Underwater pipeline-burying apparatus

Claim 2

Underwater pipeline-burying apparatus comprising frame means adapted to move along the pipeline, rearwardly directed jet means through which fluid under pressure can be discharged into the ambient water to provide a reactive force that is sufficient to move the frame means forwardly along the pipeline, means carried by the frame means for excavating below the pipeline ahead of the frame means as it is moved along the pipeline by the rearwardly directed jet means, said frame means including two portions with the jet means located on one portion and the excavating means on the other, means pivotally connecting the two portions, and means for pivoting one portion relative to the other as the frame means move along the pipeline.

Claim 3

The underwater pipe-burying apparatus of claim 1 in which the means for pivoting comprises means carried by the frame means for engaging the pipeline to guide the frame means along the pipeline as the frame means is moved therealong by the rearwardly directed jet means.

Claim 4

The underwater pipeline-burying apparatus of claim 1 in which the excavating means comprises second jet means through which fluid under pressure can be discharged to wash the bottom slit and sediments from under the pipeline ahead of the frame means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 further provided with means for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to the first jet means to control the speed the frame means moves along the pipeline.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4, in which the frame means inCludes a first pair of horizontal tubular members in spaced parallel relationship with each other and with said pipeline, and in which said rearwardly directed jet means includes a plurality of nozzles attached to said tubular members through which fluid under pressure may be discharged from the interior of said tubular members, said members being positioned on opposite sides and below the pipeline with their attached nozzles being positioned to direct the fluid flowing therethrough both upwardly and in a direction opposite to the desired direction of travel of the frame means along the pipeline to provide said reactive force to move the frame means in the desired direction and to wash bottom silt and sediments from under the pipeline as the frame moves therealong.

Claim 7

Underwater pipeline-burying apparatus comprising frame means adapted to move along the pipeline, rearwardly directed jet means through which fluid under pressure can be discharged into the ambient water to provide a reactive force that is sufficient to move the frame means forwardly along the pipeline, means for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to the first jet means to control the speed of the frame means moves along the pipeline, means carried by the frame means for excavating below the pipeline ahead of the frame means as it is moved along the pipeline by the rearwardly directed jet means, said excavating means comprising second jet means through which fluid under pressure can be discharged to wash the bottom silt and sediments from under the pipeline ahead of the frame means, said frame means further including a first pair of horizontal tubular members in spaced parallel relationship with each other and with said pipeline and in which said rearwardly directed jet means includes a plurality of nozzles attached to said tubular members through which fluid under pressure may be discharged from the interior of said tubular members, said members being positioned on opposite sides and below the pipeline with the attached nozzles being positioned to direct the fluid flowing therethrough both upwardly and in the direction opposite to the desired direction of travel of the frame means along the pipeline to provide said reactive force to move the frame means in the desired direction and to wash bottom silt and sediments from under the pipeline as the frame moves therealong, and a second pair of spaced parallel tubular members with each having a plurality of nozzles attached thereto through which fluid under pressure may be discharged from the interior of said tubular members, said second pair of tubular members being positioned to extend upwardly from the forward ends of the first pair of tubular members on opposite sides of the pipeline with the nozzles positioned to direct the fluid flowing therethrough in the general direction of travel of the frame means to wash the bottom silt and sediments from under the pipeline ahead of the frame means.

