Abstract A ship is described which is useful for recovery of liquid minerals from the ocean floor. A rotatable plug through an aperture in the ship''s hull is moored to the ocean floor with a riser pipe from the ocean floor passing through the center of the plug and connected to a substantially vertically extending tower above the ship to permit the ship to ''''weather-vane.'''' The tower, supporting the upper end of the riser, rotates with the ship, and vertical translation of the upper end of the riser relative to the length of the tower is permitted. The tower is mounted on gimbals near its base for tilting relative to the deck of the ship to remain aligned with the riser end. A tube connected to the tower extends below the gimbals and surrounds the riser. Rollers at the lower end of the tube engage the riser to permit longitudinal motion of the tube relative to the riser, and transfer some of the tilting force between the riser and the tower. The tube is rotatable about its axis to remain fixed relative to the riser while the ship rotates.
IN COMBINATION: A SHIP HAVING A MOORING PLUG EXTENDING VERTICALLY THROUGH THE SHIP, BEARING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID PLUG AND SAID SHIP TO ALLOW SAID PLUG TO ROTATE RELATIVE TO SAID SHIP, SAID MOORING PLUG HAVING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED OPENING, A RISER TOWER SUPPORT BEARING MOUNTED TO SAID PLUG WITHIN SAID OPENING TO ALLOW SAID SUPPORT TO ROTATE WITH RESPECT TO SAID PLUG, A RISER TOWER GIMBALED TO SAID TOWER SUPPORT TO ALLOW SAID RISER TOWER TO NUTATE AND ROTATE WITH RESPECT TO SAID PLUG MEANS ON SAID PLUG ADAPTED TO RECEIVE ANCHOR CHAINS SO THAT SAID SHIP MAY WEATHER VANE AROUND SAID PLUG. GUIDE CABLE MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE DECK OF SAID SHIP TO SAID TOWER TO MAINTAIN SAID TOWER IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL POSITION, AND SUBSTANTIALLY NONROTATIONAL WITH RESPECT TO THE DECK, A RISER EXTENDING UP THROUGH SAID OPENING, AND SWIVEL MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE UPPER END OF SAID RISER TO SAID TOWER SO THAT SAID TOWER MAY ROTATE WITH RESPECT TO SAID RISER.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
IN COMBINATION: A SHIP HAVING A MOORING PLUG EXTENDING VERTICALLY THROUGH THE SHIP, BEARING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID PLUG AND SAID SHIP TO ALLOW SAID PLUG TO ROTATE RELATIVE TO SAID SHIP, SAID MOORING PLUG HAVING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED OPENING, A RISER TOWER SUPPORT BEARING MOUNTED TO SAID PLUG WITHIN SAID OPENING TO ALLOW SAID SUPPORT TO ROTATE WITH RESPECT TO SAID PLUG, A RISER TOWER GIMBALED TO SAID TOWER SUPPORT TO ALLOW SAID RISER TOWER TO NUTATE AND ROTATE WITH RESPECT TO SAID PLUG MEANS ON SAID PLUG ADAPTED TO RECEIVE ANCHOR CHAINS SO THAT SAID SHIP MAY WEATHER VANE AROUND SAID PLUG. GUIDE CABLE MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE DECK OF SAID SHIP TO SAID TOWER TO MAINTAIN SAID TOWER IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL POSITION, AND SUBSTANTIALLY NONROTATIONAL WITH RESPECT TO THE DECK, A RISER EXTENDING UP THROUGH SAID OPENING, AND SWIVEL MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE UPPER END OF SAID RISER TO SAID TOWER SO THAT SAID TOWER MAY ROTATE WITH RESPECT TO SAID RISER.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
In the combination of claim 1 wherein: a rigid tubular guide is rigidly dependently from said tower and disposed around said riser to limit the bending stresses in said riser.