US3640079A — Method and apparatus for connecting two submerged…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 154 words

Connecting device for connecting in sealing engagement a mobile enclosure at atmospheric pressure and a fixed enclosure on the ocean bottom, comprising: a mobile enclosure having a passage tube protruding beyond said enclosure, an autoclave panel closing off the portion of the tube situated on the inside of the enclosure, an inflatable joint bordering on the end of the tube outside the enclosure, a rigid support bearing along its outside circumference and at one of its edges a joint in the form of a lip surrounding the outside extremity of the tube, the other edge of the support being on the level of the lower portion of the inflatable joint, and means for pumping of the outside liquid contained in said tube, said second enclosure revealing a flat surface equipped with an opening that is closed off by an autoclave panel whose diameter is smaller than that of the tube of the first enclosure.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 154 words

Connecting device for connecting in sealing engagement a mobile enclosure at atmospheric pressure and a fixed enclosure on the ocean bottom, comprising: a mobile enclosure having a passage tube protruding beyond said enclosure, an autoclave panel closing off the portion of the tube situated on the inside of the enclosure, an inflatable joint bordering on the end of the tube outside the enclosure, a rigid support bearing along its outside circumference and at one of its edges a joint in the form of a lip surrounding the outside extremity of the tube, the other edge of the support being on the level of the lower portion of the inflatable joint, and means for pumping of the outside liquid contained in said tube, said second enclosure revealing a flat surface equipped with an opening that is closed off by an autoclave panel whose diameter is smaller than that of the tube of the first enclosure.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 60 words

Connecting device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a rigid support for the lip joint and a continuous knife edge surrounding the extremity of the tube of the enclosure whose bottom edge is on the level of the extremity of the joint of said tube to thereby increase the seal between said mobile enclosure and said fixed enclosure.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 51 words

Connecting device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: an elastic inflatable joint at the exterior extremity of the tube as a sealing joint and means being provided inside the first enclosure in order to inflate said joint to the desired pressure to thereby increase the seal for any depth.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 53 words

Connecting device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: an elastic inflatable joint at the exterior extremity of the tube, and an inflating circuit for said joint consisting of a control valve governed by the pressure prevailing in the ambient environment surrounding said joint to thereby increase the seal for any depth.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 36 words

Connecting device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a circuit connecting the interior of the tube to the exterior of said enclosure said circuit being controlled by a valve located in said mobile enclosure.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 37 words

Connecting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fluid-pumping means in the mobile enclosure comprises a pump connected to a tank, said tank having a valve so that it can be placed under atmospheric pressure.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 76 words

Connecting device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: a pumping circuit connecting the inside of the tube to the outside of the mobile enclosure, said circuit having a duct extending into the tube, a first valve in said duct, a low-power centrifugal pump connected to said valve, and a duct for the evacuation of fluid to the outside of the enclosure said duct being connected to said pump and having a second valve therein.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 37 words

Connecting device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: a crown of jacks having rods for engaging the surface of the threshold of the fixed enclosure, said jacks being controlled from the inside of the enclosure.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 168 words

Connecting device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a ring-shaped sealing chamber positioned outside of the tube for increasing the seal between the outside end of the mobile tube and the flat surface of the fixed enclosure, said chaMber having a joint in the form of a lip shouldered by a knife edge and constituting a lateral outside wall of said chamber, a crown supporting said knife edge connected by a first set of jacks to the first enclosure, a toric channel consisting of an elastic membrane bordered by two vertical guide skirts and a crown fixed to said tube, said crown supporting a set of supporting jacks surrounding the tube, pumping means provided in the enclosure in order to evacuate the fluid contained in said ring-shaped chamber bordered below by the surface of the second enclosure, bordered laterally by the knife edge carrying the lip joint and by the tube, and bordered on top by the jack-carrying crown, the elastic membrane, and the knife-edge-carrying crown.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 66 words

Connecting device as set forth in claim 9 further comprising: a pumping circuit connecting said ring-shaped chamber to the outside of said movable enclosure, said circuit having a duct extending from the vicinity of the inflatable joint, said duct being connected by a valve to a low-power centrifugal pump whose output is connected to the outside of said movable enclosure by means of a second valve.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 32 words

Connecting device as set forth in claim 1 wherein, the access openings of the mobile enclosure and of the fixed enclosure have autoclave panels that open toward the inside of said tube.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 42 words

Connecting device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said tube has a series of support jacks which are emptied by establishing a low pressure in said tube with respect to the ambient environment, and depressurizing the chambers of the support jacks.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 173 words

A method for connecting a mobile enclosure, at atmospheric pressure, to a fixed enclosure on the ocean bottom comprising the steps of: a. equipping the mobile enclosure with a passage tube having a closed end extending into said mobile enclosure and an open end extending outside of said mobile enclosure, said open end having a border containing sealing devices and fixed supporting devices and adjustable supporting devices; b. surrounding the closed access opening of the fixed enclosure with a flat surface; c. moving said tube end above the access opening of the fixed enclosure; d. making said mobile enclosure heavy so as to put its supporting devices and said sealing devices into contact with said flat surface; e. emptying the tube so as to create a depressurization with respect to the ambient pressure; and f. perfecting the sealing of the two enclosures by means of the force resulting from the ambient pressure while adjusting the adjustable supporting devices to reduce the large force applied to the sealing devices resulting from the ambient pressure.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 173 words

A method for connecting a mobile enclosure, at atmospheric pressure, to a fixed enclosure on the ocean bottom comprising the steps of: a. equipping the mobile enclosure with a passage tube having a closed end extending into said mobile enclosure and an open end extending outside of said mobile enclosure, said open end having a border containing sealing devices and fixed supporting devices and adjustable supporting devices; b. surrounding the closed access opening of the fixed enclosure with a flat surface; c. moving said tube end above the access opening of the fixed enclosure; d. making said mobile enclosure heavy so as to put its supporting devices and said sealing devices into contact with said flat surface; e. emptying the tube so as to create a depressurization with respect to the ambient pressure; and f. perfecting the sealing of the two enclosures by means of the force resulting from the ambient pressure while adjusting the adjustable supporting devices to reduce the large force applied to the sealing devices resulting from the ambient pressure.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 30 words

Method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said tube is emptied by siphoning the water contained in the tube into a tank of the mobile enclosure at atmospheric pressure.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 37 words

Method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said supporting and sealing devices form a ring-shaped tightness chamber and wherein said tube emptying operation being preceded by an operation creating a slight depressurization in said ring-shaped chamber.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 30 words

Method as set forth in claim 13 wherein one of said tightness devices is inflatable, and wherein said tube emptying operation is preceded by the inflation of said tightness device.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 33 words

Method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said support devices involve jacks, and wherein said tube emptying operation is completed by the placement of the chambers of said supporting jacks under pressure.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 74 words

Method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the separation of the mobile enclosure from the fixed enclosure is accomplished, after closing the access openings of said enclosures by the steps of: (a) returning the water into the tube which was siphoned into the tank of the mobile enclosure; (b) placing the tube under ambient pressure through the establishment of communication between the tube and the outside; and (c) deflating the inflatable tightness joint.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-02-07	1975-08-09	1976-02-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-02-07	1979-08-09	1980-02-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-02-07	1983-08-09	1984-02-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for connecting two submerged inhabitable enclosures

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