Claim 8

Underwater pipeline-burying apparatus comprising frame means adapted to move along the pipeline, rearwardly directed jet means through which fluid under pressure can be discharged into the ambient water to provide a reactive force that is sufficient to move the frame means forwardly along the pipeline, means for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to the first jet means to control the speed of the frame means moves along the pipeline, means carried by the frame means for excavating below the pipeline ahead of the frame means as it is moved along the pipeline by the rearwardly directed jet means, said excavating means comprising second jet means through which fluid under pressure can be discharged to wash the bottom silt and sediments from under the pipeline ahead of the frame means, said frame means further including a first pair of horizontal tubular members in spaced parallel relationship with each other and with said pipeline and in which said rearwardly directed jet means includes a plurality of nozzles attached to said tubular members through which fluid under pressure may be discharged from the interior of said tubular members, said members being positioned on opposite sides and below the pipeline with the attached nozzles being positioned to direct the fluid flowing therethrough both upwardly and in the direction opposite to the desired direction of travel of the frame means along the pipeline to provide said reactive force to move the frame means in the desired direction and to wash bottom silt and sediments from under the pipeline as the frame moves therealong, and a second pair of spaced parallel tubular members with each having a plurality of nozzles attached thereto through which fluid under pressure may be discharged from the interior of said tubular members, said second pair of tubular members being positioned to extend upwardly from the forward ends of the first pair of tubular members on opposite sides of the pipeline with the nozzles positioned to direct the fluid flowing therethrough in the general direction of travel of the frame means to wash the bottom silt and sediments from under the pipeline ahead of the frame means.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 in which the frame means further includes a third pair of tubular members, each of which is adjacent and parallel to one of the first pair of tubular members, said third pair of members having a plurality of holes spaced along their upper surface through which air may flow from the interior thereof to aerate the water thereabove to aid the apparatus in removing bottom silt and sediments from below the pipeline.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 in which said frame means includes spaced horizontal rollers mounted to rotate around axes transverse the longitudinal axis of the pipeline for supporting the first and second pairs of tubular members on opposite sides of the pipeline and for movement therealong.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 further provided with means for connecting the first pair of tubular members to a source of fluid under pressure, said means including valve means for operation by a diver riding said frame means to control the volume of fluid flowing to said first set of tubular members to control the speed to the frame means aLong the pipeline.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 in which said means for connecting the first tubular means to a source of pressure fluid also connects the second tubular means to the same source of pressure fluid and the manipulation of the valve means to control the volume of fluid flowing to the first tubular members affects the volume flowing to the second set of tubular members.

Claim 13

Apparatus for burying a pipeline lying on the bottom of a body of water, comprising frame means adapted to be supported by the pipeline to be buried including means for engaging the pipeline to support the frame means for movement along the pipeline, and to guide the frame means along the pipeline, a first set of rearwardly directed propulsion nozzles carried by the frame means to provide the total force required for moving the frame means forward along the pipeline, a second set of cutting nozzles carried by the frame means to discharge generally in the direction of travel of the frame means for washing the bottom from under the pipeline ahead of the frame means to permit the pipeline to sink below the level of the bottom after the frame means has moved on, and means for varying the flow of fluid to the first sets of nozzles to control the speed to the frame means along the pipeline.

Claim 14

Apparatus for burying a pipeline lying on the bottom of a body of water, comprising frame means adapted to be supported by the pipeline to be buried including means for engaging the pipeline to support the frame means for movement along the pipeline, and to guide the frame means along the pipeline, a first set of rearwardly directed propulsion nozzles carried by the frame means to provide the total force required for moving the frame means forward along the pipeline, a second set of cutting nozzles carried by the frame means to discharge generally in the direction of travel of the frame means for washing the bottom from under the pipeline ahead of the frame means to permit the pipeline to sink below the level of the bottom after the frame means has moved on, and means for varying the flow of fluid to the first sets of nozzles to control the speed to the frame means along the pipeline.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 in which the frame means straddles the pipeline and said support means includes rollers to engage the pipeline for supporting the frame for movement therealong.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 11 in which the propulsion nozzles are carried by a first portion of the frame means, the cutting nozzles are carried by a second portion of the frame means, and the apparatus is further provided with means pivotally connecting the first and second portions of the frame means and means for pivoting one portion relative to the other to change the direction of travel of the apparatus along a pipeline.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13 further provided with means for connecting the propulsion nozzles and the cutting nozzles to a source of fluid under pressure and valve means for changing the rate of flow of pressure fluid to said nozzles.

