Underwater pipeline installation

Claim 1

A METHOD OF LAYING AND MAINTAINING IN PLACE A SUBMARINE PIPELINE, WHICH DISPLACES A WEIGHT OF WATER SLIGHTLY LESS THAN ITS OWN WEIGHT IN AIR, WITH PROVISION FOR SUS PENDING OR INTERRUPTING THE LAYING OPERATION IN CASE OF EMERGENCY AND SUBSEQUENT RESUMPTION OF THE LAYING OPERATION, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES ARRANGING A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF MOTORIZED CRAFT ALONG A PIPELINE SECTOR AT INTERVALS CORRESPONDING TO THE ENVENTUAL AND SUCCESSIVE POINTS OF ATTACHMENT OF THE PIPELINE, EACH CRAFT BEING EQUIPPED WITH A CABLE, A WINCH AND AN ANCHOR CONTROL PASSING IN END OF SAID CABLE THROUGH A REMOTE CONTROL CABLE LOCKING DEVICE AND AROUND A DRUM ASSOCAITED WITH THE ANCHOR WEIGHT AND TEMPORARILY SECURING THE END TO THE RESPECTIVE CRAFT; LOWERING THE ANCHOR WEIGHT TO THE BOTTOM BY ALLOWING THE CABLE TO UNWIND FROM THE WINCH; UNCOUPLING THE END OF THE CABLE FROM THE CRAFT AND SECURING IT TO A PIPELINE ATTACHMENT ELEMENT IN OPERATIVE CONNECTION WITH THE CABLE LOCKING DEVICE; WINDING THE CABLE ON THE WINCH FOR THE PURPOSE OF LOWERING THE SAID PIPELINE ATTACHMENT ELEMENT TOGETHER WITH THE PIPELINE TO A REQUIRED PREDETERMINED DEPTH; GIVING SLACK TO THE CABLE BY UNWINDING IT FROM THE WINCH SO AS TO CAUSE THE CABLE LOCKING DEVICE TO FIRMLY SECURE THE PIPELINE AND THE PIPELINE ATTACHMENT ELEMENT AT THE SAID PREDETERMINED DEPTH.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF LAYING AND MAINTAINING IN PLACE A SUBMARINE PIPELINE, WHICH DISPLACES A WEIGHT OF WATER SLIGHTLY LESS THAN ITS OWN WEIGHT IN AIR, WITH PROVISION FOR SUS PENDING OR INTERRUPTING THE LAYING OPERATION IN CASE OF EMERGENCY AND SUBSEQUENT RESUMPTION OF THE LAYING OPERATION, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES ARRANGING A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF MOTORIZED CRAFT ALONG A PIPELINE SECTOR AT INTERVALS CORRESPONDING TO THE ENVENTUAL AND SUCCESSIVE POINTS OF ATTACHMENT OF THE PIPELINE, EACH CRAFT BEING EQUIPPED WITH A CABLE, A WINCH AND AN ANCHOR CONTROL PASSING IN END OF SAID CABLE THROUGH A REMOTE CONTROL CABLE LOCKING DEVICE AND AROUND A DRUM ASSOCAITED WITH THE ANCHOR WEIGHT AND TEMPORARILY SECURING THE END TO THE RESPECTIVE CRAFT; LOWERING THE ANCHOR WEIGHT TO THE BOTTOM BY ALLOWING THE CABLE TO UNWIND FROM THE WINCH; UNCOUPLING THE END OF THE CABLE FROM THE CRAFT AND SECURING IT TO A PIPELINE ATTACHMENT ELEMENT IN OPERATIVE CONNECTION WITH THE CABLE LOCKING DEVICE; WINDING THE CABLE ON THE WINCH FOR THE PURPOSE OF LOWERING THE SAID PIPELINE ATTACHMENT ELEMENT TOGETHER WITH THE PIPELINE TO A REQUIRED PREDETERMINED DEPTH; GIVING SLACK TO THE CABLE BY UNWINDING IT FROM THE WINCH SO AS TO CAUSE THE CABLE LOCKING DEVICE TO FIRMLY SECURE THE PIPELINE AND THE PIPELINE ATTACHMENT ELEMENT AT THE SAID PREDETERMINED DEPTH.