512results about "Mooring equipment" patented technology

A method is disclosed for deploying a suction pile anchor in which flood valves are opened on the top of a suction pile and the suction pile anchor is off loaded from the anchor boat and lowered it to the sea floor. The suction pile anchor is set down and the rate of feed is adjusted to match the rate of self-penetration. An ROV with pump capability closes the flood valves on the top of the suction pile and attaches to the pumping port of the suction pile. The pump of the ROV operates to draw down the suction pile to full depth and brings the first load line connection and the attached first end of the load line well below the mudline while the second load connection at the second end of the load line is supported above the mudline. The ROV disconnects from the pump port and connects a mooring line to second the load connection. Another aspect of the present invention is a suction pile system having a suction pile with an ROV compatible pressure port and a flood valve at the top. A load support system includes a first load connection on the side of the suction pile with a load line connected to the first load connection. A second, ROV accessible load connection is provided at the distal end of the load line.

A mooring system including a body / arm / vessel arrangement with passive damping and / or an active force restoring system. The active force restoring system includes a sensor for generating a displacement signal representative of the displacement of the vessel from a quiescent position and an active forcing device which responds to the displacement signal to force the arm in a direction to move the vessel toward the quiescent position. The passive damping arrangement includes a device, independent of and in addition to the damping of the water on the vessel or the arm, that damps the oscillation of the vessel in response to environmental conditions which force the vessel from its quiescent position. Hydraulic cylinder arrangements are provided for active forcing and passive damping. Powered winch / cable arrangements are also provided for active force systems. Alternative devices for active and passive damping systems of torque actuators include hydraulic powered cans with internal fins, or cans with internal elastomeric elements or disk brake elements.

A mooring system for securing a floating vessel to the sea floor comprises a plurality of mooring legs, at least one of which includes separate first and second mooring lines. The first mooring line comprises a first end which is connected to the vessel and the second mooring line comprises a first end which is secured to the sea floor. The mooring system also comprises a connection and tensioning device which includes a body, a bore which extends through the body, a chain stopper for adjustably securing the first mooring line to the body, and a connector for connecting a second end of the second mooring line to the body. In use, a second end of the first mooring line is inserted into the bore and the first mooring line is pulled through the bore while the body is subject to an opposing pulling force. Once the first mooring line is pulled through the bore a desired distance, the chain stopper maintains the first mooring line in position relative to the body to thereby secure the vessel to the sea floor.

A mooring system including a body / arm / vessel arrangement with passive damping and / or an active force restoring system. The active force restoring system includes a sensor for generating a displacement signal representative of the displacement of the vessel from a quiescent position and an active forcing device which responds to the displacement signal to force the arm in a direction to move the vessel toward the quiescent position. The passive damping arrangement includes a device, independent of and in addition to the damping of the water on the vessel or the arm, that damps the oscillation of the vessel in response to environmental conditions which force the vessel from its quiescent position. Hydraulic cylinder arrangements are provided for active forcing and passive damping. Powered winch / cable arrangements are also provided for active force systems. Alternative devices for active and passive damping systems of torque actuators include hydraulic powered cans with internal fins, or cans with internal elastomeric elements or disk brake elements.

An offshore depot having a vertically symmetric hull, an upper inwardly-tapered wall and a lower outwardly-tapered wall that produce significant heave damping in response to heavy wave action. Ballast is added to the lower and outermost portions of the hull to lower the center of gravity below the center of buoyancy. The offshore depot includes a tunnel formed within or through the hull at the waterline that provides a sheltered area inside the hull for safe and easy launching / docking of boats and embarkation / debarkation of personnel. When the watertight tunnel doors are all shut, the tunnel may be drained to create a dry dock environment within the hull. The offshore depot includes berthing and dinning accommodations, medical facilities, workshops, machine shops, a heliport, and the like.

A vessel mooring system which includes at least two mooring robots secured to a terminal, each robot includes an attractive force attachment element eg. a vacuum cup and a base structure fixed relative to the terminal. The attachment element is able to be engaged with a vertically extending side vessel surface and to exert an attractive force normal to the vessel surface at where it is to be attached. Each robot can measure the attractive force between the attachment element and the vessel to provide an “attractive force capacity reading”. Also provided is capability to measure the force between the attachment element and the fixed structure of the mooring robot to provide a “normal force reading”. From monitoring of the relationship between the attractive force capacity reading and the normal force a control of the mooring robot can be provided such that if there is a tending to separate the attachment elements from said vessel the attractive force may be increased and / or alarm is sounded.

