Patent ID: 8348552

Claim:
A floating support including a retaining and holding device for retaining and holding an undersea pipe in suspension from said floating support, the pipe including a first forging in the form of a body of revolution welded to the top end of said pipe and forming an internal tubular pipe section of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of said pipe, the support being characterized in that said retaining and holding device comprises: a) a said first forging including a first peripheral radial protuberance on its outside surface, said first radial protuberance having on its underside a first contact surface of revolution; b) at least one first collar releasably locked around and against said first forging via the underface of said first protuberance at said first contact surface of said first protuberance, said first contact surface co-operating by bearing against a second contact surface of revolution of said first collar, said first collar forming a second radial protuberance of diameter that is greater than the diameter of said first protuberance, said second protuberance being suitable for retaining the ends of gripper arms installed on said floating support and serving to raise or lower said pipe in translation relative to said floating support substantially along the axis Z 1 -Z 1 ′ of said pipe at its top end; and c) support means resting on a stationary platform having a first passage through which the pipe passes, said platform being secured to said floating support, said support means and said platform surrounding said pipe and directly or indirectly supporting said first collar, said first collar presenting a third contact surface of revolution on the underface of said first collar and co-operating by bearing directly or indirectly on said support means, said support means including load transfer and rotary joint means enabling the axis Z 1 -Z 1 ′ of said pipe to be guided in inclination at said top end within a virtual cone having an angle at the apex (2α) of less than 10° relative to an axis ZZ′ perpendicular to said platform, while ensuring that loads are distributed substantially uniformly over all of said contact surfaces when said pipe exerts non-uniform thrust on said contact surfaces and said support means, thereby causing said inclination of the pipe.