Abstract: A turret journaled in a vessel used in an offshore location wherein the mooring system is carried by the turret and the vessel is free to weathervane over a subsea wellhead or the like. Illustrated is a VLCC size ship-shape vessel of approximately 300,000 ton displacement for waterdepths of up to 6,000 feet, but latter is no limit. The turret uses segmented bearings under liquid pressure to obtain low friction and allows the vessel to rotate with turret under static and dynamic, and symmetrical and asymmetric loads (e.g., may exceed 30,000,000 pounds). The turret provides a carousel about the moonpool (e.g., 120 feet in diameter) for carrying compartments with winches, utility and storage functions, and topside skids for drilling rigs or other heavy machinery.

Abstract: A mooring system comprising a vessel (1) floating on the water surface, such as a ship, and having an arm structure (2) pivotally secured to it. A buoyant body (9) presses upwardly on the arm structure (2); and the end of the arm structure opposite the ship is pivotally connected to a connector (4-6) that extends generally vertically upward from a bottom anchor (7). The connector (4-6) is maintained under tensile stress by the buoyancy of buoyant body (9). A number of anchor chains (10) are attached to the connector (4-6) and extend down to the sea bottom in various directions and are anchored to the sea bottom at a distance from the anchor (7) to which the connector (4-6) is attached. These anchor chains (10) exert a tensile force on the connector (4-6) in the opposite direction from the force exerted by the buoyant body (9).

Abstract: A system for maintaining a vessel in position with respect to another body such as a buoy by a rigid arm, the arm having a connection with the body and a movable cable connection with the vessel, the arm extends far above the bottom of the vessel preferably above the water surface and is loaded by a weight which is attached to the arm at a position between the ends of the arm or beyond the point of attachment of the connection.

Abstract: A mooring system for anchoring sea going ships, such as storage or production tanker vessels, and more particularly, a submerged single point mooring system fixed to the seabed and which is particularly adapted for use in arctic waters having surface hazards such as pack ice or icebergs.

Abstract: A system for maintaining a vessel (4) in a predetermined position with respect to another body (1, 20, 63, 74) such as a buoy (1), the system comprising a stiff arm (11, 12, 18, 22, 33, 43, 44, 50) connected to the buoy (1) or the like anchored body (1, 20, 63, 74) with one end and cooperating at the other end or ends with structure (7, 28, 38, 39) such as cables (7) which are suspended from the vessel (4) and carry a weight (8, 9, 10, 30, 31, 36, 37, 78), this structure (7, 28, 38, 39) being connected to the stiff arm (11, 12, 18, 22, 33, 43, 44, 50) or being guided (15, 27, 40, 41) through the arm (11, 12, 18, 22, 33) which arm (11, 12, 18, 22, 33) extends at or above water level.

Abstract: A mooring system comprising a buoy, which is anchored by anchor chains. The buoy has a horizontal pivot shaft for connection with the device to be moored and this shaft is positioned at a part of the buoy, which is rotatable about a vertical shaft relative to the part to which the chains are secured. The buoy comprises at least two spaced buoyant members which are interconnected by a bridge member in which a turntable is journalled. The bridge member furthermore comprises the horizontal pivot shaft.

Abstract: A mooring buoy including an upwardly mast made of two sections with a spring therebetween, a large ring on a top of the upper section, and the spring permitting the upper section to be tilted over sidewardly.

Abstract: A device for reducing tensile forces occurring in a mooring hawser (2) when a ship, particularly a tanker, is moored to a loading buoy having a rotatable top (11). The hawser is attached to a linkage (4, 5, 6, 7) which also is pivotably connected (13, 14) to the rotatable buoy top (11). One or more torsion bars (8, 9) has one of their ends non-rotatably attached to one or more of the links (4, 5, 6, 7) in the linkage, and the other end of the torsion bars (8, 9) is fixed against rotation.

Abstract: A combination mooring system for mooring a floating vessel to an offshore structure is disclosed. When a loading force induced by wind, waves, ice, or ocean currents does not act against the vessel, the mooring system is at a mean position. As a loading force urges the vessel away from the structure, the mooring system adapts to accommodate movement of the vessel relative to the structure. To counteract movement of the mooring system from its mean position, a buoy connected by a cable to the mooring system is progressively submerged. As the buoy is submerged, it provides a buoyant restoring force which counteracts the loading force acting on the vessel. When the loading force subsides, the buoyant restoring force urges the mooring system toward its mean position. In a preferred embodiment, the mooring system has a stop which limits the excursion of the mooring system from its mean position.

Abstract: There is described a mooring device for cooperatively engaging a mooring ring, the mooring device including a circular plate, a tubular shaft passing through and fixed to the circular plate, guide rods provided between the periphery of the plate and a point along the shaft towards one end thereof, the guide rods serving to guide the mooring ring over and past the circular plate, and protruding stubs extending from the periphery of the circular plate in the direction towards the opposite end of the shaft, the opposite end of the shaft being adapted for securing to the mooring device in a mooring position.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for temporarily mooring a tension leg platform while the permanent vertical tethering elements thereof are connected between the platform and an anchor located upon the ocean floor.

Abstract: A diverless subsea tubular connector with male and female elements that can be remotely connected and disconnected using only axial movement of one of the elements with respect to the other. The connector elements are secured together by a snap spring that prevents their disengagement so long as an axial tension tending to pull them apart is maintained. A release of that axial tension facilitates unlocking the two elements so that they can be pulled apart without requiring hydraulic, manual, or rotational manipulation.

Abstract: The invention refers to a device for supporting a first member which is rotatable about a mainly vertical axis on a second member. The invention is primarily intended to be used for supporting very large members, which carry very heavy loads. The device incorporates two race tracks and a plurality of rollers cooperating therewith. In order to avoid sliding movements in the contact between roller and race track at varying loads and for achieving an even load distribution on all rollers, the rollers at least of one of the rows of rollers are resiliently suspended in support members, which are adjusted thus that the rollers will engage their associated race track under preload. The rollers and/or the race tracks may be cambered or the support members may be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the rollers and contact the adjacent elements via arc-formed supporting surfaces for achieving a pure rolling movement in the contact between roller and race track due to race track movements.

Abstract: A mooring line handling apparatus comprising a small diameter sheave, a large diameter sheave, the small sheave and the large sheave being axially mounted on a shaft secured to a base, a first line wrapped for at least part of its length on the large sheave, and an elastic line extending from an anchor to the small sheave for resisting rotation, by the elasticity of the elastic line, of the large sheave when a load is applied to unwrap the first line. A plurality of elastic lines of equal length can be used. Another version of mooring line handling apparatus has a lever pivotably secured to a base, a mooring line attached to a first end of the lever, and an elastic line extending from the anchor to the second end of the lever. A load applied to the mooring line pivots the lever which stretches the elastic line thereby effectively increasing the mooring line length as a load is applied.