The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 18, 2008
Filed:
Jan. 31, 2008
L. Terry Boatman, Spice Wood, TX (US);
Stephen P. Lindblade, Waller, TX (US);
L. Terry Boatman, Spice Wood, TX (US);
Stephen P. Lindblade, Waller, TX (US);
SOFEC, Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
Apparatus for mooring a vessel to the seabed comprising a turret that is connected to the vessel for rotation about a vertical axis defined thereby and axial/radial bearing structure that can absorb axial and radial forces. The turret is connected at its lower end to a chain table or buoy for attaching mooring lines. The turret is disposed inside the hull of the vessel within a fixed tube. An outer ring of the axial/radial bearing is mounted to a rigid ring, which in turn is fastened by a flexible tube to the lower end of the fixed tube at an elevation below the rigid ring. The fixed tube encloses the turret with clearance. Deformation of the hull due to wind and waves is inhibited to the bearing, because hull deformation is absorbed by the flexible tube that couples the rigid ring to the vessel hull.