Patent US3913157A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3913157A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Single buoy mooring system
Assignee: Shell USA Inc
•
Filing: 1973-07-17
•
Granted: 1975-10-21
•
Expires: 1993-07-17
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus anchored at an offshore location for loading or unloading fluids, such as oil, etc., from a ship, such as a tanker, while said ship is anchored to the apparatus. The apparatus has a long and slender buoy body thereby offering less resistance to forces associated with rough water. A mooring line reel is provided on the apparatus for containing an anchor line used to connect to a ship. A hose reel is provided on the apparatus for containing an unloading hose when not in use. Counterweights are mounted in the apparatus and operatively connected to the mooring line and hose reels for exerting a constant tension thereon so that the mooring line and hose reels are automatically returned to a stored position on the apparatus when disconnected from a ship.
Inventors
- 👤 Jan Versluis
- 👤 Hendrikus S Rutten
- 👤 Gerard Kruisman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 07:10
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B22/00; B63B22/02; B63B22/021; B63B35/00; B63B35/44; B63B2035/442; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/402
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
212 words
A single buoy mooring system for fluid transfer comprising a slender buoy body of great length, a part on the buoy body which is rotatable around a vertical axis, a first fluid conduit on the buoy body which is adapted to be connected to a pipeline at the bottom of a body of water, a counterweight-actuated hose reel mounted for free rotation about a horizontal axis on the rotatable part of said buoy body above the water, a fluid hose reelable on said hose reel for making a fluid connection between the single buoy mooring system and a ship, a pipe swivel rotatable around a vertical axis for interconnecting the fluid hose and the first fluid conduit, said fluid hose being adapted to be raised out of the water and coiled on the hose reel, a mooring line reel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis on the rotatable part above the water line, a mooring line adapted to be coiled on the mooring line reel, and at least one counterweight vertically movable within said buoy body for acting simultaneously on the hose reel and on the mooring line reel, said counterweight being of a weight sufficient to actuate said reels and raise the hose and mooring line out of the water.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
212 words
A single buoy mooring system for fluid transfer comprising a slender buoy body of great length, a part on the buoy body which is rotatable around a vertical axis, a first fluid conduit on the buoy body which is adapted to be connected to a pipeline at the bottom of a body of water, a counterweight-actuated hose reel mounted for free rotation about a horizontal axis on the rotatable part of said buoy body above the water, a fluid hose reelable on said hose reel for making a fluid connection between the single buoy mooring system and a ship, a pipe swivel rotatable around a vertical axis for interconnecting the fluid hose and the first fluid conduit, said fluid hose being adapted to be raised out of the water and coiled on the hose reel, a mooring line reel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis on the rotatable part above the water line, a mooring line adapted to be coiled on the mooring line reel, and at least one counterweight vertically movable within said buoy body for acting simultaneously on the hose reel and on the mooring line reel, said counterweight being of a weight sufficient to actuate said reels and raise the hose and mooring line out of the water.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The single buoy mooring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a single counterweight is present, said counterweight being provided with a pulley, a wire running along said pulley and the ends of said wire acting respectively on the hose reel and on the mooring line reel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
The single buoy mooring system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the end parts of said wire are adapted to be coiled respectively on a first wire reel which is coaxial with the hose reel and on a second wire reel which is coaxial with the mooring line reel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The single buoy mooring system as claimed in claiM 3, wherein a first coupling is present which is so constructed that the first wire reel and the hose reel can be connected and disconnected at will.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The single buoy mooring system as claimed in claim 4, comprising two separate coaxial hose reels, two of said first couplings, and two separate fluid hoses corresponding to each hose reel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The single buoy mooring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the counterweight is guided in a shaft within the long slender buoy body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The single buoy mooring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fender construction is arranged above the long slender buoy body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The single buoy mooring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a radial mooring trunk adapted to guide the mooring line, is secured to the periphery of the rotatable part.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A single buoy mooring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the long slender buoy body comprises fixed ballast compartments, water ballast compartments, trim tanks and buoyancy compartments.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1318467A
Cited
US1575337A
Cited
US1746995A
Cited
US3211121A
Cited
US3360810A
Cited
US3352540A
Cited
US3353512A
Cited
US3434442A
Cited
US3595195A
Cited
US3742536A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-10-20 | 1979-04-21 | 1979-10-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-20 | 1983-04-21 | 1983-10-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-20 | 1987-04-21 | 1987-10-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |