Claims
- 1. An underwater trenching apparatus for burying pipeline and the like comprising:
- a frame for positioning about the pipeline to be buried,
- said frame including frame members positioned on each side of said pipeline,
- roller means connected to at least one of said frame members for engagement with said pipeline,
- pivot means positioned on said frame for pivoting each said frame member about a substantially horizontal axis parallel to the pipeline transversely toward and away from roller engagement with said pipeline,
- means operative upon said frame for laterally moving said pivot means and said horizontal axis to shift said frame members transversely to the axis of the pipeline, and
- cutting means secured to said apparatus for cutting a trench in a formation whereby said pipeline is buried.
- 2. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- said pivot means including power means connected to said frame member and extending transversely to said pipeline for selectively and independently moving the fore and aft portions of each said frame member toward and away from roller engagement with said pipeline.
- 3. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- said pivot means including power means being connected separately to the fore portion and to the aft portion of said frame member and extending transversely to said pipeline.
- 4. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- said pivot means including power means connected to the fore and aft portions of each said frame member and extending transversely to said pipeline for bending the frame member upon selective moving of one portion of said frame member relative to said pipeline without moving the remaining portions of the same frame member.
- 5. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- said pivot means including a plurality of power rams for selective movement of the fore and aft portions of each said frame member toward and away from roller engagement.
- 6. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 5 including
- said power rams being connected separately to the fore and aft portion of each said frame member and extending transversely to said pipeline for selectively bending said frame member relative to said pipeline without moving the remaining portion of the same frame member.
- 7. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- said roller means including at least one drive roller in contact with said pipeline in each of a fore portion of a frame member and in an aft portion of a frame member.
- 8. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 7 including,
- said pivot means including power means connected to the fore and aft portions of each said frame member and extending transversely to said pipeline for bending the frame member upon selective moving of one portion of said frame member relative to said pipeline without moving the remaining portion of the same frame member.
- 9. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 8 including,
- said power means being connected separately to the fore and aft portion of each said frame member and extending transversely to said pipeline for selectively bending said frame member relative to said pipeline without moving the remaining portion of the same frame member.
- 10. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 7 including,
- said pivot means including power means connected to the fore and aft portions of each said frame member and extending transversely to said pipeline for bending the frame member upon selective moving of one portion of said frame member relative to said pipeline without moving the remaining portions of the same frame members.
- 11. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 7 including,
- drive means for each said drive roller, control means to alternately drive a selected roller in contact with said pipeline with sufficient force to move said apparatus along said pipeline.
- 12. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 2 including,
- said roller means including at least one drive roller in drive contact with said pipeline in each of a fore portion of a frame member and in an aft portion of a frame member, drive means for each said drive roller, control means to drive said roller remaining in driving engagement with said pipeline with sufficient force to move the apparatus along the pipeline.
- 13. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 4 including,
- said roller means including at least one drive roller in driving contact with said pipeline in each of a fore portion of a frame member and in an aft portion of a frame member, drive means for each said drive roller, control means to drive said roller remaining in driving engagement with said pipeline with sufficient force to move the apparatus along the pipeline and prior to the bending of the frame member corresponding to the portion of the frame member having said disengaging other drive roller thereon.
- 14. An underwater trenching apparatus for burying pipeline and the like having a pipeline surface obstruction comprising:
- a frame for positioning about the pipeline to be buried,
- said frame including frame members positioned on each side of said pipeline,
- drive rollers connected to at least a fore portion of one of said frame members and to an aft portion of one of said frame members for drive engagement with said pipeline,
- first disengaging means to selectively alternately disengage at least one of said drive rollers from driving engagement with said pipeline in one portion of said frame member,
- drive means continuing to drive a drive roller in another portion of said frame member with sufficient force to move said apparatus along said pipeline a sufficient distance whereby said disengaged roller overrides said obstruction on the surface of said pipeline,
- second disengaging means to selectively and alternately disengage said previously engaged drive roller from said pipeline while said drive means drives said previously disengaged drive roller with sufficient force to move said apparatus along said pipeline, over said obstruction, and
- cutting means secured to said apparatus for cutting a trench in a formation whereby said pipeline is buried.
- 15. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 14 including,
- pivot means positioned on said apparatus for pivoting each said frame member about a substantially horizontal axis toward and away from roller engagement with said pipeline.
- 16. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 15 including,
- each frame member having a both fore and aft drive roller,
- and said disengaging means being a ram connected to the fore and to the aft portions of at least one frame member.
- 17. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 14 including
- said frame member being relatively rigid but capable of being bent by said disengaging means whereby to selectively and alternately disengage a drive roller.
- 18. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 17 including,
- each frame member having both a fore and an aft drive roller.
- 19. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 14 including,
- said disengaging means being a ram connected to the fore and to the aft portions of at least one frame member.
