Disconnectable chain connector
A mooring leg connector for use with a mooring leg extending up from the sea floor to connect a floating structure to be moored to the seabed wherein disconnection and connection of the mooring leg is done by pulling in and out a connector elongated body extending in the mooring leg direction. The connector has a latch mechanism for fixation of the mooring leg to the floating structure to be moored and preventing movement in the direction of the seabed, and a flexible part with a double articulation axis located at the bottom of the connector body above the attachment member, the connector body being received in a housing which is fixed to a part of the structure to be moored, wherein the latch mechanism includes guiding elements and followers or orientation pins between the body of the connector and the housing.
1. A mooring leg connector for use with a mooring leg ( 8 ) extending up from the sea floor to connect a floating structure to be moored to the seabed wherein disconnection and connection of the mooring leg ( 8 ) is done by pulling in and out a connector elongated body ( 1 ) having a broad head part ( 3 ), the elongated body ( 1 ) extending in the mooring leg direction, said connector having a latch mechanism for fixation of the mooring leg ( 8 ) to the floating structure to be moored and preventing movement in the direction of the seabed, and a flexible part with a double articulation axis located at the bottom of the connector body ( 1 ) above the attachment member ( 7 ), the connector body ( 1 ) being received in a housing ( 9 ) which is fixed to a part of the structure to be moored, which housing ( 9 ) has at an upper end a retaining ring ( 17 ) having an opening through which the head part ( 3 ) can extend upward beyond said housing ( 9 ) in a first orientation and on which the head part ( 3 ) rests in a second orientation, wherein the latch mechanism comprises a guiding element ( 21 ) and followers or orientation pins ( 13 ) between the body ( 1 ) of the connector and the housing ( 9 ) for rotation of the elongate body ( 1 ) between the first and second positions.
2. A mooring leg connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises a rod ( 2 ) provided with orientation pins ( 13 ) that will engage with a guiding member ( 21 ), integrated inside the housing ( 9 ), forcing the rod ( 2 ) to rotate inside the housing ( 9 ) into a proper alignment and lock the connector body ( 1 ).
3. A mooring leg connector according to claim 1 wherein the elongated body ( 1 ) is fixed relative to the moored structure.
4. A mooring leg connector according to claim 1 wherein a pull-in line ( 14 ) is provided at the upper part ( 3 ) of the elongated body ( 1 ) to position the body ( 1 ) in the housing ( 9 ) and act on the body ( 1 ) for locking and unlocking.
5. A mooring leg connector according to claim 1 wherein the locking and unlocking of the connector is achieved by pulling in and out the pull-in line ( 14 ) attached to the top part ( 3 ) of the rod ( 2 ).
6. A mooring leg connector according to claim 1 wherein the connector is adapted for the retensioning of the mooring leg ( 8 ).
7. A mooring leg connector according to claim 1 wherein the connector is provided with a load monitoring device.
8. A mooring leg connector according to claim 7 wherein the connector is equipped with at least one load cell.
9. A mooring leg connector according to claim 1 wherein the elongated body ( 1 ) of the connector has, a cylindrically shaped middle part ( 2 ) with a broadened bottom part ( 4 ), said bottom part ( 4 ) comprising an enlargement ( 5 ) for engaging a flexible lower part ( 6 ) provided with a double articulation.
10. Floating platform unit provided with a mooring buoy and a mooring system comprising at least one bundle of mooring lines ( 8 ) wherein for each mooring line ( 8 ) there is mounted in the chain table at the bottom of the mooring buoy, a mooring leg connector according to claim 1 .