Apparatus for Connecting Two Offshore Units

Abstract

A connecting apparatus for two offshore units includes a coupling element with two sets of couplings and resetting facilities that compensate movements between the two offshore units. The coupling element includes a frame connected with the offshore units by two sets of couplings in a manner allowing pivotal movement and rotation. At least one set of couplings includes a first and a second elongated element that are each connected with both the frame and an offshore unit via constructions allowing pivotal movement and rotation. The resetting facilities include a first and a second resilient element that are each stationary connected with the offshore unit and force either the first or the second elongated element to a position extending substantially vertically downwards.

1 . An apparatus for connecting two offshore units, comprising: 
 a coupling element which is connectable with one offshore unit via a first set of couplings and with the other offshore unit via a second set of couplings; and    resetting facilities configured to compensate movements between the two offshore units, wherein the coupling element comprises a frame, the two sets of couplings connect the frame with the one and the other offshore unit, respectively, in a manner allowing pivotal movement and rotation, at least one set of couplings is provided with a first and a second elongated element, wherein each elongated element is connected with one of the offshore units via a first construction allowing pivotal movement and rotation and; at a distance from that first one, with the frame via a second construction allowing pivotal movement and rotation, wherein the first elongated element extends between the frame and said one offshore unit at a distance from the second elongated element, and the resetting facilities comprise a first and a second resilient element, which resilient elements are each stationary connected with the said one offshore unit and force either the first or the second elongated element to a position extending substantially vertically downwards.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterized in that wherein the frame is a triangular frame and one of the sets of coupling mans couplings is a coupling member comprising a ball hinge, which is located at the location of a first angular point of the triangular frame, while the first elongated element of the other set of coupling means couplings engages a second angular point and the second elongated element engages a third angular point of the triangular frame.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame is provided with a first pair of points of engagement for the elongated elements of the first set of couplings and with a second pair of points of engagement for the elongated elements of the second set of coupling means couplings.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the frame has a rectangular design, wherein, each time, an elongated element engages each angular point.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a construction allowing pivotal movement and rotation allows a movement about three mutually perpendicular centerlines.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongated elements comprise steel cables.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein each steel cable is connected with the respective offshore unit via a winch.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein, from its connection with an offshore unit, the steel cable first runs over a wire guide before starting to extend substantially vertically downwards.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the steel cables are provided with first connectors configured to allow pivotal movement and rotation to couple with the frame and provided with second connectors configured to couple with a resilient element.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the first connectors are at a distance from the second connectors, wherein the part of the steel cable located between the first and second connectors runs over a wire guide connected with the offshore unit.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the wire guide is hingedly connected with the offshore unit.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the steel cable is interrupted at the location of the first connectors with the frame.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongated element is formed by a rod connected with the respective offshore unit via a hinge pivotable about at least three mutually perpendicular axes, which rod is further connected with the frame via a hinge pivotable about at least three mutually perpendicular axes and is connected with the resilient element.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the resilient element is formed by a resilient plastic cable.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the resilient plastic cable is connected with the respective offshore unit via a winch.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one resilient element is formed by a hydropneumatic tension unit.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the one offshore unit is a unit standing on a bottom and the other offshore unit is a floating unit, and the frame is arranged to be connected with the offshore unit standing on the bottom by a ball hinge and with the floating offshore unit by the resetting facilities.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the rod is connected with the resilient element via an intermediate element.  
   
   
       19 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the intermediate element is a steel cable.