Integrated winch and windlass

A mooring system for a floating vessel, comprising:

• a mooring line which includes wire rope serially connected to chain cable;
• a chain locker internal to the vessel for storing the chain cable;
• a chain wheel for conveying the chain cable when the chain wheel is rotated, the chain wheel including a wire rope groove for conveying the wire rope when the chain wheel is rotated;
• a pair of traction winch drums for conveying the wire rope when the traction winch drums are rotated, the pair of traction winch drums including a lead drum which transfers rope to and from the chain wheel and a trailing drum;
• sheave means for directing the wire rope along a preselected wire rope path between the lead drum and the wire rope groove of the chain wheel, the wire rope path being so selected that a partial wrap of the wire rope is formed in the wire rope groove of the chain wheel whenthe wire rope is being conveyed along the preselected wire rope path;
• drive means for rotating the traction winch drums and the chain wheel, the drive means being adapted to selectively rotate the traction winch drums and the chain wheel both simultaneously and separately, the drive means including timing means for so timing the rotation of the traction winch drums with the rotation of the chain wheel, when the traction winch drums and the chain wheel are simultaneously rotated, that the wire rope is conveyed at the same speed by both the traction winch drums and the wire rope groove of the chain wheel;
• the traction winch drums, the chain wheel and the sheave means being so mounted on the vessel that, with rotation of the traction winch drums stopped, the chain wheel can be rotated by the drive means to deposit and remove all chain cable in the chain locker.

An integrated winch and windlass for hauling in and paying out a mooring line which includes wire rope serially connected to chain cable, comprising:

• a chain wheel for conveying the chain cable when the chain wheel is rotated, the chain wheel including a wire rope groove for conveying the wire rope when the chain wheel is rotated;
• a pair of traction winch drums for conveying the wire rope when the traction winch drums are rotated;
• sheave means for directing the wire rope along a preselected wire rope path between one of the pair of traction winch drums and the chain wheel, the wire rope path being so selected that a partial wrap of the wire rope is formed in the wire rope groove of the chain wheel when the wire rope is being conveyed along the preselected wire rope path;
• and
• drive means for rotating the traction winch drums and the chain wheel, the drive means being adapted to selectively rotate the traction winch drums and the chain wheel both simultaneously and separately, the drive means including timing means for so timing the rotation of the traction winch drums with the rotation of the chain wheel, when the traction winch drums and the chain wheel are simultaneously rotated, that the wire rope is conveyed at the same speed by both the traction winch drums and the wire rope groove of the chain wheel.