Disconnectable mooring system
First Claim
1. An improved detachable vessel mooring system including a vessel having a vertically aligned turret rotatably secured to its hull such that said hull and turret may rotate with respect to each other with the bottom end of said turret facing downwardly toward the sea and including a buoyant mooring element and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said mooring element and the sea floor and including a selectively operable hydraulic connector assembly having a collet flange hub mounted at the top of said mooring element and hydraulically powered collet connector mounted to the bottom of said turret wherein the improvement comprises,an extension member coupled to said collet connector selectively latched to said collet flange hub.means for selectively applying a force to said extension member in a direction away from said collet connector and said collet flange hub such that said extension member moves a distance away from said collet connector, said force on said extension member being coupled to said collet connector thereby creating tension between said collet connector and said collet flange hub, andmeans for locking said extension member at said distance away from said collet connector, thereby maintaining said tension between said collet connector and said collet flange hub when said force on said extension member is no longer applied.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved detachable mooring system is disclosed of the kind including a rotatable turret mounted on the vessel and a buoyant spider buoy, secured by mooring legs to the sea floor, which may be selectively connected by means of a hydraulic connector to the bottom of the turret. One improvement relates to apparatus for establishing pre-load tension between a collet flange hub of the spider buoy and a hydraulic powered connector at the bottom of the turret. Another improvement relates to apparatus for remotely sensing the level of pre-load tension in the connector. Another improvement relates to a self-aligning support arrangement for supporting the collet connector to the bottom of the turret. Another improvement relates to an axial load bearing arrangement for supporting the turret with respect to the vessel.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An improved detachable vessel mooring system including a vessel having a vertically aligned turret rotatably secured to its hull such that said hull and turret may rotate with respect to each other with the bottom end of said turret facing downwardly toward the sea and including a buoyant mooring element and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said mooring element and the sea floor and including a selectively operable hydraulic connector assembly having a collet flange hub mounted at the top of said mooring element and hydraulically powered collet connector mounted to the bottom of said turret wherein the improvement comprises,
an extension member coupled to said collet connector selectively latched to said collet flange hub. means for selectively applying a force to said extension member in a direction away from said collet connector and said collet flange hub such that said extension member moves a distance away from said collet connector, said force on said extension member being coupled to said collet connector thereby creating tension between said collet connector and said collet flange hub, and means for locking said extension member at said distance away from said collet connector, thereby maintaining said tension between said collet connector and said collet flange hub when said force on said extension member is no longer applied.
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4. An improved detachable vessel mooring system including a vessel having a vertically aligned turret rotatably secured to its hull such that said hull and turret may rotate with respect to each other with the bottom end of said turret facing downwardly toward the sea and including a buoyant mooring element and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said mooring element and the sea floor and including a selectively operable hydraulic connector assembly having a collet flange hub mounted at the top of said mooring element and a hydraulic collet connector mounted to the bottom of said turret wherein the improvement comprises
a turret support ring secured to the bottom of said turret, said turret ring having an inwardly facing spherical annular seat, and a collet connector support ring carried by said collet connector, said collet connector support ring having an outwardly facing spherical annular ball surface such that said outwardly facing surface of said collet connector support ring may rock within said inwardly facing spherical annular seat of said turret support ring.
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6. An improved detachable vessel mooring system including a vessel having a vertically aligned turret rotatably secured to its hull such that said hull and turret may rotate with respect to each other with the bottom end of said turret facing downwardly toward the sea including a buoyant mooring element and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said mooring element and the sea floor and including a selectively operable hydraulic connector assembly having a collet flange hub mounted at the top of said mooring element and a hydraulic collet connector mounted to the bottom of said turret wherein the improvement comprises means for raising said collet connector to the top of said turret while said vessel is connected to said buoyant mooring element.
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7. An improved detachable vessel mooring system including a vessel having a vertically aligned turret rotatably secured to its hull such that said hull and turret may rotate with respect to each other with the bottom end of said turret facing downwardly toward the sea and including a buoyant mooring element and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said mooring element and the sea floor and including a selectively operable hydraulic connector assembly having a collet flange hub mounted at the top of said mooring element and a hydraulically powered collet connector mounted to the bottom of said turret wherein the improvement comprises
means for selective forcing said connector assembly in an upward direction with respect to the bottom end of said turret, thereby establishing pre-load tension between said collet flange hub and collet connector of said connector assembly, and means for substantially maintaining said pre-load tension in said connector assembly after it is no longer being selectively forced in an upward direction.
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20. An improved detachable vessel mooring system including a vessel having a vertical well which is open to the sea and in which sea water rises to a maximum height within said well which is substantially the same height as the exterior water line of said vessel when said vessel is fully loaded and including a vertically aligned turret rotatably secured to the vessel within the well such that said hull and turret may rotate with respect to each other with the bottom end of said turret facing downwardly toward the sea and including a mooring element and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said mooring element and the sea floor and including connection apparatus by which said mooring element is selectively connectable to the bottom of the turret wherein the improvement includes,
an axial load bearing assembly disposed within said well at a position above said maximum height to which water rises in said well; - and
removable coupling means for coupling said turret to said bearing assembly means and for allowing said bearing assembly means to be removed from said well without removing said turret from said well.
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21. A detachable vessel mooring system comprising
a vessel having a vertical well which is open to the sea and in which sea water rises to a maximum height within said well which is substantially the same height as a maximum exterior water line of said vessel, when said vessel is fully loaded , said well have a substantially vertical longitudinal axis, an upper turret support ring mounted within said well above said maximum height, a vertically aligned turret rotatably supported within said well by an axial load bearing assembly placed between an upper part of said turret and said upper turret support ring, a disconnectable mooring element and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said disconnectable mooring element and the sea floor, and connection means by which said disconnectable mooring element is selectively connected to the bottom of said turret.
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24. An improved detachable vessel mooring system including a vessel having a vertical well which is open to the sea and in which sea water rises to a maximum height when said vessel is fully loaded and having a turret with a vertical axis aligned with and rotatably secured to the vessel within the well such that said hull and turret may rotate with respect to each other with the bottom end of said turret facing downwardly toward the sea and including a mooring element with a vertical axis and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said mooring element and the sea floor and including connection apparatus by which said mooring element may be selectively connected to the bottom of the turret, and including a turret drive assembly by which said turret may be rotated within said well of said vessel when said mooring element is not connected to said turret wherein the improvement includes
at least two downwardly facing alignment pins disposed at the bottom of said turret with hydraulic means to reciprocate said pins selectively from a retracted position to an extended position below the bottom of said turret, and at least two receptacle means disposed in a top surface of said mooring element which are adapted to register with and to receive said alignment pins when said mooring element is axially and rotationally aligned with said turret.
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28. An improved detachable vessel mooring system including a vessel having a vertically aligned turret rotatably secured to its hull such that said hull and turret may rotate with respect to each other with the bottom end of said turret facing downwardly toward the sea and including a buoyant mooring element and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said mooring element and the sea floor and including a selectively operable hydraulic connector assembly having a collet flange hub mounted at the top of said mooring element and a hydraulic collet connector mounted to the bottom of said turret wherein the improvement comprises
a which and chain jack assembly disposed on said vessel, a cable connected between said which and chain jack assembly and said buoyant mooring element for applying an upward force on said buoyant mooring element against the bottom end of said turret, and means for raising said hydraulic collet connector to a position toward the top of said turret, whereby said vessel may be typically moored while said collet connector may be inspected.
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32. An improved detachable vessel mooring system including a vessel having a vertical well which is open to the sea and in which sea water rises to a maximum height when said vessel is fully loaded and having a vertically aligned turret rotatably secured to the vessel within the well such that said hull and turret may rotate with respect to each other with the bottom end of said turret facing downwardly toward the sea and including a mooring element and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said mooring element and the sea floor and including connection apparatus by which said mooring element may be selectively connected to the bottom of the turret, wherein the improvement includes
annular elastomeric pad means secured to said vessel within said well at a position above said maximum height within said well, and bearing assembly means mounted on said elastomeric pad means for axially supporting said turret to said vessel within said well while allowing said hull and said turret to rotate with respect to each other, wherein said bearing assembly means includes a support ring secured to said annular elastomeric pad means, a bearing race secured to said support ring, a thrust assembly supported by said vessel bearing race, and removable connection means for removably connecting said turret to said bearing, wherein said removable connection means includes an annular shoulder provided about an outer surface of said turret, said shoulder having a shoulder outer diameter. a bearing retainer ring connected to said bearing, said retainer ring having an inner diameter greater than said shoulder outer diameter, and a shear key ring means removably disposed between said bearing retainer ring and said annular shoulder for (a) coupling said turret to said bearing assembly via said retainer ring when said shear key ring is in place between said bearing retainer ring and said annular shoulder and for (b) decoupling said turret to said bearing when said key ring is removed between said bearing retainer ring and said annular shoulder, thereby providing clearance of said outer diameter of said turret by said bearing retainer ring and allowing said bearing to be raised upwardly for inspection, maintenance, or replacement.
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34. An improved detachable vessel mooring system including a vessel having a vertically aligned turret rotatably secured to its hull such that said hull and turret may rotate with respect to each other with the bottom end of said turret facing downwardly toward the sea and including a buoyant mooring element and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said mooring element and the sea floor and including a selectively operable hydraulic connector assembly having a collet flange hub mounted at the top of said mooring element and a hydraulically powered collet connector mounted to the bottom of said turret, said mooring element having a line axially aligned with said collet flange hub, said collet flange hub and said collet connector having an axial passage adapted for passage through it of a line for pulling the top of said mooring element against the bottom of said turret, wherein the improvement comprises
said line is a chain, said mooring element having a chain locker means disposed beneath said collet flange hub for storing said entire chain when said chain is not in use during installation of said mooring element to said turret, wherein a bottom end of said chain is connected to a bottom end of said chain locker means, and a top end of said chain having a buoyant messenger line having one end thereof connected to said top end of said chain, wherein when said mooring element is not connected to said turret, said messenger line has one end floating on the sea surface with its other end connected to said top end of said chain.
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37. An improved detachable vessel mooring system including a vessel having a vertically aligned turret rotatably secured to its hull such that said hull and turret may rotate with respect to each other with the bottom end of said turret facing downwardly toward the sea and including a buoyant mooring element and a plurality of mooring lines extending between and connected to said mooring element and the sea floor and including a selectively operable hydraulic connector assembly having a collet flange hub mounted at the top of said mooring element and a hydraulically powered collet connector mounted to the bottom of said turret wherein the improvements comprises;
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means for selectively forcing said connector assembly in an upward direction with respect to the bottom end of said turret, thereby establishing pre-load tension between said collet flange hub and collet connector of said connector assembly; and means for substantially maintaining said pre-load tension in said connector assembly after it is no longer being selectively forced in an upward direction.
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Specification