Balltec Limited

Marco Andre Teixeira

Jonathan Fletcher Jackson

William David Loton Parry

Jonathan Scott Preston

Scott Preston

William David Parry

A mooring line connector assembly () and a corresponding tensioner () are described. The mooring line connector assembly () comprises complementary male () and female () connectors, wherein the male connector () is rigid and the female connector () is connectable to the male connector () at a plurality of points along its length, so as to vary the tension applied to the mooring line. Locking balls engageable with grooves disposed along the length of the male connector () can allow the female connector to connect at different points along the male connector. A tensioner () allows the tension to be adjusted. The tensioner includes a first part () arranged to engage with the male connector () and a second part () arranged to engage with the female connector (). The first part () reciprocates relative to the second part so as to move the male connector () relative to the female connector and thereby change the point at which the female connector is connected to the male connector.

Mooring line connector assembly and tensioner

A lifting assembly () having a structure () with three or more receptacles and a two or more connectors (). The structure comprises one or more receptacles (). Each receptacle comprises one or more circumferential grooves () in its inside surface. The connector comprises a male element () for insertion into a receptacle, an attachment point (), and one or more locking elements () provided on the outside surface of the male element for engaging with the or each groove in the inside surface of the or each receptacle so as to rotatably mount the attachment point relative to the structure. The connectors may be rotationally positioned within the receptacles to permit different lifting configurations to be used.

Lifting assembly and method

A connector adapted for release under load from a complementary connector. The connector having a locking element for engagement with the complementary connector to lock the complementary connector to the connector; and a locking member moveable from a locked position to an unlocked position. The locking member operative to permit the/each locking element to lock the complementary connector to the connector when in the locked position and operative to allow the/each locking element to release the complementary connector when in the unlocked position. The locking member and locking element arranged such that when the connector is locked to the complementary connector and the locking member is in a partially unlocked position, a load applied to the/each locking element causes the/each locking element to urge the locking member towards its fully unlocked position, thereby unlocking the complementary connector from the connector.

Mooring connector

A mooring connector assembly () has a body () arranged to be pivotally mounted to a structure (), such as a tethered buoy, to be moored for movement about a pivot axis. At least a part of the body extends below the pivot axis when so mounted and oriented for use. A line stopper () is mounted to the part of the body which extends below the pivot axis in use and is operative to retain a mooring line () relative to the body. The body is configured to receive a tensioner () for tensioning a mooring line () retained by the stopper such that the tensioner urges the line at a point which is below the pivot axis when the body is oriented for use. The body may be an elongate tube () pivotally connected to a structure to be moored () at one end and fitting with a chain stopper () at the opposite end. The tube is configured to receive a chain tensioner () between the chain stopper () and pivot axis.

Mooring connector assembly

A male connector () to be inserted into a female connector (). The male connector defines a conduit and comprises a locking means () operable to engage the female connector to thereby lock the male connector relative to the female connector. The male connector also comprises a release means () for unlocking the male connector to permit the male connector to be separated from the female connector. The release means is accessible from within the conduit. There may be a release tool () operable to disengage the male connector from the female connector and retain the male connector after the male connector has been disengaged from the female connector.

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Morecambe, United Kingdom

Marco Andre Teixeira