Apparatus for measuring subsurface soil characteristics

Claim 2

Apparatus for measuring subsurface soil characteristics comprising: elongated cylindrical housing means; elongated compartment means located inside of the housing means in an ex-centered manner to one side thereof, at least part of the remainder of the interior of the housing means providing a fluid passageway which extends the length of the housing means; fluid-operated burrowing means located at the lower end of the housing means for enabling the housing means to burrow its way into the earth; measuring means located in the compartment means for making measurements on the soil adjacent the hole formed by the passage of the housing means; and coupling means located at the upper end of the housing means for enabling the fluid passageway therein to be coupled to means for supplying fluid under pressure.

Claim 3

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the elongated compartment means comprises an elongated cylindrical compartment of lesser diameter than the elongated cylindrical housing means and wherein the elongated cylindrical compartment is contiguous with the inner wall of the cylindrical housing means along one side thereof.

Claim 4

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the fluid-operated burrowing means comprises fluid jet means for emitting fluid from the lower end of the cylindrical housing means.

Claim 5

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the fluid-operated burrowing means comprises turbo drill means coupled to the lower end of the housing means and communicating with the fluid passageway therein.

Claim 6

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the fluid-operated burrowing means comprises a plurality of downwardly extending jet nozzles protruding from the lower end of the housing means and communicating with the fluid passageway therein.

Claim 7

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and further including controllable off-centering means located on the exterior of the housing means on the side opposite the side to which the compartment means is ex-centered for urging the compartment means side of the housing means against the wall of the burrowed hole when making a measurement on the adjacent soil.

Claim 8

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein the controllable off-centering means includes: inflatable means mounted on the exterior of the housing means; and valve meaNs located within the housing means and communicating with both the fluid passageway therein and the inflatable means for enabling fluid in such passageway to inflate the inflatable means.

Claim 9

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the measuring means includes a plurality of measuring devices for making a plurality of different types of measurements on the soil adjacent the hole formed by the passage of the housing means.

Claim 10

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the measuring means includes a penetrometer mechanism having a probe element adapted to be injected into the soil adjacent the burrowed hole for providing an indication of the mechanical shear strength of such soil.

Claim 11

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the measuring means includes a vane-type penetrometer mechanism having a vaned element adapted to be injected into the soil adjacent the burrowed hole and adapted to be rotated for providing an indication of the mechanical shear strength of such soil.

Claim 12

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the measuring means includes nuclear radiation means for providing an indication of a physical characteristic of the soil adjacent the burrowed hole.

Claim 13

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the measuring means includes: a penetrometer mechanism having a probe element adapted to be injected into the soil adjacent the burrowed hole for providing an indication of the mechanical shear strength of such soil; and nuclear radiation means for providing an indication of a physical characteristic of the soil adjacent the burrowed hole.

Claim 14

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the fluid-operated burrowing means comprises fluid jet means for emitting fluid from the lower end of the housing means; the measuring means includes a penetrometer mechanism having a probe element adapted to be injected into the soil adjacent the burrowed hole for providing an indication of the mechanical shear strength of such soil; the measuring means further includes nuclear radiation means for providing an indication of a physical characteristic of the soil adjacent the burrowed hole; and the apparatus further includes controllable off-centering means located on the exterior of the housing means on the side thereof opposite the side to which the compartment means is ex-centered for urging the compartment means side of the housing means against the wall of the burrowed hole when making a measurement on the adjacent soil.

Claim 15

Apparatus for measuring characteristics of the soil underlying a body of water comprising: a platform structure adapted to rest on the bottom of the body of water; cable means for cooperating with appropriate above-water operating equipment for lowering the platform structure from the surface of the body of water to the bottom thereof; an elongated cylindrical housing having fluid jet means for emitting fluid from the lower portion thereof for enabling the housing to burrow its way into the water bottom soil and a fluid passageway located within the housing and extending from the upper end of the housing to the fluid jet means for supplying fluid thereto; fluid supply means located on the platform structure for supplying pressurized fluid; flexible fluid conduit means having one end coupled to the upper end of the fluid passageway in the housing and having the other end coupled to the fluid supply means; conduit handling means located on the platform structure for controlling the movement of the flexible fluid conduit means for controlling the descent and ascent of the housing into and out of the water bottom soil; and measuring means located in the housing for making measurements on the soil adjacent the hole formed by the passage of the housing into the water bottom soil, such measuring means being located inside of compartment means located inside of the housing in an ex-centered manner to one side thereof.

