Biased To Particular Position Patents (Class 114/230.19)
  • Patent number: 11613330
    Abstract: A bow stop is an apparatus that safely aids in the docking of a boat. The apparatus includes at least tone length-adjustable stopper assembly. The at least one length-adjustable stopper assembly includes a telescopic bar, a stopper tube, a bungee cord, a first cradle mount, and a second cradle mount. The telescopic bar adjusts to the length of a boat. The stopper tube presses against the front of the bow. The bungee cord retracts the stopper tube into a neutral position. The first cradle mount and the second cradle mount secure the telescopic bar, and consequently the stopper tube and the bungee cord with the cradle mount. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one length-adjustable stopper assembly is a left length-adjustable stopper assembly and a right length-adjustable stopper assembly. The preferred embodiment further includes a length-adjustable cable, connecting the left length-adjustable stopper assembly with the right length-adjustable stopper assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Inventor: Wayne Gary Floe
  • Patent number: 11319029
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved device for attaching a watercraft to another structure such as another watercraft or a fixed structure, such as a dock. The apparatus comprises a spacing bar and specialized, quick connecting and releasing attachment devices that allow the watercraft to be quickly and effectively moored to other structures on the water without the risk of collision or damage to the watercraft. The quick-connect devices may be positioned near ends of the spacing bars to effectively hold the watercraft at a predetermined distance from the other structure. The device may further include tensioning mechanisms that are operable to keep the spacing bars at a substantially orthogonal orientation relative to the watercraft to maintain the pre-determined spacing between the watercraft and the other structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Inventor: Scott Logan
  • Patent number: 10913515
    Abstract: The present invention provides a ship mooring device using a spring bellows structure, wherein the ship mooring device temporarily or permanently fixes a state in which the ship is spaced at a preset distance from a vessel or a pier, the ship mooring device including: a main body configured of a plurality of frames in which opposite ends of each of the frames are hinge-coupled to facing ends of adjacent frames to form foldable hinge joints, wherein diagonally opposed non-adjacent hinge joints of the frames are fixed to the ship and the pier, respectively; and a plurality of wires which are installed inwards in diagonal lines with respect to the frames of the main body to connect the diagonally opposed non-adjacent hinge joints together, with an elastic member interposed in a center portion of the radially disposed wires to generate predetermined dynamic stability when the ship is moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology
    Inventors: Hyun Uk Kwak, Jae Sang Jung, Dong Woo Jung, Byung Won Park, In Bo Park, Suk Kyu Cho, Dong Ho Jung, Hong Gun Sung
  • Patent number: 9038558
    Abstract: A mooring system for a floating structure (1) in which a floating structure or fixed tower is provided with a turntable (80). A floating structure is moored to the turntable via at least one rigid arm (51,51?) and two tension members (41, 41?). The rigid arm is provided on one end with a ballast weight (61, 61?) and includes a damping system formed of least two separated liquid tanks (70, 70?) that are partly filled with liquids and placed at the same distance from the horizontal center line (100). The tanks (70, 70?) are fluidly connected with each other so that liquid can be exchanged between the tanks damps a swinging yaw motion of the rigid arm (51, 51?) around the vertical axis of the turntable (80).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventors: Pierre Balleraud, Jean-Robert Fournier
  • Patent number: 8800461
    Abstract: A boat separator comprising a boat extender having a first cross member attached to a first end of the boat extender, and a second cross member attached to the second end of the boat extender. The boat separator preferably has an adjustable length such that the boat extender can be extended between 20 and 30 inches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Inventor: James Lawrence Gagan, II
  • Publication number: 20130333607
    Abstract: A boat line management device is disclosed. The device having a chamber, a revolving element, an arm, and a spring. The boat line management device capable of delivering a boat line from a position on a boat to a boat docking location. The boat line management device also capable of returning to a resting position upon release of a force on the arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventor: Christopher Philips
  • Patent number: 8499709
    Abstract: A mooring system for a vessel includes an attachment unit configured to be detachably attached to a hull of the vessel; a robot arm including a plurality of arms, the arms being coupled to each other to turn in a vertical direction, the robot, arm extending by an arm actuator provided thereto to transfer the attachment unit to an attachment position of the hull; a rotation unit connected to the robot arm and allowing the robot arm to turn in a horizontal direction; and a mooring winch for winding a mooring cable to draw the attachment unit. A floating body or a quay wall may include the mooring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Phill-Seung Lee, SoonHung Han, Hyun Chung, Yong-Yook Kim, Kook-Jin Choi, Sang-Il Kim, Young-Hee Cho, Young-Su Kim
  • Patent number: 8109222
    Abstract: An apparatus is described for fixing floating bodies (1), in particular boats, to a landing body (2) with at least two holding booms (5) which are fixed to respective moorrings (4) by fittings (3) functioning as coupling elements, in each case at one end on the floating body (1) and at the other end on the landing body (2). In order to create advantageous conditions, it is proposed that at least one of the holding booms (5) be fixed, at least at one end, to the respective moorrings by the fitting (3) functioning as a coupling element so as to be rotationally fixed or rotationally resilient about an at least approximately vertical axis (7) with an adjustable and fixable angular offset (?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Inventor: Michael Fuhrmann
