Patent ID: 8225735

Claim:
A fueling system for securing and fueling a water vessel at a floating station, the fueling system comprising: a parent ship for supplying fuel; a fuel conduit having a first end and a second end, the fuel conduit attached to the parent ship at the first end; a floating station remote from the parent ship, the second end of the fuel conduit attached to the floating station for transporting fuel from the parent ship to the floating station, the floating station having an opening for receiving a probe; a water vessel comprising a probe, the probe positioned within the opening of the floating station, the probe receiving fuel from the parent ship via the fuel conduit and the floating station, wherein the floating station comprises a fueling block in which the opening is formed, the fueling block further comprising: a clamping arrangement securing the probe in the opening; a fuel-feeding cylinder within the fueling block, the fuel-feeding cylinder connected to the fuel conduit from which the fuel-feeding cylinder receives fuel, the fuel-feeding cylinder movable into the probe to deliver fuel thereto; the fueling system further comprising: a controller; and a detecting arrangement positioned within the probe detecting when the probe is fully inserted into the fueling block opening, the detecting arrangement connected to the controller, signaling to the controller when the probe is fully inserted, wherein when the controller receives a signal from the detecting arrangement that the probe is fully inserted in the fueling block opening, the controller initiates the latching of the probe therewithin, wherein the fuel-feeding cylinder comprises; one or more fuel-feeding holes for supplying fuel to the probe; and a valve arrangement within the fuel-feeding cylinder, the valve arrangement comprising a spring tensioned cylindrical stopper slidable within the fuel-feeding cylinder to block and to unblock the one or more fuel-feeding holes.