The method of mooring buoyant equipment at the surface of a body of water in a controlled position using a single line by connecting a first line from the buoyant equipment to a first diameter drum on a subsea mooring tower, connecting the first diameter drum to a second diameter drum, connecting a second line from the second diameter drum to a weight, such that when the depth of the body of water changes the tension on the first line remains the same and the vertical distance travelled by the weight is less than the change in the depth of the body of water.

A self-aligning fairlead latch device is provided for guiding and securing an anchor chain between an offshore structure and an anchor. The fairlead latch device includes a latch housing pivotally mounted to a fairlead housing. The latch housing includes one or more latches for securing the anchor chain in place. The fairlead latch device further includes an upper retainer component that is coupled to an upper support structure and a lower support structure. The coupling of the upper retainer component to the support structures allow the fairlead latch device to be relocated by lifting of the device from the support structures.

A new and improved submarine anchoring cable that includes an outer layer that comprises 20% to 80% polyurethane elastomer, 20% to 80% carbon fiber mixed at a certain ratio. The outer layer is compressed to wrap around an aramid fiber or an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber and a core of synthetic fiber rope with molecular malleability, e.g., nylon, nylon66, and the polyester rope. The rope is exposed in a form of a loop from both ends of the cable. Each loop has one or multiple layers of sheath made of aramid fiber, Kelvar fiber or UHMWPE fiber wrapping around the rope near a tie on each end to provide extra friction and withstanding strength. One end of the anchor cable is fixed to the offshore platform and the other end is fixed to each anchor to hold on to the offshore platform within a limited area defined by multiple anchors fastened to the offshore platform.

A damper device for mooring watercraft, of the type comprising at least two rigid elements (1, 2), to one end of each of which there can be secured a mooring rope or chain, said elements being able to move coaxially in opposition to each other against the action of an elastic body (3) which comprises at least one member (10) constructed of an elastically deformable material.

A mooring robot (100, 200) for releasably fastening a first moveable object (S) to a second nearby object (51) is disclosed. The first moveable object (S) moves in response to the application of external forces to the object (S). The robot (100, 200) operates to restore the first object (S) to a predetermined operating position. With particular reference to the mooring of a vessel (S), the mooring robot (100, 200) has attractive attachment element(s) (1) fixable to a ship's hull and includes a movement unit (10, 210), with active three-degree-of-freedom translation, for controlling the position of the attachment element(s) (1). The movement unit (10, 210) includes a restorative means associated with each of the two degrees of translational freedom in the horizontal plane which provide a restorative force acting to return the attachment element(s) (1) to the predetermined operating position.

A system and method for installing a pile anchor (75) using an anchor installation system (100). The anchor installation system comprising an elongated hollow anchor element (75) that is releasably attached to an installation element or installer (50). The installer can be used repeatedly for multiple installations.

A ship mooring device is characterized in that a shock absorber is mounted on a support; a magnetic sucker is mounted on the upper part of the shock absorber; a motor is mounted in the shock absorber; a slideway is arranged on the support; a pulley is mounted in the slideway and is connected with the motor; and a separator is arranged between the shock absorber and the magnetic sucker. The ship mooring device can ensure normal ship mooring by use of the attraction force between the magnetic sucker and an iron pile on a wharf without the need of mooring ropes, thereby ensuring the personal safety of workers who work frequently between the ship and the platform. In comparison to the mooring manner using a mooring rope, the ship mooring device can improve the success rate of mooring, and can achieve automatic mooring and departing, save fuel and lower the labor intensity of operators at the same time saving energy.