Claim 18

Underwater pipe-burying apparatus comprising a framework of tubular members adapted to be supported by the pipeline to be buried and for movement therealong, said framework including a first pair of horizontal tubular members located below and on opposite sides of the pipeline and parallel thereto with each of the members having a plurality of nozzles spaced longitudinally therealong through which water can flow from the interior of the tubular members upwardly or rearwardly of the framework to provide a reactive force for urging the framework along the pipeline and to wash bottom sediment from under the pipeline, a second pair of upwardly inclined parallel tubular members located on opposite sides of the pipeline, each of said tubular members having a plurality of nozzles spaced longitudinally therealong through which water can flow from the interior of the second pair of tubular members generally in the direction of travel of the framework to wash away the bottom sediments ahead of the framework and below the pipeline, means for supplying the first and second pairs of tubular members with water under pressure, and means carried by the framework and operable by a diver riding the framework for controlling the flow of water to the first pair of tubular members to control the speed that the framework moves along the pipeline.

Claim 19

Underwater pipe-burying apparatus comprising a framework of tubular members adapted to be supported by the pipeline to be buried and for movement therealong, said framework including a first pair of horizontal tubular members located below and on opposite sides of the pipeline and parallel thereto with each of the members having a plurality of nozzles spaced longitudinally therealong through which water can flow from the interior of the tubular members upwardly or rearwardly of the framework to provide a reactive force for urging the framework along the pipeline and to wash bottom sediment from under the pipeline, a second pair of upwardly inclined parallel tubular members located on opposite sides of the pipeline, each of said tubular members having a plurality of nozzles spaced longitudinally therealong through which water can flow from the interior of the second pair of tubular members generally in the direction of travel of the framework to wash away the bottom sediments ahead of the framework and below the pipeline, means for supplying the first and second pairs of tubular members with water under pressure, and means carried by the framework and operable by a diver riding the framework for controlling the flow of water to the first pair of tubular members to control the speed that the framework moves along the pipeline.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 15 further provided with means pivotally connecting the first and second pairs of tubular members and means for pivoting the first relative to the second to change the direction of travel of the apparatus.

Claim 21

Apparatus for excavating a ditch under a pipeline lying on the bottom of a body of water comprising a U-shaped frame for straddling the pipeline, means carried by the frame to engage the pipeline and cause the frame to follow the pipeline as the frame moves forwardly, a plurality of forwaRdly directed nozzles carried by the frame through which pressure fluid from the surface is discharged to erode away the bottom below the pipeline to form a ditch into which the pipeline can fall, and rearwardly directed nozzle means through which pressure fluid is discharged to provide the total force required for moving the frame forwardly along the pipeline as the fluid discharged from the forwardly directed jets erodes the bottom from under the pipeline, and means controlling the flow of fluid to said forwardly and rearwardly directed jets so that the forward speed of the apparatus can be varied independently of the flow of fluid to the forwardly directed jets.

Claim 22

Apparatus for excavating a ditch under a pipeline lying on the bottom of a body of water comprising a U-shaped frame for straddling the pipeline, means carried by the frame to engage the pipeline and cause the frame to follow the pipeline as the frame moves forwardly, a plurality of forwaRdly directed nozzles carried by the frame through which pressure fluid from the surface is discharged to erode away the bottom below the pipeline to form a ditch into which the pipeline can fall, and rearwardly directed nozzle means through which pressure fluid is discharged to provide the total force required for moving the frame forwardly along the pipeline as the fluid discharged from the forwardly directed jets erodes the bottom from under the pipeline, and means controlling the flow of fluid to said forwardly and rearwardly directed jets so that the forward speed of the apparatus can be varied independently of the flow of fluid to the forwardly directed jets.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 17 in which the frame includes a forward U-shaped section and a rearward U-shaped section and hinge means connecting the forward and rearward sections together to allow the frame to more easily follow the pipeline. 19 Apparatus for excavating a ditch under a pipeline lying on the bottom of a body of water comprising, first and second U-shaped frame means for straddling the pipeline in tandem, hinge means connecting the first and second frame means for relative movement around a vertical axis to permit the frame means to more easily travel around curves in the pipeline, forwardly directed fluid jet means carried by the first frame means through which a fluid jet can be directed ahead of the frame means to excavate a ditch under the pipeline, and rearwardly directed fluid jet means through which a fluid jet can be directed rearwardly to provide a sufficient reactive force to move the frame means forwardly along the pipeline as the forwardly directed fluid jet means excavates the ditch under the pipeline.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 19 further provided with means for directing a gas, such as air, into the ditch formed by the forwardly directed jet means to help clean the ditch for the pipeline.