US3673808A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of and apparatus for burying sub-sea pipelines,cables and the like
Assignee: NEDERLANDSE OFFSHORE CO
•
Filing: 1970-04-06
•
Granted: 1972-07-04
•
Expires: 1990-04-06
Abstract
Abstract Pipelines, including cables, are buried in the seabed, which includes the bed of other water covered areas, by a succession of trenching devices travelling along the pipeline one behind the other, the trenching devices each loosening the soil beneath the pipeline and conveying the loosened material from beneath the pipeline to successively increase the depth of a trench beneath it in a continuous and gradual manner whereby the pipeline is laid in the trench at a predetermined depth in a single pass of the trenching devices. The removed soil is used to backfill the trench after the pipe has been laid.
Inventors
- 👤 Johan H Volbeda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 05:36
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02F; E02F5/00; E02F5/02; E02F5/10; E02F5/104; E02F5/105; E02F5/107; E02F5/108; E02F5/109; E02F9/00; E02F9/02; E02F9/04; E02F9/045; E02F9/08; E02F9/10; E02F9/12; E02F9/121; E02F9/128
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A method of burying pipelines, including cables, in the bottom of the sea (as herein defined) which includes the steps of positioning a plurality of trenching devices one behind the other along the pipeline, each of the trenching devices having forwardly directed suction pipes and being designed to loosen the seabed beneath the pipeline and to convey the loosened material from beneath the pipeline, and advancing the devices in the direction of the forwardly directed suction pipes only along the pipeline, successive ones of the trenching devices increasing the depth of a trench beneath the pipeline until the pipeline reaches a predetermined depth therein during a single pass of the said devices in the one direction only and the number of the trenching devices and the spacing between the devices being such that the pipeline is formed into an ''''S'''' shaped bend as it is laid into the trench.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
149 words
A method of burying pipelines, including cables, in the bottom of the sea (as herein defined) which includes the steps of positioning a plurality of trenching devices one behind the other along the pipeline, each of the trenching devices having forwardly directed suction pipes and being designed to loosen the seabed beneath the pipeline and to convey the loosened material from beneath the pipeline, and advancing the devices in the direction of the forwardly directed suction pipes only along the pipeline, successive ones of the trenching devices increasing the depth of a trench beneath the pipeline until the pipeline reaches a predetermined depth therein during a single pass of the said devices in the one direction only and the number of the trenching devices and the spacing between the devices being such that the pipeline is formed into an ''''S'''' shaped bend as it is laid into the trench.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the trenching devices are coupled together to form a train.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of conveying the loosened material to the rear of the plurality of devices to provide infill for the trench as the devices progress along the pipeline.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of loosening the material by means of jets of water.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of loosening the material by means of a cutter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 including the step of advancing the trenching devices along the pipeline by means of a tow line attached to the leading device in the train.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
119 words
For use in the method of claim 1 a trenching device for burying pipelines including cables in the bottom of the sea (as herein defined), the device being adapted to straddle a pipeline and to be moved in a forward direction along the pipeline and having means at its forward end for loosening the material of the seabed, forwardly directed suction means positioned in proximity to the said forward end for removing the loosened material to form a trench into which the pipeline may be laid and discharge means for discharging material which has been removed by the suction means into the trench formed at the rear of the device and on top of the pipeline in the trench.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A trenching device as claimed in claim 7 operable to remove seabed material from beneath it, whereby it may bed down on to the pipeline.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A trenching device as claimed in claim 7 having a jetting device for loosening the material of the seabed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A trenching device as claimed in claim 7 having a cutting device for loosening the material of the seabed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-04 | 1976-01-03 | 1976-07-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-04 | 1980-01-03 | 1980-07-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-04 | 1984-01-03 | 1984-07-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |