Patent ID: 7063036

Claim:
A system for connecting a first buoyant marine body to a second buoyant marine body in a side to side manner, said system comprising: first male and female coupling members fixed respectively at the side of said first buoyant marine body and said second buoyant marine body second male and female coupling members fixed respectively at the side of one or the other of said first and second marine bodies said first male and female coupling members having an opposing relationship when the side of said first buoyant marine vessel is placed adjacent the side of said second buoyant marine vessel, the opposing relationship being such that as the first male and female coupling members are moved from an unengaged condition to a fully engaged condition by the movement of the first and second floating marine bodies towards each other in a first horizontal direction, the freedom of movement between the male coupling and the female coupling members, at least in the vertical direction, decreases as they become vertically aligned said second male and female coupling members having an opposing relationship when the side of said first buoyant marine body is placed adjacent the side of said second buoyant marine body, the opposing relationship being such that rigid coupling between said second male and female coupling members occurs, to prevent relative movement in at least the vertical direction, as the freedom of movement between the first male and female coupling members is or is proximate to being vertically aligned the one or both of the first male and female coupling member being of a resiliently flexible nature and securing means to be attached to said first and said second buoyant marine body to selectively prevent separation in said first horizontal direction of said first and second male and female coupling members.