Submersible tanker mooring system

Claim 2

A submersible tanker mooring and oil transfer system comprising: a submerged buoy anchored to the sea bottom; oil accumulator means associated with said buoy and adapted to be shifted by oil pressure change between submerged and surfaced positions; manifold means associated with said accumulator means and adapting that for coupling thereto of tanker oil and mooring lines; supply and return pipes for conveying oil between said accumulator means and receiving and supply points; and means for circulating oil in said supply and return pipes, for warming that in said accumulator means, for pressuring the oil in said accumulator means to bring that to the surface for mooring and hose coupling of a tanker thereto, and for transfer of oil as between said tanker and said receiving and supply points.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said submerged buoy comprises: a tank, and means for securing the tank to the sea bottom.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2, and a vertically swinging mooring boom rotatably mounted on said tank, and means for raising and lowering the boom with the rise and fall of said accumulator means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said boom is mounted on a ring surrounding said accumulator means.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said tank includes a cylindrical well.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said accumulator means comprises a bell free standing in said well.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6, and a stand pipe within said bell and opening through a bottom wall of said tank, and said supply and return pipes opening through said tank bottom to the interior of said bell respectively within and without said stand pipe.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said bell is elevated in said well by oil pressure build-up therewithin, and wherein said bell is sealed in said elevating by means comprising a labyrinth at the bell bottom, and a gland at the well top.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8, and valve means opening to said tank from said well to leak off fluid escaping past said sealing means.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6, and a pipe extension carried by said bell and universally jointed thereto for swinging in use with well type ship structure.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10, and a buoyant assist to said pipe extension.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said tank is adapted to be flooded, and means for draining said tank.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 1, and a buoyant element associated with said accumulator means and offsetting its gravity effect.

Claim 15

In an apparatus providing a retractable monomoor and fluid transfer system for ships and operable in arctic and congested waters and under hazardous surface and environmental conditions and circumstances: a submerged buoy; means anchoring the buoy to the bottom; fluid accumulator means associated with said buoy, said accumulator means comprising a rigid, elongated, tubular device arranged for extending-retracting between an operating position in the vicinity of the surface and a nonoperating position of submergence safely below ships, ice, or other surface hazards; means associated with said buoy for fluid filling of said accumulator device and operable to fluid pressure said device for said extending-retracting of said device between said operating and nonoperating positions and to maintain said device in said operating position; and means associated with said accumulator means for coupling to mooring and fluid hose lines of ships.

Claim 16

In an apparatus providing a retractable monomoor and fluid transfer system for ships and operable in arctic and congested waters and under hazardous surface and environmental conditions and circumstances: a submerged buoy; means anchoring the buoy to the bottom; fluid accumulator means associated with said buoy, said accumulator means comprising a rigid, elongated, tubular device arranged for extending-retracting between an operating position in the vicinity of the surface and a nonoperating position of submergence safely below ships, ice, or other surface hazards; means associated with said buoy for fluid filling of said accumulator device and operable to fluid pressure said device for said extending-retracting of said device between said operating and nonoperating positions and to maintain said device in said operating position; and means associated with said accumulator means for coupling to mooring and fluid hose lines of ships.

Claim 17

A submersible tanker mooring and fluid transfer system comprising: fluid conduit means adapted to be laid on or embedded in the sea bottom and to be connected both to a shore based pumping and to a shore based receiving station; submerged accumulator means, said submerged accumulator means comprising an hydraulically extendable cylinder, said hydraulically extendable cylinder Communicating with said fluid conduit means; manifold means for making connections between said cylinder and ship mooring and pipe lines; and means for controlling fluid supply and transfer between said fluid conduit means and said cylinder to elevate said cylinder to and maintain it at the ambient surface level.

Claim 18

A submersible tanker mooring and fluid transfer system comprising: fluid conduit means adapted to be laid on or embedded in the sea bottom and to be connected both to a shore based pumping and to a shore based receiving station; submerged accumulator means, said submerged accumulator means comprising an hydraulically extendable cylinder, said hydraulically extendable cylinder Communicating with said fluid conduit means; manifold means for making connections between said cylinder and ship mooring and pipe lines; and means for controlling fluid supply and transfer between said fluid conduit means and said cylinder to elevate said cylinder to and maintain it at the ambient surface level.