System and apparatus to place flexible pipes and cables under ground below water

Claim 1

A SUBMARINE TRENCHING SYSTEM FOR LAYING CONTINUOUS FLEXIBLE PIPES OR CABLES COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED ENCLOSED LONGITUDINAL CARRIER HAVING A FRONT, A REAR, A LOWER FLUSH-JET PORTIOIN ADAPTED TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE BED OF THE WATER BODY TO BE TRENCHED AND A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FORWARD EDGE, AT LEAST ONE FIRST LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FORWARD DEFINED BEHIND SAID FORWARD EDGE IN SAID CARRIER, WATER CONNECTION MEANS FOR FEEDING PRESSURIZED WATER INTO SAID FIRST CHANNEL, A PLURALITY OF DISCHARGE NOZZLES COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FIRST CHANNEL AND ARRANGED IN SAID LOWER PORTION OF SAID CARRIER ADJACENT SAID FORWARD EDGE FOR EJECTING PRESSURIZED WATER SUPPLIED THROUGH SAID FIRST CHANNEL, AT LEAST ONE SECOND LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CHANNEL DEFINED BEHIND SAID FORWARD EDGE AND SAID FIRST CHANNEL IN SAID CARRIER, ENTRANCE MEANS FOR FEEDING AT LEAST ONE FLEXIBLE PIPE OR CABLE TO BE LAID INTO SAID SECOND CHANNEL, AN OPENING DEFINED AT THE REAR OF SAID LOWER END PORTION OF SAID CARRIER IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID SECOND CHANNEL FOR ISSUING SAID FLEXIBLE PIPE OR CABLE THEREFROM, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING SAID FLEXIBLE PIPE OR CABLE INTO SAID ENTRANCE MEANS OF SAID CARRIER, A FLOATING UNIT DISPOSED FORWARD OF SAID CARRIER, ABUTMENT MEANS DEFINED ON SAID FLOATING UNIT ABUTTING SAID CARRIER FORWARD EDGE, A FLEXIBLE CARRIER SUSPENSION TENSION MEMBER HAVING ONE END AFFIXED TO SAID CARRIER AND ITS OTHER END CONNECTED TO SAID FLOATING UNIT AT AN ELEVATIONN ABOVE SAID CARRIER SUSPENDING SAID CARRIER FROM SAID FLOATING UNIT, CARRIER SUSPENSION TAKE-UP MECHANISM MOUNTED ON SAID FLOATING UNIT AND ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CARRIER SUSPENSION