Patent ID: 7540692
Filing Date: 2009-06-02
Classification: B63B,E21B

Abstract:
1. A system for securing a mooring connection, comprising: a receptacle located on a sea floor; a bottom connector having a tubular member extending therefrom to a platform at a sea surface, the bottom connector being secured to the receptacle, the bottom connector being connected to and disconnected from the receptacle via vertical motion, such that the bottom connector locks into the receptacle by being lowered into the receptacle to a locked position, and unlocks from the receptacle by being lowered beyond the locked position to an unlocked position; securing means for preventing the bottom connector from being lowered to the unlocked position and unlocking from the receptacle; and a sleeve on an exterior of the receptacle, and a key extending radially from an exterior surface of the receptacle and a stripe on the exterior surface of the receptacle and extending vertically downward from the key, an aperture formed in the sleeve and having a guide member for receiving the key and rotationally aligning the sleeve relative to the receptacle, and the stripe facilitating rotational alignment with the aperture by being visible below the sleeve as the sleeve is lowered onto the receptacle, such that the stripe provides visual reference to position the key in the guide member of the aperture.