  • Publication number: 20100206210
    Abstract: An apparatus is described for fixing floating bodies (1), in particular boats, to a landing body (2) with at least two holding booms (5) which are fixed to respective mooring means (4) by means of fittings (3) functioning as coupling elements, in each case at one end on the floating body (1) and at the other end on the landing body (2). In order to create advantageous conditions, it is proposed that at least one of the holding booms (5) be fixed, at least at one end, to the respective mooring means by the fitting (3) functioning as a coupling element so as to be rotationally fixed or rotationally resilient about an at least approximately vertical axis (7) with an adjustable and fixable angular offset (?).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventor: Michael Fuhrmann
  • Patent number: 7493868
    Abstract: A system is provided for rigidly attaching a supply ship to a receiving ship to facilitate efficient transport of materials there-between even when the vessels are subject to heavy seas and weather. A telescoping truss assembly is provided on the first ship, and has a distal end configured to mate with a receptacle assembly on the second ship. Cables are disposed within the truss and are used to draw the truss and receptacle assemblies into engagement with each other. Once the assemblies are engaged, a hydraulic system is used to draw the two ships together, rigidifying the truss assembly and fixing the two ships in a “catamaran” arrangement. Subsequent transfers of materials between the ships can be carried out without the need to compensate for the relative dynamic vertical and horizontal displacements between the ships due to wind and waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Arnal, Dana L. Day, Edward M. Brennan
  • Patent number: 6854408
    Abstract: An apparatus as described for mooring to floating vessels (10, 12) side-by-side. The first vessel (10) is moored to the seabed by a single point mooring system (14). The apparatus comprises an arm (20) with proximal and distal ends. The arm (20) is mountable on the first vessel (10) for rotation about a vertical axis and the distal end projects outwardly from the first vessel (10) in use. A substantially inelastic mooring line (24) is attached to the distal end of the arm (20) and is securable to the second vessel (12). The resilient means (26, 28) is operable to allow limited rotation of the arm (20) about the axis in the first direction in response to tension in the mooring line (24) which exceeds a pre-determined value. The resilient means automatically restores the arm (20) to its former position upon reduction of the tension below the predetermined value. The arm (20) is freely rotatable about the axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Bluewater Energy Services BV
    Inventor: Jacob De Baan
  • Patent number: 6786169
    Abstract: A load guide system for guiding a craft into a apparatus such as a boat trailer, boat hoist or the like for egress from traveling on the water, the apparatus including a pair of stationary members of a framework spaced from each other and forming thereby an opening through which the craft is driven, the load guide system include a unit pivotally mounted on each stationary member, each unit including an upright pole engageable by the craft as it moves into the opening, and a spring biased pulley and cable assembly interconnected among the spaced members and the framework for biasing the poles toward each other, the normal condition of the poles forming an opening less than the framework opening, whereby upon one pole being engaged by the bow of the craft, should the craft not being centered upon entering the opening, the unit of that pole will act in response to operation of the pulley and cable assembly to force the bow toward the opposite pole, with the unit of the opposite pole reacting similarly, the seque
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Inventor: Byron L. Godbersen
  • Patent number: 6439147
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Roy H. Cottrell, L. Terry Boatman, Yonghui Liu
  • Patent number: 6422169
    Abstract: A boat mooring device for releasably securing a boat to a dock includes a sleeve which is elongated and has a first open end and a second open end. A pair of legs is attached to the sleeve and extend away from the sleeve in the general direction of the second open end. A pair of brackets removably secure the legs to a dock. An elongated rod has a length greater than the sleeve and is extendable through the sleeve. The rod has a first end and a second end. A pair of biasing members are positioned on the and bias the ends of the rod from a respectively adjacent end of the sleeves. A securing member for removably secures the first end of the rod to a boat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Inventor: Mary E. Schwantes
  • Publication number: 20010029879
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Applicant: FMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roy H. Cottrell, L. Terry Boatman, Yonghui Liu
  • Patent number: 6227135
    Abstract: A soft yoke mooring system, with torsional spring devices to provide restoring force to yoke arms coupled to a mooring body. Two torsional spring device types are preferred. A first torsional spring device type includes a plurality of nested tubular shafts, which are coupled end to end to each other in a coaxial array. Torque arms extend from a yoke arm end to one end of the tubular shafts, with the other end of the shafts coupled to a vessel. A second torsional spring device type includes stacks of elastomeric shear unit arrays or blocks of elastomeric material, which are coupled between a torque diaphragm device and a vessel and with the torque diaphragm device coupled by a torque arm to an end of a yoke arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventor: Kristen I. Pedersen