The invention provides a multi-point mooring and positioning constant-tension self-adaptive control system and method for a ship. The multi-point mooring and positioning constant-tension self-adaptive control system comprises m mooring winches, a detection system and a monitoring station. Each mooring winch is provided with the following detection equipment including an encoder, a tension sensor, a mooring cable angle sensor, a brake position proximity switch, a clutch position proximity switch and a ratchet wheel and pawl position proximity switch, wherein the encoder is used for detecting the length value and the speed value of a mooring cable; the tension sensor is used for detecting the real-time tension value of the mooring cable; the mooring cable angle sensor is used for detecting the vertical angle and the horizontal angle of an anchor cable; the brake position proximity switch is used for detecting the on-off state of a brake; the clutch position proximity switch is used for detecting the on-off state of a clutch; and the ratchet wheel and pawl position proximity switch is used for detecting the on-off state of a ratchet wheel and pawl stopping device. The monitoring station is connected with all servo drivers and all the pieces of detection equipment. The multi-point mooring and positioning constant-tension self-adaptive control system and method for the ship have the advantages of being simple in structure, economical, reliable, accurate in positioning, low in positioning cost and low in energy consumption.

An offshore depot having a vertically symmetric hull, an upper inwardly-tapered wall and a lower outwardly-tapered wall that produce significant heave damping in response to heavy wave action. Ballast is added to the lower and outermost portions of the hull to lower the center of gravity below the center of buoyancy. The offshore depot includes a tunnel formed within or through the hull at the waterline that provides a sheltered area inside the hull for safe and easy launching / docking of boats and embarkation / debarkation of personnel. When the watertight tunnel doors are all shut, the tunnel may be drained to create a dry dock environment within the hull. The offshore depot includes berthing and dinning accommodations, medical facilities, workshops, machine shops, a heliport, and the like.

A system, method, and device for docking and mooring a watercraft are disclosed. The exemplary device may have a ferrous material or an electromagnetic generator coupled to the watercraft, including a ferrous-hulled watercraft. The device may also have an electromagnetic generator coupled to the dock for selectively generating a magnetic field to attract or oppose a magnetic force field created by the on-board electromagnetic generator. A control device may be used to activate the electromagnetic generators. A communication device may be used to communicate with the control device to activate the electromagnetic generator.

The present invention is generally directed towards mooring devices. Generally, the mooring device comprises a strap, having first and second ends, and a shock absorber, having first and second ends and unstretched and maximum stretched states, wherein the first end of the shock absorber is coupled to the strap at a location between the first and second ends of the strap, and the second of the shock absorber is coupled to the strap at a location between one of the first and second ends of the strap and the first end of the shock absorber, and further wherein the portion of the strap between the first and second ends of the shock absorber is longer than the shock absorber in the unstretched state.

The present invention is a docking system for personal watercraft such as a Jet Ski which docking system is moored to the shore by at least one stake which permit the dock to float several feet away from the shore. The present invention docking system has a shape which is conformed to the shape of the personal watercraft with the method of having a rolling means on a rope stretched across the entrance to the dock so that the dock itself is pulled adjacent the sides of the personal watercraft as it enters the slip so that the personal watercraft will not bang against other personal watercraft and is snugly retained within the dock. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the dock comprises an island which maintains a multiplicity of personal watercraft at 90 degrees to each other so that a multiplicity of personal watercraft can be moored at the same time and moored in a configuration so that they will not hit each other.

An underwater robot is configured to be charged in response to a charging signal from a charging dock, and includes a main body having a waterproof chamber, and an electric power unit disposed in the waterproof chamber. The electric power unit includes a rechargeable battery set storing electric power, and a charging module coupled to the rechargeable battery set and configured to charge the rechargeable battery set in response to the charging signal from the charging dock.

A system and method for installing a pile anchor (75) using an anchor installation system (100). The anchor installation system comprising an elongated hollow anchor element (75) that is releasably attached to an installation element or installer (50). The installer can be used repeatedly for multiple installations.

A system wherein a vessel (12) is moored by catenary mooring lines (14, 15, 16) that include polymer cable lengths (30) that can stretch under tension, which indicates the amount of polymer stretching. In the absence of polymer line stretching, a measured actual drift or excursion of the vessel from its initial position (as determined by a GPS system) would result in a predetermined nonstretch inclination (graph 50) of the top (42) of a first mooring line (14) from the horizontal. If the inclination is greater than the predicted nonstretch inclination, this indicates that the polymer line has stretched, with the amount of stretch indicated by the increase in inclination over the predicted nonstretch inclination.

