Abstract: A marine push towing combination having a first vessel with a notch at one end, a second vessel having a bow portion and sides, and a coupling apparatus for coupling the vessels together, the coupling apparatus including a first coupling assembly having at least one bearing member with opposed, substantially vertical bearing surfaces and a second coupling assembly including first and second gripping members, the gripping members having surfaces which can be urged into gripping engagement with the bearing surfaces.

Abstract: A coupling apparatus for releasably joining two relatively movable bodies, such as floatable vessels, in which a first coupling assembly having a bearing member with opposed bearing surfaces is secured to one of the vessels and a second coupling assembly, secured to the other of the vessels, has gripping members for frictionally engaging the opposed bearing surfaces. Force modules such as hydraulic rams are provided to effect engagement and disengagement of the gripping members with the bearing surfaces. The apparatus can be used in an articulated marine transportation combination in which the vessels are rigidly coupled or flexibly coupled, the latter allowing certain relative movements of the two vessels.

Abstract: A marine transportation combination including a first vessel and a second vessel, the second vessel having a notch or slip for receiving the first vessel, the respective vessels being mated together by three individual couplings, two of which are located on the sides of the first vessel and the wings of the notch, the third being disposed between the bow of the first vessel and the central portion of the notch, the couplings being substantially instantaneously engagable and disengagable thereby providing substantially instantaneous mating and unmating of the vessels, there further being interengagable structural formations to prevent lateral outward spreading of the wings when the vessels are mated.