US3670686A

US3670686A - Submerged mooring system

Info

Publication number: US3670686A
Application number: US74293A
Authority: US
Inventors: David G Reynolds
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-09-22
Filing date: 1970-09-22
Publication date: 1972-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-20

Abstract

A submerged mooring system for a tanker which is being loaded, or unloaded. The mooring system permits the tanker to drift with the wind and/or current while maintaining the bow of the tanker headed toward the anchor point. The mooring system incorporates a swivel which rotates around a vertical axis as the heading of the tanker changes with variations in the wind and/or current. The swivel comprises a column means, a circular mooring ring loosely encircling and slidable circumferentially around the column means, means for retaining the mooring ring on the column means, and a slip ring linked with and slidable circumferentially of the mooring ring, the mooring line being connected to the slip ring. A hose for loading or unloading the tanker extends between the tanker and the mooring system and the mooring system incorporates another swivel which permits the hose to swivel about the same axis as the mooring swivel in response to changes in the heading of the tanker.

Description

United States Patent Reynolds 51 June 20, 1972 [54] SUBMERGED MOORING SYSTEM David G. Reynolds, 13952 Dunton Drive, Whittier, Calif. 90605 [22] Filed: Sept. 22, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 74,293

[72] Inventor:

Primary ExaminerTrygve M. Blix Attorney-Harris, Kiech, Russell & Kern [57] ABSTRACT A submerged mooring system for a tanker which is being loaded, or unloaded. The mooring system permits the tanker to drift with the wind and/or current while maintaining the bow of the tanker headed toward the anchor point. The mooring system incorporates a swivel which rotates around a vertical axis as the heading of the tanker changes with variations in the wind and/or current. The swivel comprises a column means, a circular mooring ring loosely encircling and slidable circumferentially around the column means, means for retaining the mooring ring on the column means, and a slip ring linked with and slidable circumferentially of the mooring ring, the mooring line being connected to the slip ring. A hose for loading or unloading the tanker extends between the tanker and the mooring system and the mooring system incorporates another swivel which permits the hose to swivel about the same axis as the mooring swivel in response to changes in the heading of the tanker.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 20 1972 Ill [.JLJ

/N|/NTOR.

0n V/D 6. Azwvows BY HIS HTTORNEYJ. HARRIS, A7504 RUSSELL 84 KERN SUBMERGED MOORING SYSTEM CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application discloses subject matter which is disclosed and claimed in my copending patent application Ser. No. 94,394, filed Dec. 2, 1970.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates in general to mooring systems for ships, or the like, and, more particularly, to a submerged tanker mooring system which permits the tanker to weathervane with the wind and/or current so that its bow always faces the anchor point while the tanker is being loaded, or unloaded. The invention is particularly applicable to loading a tanker with crude oil, although other uses therefor are also possible.

The submerged tanker mooring system of the invention incorporates a swivel to which a bow mooring line extending to the tanker is connected and which permits the mooring line to rotate about a vertical axis as the heading of the tanker changes with variations in the wind and/or current. Also located at the anchor point is a hose swivel to which a hose leading to the tanker is connected and which permits rotation of the hose about the same vertical axis in response to tanker heading changes. Thus, the bow mooring line and the loading hose, which preferably extends to the bow also, swivel in unison about the same vertical axis as the heading of the tanker varies.

RELATED PRIOR ART Mooring systems, not necessarily submerged, of the general type to which the present invention relates, are disclosed in such US. patents as Brackx U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,617, issued Nov. 27, 1956, Gibson US. Pat. No. 3,366,088, issued Jan. 30, 1968, and Zunderdorp US. Pat. No. 3,430,597, issued Mar. 4, 1969.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION Primary objects of the invention are to provide a submerged tanker mooring system comprising a very simple and sturdy swivel which permits the tanker mooring line to swing about a vertical axis freely, and without binding, as the tanker heading varies with variations in the wind and/or current direction.

More particularly, an important object of the invention is to provide a mooring swivel which comprises simply a circular mooring ring loosely encircling and slidable circumferentially around a column means, plus a slip ring linked with and slidable circumferentially of the mooring ring, the mooring line being connected to this slip ring. A related object is to provide means for retaining the mooring ring on the column means.

