a tensioner ring axially below the support ring for engaging the riser; a plurality of cylinders extending between the support ring and the tensioner ring; an upper end of each cylinder pivotally mounted to the support ring; and a lower end of each cylinder adjustably mounted to the tensioner ring.