Method and apparatus for forming underwater structures

Claim 1

A METOD FOR CONSTRUCTING STRUCTURES OF PREDETERMINED SHAPE ON THE BOTTOM OF A BODY OF WATER FROM AN INSTALLATION POSITIONED AT THE SURFACE THEREOF, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF LOWERING TO THE BOTTOM FROM SAID SURFACE INSTALLATION A CONTAINER COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID FORM, A CONTAINER BOTTOM SECURED TO SAID RIGID FORM, A MOVABLE COVER PROVIDED WITH A SAFETY VALVE AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID RIGID FORM AND DISPLACEABLE THEREIN FROM A COLLAPSED POSITION TO AN EXPANDED POSITION CORRESPONDING TO THE PREDETERMINED SHAPE OF THE STRUCTURE, SAID CONTAINER BEING CONNECTED TO SAID SURFACE INSTALLATION THROUGH FLEXIBLE PIPE MEANS AND AN OPENING THROUGH SAID COVER TO FILL PROGRESSIVELY SAID CONTAINER FROM SAID SURFACE INSTALLATION THROUGH SAID FLEXIBLE PIPE MEANS WITH A MIXTURE OF LIQUID AND SOLIDS CAPABLE OF SOLIDIFYING, THEREBY CAUSING EXPANSION OF SAID MOVABLE COVER, ALLOWING SAID MIXTURE TO SOLIDIFY, AND THEN DETACHING THE PIPE MEANS FROM SAID CONTAINER.