- 20. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- said roller means being driven by fluid motor means,
- said fluid motor means including flow divider control means to proportion fluid flow to maintain motivation of selected rollers of said roller means having the greater resistance to moving said apparatus along the pipeline.
- 21. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1, including,
- said roller means including at least one drive roller in contact with said pipeline in each of a fore portion of a frame member and in an aft portion of a frame member
- said roller means being driven by fluid motor means,
- said fluid motor means including flow divider control means to proportion fluid flow to maintain motivation of selected rollers of said roller means having the greater resistance to moving said apparatus along the pipeline.
- 22. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- said roller means including at least one drive roller in contact with said pipeline in each of a fore portion of a frame member and in an aft portion of a frame member,
- drive means for each said drive roller, control means to alternately drive a selected roller in contact with said pipeline with sufficient force to move said apparatus along said pipeline,
- and said control means including flow divider control means to proportion fluid flow to maintain motivation of selected rollers of said roller means having the greater resistance to moving said apparatus along the pipeline.
- 23. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1, including,
- said pivot means including power means connected to said frame member for selectively and independently moving the fore and aft portions of each said frame member toward and away from roller engagement with said pipeline,
- said roller means including at least one drive roller in contact with said pipeline in each of a fore portion of a frame member and in an aft portion of a frame member, drive means for each said drive roller, driving engagement with said pipeline with sufficient force to move the apparatus along the pipeline, and said control means including flow divider control means to proportion fluid flow to maintain motivation of selected rollers of said roller means having the greater resistance to moving said apparatus along the pipeline.
- 24. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 14, including,
- said drive means including fluid motor means,
- said fluid motor means including flow divider control means to proportion fluid flow to maintain motivation of selected rollers of said drive rollers having the greater resistance to moving said apparatus along the pipeline.
- 25. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 14, including,
- at least one drive roller being in selective contact with said pipeline in each of a fore portion of a frame member and in an aft portion of a frame member, and
- said drive means including fluid motor means,
- said fluid motor means including flow divider control means to proportion fluid flow to maintain motivation of selected rollers of said drive rollers having the greater resistance to moving said apparatus along the pipeline.
- 26. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 14, including,
- said frame member being relatively rigid but capable of being bent by said disengaging means to selectively and alternately disengage a drive roller,
- at least one driver roller being in selective contact with said pipeline in each of a fore portion of a frame member and in an aft portion of a frame member, and
- said drive fluid motor means,
- said fluid motor means including flow divider control means to proportion fluid flow to maintain motivation of selected rollers of said drive rollers having the greater resistance to moving said apparatus along the pipeline.
- 27. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 14 including,
- said frame member being relatively rigid but capable of being bent by said disengaging means whereby to selectively and alternately disengage a drive roller,
- at least one drive roller being in selective contact with said pipeline in each of a fore portion of a frame member and in an aft portion of a frame member,
- said drive means including fluid motor means,
- said fluid motor means including flow divider control means to proportion fluid flow to maintain motivation of selected rollers of said drive rollers having the greater resistance to moving said apparatus along the pipeline, and
- each frame member having both fore and aft drive rollers.
- 28. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 14 including,
- said frame member being relatively rigid but capable of being bent by said disengaging means whereby to selectively and alternately disengage a drive roller,
- at least one drive roller in selective contact with said pipeline in each of a fore portion of a frame member and in an aft portion of a frame member,
- said drive means including fluid motor means, said fluid motor means including flow divider control means to proportion fluid flow to maintain motivation of selected rollers of said drive rollers having the greater resistance to moving said apparatus along the pipeline,
- each frame member having a bore fore and aft drive roller,
- and said disengaging means being a ram connected to the fore and to the aft portions of at least one frame member.
- 29. In an underwater trenching apparatus for burying pipeline and the like having a frame for positioning about the pipeline to be buried, drive rollers positioned fore and aft on said frame for moving the apparatus along the pipeline, drive means for driving said drive rollers and cutting means secured to said apparatus for cutting a formation for burying said pipeline, the improvement for enabling the apparatus to override obstructions in the pipeline surface comprising:
- control means for said drive means to vary the power directed to said drive rollers,
- said control means including power flow detection means operatively associated with each fore and aft drive rollers,
- power flow divider means operatively connected to said power detection means to proportion the power flow to drive selected rollers having the greater resistance to moving said apparatus along the pipeline whereby to enable the apparatus to override the obstruction on the pipeline surface.
- 30. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 29 including,
- disengaging means to selectively alternately disengage at least one of said drive rollers from driving engagement with said pipeline in one portion of said frame member.
- 31. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 30 including,
- second disengaging means to selectively and alternately disengage said previously engaged drive roller from disengagement with said pipeline while said drive means drives said previously disengaged drive roller with sufficient force to move said apparatus along said pipeline, over said obstruction.
