Mechanical locking system for marine loading arm coupler
AssigneeConocoPhillips Company
InventorLeon K. Barry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Mechanical lock system for preventing disengagement of a marine loading arm from an inlet/outlet port of a marine tanker by physically restraining rotation of a collar of a quick-connect coupler relative to a main body of the quick-connect coupler.
Claims26
A coupler for connecting a marine loading arm to a flange of a marine tanker, said coupler comprising:
- a body adapted to engage the flange;
- a plurality of jaws pivotally coupled to the body and shiftable between a disengaged position wherein the jaws are disengaged from the flange and an engaged position wherein the jaws engage the flange and secure the body to the flange;
- a collar rotatably mounted on the body and operable to shift the jaws between the engaged position and the disengaged position via rotation of the collar relative to the body;
- and
- a mechanical lock shiftable between an unlocked position wherein the mechanical lock is decoupled from the body and the collar and a locked position wherein the mechanical lock is coupled to the body and the collar,
- said mechanical lock being operable to substantially prevent rotation of the collar relative to the body when the mechanical lock is in the locked position.
A method of connecting a marine loading arm to a flange of a marine tanker, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing a body of a coupler adjacent the flange;
- (b) rotating a collar of the coupler relative to the body, thereby causing a plurality of jaws of the coupler to engage the flange and couple the body to the flange;
- and
- (c) coupling a mechanical lock to the body and the collar, thereby substantially preventing rotation of the collar relative to the body.
A mechanical lock operable to prevent decoupling of a marine loading arm from a flange of a marine tanker by restraining rotation of a coupler collar relative to a coupler body, said mechanical lock comprising:
- a generally E-shaped rigid body including a side portion, a normally upper leg, a middle leg, and a normally lower leg,
- said normally upper leg and said middle leg at least partly defining a normally upper opening therebetween,
- said normally lower leg and said middle leg at least partly defining a normally lower opening therebetween,
- said normally upper leg including a proximal end proximate the side portion and a distal end spaced from the side portion,
- said normally upper leg including a protruding catch positioned proximate the distal end and extending toward the middle leg.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.