Mooring tube assembly with swivel mounted chain support

• US 6,439,146 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2001
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FMC Technologies Incorporated (TechnipFMC, plc)
• Original Assignee: FMC Technologies Incorporated (TechnipFMC, plc)
• Inventors: Han, Humphrey C., Seaman, David M., Fontenot, William L., Krafft, Martin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWINEHART, EDWIN L
• Application Number:
  US09/756,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20010029878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 254/389, 114/293, 114/230.1, 114/230.12, 114/199, 114/200
• US Class Current: 114/230.12
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/50 Anchoring arrangements or methods for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/507 with mooring turrets

Abstract

A vessel with a mooring tube assembly with swivel mounted chain supports. The assembly includes a frame arranged and designed for support within a vertical opening of the vessel at its bow and/or its stern. A plurality of chain tubes are carried on the outer side of the frame in an arc such that their top ends extend upwardly generally parallel to the vertical axis of opening of the vessel. The vessel includes a deck mounted above the upper end of the frame. A track on the deck allows a single winch to be moved so that a pull-in line can be registered with any of the top ends of the tubes. A plurality of chain supports are rotationally mounted on the frame where each chain support has an outlet and an inlet. A trunnion chain stopper is provided between the outlet and inlet of the chain support. The outlet of each chain stopper is in registration with the lower end of one of the chain tubes.

Claims

1. In a vessel including a vertical passage which extends from a hull to a top deck including a plurality of anchor chains extending through said vertical passage, said vertical passage having a generally vertical axis, an improvement comprising,

a structure (50) (51) arranged and designed to be installed and supported within said vertical passage (53),

said structure (50) (51) including a support frame (58) (55) and a plurality of tubes (52) (57) placed in a tube arrangement about an outside periphery of said support frame, said tubes being arranged and designed for anchor chains to pass through,

said tubes having top ends which are generally parallel to said vertical axis of said vertical passage.

2. The vessel of claim 1 further comprising,

a deck (99) (100) mounted on said vessel above an upper end of said support frame (51) (55),

a track (60) (82) disposed on said deck, said track placed in a track arrangement which corresponds to said tube arrangement, and

a winch (79) (81) mounted on said deck and arranged and designed to move along said track (60) (82) so that a pull-in line can be generally registered with any of said top ends of said tubes (52) (57),

whereby a single winch (79) (81) can pull in any one of a plurality of anchor chains disposed in said tubes (52) (57).

3. The vessel of claim 1 further comprising,

a plurality of chain supports (56), each chain support (56) being rotationally mounted on said support frame (51) (55), each chain support having a chain outlet (47) which is in registration with one of said plurality of tubes, with each chain support having an inlet (84).

4. The vessel of claim 3 wherein each chain support (56) includes,

a trunnion support body (40) arranged and designed for rotation about a support body vertical axis, said support body having a hollow upper shaft (47) serving as said chain outlet, said support body vertical axis being parallel to said vertical axis of said vertical passage,

bearing blocks (37) mounted transversely to said vertical axis in said support body,

a trunnion chain stopper housing (80) carried by said bearing blocks (37) and arranged and designed for rotation with respect to said support body (40) about an axis transverse to said vertical axis,

a chain stopper (82) carried within said housing (80), said chain stopper having an outlet which communicates with said hollow upper shaft (47) for the passage of a chain, said chain stopper having an inlet, and

a chain tube (84) coupled to said inlet of said chain stopper housing (80).

5. The vessel of claim 1 wherein

said structure (50) is mounted in said vertical passage located at a stem of the vessel.

6. The vessel of claim 1 wherein

said structure (51) is mounted in said vertical passage located at a bow of the vessel.

7. A chain support for a vessel comprising

a trunnion support body arranged and designed for rotation about a first axis utilizing at least one swivel bearing,

bearing blocks mounted transversely to said first axis in said support body,

a trunnion chain stopper housing carried by said bearing blocks and arranged and designed for rotation with respect to said support body about a second axis which is transverse to said first axis,

a chain stopper carried within said chain stopper housing, said chain stopper having an outlet for the passage of a chain, said chain stopper having an inlet, said chain passing through a bore within said at least one swivel bearing and

a chain tube coupled to said inlet of said chain stopper housing.

8. The chain support of claim 7 wherein said first axis is a vertical axis and said second axis is a horizontal axis.

9. The chain support of claim 8 wherein

said support body has a hollow upper shaft, and said outlet of said chain stopper communicates with said hollow upper shaft for the passage of a chain.

10. A chain support for a a vessel comprising

a trunnion support body arranged and designed for rotation about a first horizontal axis,

bearing blocks mounted transversely to said first horizontal axis in said support body,

a trunnion chain stopper housing carried by said bearing blocks and arranged and designed for rotation with respect to said support body about a second horizontal axis which is transverse to said first axis,

a chain stopper carried within said chain stopper housing, said chain stopper having an outlet for the passage of a chain, said chain stopper having an inlet, and

a chain tube coupled to said inlet of said chain stopper housing.