- 32. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 29 including,
- pivot means positioned on said apparatus for pivoting each said frame member about a substantially horizontal axis toward and away from roller engagement with said pipeline.
- 33. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 32 including,
- said pivot means including power means connected to the fore and aft portions of each said frame member for bending the frame member upon selective moving of one portion of said frame member relative to said pipeline without moving the remaining portions of the same frame member.
- 34. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 32, including,
- said pivot means including a plurality of power rams for selective movement of the fore and aft portions of each said frame member toward and away from roller engagement.
- 35. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 34 including,
- said power rams being connected separately to the fore and aft portion of each said frame member for selectively bending said frame member relative to said pipeline without moving the remaining portion of the same frame member.
- 36. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- said means for moving said pivot means being extensible telescopic means operatively connected to said frame members between said apparatus and said pivot means.
- 37. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- said pivot means including power means connected to said frame member for selectively and independently moving the fore and aft portions of each said frame member toward and away from roller engagement with said pipeline,
- said means for moving said pivot means being extensible telescopic means operatively connected to said frame members between said apparatus and said pivot means, and
- said extensible telescopic means being connected to said frame members above said power means.
- 38. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- each said frame member having a support bar for said roller means, upright beam means connected to said support bar having bearing means to permit pivoting of said frame member.
- 39. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- each said frame member receiving a pivot shaft journaled at the ends to form said horizontal axis.
- 40. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 39 including,
- extensible telescopic means to move the frame members transversely being connected to each pivot shaft means.
- 41. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 40 including,
- said extensible telescopic means operatively connected to said frame members and extending from said apparatus to said pivot shaft for lateral movement of said pivot shaft and said horizontal axis.
- 42. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 41 including,
- said extensible telescopic means being connected to said frame members above said power means.
- 43. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 38 including,
- each said frame member receiving a pivot shaft journaled at the ends to form said horizontal axis,
- extensible telescopic means to move the frame members transversely being connected to each pivot shaft means,
- said extensible telescopic means operatively connected to said frame members and extending from said apparatus to said pivot shaft for lateral movement of said pivot shaft and said horizontal axis, and
- said extensible telescopic means being connected to said frame members above said power means.
- 44. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 1 including,
- each said frame member having support means for said roller means, said roller means including drive rollers positioned fore and aft on said frame member,
- upright members connected to said drive roller support means,
- said pivot means including a pivot shaft journaled within said upright members,
- said means for moving said pivot means being extensible telescopic means operatively connected to said frame members between said apparatus and said pivot means, and
- said pivot means including a plurality of power means operatively connected to said frame members below said means for moving said pivot means, whereby to achieve selective movement of the fore and aft portions of each frame member toward and away from roller engagement.
- 45. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 44 including,
- said pivot means being selectively operable upon either or both the fore and aft portions of the frame member to move selectively one or more said portions to bend said frame member.
- 46. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 45 including,
- each said frame member having a support bar for said drive roller means, and upright beam means connected to said support bar having bearing means to permit pivoting of said frame member.
- 47. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 44 including,
- each said frame member having a support bar for said drive roller means, and upright beam means connected to said support bar having bearing means to permit pivoting of said frame member.
- 48. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 44 including,
- said power means including first and second disengaging means to selectively and alternately disengage at least one of said drive rollers from said pipeline while another roller remains in contact with said pipeline and moves said apparatus along said pipeline.
- 49. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 44 including
- said power means including disengaging means to selectively alternately disengage at least one of said drive rollers from driving engagement with said pipeline in one portion of said frame member.
- 50. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 49 including,
- second disengaging means to selectively and alternately disengage said previously engaged drive roller from said pipeline while said drive means drives said previously disengaged drive roller with sufficient force to move said apparatus along said pipeline, over said obstruction.
- 51. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 14 including,
- each said frame member having a support bar for said drive roller, and upright beam means connected to said support bar having bearing means to permit pivoting of said frame member.
- 52. The underwater trenching apparatus of claim 15 including,
- each said frame member having a support bar for said drive roller, and upright beam means connected to said support bar having bearing means to permit pivoting of said frame member.
- 53. In a method of underwater trenching of a bottom formation for burying a pipeline by jetting a trench with an apparatus having frame members supported on the pipeline and driven by fore and aft pipeline engaging drive rollers, the improvement comprising,
- contacting the pipeline with the drive rollers in driving engagement,
- selectively and disengaging a forwardly positioned drive roller from driving engagement with said pipeline,
- driving an aft positioned drive roller to enable said forward drive roller to move forwardly along said pipeline and override an obstruction on the pipeline surface,
- selectively disengaging said aft positioned drive roller from driving engagement with said pipeline,
- engaging said forward drive roller in drive engagement with said pipeline to move said aft drive roller above said pipeline and override said obstruction.