The invention discloses a five-degree-of-freedom metamorphic multipurpose ship berthing device which comprises mounting seats, parallel berthing supports, elliptic chuck seats, magnetic chucks and electromagnetic brakes. When in berthing, the parallel berthing supports drive the elliptic chuck seats and the magnetic chucks to extend outwards from a hull, and a main ship hull is connected with a wharf or other hulls by electromagnetic force generated by the magnetic chucks after energization to realize berthing. When in unberthing, the magnetic chucks are powered off, the parallel berthing supports drive the elliptic magnetic chucks to retract into the hull. Three telescopic cylinders in the parallel berthing supports are double-acting cylinders or double-acting hydraulic cylinders, and the device has bidirectional pressure maintaining and vibration damping functions besides connecting, supporting and telescoping functions. Multipoint stable berthing can be realized by multipoint arrangement, collision force on the wharf, an offshore platform or other ships in berthing is greatly reduced, and berthing safety is ensured. The five-degree-of-freedom metamorphic multipurpose ship berthing device has the advantages of simple structure, high safety, good stability, simplicity and convenience in operation and maintenance and the like.

A mooring robot releasably fastening a first moveable object (S) to a second nearby object. The first moveable object (S) moves in response to the application of external forces to the object (S). The robot operates to restore the first object (S) to a predetermined operating position. With the particular reference to the mooring of a vessel (S), the mooring robot has attractive attachment element(s) fixable to a ship's hull and includes a movement unit with active three-degree-of-freedom translation, for controlling the position of the attachment element(s). The movement includes a restorative means associated with each of the two degrees of translation freedom in the horizontal plane which provide a restorative force acting to return the attachment element(s) to the predetermined operating system.

The invention provides an underwater vehicle recovery device applied to an unmanned ship. The device comprises an unmanned ship end recoverer and an unmanned underwater vehicle end recoverer, whereinthe unmanned ship end recoverer and the unmanned underwater vehicle end recoverer are each provided with a magnet, an unmanned ship end mooring rope is arranged on a side, away from a corresponding magnet, of the unmanned ship end recoverer, an unmanned underwater vehicle end mooring rope is arranged on a side, away from the corresponding magnet, of the unmanned underwater vehicle end recoverer, and a propeller is arranged on a side surface of the unmanned ship end recoverer. The recovery device is advantaged in that an unmanned ship and a micro underwater vehicle release the respective recoverer connected by recovery cables, so positioning and navigation errors can be greatly allowed, when the unmanned underwater vehicle is emergently recovered due to propulsion faults, electronic circuitfaults and the like, the two recoverers are rapidly connected and matched through the electromagnets, the device is more efficient, whether butt joint of the recoverers at the end is successful or not is detected through a pressure sensor and a tension sensor, and the device is more efficient and rapid and has wide applicability in the field of unmanned underwater vehicle recovery.

Starting from a mooring assembly with a fixed mooring point and the combination of at least one rigid arm which, in the moored position, lies above the water surface, a rigid connecting element connected by means of a pivot point therewith and being essentially vertical at rest, and a weight, connected to the assembly and producing at movements of the floating body to and from the mooring point resetting forces acting upon this body in that the ends of the rigid arm and the connecting element respectively, opposite the first pivot point, are connected either with the mooring point on the one hand and the floating body on the other hand or with the floating body on the one hand and the mooring point on the other hand, the invention proposes that the weight is connected to the rigid connecting element. As a result the structure of the rigid arm can be simpler and the assembly will be easier to use.

A sea vessel exploration and production system is provided, wherein the system includes a drilling station formed from at least one section of a first sea vessel hull; and a docking station, which is also formed from at least one section of a second sea vessel hull. A mooring system suitable for connecting the drilling station to the docking station is also provided. Means for anchoring the vessels to the seafloor, and for attaching them to turret buoys, are also considered. Various exploration and production packages, as well as equipment required to deploy and control a self-standing riser system in either deep or shallow waters, are also described.

In some aspects of the inventive subject matter, there is provided a monitor for monitoring at least one operational condition of an underwater mooring line, the monitor comprising an elongate main body, a protective shroud, at least one operational condition sensor for monitoring the, or each, operational condition, at least one acoustic transmitter, and (in some instances) a source of electrical power for powering the operation of the sensor and transmitter. The main body has at first and second ends respectively first and second mooring line connections (each configured for connection to a respective mooring line) and an intermediate portion. In use, the intermediate section is under tension between the first and second ends when the mooring line is under load. The, or each, operational condition sensor is attached to the intermediate section, the sensor having a signal output for providing a signal regarding the sensed operational condition.