Underwater pipe connector

Claim 2

A pipe connector which comprises: a watertight underwater cellar; a hollow pipe connector housing for mounting in the wall of said cellar and extending therethrough; said connector housing being stepped and having an outer cylindrical section of a large diameter opening exteriorly of said cellar, an intermediate cylindrical section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said outer section and an inner cylindrical section having a diameter smaller than said intermediate cylindrical section, the shoulders between said sections sloping outwardly; a cap secured to the said inner cylindrical section, and a cable extending through said cap in fluidtight, sliding and sealing relationship therewith.

Claim 3

A pipe connector as defined in claim 1 in which at least a part of said intermediate section and all of said inner section are interior of said cellar; a pressure conduit extending into said cellar from the hollow portion interior said intermediate section to the interior of said cellar, and a pressure gage on said conduit.

Claim 4

A pipe connector as defined in claim 2 including a ring-shaped packing means on the interior of said inner section, and means to force said packing means inwardly.

Claim 5

A pipe connector as defined in claim 1 including: a support ring positioned around and at a lateral distance from said cellar and spaced vertically just below said pipe connector housing.

Claim 6

A pipe connector as defined in claim 3 iNcluding a pipe lead plug means for insertion into said connector housing, said plug means having a first section having a diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of said inner section of said housing, said first section being longer than said intermediate section of said housing; a second section having a diameter approximately the same as the inside diameter of said outer section of said housing; said first section and said second section having a shoulder member therebetween for mating with the shoulder member between said intermediate section and said outer section of said connector housing; means connecting said cable to the end of said plug means.

Claim 7

A pipe connector assembly which comprises: a watertight underwater cellar; a hollow pipe connector housing in the wall of said cellar, said housing being stepped and having an outer cylindrical section of a large diameter and an inner cylindrical section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said outer section; sloping shoulders between said outer section and said inner section; a cap on the end of said inner section, and packing means extending through said cap so that a line can be passed therethrough in a fluidtight, sliding sealing relationship therewith.

Claim 8

A pipe connector assembly which comprises: a watertight underwater cellar; a hollow pipe connector housing in the wall of said cellar, said housing being stepped and having an outer cylindrical section of a large diameter and an inner cylindrical section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said outer section; sloping shoulders between said outer section and said inner section; a cap on the end of said inner section, and packing means extending through said cap so that a line can be passed therethrough in a fluidtight, sliding sealing relationship therewith.

Claim 9

A pipe connector as defined in claim 6 including: a support member spaced laterally from said cellar and spaced vertically below said pipe connector housing.

Claim 10

A pipe connector assembly as defined in claim 6 including a pipe lead plug means for insertion into said connector housing, said plug means having a first section having a diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of said inner section of said housing, said first section being about the same longitudinal length as the said outer section of said housing; a second section having a diameter approximately the same as the inside diameter of said outer section of said housing; said first section and said second section having a shoulder member therebetween for mating with the shoulder member between the outer section and inner section of said connector housing; means connecting said cable to the end of said plug means.

Claim 11

A pipe connector assembly for use with a platform supported above a body of water, which comprises: a vertical pipe extending from the platform to close to the floor of said body of water, the lower end of said pipe being bent to have a substantially horizontal portion; a hollow pipe connector housing connected to said horizontal portion, said connector housing having an outer section of large diameter and an inner section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said outer section, and sloping shoulder between said outer section and said inner section; a pipe lead plug means for insertion into said housing, said plug means having a first section having a diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of said inner section of said housing, said first section being about the same longitudinal length as the length of said outer section of said housing; said plug means having a second section having a diameter approximately the same as the inside diameter of said outer section of said housing; said first section and said second section having a shoulder member therebetween for mating with the shoulder member between the outer section and the inner section of said connector housing in a sealing relationship; a flexible line connected to the end of said plug means and extending upwardly through said vertical pipe; means for releasing said line from said plug means, and latching means for latching said plug means to the interior of said housing.

Claim 12

A pipe connector assembly for use with a platform supported above a body of water, which comprises: a vertical pipe extending from the platform to close to the floor of said body of water, the lower end of said pipe being bent to have a substantially horizontal portion; a hollow pipe connector housing connected to said horizontal portion, said connector housing having an outer section of large diameter and an inner section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said outer section, and sloping shoulder between said outer section and said inner section; a pipe lead plug means for insertion into said housing, said plug means having a first section having a diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of said inner section of said housing, said first section being about the same longitudinal length as the length of said outer section of said housing; said plug means having a second section having a diameter approximately the same as the inside diameter of said outer section of said housing; said first section and said second section having a shoulder member therebetween for mating with the shoulder member between the outer section and the inner section of said connector housing in a sealing relationship; a flexible line connected to the end of said plug means and extending upwardly through said vertical pipe; means for releasing said line from said plug means, and latching means for latching said plug means to the interior of said housing.

Claim 13

An assembly as defined in claim 9 including a support member spaced laterally from the base of said platform and spaced vertically below said pipe connector housing.

Claim 14

A pipe connector assembly which comprises: a hollow pipe connector housing being stepped and having an outer cylindricaL section of a large diameter and an inner cylindrical section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said outer section; sloping shoulders between said outer section and said inner section; a cap on the end of said inner section; packing means extending through said cap so that a line can be passed therethrough in a fluid-type sliding, sealing relationship; a pipe lead plug means for insertion into said connector housing, said plug means having a first section having a diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of said inner section of said housing, the longitudinal length at said first section being about at least the longitudinal length of the outer section of said housing; a second section having a diameter approximately the same as the inside diameter of said outer section of said housing; said first section and said second section having a shoulder member therebetween for mating with the shoulder member between the outer section and inner section of said connector housing; means connecting said cable to the end of said plug means.

Claim 15

A pipe connector assembly which comprises: a hollow pipe connector housing being stepped and having an outer cylindricaL section of a large diameter and an inner cylindrical section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said outer section; sloping shoulders between said outer section and said inner section; a cap on the end of said inner section; packing means extending through said cap so that a line can be passed therethrough in a fluid-type sliding, sealing relationship; a pipe lead plug means for insertion into said connector housing, said plug means having a first section having a diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of said inner section of said housing, the longitudinal length at said first section being about at least the longitudinal length of the outer section of said housing; a second section having a diameter approximately the same as the inside diameter of said outer section of said housing; said first section and said second section having a shoulder member therebetween for mating with the shoulder member between the outer section and inner section of said connector housing; means connecting said cable to the end of said plug means.