Bow mooring

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION, A SHIP AND MOORING STRUCTURE FOR TRANSFERRING A LIQUID CARGO AT CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURE TO AND FROM SAID SHIP; SAID SHIP HAVING A RIGID MANIFOLD CONNECTION ATTACHED TO ITS FOREDECK AND BEING FREE TO ROTATE ABOUT SAID MOORING STRUCTURE WITHOUT THE PASSAGE OF THE LIQUID THROUGH FLEXIBLE HOSES; AND A MOORING STRUCTURE, SAID MOORING STRUCTURE INCLUDING A LOWER BASE DONUT RING ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ON THE OCEAN FLOOR, SUPPORTING LEGS AFFIXED TO SAID DONUT RING AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND INWARDLY FROM SAID DONUT RING TO A POINT ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, A TOP RIGID PLATFORM SUPPORTED ABOVE THE WATER BY SAID SUPPORTING LEGS, FENDERING TUBES EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID DONUT RING AND POSITIONED ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID DONUT RING TO A POINT ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, A FENDERING RING RIGIDLY ATTACHED AT THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID FENDERING TUBES, A TOP RING POSITIONED WITHIN AND ABOVE SAID FENDERING RING A RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO SAID FENDERING RING BY MEANS OF STRUCTURAL MEMBERS, SAID TOP RING BEING POSITIONED ABOIUT SAID RIGID TOP PLATFORM, A TURNTABLE MECHANISM POSITINED ON SAID RIGID TOP PLATFORM AND ADAPTED TO ROTATE WITH RESPECT THERETO, A FIRST ARM EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID TURNTABLE MECHANISM, A SECOND ARM EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID TURNTABLE MECHANISM AND DIAMETRICALLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST ARM, A LOADING MECHANISM POSITIONED ON THE OUTBOARD END OF SAID SECOND ARM AND PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED FOR HORIZONTAL ROTATION WITH RESPECT THERETO, A FIRST COUNTERWEIGHT POSITIONED ON THE OUTBOARD END OF SAID FIRST ARM, THE WEIGHT OF WHICH IS TO PRODUCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT MOMENTS OF SAID FIRST ARM AND A OF SAID SECOND ARM AND LOADING MECHANISM; SAID LOADING MECHANISMS INCLUDING AN INNER RIGID CONDUIT PIVOTALLY CONNECTED THROUGH A SWIVEL COUPLING THE SUPPORT BASE, AN OUTER RIGID CONDUIT PIVOTALLY CONNECTED THROUGH A SWIVED COUPLING AT ONE END TO THE INNER CONDUIT AND AT ITS OPPOSITE END ARRANGED TO BE DIRECTLY FASTENED TO THE RIGID MANIFOLD ON SAID SHIP, INSULATING MEANS ABOUT SAID INNER RIGID CONDUIT, AND SAID OUTER RIGID CONDUIT, A SECOND COUNTERBALANCING MEANS TO SUBSTANTIALLY COUNTERBALANCE THE INNER CONDUIT AND, A THIRD COUNTERBALANCING MEANS BEING MOUNTED FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO THE OUTER CONDUIT AND ROTATABLE IN RESPONSE TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE OUTER CONDUIT FROM A VERTICAL POSITION TO CHANGE ITS MOVEMENT ARM IN A DIRECTION AND AN AMOUNT TO SUBSTANTIALLY COUNTERBALANCE THE OUTER CONDUIT AS IT MOVES FROM SAID VERTICAL POSITION WHEREBY SAID CRYOGENIC LIQUID CARGO MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO AND FROM SAID SHIP EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH INSULATED RIGID CONDUITS.