EP0152232A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stabilisation mat
Assignee: United Wire Group Ltd
•
Filing: 1985-01-30
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2005-01-30
Abstract
Abstract A jointed massive mat structure is provided comprising a plurality of concrete elements (1) flexibly linked together, for example by ropes or wires (2,3,4, 5), the matweighing at least ½ ton (508 kg) and usually from 2 to 20 tons (2000 kg to 20,000 kg), and being useful for stabilisation of land or sea-beds, and particularly for stabilising structures such as pipelines (10) laid on a sea-bed. The massive mat is laid over a pipeline and the mat flexes to conform to the shape of the pipeline and firmly anchors it in place.
Inventors
- 👤 Keith Edmund James Miller
- 👤 Andrew Muir Bews
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 08:04
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B3/00; E02B3/04; E02B3/12; E02B3/122; E02B3/123; E02B17/00; E02B17/0017; F; F16; F16L; F16L1/00; F16L1/12; F16L1/123
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
46 words
1 . A negative buoyancy mat structure comprising a plurality of individual concrete (or like) elements ( 1 ;11;24;28;45;46;47; Fig. 3,7,8), each element being jointed to at least one other adjacent such element to form an articulate unitary mat structure weighing at least ton (508 kg).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
46 words
1 . A negative buoyancy mat structure comprising a plurality of individual concrete (or like) elements ( 1 ;11;24;28;45;46;47; Fig. 3,7,8), each element being jointed to at least one other adjacent such element to form an articulate unitary mat structure weighing at least ton (508 kg).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A mat according to claim 1 which includes a series of elongate concrete elements (1;11;24;28;45,46) arranged side-by-side and each laterally jointed to its adjacent element(s) whereby the mat can flex at the joints along axes parallel with, but spaced between, respective adjacent elements in said series.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
A mat according to claim 2 which comprises at least two of said series of elements (Fig. 4A), the two series being arranged with elements of one series lying end-to-end with respective elements of the other series, and being jointed therebetween so that said mat additionally can flex at the joints between the ends (12,12') of the elements, along an axis lying generally perpendicular to said elongate elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A mat according to claim 2 or 3, which comprises means (27) disposed between at least two adjacent parallel elements to limit the angle through which the mat can flex about the joint axis between said two elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A mat according to claim 4, wherein said at least two adjacent elements have a pair of opposed lateral faces between which is inserted at least one wedge member (27) to limit the angle of flex.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A mat according to claim 1 which comprises an array of said elements (Figs. 1,4A,5,6,12), each element being jointed to at least one adjacent element to provide articulation of the mat about at least two mutually perpendicular axes therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
7 . A mat according to claim 6, wherein the, or most of the, elements are non-elongate (Fig. 12), and at least some are jointed to at least three adjacent elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A mat according to any preceding claim, wherein said elements are polygonal in cross-section (Figs. 1-10).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
A mat according to any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the joints are formed by elongate flexible elements such as ropes or wires (2,3,4,5,6,22,23,25,26,30, 44,61) extending between adjacent jointed elements and being located by embedment in the said respective adjacent elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A mat according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the elements are jointed by a preformed flexible net, mat or grid structure to which the said elements are attached.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A mat according to any preceding claim wherein, on one face of the mat, at least one element includes a cushioning surface member (70) thereon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A mat according to any preceding claim, which weighs (in air) from 2i tons (2540 kg) to 20 tons (20300 kg).
Claim 14
Independent Claim
40 words
A method of stabilising a pipeline on the sea bed which comprises laying over the pipeline a mat as claimed in any preceding claim with opposite ends of the mat lying on the seabed on opposite sides of the pipeline.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.