Method for accommodating large movements in a mooring system

1. A method of operating a mooring system, the mooring system comprising at least a first and a second mooring robot, each mooring robot having a robot arm with an attachment element for releasably fastening to a surface, the first and second robots each having first and second attachment elements respectively, wherein the operating method incorporates co-ordinated stepwise movements to re-position each attachment element between respective spaced apart starting and finishing positions, in which positions the attachment elements are fastened to the surface, the method comprising the steps:

(a) firstly, while maintaining the second attachment element in its respective starting position, releasing the first attachment element from the surface;

(b) secondly, while maintaining the second attachment element in its respective starting position, actuating the first mooring robot to move the first attachment element and re-fasten the first attachment element in its respective finishing position;

(c) thirdly, while maintaining the first attachment element in its respective finishing position, releasing the second attachment element from the surface; and

(d) fourthly, while maintaining the first attachment element in its respective finishing position, actuating the second mooring robot to move the second attachment element and re-fasten the second attachment element in its respective finishing position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mooring robots are mounted to a fixed dock.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mooring robots are mounted to a floating dock.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said surface is part of a freeboard of a ship's hull.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mooring robots are mounted to a floating vessel.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein each mooring robot provides means for at least two-dimensional movement for positioning the attachment element.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each attractive element is pivotally fixed to a mooring robot providing three-dimensional translational movement, the mooring robot allowing external forces to displace the moored object, and the attachment element engaged therewith, by a distance in the horizontal plane from a selected moored position; wherein, separate from its structural components, the mooring robot comprises resilient restorative means which provide a restorative force acting to restore the attachment element to the selected moored position.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the three dimensional translational movement comprises movement of the mooring robot about two substantially perpendicular axes of rotation and translational movement along a translational axis arranged substantially perpendicular to the plane of the two axes of rotation.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein each attractive element is pivotally fixed to a mooring robot providing three-dimensional translational movement, the mooring robot allowing external forces to displace the moored object, and the attachment element engaged therewith, by a distance in the horizontal plank from a selected moored position; wherein, separate from its structural components, the mooring robot comprises resilient restorative means which provide a restorative force acting to restore the attachment element to the selected moored position.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stepwise movement is performed in the vertical direction.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stepwise movement is performed in the horizontal direction.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein in addition to the first and second mooring robots at least two additional mooring robots are employed, the attachment element of each additional mooring robot remaining fastened to the surface throughout the stepwise movement of the first and second robots.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein in addition to the first and second mooring robots at least two additional mooring robots are employed, the attachment element of each additional mooring robot remaining fastened to the surface throughout the stepwise movement of the first and second robots.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein each attachment element comprises an array of vacuum cups, each vacuum cup having a circumferential seal including a circumferential seal member of substantially constant cross-section, said member being mountable in a support frame rigidly fixed to the attachment element, the seal member being of elastomeric material and comprising:

a first sealing face which has an arcuate portion between first and second sealing edges wherein partial deformation of the said first sealing face adjacent the first edge is required before the said second sealing edge contacts the surface.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein each attachment element comprises an array of vacuum cups, each vacuum cup having a circumferential seal including a circumferential seal member of substantially constant cross-section, said member being mountable in a support frame rigidly fixed to the attachment element, the seal member being of elastomeric material and comprising:

a first sealing face which has an arcuate portion between inner and outer edges wherein partial deformation of the said first sealing face is required before the said inner sealing edge contacts the surface.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein each attachment element comprises an array of vacuum cups, each vacuum cup having a circumferential seal a circumferential seal member of substantially constant cross-section, said member being mountable in a support frame rigidly fixed to the attachment element, the seal member being of elastomeric material and comprising:

a first sealing face which has an arcuate portion between inner and outer edges wherein partial deformation of the said first sealing face is required before the said inner sealing edge contacts the surface.