With the foregoing construction, as the tanker heading changes, the slip ring can slide circumferentially of the mooring ring, or the mooring ring can rotate relative to the column means, or both. The net result is a very simple mooring swivel which accommodates anchor heading changes effectively and without binding, which are important features of the invention.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a mooring system of the foregoing nature wherein the column means is cylindrical, and wherein the retaining means for the mooring ring comprises downwardly facing and upwardly facing annular shoulders at the upper and lower ends of the column means.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the mooring art in the light of this disclosure, may be achieved with the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in detail hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING In the drawing:

FlG. l is a semidiagrammatic view showing a tanker connected to the submerged mooring system of the invention by a bow line and showing a bow hose for loading the tanker also connected to the mooring system;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view showing the mooring system in more detail; and

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken as indicated by the arrowed line 33 of FIG. 2 of the drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION Referring initially to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the submerged tanker mooring system of the invention is designated generally therein by the numeral 10 and is shown anchored to the sea floor 12. A tanker 14 is shown secured to the submerged mooring system 10 by a bow mooring line 16, which may be a cable, chain, or the like. For example, the line 16 may be formed of a synthetic material such as nylon, or the like. Illustrated as connected to the mooring line 16 by ties 18 is a bow hose 20 for loading the tanker 14 with oil, for example. A buoy 22 connected to the mooring system 10 marks the location thereof, among other things.

Considering the mooring system 10 in more detail, it includes a base 26 which is suitably anchored to the sea floor 12, as by being connected to piles 28 driven thereinto. The mooring line 16 is connected to the base 26 by a swivel or swivel means 30 of the invention which permits the tanker 14 to weathervane about a vertical axis and which will be described in more detail hereinafter. Mounted on the base 26 is a bell or dome 32 to which the hose 20 is connected, this bell being rotatable about the vertical axis of the mooring swivel 30. The hose 20 is connected within the bell 32 to an oil supply conduit, not shown, by a hose swivel, not shown, coaxial with the mooring swivel 30 and the bell 32. This structure forms no part of the present invention and is disclosed in detail in my aforementioned copending application, reference to which is hereby made.

Considering the mooring swivel 30 now in more detail, it in cludes a column means 36 carried by the base 26 and shown as having a cylindrical exterior surface 38. Loosely encircling and slidable circumferentially around the cylindrical column means 36 is a circular mooring ring 40 which is retained on the column means by upper, downwardly facing and lower, upwardly' facing

shoulders

42 and 44 respectively located at the upper and lower ends of the column means. The upper shoulder 42 is fonned by an external annular flange 50 at the upper end of the column means 36, while the lower shoulder 44 is formed by the upper surface of the base 26.

The mooring swivel 30 also includes a slip ring 46 which is linked with and which is slidable circumferentially of the mooring ring 40. The mooring line 16 is connected to the slip ring 46, as by a link 48.

With the foregoing construction, as the tanker 14 drifts with the wind and/or current, it always remains bow-on to the mooring system 10, and the mooring swivel 30 permits swinging of the mooring line 16 about the vertical axis of the swivel. (At the same time, the hose swivel hereinbefore referred to permits swinging of the hose 20 about the same vertical axis.)

As the tanker 14 swings about the axis of the mooring swivel 30, the mooring ring 40 slides circumferentially around the column means 36, or the slip ring 46 slides circumferentially along the mooring ring, or both. This provides a very flexible arrangement which insures the desired swiveling action about a vertical axis with no possibility of binding, which is an important feature of the invention. It might be pointed out that this circumferential motion of the mooring ring 40 and/or the slip ring 46 can take place freely even after some corrosion of the various parts involved may have occurred due to prolonged submergence in sea water.

An important feature of the invention is that the inside diameter of the mooring ring 40 is appreciably greater than the outside diameter of the retaining flange 50. This insures against binding of the mooring ring 40 since, even if it were to ride up the cylindrical surface 38, it still would contact the flange 50 at essentially only one point.

It will be understood that although the invention has been disclosed in connection with bow mooring, it may be used for other types of mooring also.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims appearing in the next section of this specification.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a mooring system for a ship, or the like, the combination of:

a column means;

b. a circular mooring ring loosely encircling and slidable circumfcrentially around said column means through 360;

c. means for retaining said mooring ring on said column means; and

d. a slip ring linked with and slidable circumferentially of said mooring ring through 360, the diameter of said slip ring being small compared to that of said mooring ring.

2. A mooring system as defined in claim 1 including means for anchoring said column means.

3. A mooring system according to claim 2 wherein said column means is cylindrical.

4. A mooring system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said retaining means comprises downwardly facing and upwardly facing annular shoulders at the upper and lower ends of said column means.

5. A mooring system according to claim 4 including a mooring line connected to said slip ring.

Claims

1. In a mooring system for a ship, or the like, the combination of: a column means; b. a circular mooring ring loosely encircling and slidable circumferentially around said column means through 360*; c. means for retaining said mooring ring on said column means; and d. a slip ring linked with and slidable circumferentially of said mooring ring through 360*, the diameter of said slip ring being small compared to that of said mooring ring.