Retrieval and connection system for a disconnectable mooring yoke

An assembly for mooring a vessel (2) at sea to a body (1) comprising

• a yoke (10, 10′) selectively disconnectably coupled between said vessel (2) and said body (1) and having first and second ends with a non-disconnectable coupling arrangement between said first end and said body and a disconnectable coupling arrangement between said second end and said vessel,
• said non-disconnectable coupling arrangement including a pivoted connection between said first end of said yoke (10, 10′) and said body (1) that allows said yoke to rotate about a horizontal axis,
• said disconnectable coupling arrangement including a first coupling member (32, 32′) at said second end of said yoke which is arranged and designed for mating with a second coupling member (34, 34′) carried by said vessel (2),
• a tension member (20, 110) arranged and designed to extend through said first and second coupling members and to be coupled between a winch mechanism (18, 18′, 106) and a connector (42, 42′), said mechanism and connector being arranged and designed to pull said first coupling mechanism (32, 32′) into engagement with said second coupling mechanism (34, 34′),
• a selectively operated locking mechanism (80) arranged and designed between said first and second coupling members (32, 34) to lock said yoke (10) to said vessel (2), thereby mooring said vessel (2) to said body (1) or to unlock said yoke (10) from said vessel (2) thereby allowing said tension member (20, 110) to be uncoupled from said connector (42) for disconnecting said yoke (10) from said vessel (1), wherein
• said body (1) is an LNG process vessel, and said vessel (2) is an LNG carrier vessel,
• said first coupling member includes a male guide cone (32) mounted on a multiple axis joint (30) which is attached to said second end of said yoke (10), and
• said second coupling member includes a female receiver (34) mounted on an extension (8) of said vessel (2) and arranged and designed to receive said guide cone (32), and
• said multiple-axis joint is a spherical ball joint.

An assembly for mooring a vessel (2) at sea to a body (1) comprising

• a yoke (10, 10′) selectively disconnectably coupled between said vessel (2) and said body (1) and having first and second ends with a non-disconnectable coupling arrangement between said first end and said body and a disconnectable coupling arrangement between said second end and said vessel,
• said non-disconnectable coupling arrangement including a pivoted connection between said first end of said yoke (10, 10′) and said body (1) that allows said yoke to rotate about a horizontal axis,
• said disconnectable coupling arrangement including a first coupling member (32, 32′) at said second end of said yoke which is arranged and designed for mating with a second coupling member (34, 34′) carried by said vessel (2),
• a tension member (20, 110) arranged and designed to extend through said first and second coupling members and to be coupled between a winch mechanism (18, 18′, 106) and a connector (42, 42′), said mechanism and connector being arranged and designed to pull said first coupling mechanism (32, 32′) into engagement with said second coupling mechanism (34, 34′),
• a selectively operated locking mechanism (80) arranged and designed between said first and second coupling members (32, 34) to lock said yoke (10) to said vessel (2), thereby mooring said vessel (2) to said body (1) or to unlock said yoke (10) from said vessel (2) thereby allowing said tension member (20, 110) to be uncoupled from said connector (42) for disconnecting said yoke (10) from said vessel (1), wherein
• said body (1) is an LNG process vessel, and said vessel (2) is an LNG carrier vessel,
• said tension member is a chain (20) having a chain end fitting (19),
• said connector is a chain stopper (42) mounted on a shock absorber (44) carried by an extension (8) of said vessel (2), said chain stopper arranged and designed for selectively clamping said chain end fitting (19), whereby,
• said shock absorber (44) minimizes shock loads to said chain (20) while said first coupling member (30, 32) is pulled toward said second coupling member (34).

An assembly for mooring a vessel (2) at sea to a body (1) comprising

• a yoke (10, 10′) selectively disconnectably coupled between said vessel (2) and said body (1) and having first and second ends with a non-disconnectable coupling arrangement between said first end and said body and a disconnectable coupling arrangement between said second end and said vessel,
• said non-disconnectable coupling arrangement including a pivoted connection between said first end of said yoke (10, 10′) and said body (1) that allows said yoke to rotate about a horizontal axis,
• said disconnectable coupling arrangement including a first coupling member (32, 32′) at said second end of said yoke which is arranged and designed for mating with a second coupling member (34, 34′) carried by said vessel (2),
• a tension member (20, 110) arranged and designed to extend through said first and second coupling members and to be coupled between a winch mechanism (18, 18′, 106) and a connector (42, 42′), said mechanism and connector being arranged and designed to pull said first coupling mechanism (32, 32′) into engagement with said second coupling mechanism (34, 34′),
• a selectively operated locking mechanism (80) arranged and designed between said first and second coupling members (32, 34) to lock said yoke (10) to said vessel (2), thereby mooring said vessel (2) to said body (1) or to unlock said yoke (10) from said vessel (2) thereby allowing said tension member (20, 110) to be uncoupled from said connector (42) for disconnecting said yoke (10) from said vessel (1), wherein
• said body (1) is an LNG process vessel, and said vessel (2) is an LNG carrier vessel,
• said connector is a selectively operated clamping device carried by an extension (8) of said vessel (2),
• said tension member has a fitting (19) arranged and designed for being secured by said clamping device, and
• guide wheels (130, 114) are mounted on a support bracket (136) carried by an elastomeric spring (120) at said second end of said yoke (10).