Claim 16

Apparatus for measuring characteristics of the soil underlying a body of water comprising: a platform structure adapted to rest on the bottom of the body of water; cable means for cooperating with appropriate above-water operating equipment for lowering the platform structure from the surface of the body of water to the bottom thereof; an elongated cylindrical housing having fluid jet means for emitting fluid from the lower portion thereof for enabling the housing to burrow its way into the water bottom soil and a fluid passageway located within the housing and extending from the upper end of the housing to the fluid jet means for supplying fluid thereto; fluid supply means located on the platform structure for supplying pressurized fluid; flexible fluid conduit means having one end coupled to the upper end of the fluid passageway in the housing and having the other end coupled to the fluid supply means; conduit handling means located on the platform structure for controlling the movement of the flexible fluid conduit means for controlling the descent and ascent of the housing into and out of the water bottom soil; and measuring means located in the housing for making measurements on the soil adjacent the hole formed by the passage of the housing into the water bottom soil, such measuring means being located inside of compartment means located inside of the housing in an ex-centered manner to one side thereof.

Claim 17

Apparatus in accordance with claim 14 and further inCluding controllable off-centering means located on the exterior of the housing on the side opposite the side to which the compartment means is ex-centered for urging the compartment means side of the housing against the wall of the burrowed hole when making a measurement on the adjacent soil.

Claim 18

Apparatus for measuring characteristics of the soil underlying a body of water comprising: a platform structure adapted to rest on the bottom of the body of water; cable means for cooperating with appropriate above-water operating equipment for lowering the platform structure from the surface of the body of water to the bottom thereof; an elongated cylindrical housing having fluid jet means for emitting fluid from the lower portion thereof for enabling the housing to burrow its way into the water bottom soil and a fluid passageway located within the housing and extending from the upper end of the housing to the fluid jet means for supplying fluid thereto; fluid supply means located on the platform structure for supplying pressurized fluid; flexible fluid conduit means having one end coupled to the upper end of the fluid passageway in the housing and having the other end coupled to the fluid supply means; conduit handling means located on the platform structure for controlling the movement of the flexible fluid conduit means for controlling the descent and ascent of the housing into and out of the water bottom soil; measuring means located in the housing for making measurements on the soil adjacent the hole formed by the passage of the housing into the water bottom soil, such measuring means including nuclear radiation means for providing an indication of a physical characteristic of the soil adjacent the burrowed hole and a penetrometer mechanism having a probe element adapted to be injected into the soil adjacent the burrowed hole for providing an indication of the mechanical shear strength of the soil, such nuclear radiation means and penetrometer mechanism being located inside of compartment means located inside of the housing in an ex-centered manner to one side thereof; and controllable off-centering means located on the exterior of the housing on the side opposite the side to which the compartment means is ex-centered for urging the compartment means side of the housing against the wall of the burrowed hole when making a measurement on the adjacent soil.

Claim 19

Apparatus for measuring characteristics of the soil underlying a body of water comprising: a platform structure adapted to rest on the bottom of the body of water; cable means for cooperating with appropriate above-water operating equipment for lowering the platform structure from the surface of the body of water to the bottom thereof; an elongated cylindrical housing having fluid jet means for emitting fluid from the lower portion thereof for enabling the housing to burrow its way into the water bottom soil and a fluid passageway located within the housing and extending from the upper end of the housing to the fluid jet means for supplying fluid thereto; fluid supply means located on the platform structure for supplying pressurized fluid; flexible fluid conduit means having one end coupled to the upper end of the fluid passageway in the housing and having the other end coupled to the fluid supply means; conduit handling means located on the platform structure for controlling the movement of the flexible fluid conduit means for controlling the descent and ascent of the housing into and out of the water bottom soil; measuring means located in the housing for making measurements on the soil adjacent the hole formed by the passage of the housing into the water bottom soil, such measuring means including nuclear radiation means for providing an indication of a physical characteristic of the soil adjacent the burrowed hole and a penetrometer mechanism having a probe element adapted to be injected into the soil adjacent the burrowed hole for providing an indication of the mechanical shear strength of the soil, such nuclear radiation means and penetrometer mechanism being located inside of compartment means located inside of the housing in an ex-centered manner to one side thereof; and controllable off-centering means located on the exterior of the housing on the side opposite the side to which the compartment means is ex-centered for urging the compartment means side of the housing against the wall of the burrowed hole when making a measurement on the adjacent soil.