Mooring system

• US 3,191,201 A
• Filed: 04/02/1962
• Issued: 06/29/1965
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1962
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sonat Offshore Drilling, Inc.
• Original Assignee: George T. Richardson, Joseph A. Scruggs
• Inventors: Richardson, George T., Scruggs, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US04/184,466
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• US Class Current: 441/3
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/507 with mooring turrets

Claims

1. A FLOATABLE VESSEL FROM WHICH DRILLING OPERATIONS ON A SUBMERGED BOTTOM MAY BE CONDUCTED COMPRISING:

AN ELONGATED HULL HAVING A STREAMLINED BOW TO REDUCE RESISTANCE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID HULL THROUGH THE WATER;

A WELL EXTENDING VERTICALLY THROUGH SAID HULL;

A VERTICAL HOLLOW CYLINDER SUPPORTED BY SAID VESSEL MOUNTED IN SAID WELL FOR ROTATION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS RELATIVE TO SAID HULL;

AND MEANS SECURED TO SAID CYLINDER FOR ATTACHING AT LEAST ONE ANCHOR LINE THERETO, WHEREBY WHEN SAID CYLINDER IS ANCHORED TO A SUBMERGED BOTTOM SAID HULL MAY BE ROTATED ABOUT SAID CYLINDER AND ORIENTED IN A DIRECTION TO MINIMIZE WIND AND WATER FORCES ON SAID HULL AND WHEREBY MARINE-BOTTOM DRILLING OPERATIONS CAN BE CARRIED OUT FROM SAID VESSEL BY OPERATING DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID CYLINDER.