An assembly for mooring a vessel (2) at sea to a body (1) comprising

• a yoke (10, 10′) selectively disconnectably coupled between said vessel (2) and said body (1) and having first and second ends with a non-disconnectable coupling arrangement between said first end and said body and a disconnectable coupling arrangement between said second end and said vessel,
• said non-disconnectable coupling arrangement including a pivoted connection between said first end of said yoke (10, 10′) and said body (1) that allows said yoke to rotate about a horizontal axis,
• said disconnectable coupling arrangement including a first coupling member (32, 32′) at said second end of said yoke which is arranged and designed for mating with a second coupling member (34, 34′) carried by said vessel (2),
• a tension member (20, 110) arranged and designed to extend through said first and second coupling members and to be coupled between a winch mechanism (18, 18′, 106) and a connector (42, 42′), said mechanism and connector being arranged and designed to pull said first coupling mechanism (32, 32′) into engagement with said second coupling mechanism (34, 34′),
• a selectively operated locking mechanism (80) arranged and designed between said first and second coupling members (32, 34) to lock said yoke (10) to said vessel (2), thereby mooring said vessel (2) to said body (1) or to unlock said yoke (10) from said vessel (2) thereby allowing said tension member (20, 110) to be uncoupled from said connector (42) for disconnecting said yoke (10) from said vessel (1), wherein
• said body (1) is an LNG process vessel, and said vessel (2) is an LNG carrier vessel,
• said first coupling member includes a male guide cone (32) mounted on a multiple axis joint (30) which is attached to said second end of said yoke (10),
• said second coupling member includes a female receiver (34) mounted on an extension (8) of said vessel (2) and arranged and designed to receive said guide cone (32)
• said multiple-axis joint (30) is mounted on a pedestal (35) at said second end of said yoke (10), and
• bumpers (36) are mounted on said pedestal (35) at a position below said guide cone (32) and arranged and designed to provide a cushioned stop for said guide cone at extreme deflection angles.

A method of mooring a vessel (2) to a body (1) in the sea comprising the steps of,

• providing a mooring yoke (10) with a first end pivoted at said body and with a second end having a guide cone (32) and buoyant element (28) provided thereon with said second end of said yoke floating on the sea,
• providing a winching mechanism with a tension member (20) and pull-in rope (40) paid out, with said pull-in rope extending through said guide cone (32),
• mounting a receiver (34) on an extension member (8) of said vessel (2),
• providing a messenger rope (17) wound on a winch (48) on said vessel (2),
• connecting said messenger rope (17) to said pull in rope (40) and pulling said messenger rope (17) and said pull in rope (40) until said tension member (20) is within said receiver (34),
• clamping said tension member (20) in said receiver (34),
• winding said tension member (20) on said winching mechanism (18), thereby pulling said second end of said yoke (10) upward from the sea while pulling said guide cone (32) into said receiver (34), and
• selectively locking said receiver (34) and said guide cone, thereby mooring said vessel (2) to said body via said yoke (10).

An assembly for mooring a first vessel (2) at sea to a second vessel (1) comprising,