- 54. The method of claim 53 including,
- selectively and alternately opening and closing fore and aft portions of said frame members to selectively and alternately disengage driving engagement of a drive roller in a fore or aft position.
- 55. The method of claim 53 including
- applying a force selectively and alternately to a frame member to bend said frame member to selectively and alternately engage and disengage driving engagement of a drive roller in a fore or aft position.
- 56. A method of underwater trenching of a bottom with an apparatus having frame members supported on the pipeline and driven by fore and aft pipeline engaging drive rollers, the improvement comprising,
- detecting the amount of power directed to said drive rollers
- controling said drive rollers to vary power directed to said drive rollers,
- directing and dividing power to selected fore or aft drive rollers to maintain movement of said drive roller in driving engagement with said pipeline, whereby said apparatus moves along said pipeline to override obstructions on the pipeline surface.
- 57. The method of claim 56 comprising,
- driving an aft positioned drive roller to enable said forward drive roller to move downwardly along said pipeline and override an obstruction on the pipeline surface,
- selectively disengaging said aft positioned drive roller from driving engagement with said pipeline,
- engaging said forward drive roller in drive engagement with said pipeline to move said aft drive roller above said pipeline and override said obstruction.
- 58. The method of claim 56 comprising,
- selectively and alternately opening and closing fore and aft portions of said frame members to selectively and alternately disengage driving engagement of a drive roller in a fore or aft position.
- 59. The method of claim 56 comprising,
- applying a force selectively and alternately to a frame member to bend said frame member to selectively and alternately engage and disengaged driving engagement of a drive roller in a fore or aft position.
- 60. The method of claim 56 comprising,
- driving an aft positioned drive roller to enable said forward drive roller to move downwardly along said pipeline and override an obstruction on the pipeline surface,
- selectively disengaging said aft positioned drive roller from driving engagement with said pipeline,
- engaging said forward drive roller in drive engagement with said pipeline to move said aft drive roller above said pipeline and override said obstruction,
- selectively and alternately opening and closing fore and aft portions of said frame members to selectively and alternately disengage driving engagement of a drive roller in a fore or aft position.
- 61. The method of claim 56 comprising,
- driving an aft positioned drive roller to enable said forward drive roller to move downwardly along said pipeline and override an obstruction on the pipeline surface,
- selectively disengaging said aft positioned drive roller from driving engagement with said pipeline,
- engaging said forward drive roller in drive engagement with said pipeline to move said aft drive roller above said pipeline and override said obstruction,
- selectively and alternately opening and closing fore and aft portions of said frame members to selectively and alternately disengage driving engagement of a drive roller in a fore or aft position,
- applying a force selectively and alternately to a frame member to bend said frame member to selectively and alternately engage and disengage driving engagement of a drive roller in a fore or aft position.
- 62. The apparatus of claim 1 including,
- said roller means including guide means positioned intermediate said cutting means to guide said apparatus along said pipeline.
- 63. The apparatus of claim 62 including,
- said guide means being forwardly positioned drive rollers,
- said cutting means including forward cutting jets in front of said forwardly positioned drive rollers to clear a shallow trench in said formation, and rearward cutting jets extending below said forward jets and aft of said forward drive rollers,
- said rearward cutting jets extending downwardly below said pipeline to cut said trench for said pipeline to be buried.
- 64. The apparatus of claim 14 including,
- said drive rollers connected to said fore portion of said frame members being forwardly positioned and providing guide means intermediate said cutting means to guide said apparatus along said pipeline.
- 65. The apparatus of claim 64 including,
- said guide means being forwardly positioned drive rollers,
- said cutting means including forward cutting jets in front of said forwardly positioned drive rollers to clear a shallow trench in said formation, and rearward cutting jets extending below said forward jets and aft of said forward drive rollers,
- said rearward cutting jets extending downwardly below said pipeline to cut said trench for said pipeline to be buried.
- 66. The apparatus of claim 29 including,
- said drive rollers connected to said fore portion of said frame members being forewardly positioned and providing guide means intermediate said cutting means to guide said apparatus along said pipeline.
- 67. The apparatus of claim 66 including,
- said guide means being forwardly positioned drive rollers,
- said cutting means including forward cutting jets in front of said forwardly positioned drive rollers to clear a shallow trench in said formation, and rearward cutting jets extending below said forward jets and aft of said forward drive rollers,
- said rearward cutting jets extending downwardly below said pipeline to cut said trench for said pipeline to be buried.
- 68. The method of claim 53 including,
- providing forward cutting jets on said apparatus in front of said fore drive rollers and rearward jets aft of said fore drive rollers,
- cutting a shallow and wide trench with said forward cutting jets,
- guiding said apparatus along said pipeline with said fore drive rollers while cutting a deep and narrower trench with said rearward cutting jets.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 829,350, filed Aug. 31, 1977, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
829350 |
Aug 1977 |
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