• a yoke (10′) selectively disconnectably coupled between said first vessel (2) and said second vessel (1) and having first and second ends with a non-disconnectable coupling arrangement between said first end and said second vessel (1) and a disconnectable coupling arrangement between said second end and said first vessel,
• said non-disconnectable coupling arrangement including a pivoted connection between said first end of said yoke and said second vessel that allows said yoke (10′) to rotate about a horizontal axis,
• said second end of said yoke having a buoyant element (28) to cause said second end of said yoke (10′) not to sink when said second end of said yoke rotates about said horizontal axis into the sea,
• said disconnectable coupling member including a first coupling member (32′) at said second end of said yoke which is arranged and designed with a second coupling member (34′) carried by said first vessel (2),
• a selectively operated locking mechanism (80) arranged and designed between said first and second coupling members (32, 34) to lock said yoke (10) to said vessel (2), thereby mooring said vessel (2) to said body (1) or to unlock said yoke (10) from said vessel (2) thereby allowing said tension member (20, 110) to be uncoupled from said connector (42) for disconnecting said yoke (10) from said vessel (1),
• a tension member (20, 110) arranged and designed to extend through said first and second coupling members and to be coupled between a winch mechanism (18, 18′, 106) and a connector (42, 42′), said winch mechanism and connector being arranged and designed to pull said first coupling mechanism (32, 32′) into engagement with said second coupling mechanism (34, 34′), wherein
• said winch mechanism (18) is mounted on said yoke (10).

An assembly for mooring a first vessel (2) at sea to a second vessel (1) comprising,

• a yoke (10′) selectively disconnectably coupled between said first vessel (2) and said second vessel (1) and having first and second ends with a non-disconnectable coupling arrangement between said first end and said second vessel (1) and a disconnectable coupling arrangement between said second end and said first vessel,
• said non-disconnectable coupling arrangement including a pivoted connection between said first end of said yoke and said second vessel that allows said yoke (10′) to rotate about a horizontal axis,
• said second end of said yoke having a buoyant element (28) to cause said second end of said yoke (10′) not to sink when said second end of said yoke rotates about said horizontal axis into the sea,
• said disconnectable coupling member including a first coupling member (32′) at said second end of said yoke which is arranged and designed with a second coupling member (34′) carried by said first vessel (2),
• a selectively operated locking mechanism (80) arranged and designed between said first and second coupling members (32, 34) to lock said yoke (10) to said vessel (2), thereby mooring said vessel (2) to said body (1) or to unlock said yoke (10) from said vessel (2) thereby allowing said tension member (20, 110) to be uncoupled from said connector (42) for disconnecting said yoke (10) from said vessel (1),
• a tension member (20, 110) arranged and designed to extend through said first and second coupling members and to be coupled between a winch mechanism (18, 18′, 106) and a connector (42, 42′), said winch mechanism and connector being arranged and designed to pull said first coupling mechanism (32, 32′) into engagement with said second coupling mechanism (34, 32′), wherein
• said first coupling member includes a male guide cone (32′) mounted on a multiple axis joint (90) which is attached to said second end of said yoke (10′), and
• said second coupling member includes a female receiver (32′) mounted on an extension (8) of said first vessel (2) and arranged and designed to receive said guide cone (32′), and
• said multiple axis joint (90) is an elastomeric flex joint in combination with an internal vertical axis yaw bearing.

An assembly for mooring a first vessel (2) at sea to a second vessel (1) comprising,

• a yoke (10′) selectively disconnectably coupled between said first vessel (2) and said second vessel (1) and having first and second ends with a non-disconnectable coupling arrangement between said first end and said second vessel (1) and a disconnectable coupling arrangement between said second end and said first vessel,
• said non-disconnectable coupling arrangement including a pivoted connection between said first end of said yoke and said second vessel that allows said yoke (10′) to rotate about a horizontal axis,
• said second end of said yoke having a buoyant element (28) to cause said second end of said yoke (10′) not to sink when said second end of said yoke rotates about said horizontal axis into the sea,
• said disconnectable coupling member including a first coupling member (32′) at said second end of said yoke which is arranged and designed with a second coupling member (32′) carried by said first vessel (2),
• a selectively operated locking mechanism (80) arranged and designed between said first and second coupling members (32, 34) to lock said yoke (10) to said vessel (2), thereby mooring said vessel (2) to said body (1) or to unlock said yoke (10) from said vessel (2) thereby allowing said tension member (20, 110) to be uncoupled from said connector (42) for disconnecting said yoke (10) from said vessel (1),
• a tension member (20, 110) arranged and designed to extend through said first and second coupling members and to be coupled between a winch mechanism (18, 18′, 106) and a connector (42, 42′), said winch mechanism and connector being arranged and designed to pull said first coupling mechanism (32, 32′) into engagement with said second coupling mechanism (34, 32′), wherein
• said first coupling member includes a male guide cone (32′) mounted on a multiple axis joint (90) which is attached to said second end of said yoke (10′), and
• said second coupling member includes a female receiver (32′) mounted on an extension (8) of said first vessel (2) and arranged and designed to receive said guide cone (32′), and
• said multiple axis joint (90) is a two-axis gimbaled joint in combination with an internal vertical axis yaw bearing (91).