Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables

Claim 2

Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables, the apparatus including: a first plurality of pairs of guide means, and a second plurality of pairs of guide means, said pairs of guide means being mounted in tandem fashion on mounting means and co-operating to define a cable path, wherein: the first plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, means are provided to operate the traction wheels to apply traction to a cable, individual means for each pair of traction wheels are provided to resiliently bias the wheels of the pair into contact with the cable at opposite ends of a diameter thereof and to constrain said wheels for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path, said individual means comprising individual hydraulic rams, each ram being associated with a hydraulic fluid pressure relief valve to limit the force which can be applied to the cable surface, individual means for each pair of guide means of said second plurality of guide means are provided to resiliently bias the guide means of the pair inwardly towards the cable path and to constrain said guide means for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path.

Claim 3

Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables, the apparatus including: a first plurality of pairs of guide means, and a second plurality of pairs of guide means, said pairs of guide means being mounted in tandem fashion on mounting means and cooperating to define a cable path, wherein: the first plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, means are provided to operate the traction wheels to apply traction to a cable, individual means for each pair of traction wheels are provided to resiliently bias the wheels of the pair into contact with the cable at opposite ends of a diameter thereof and to constrain said wheels for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path, said individual means comprising individual hydraulic rams, each ram being associated with a hydraulic fluid pressure relief valve to limit the force which can be applied to the cable surface, individual means for each pair of guide means of said second plurality of guide means are provided to resiliently bias the guide means of the pair inwardly towards the cable path and to constrain said guide means for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path.

Claim 4

Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables, the apparatus including: a first plurality of pairs of guide means, and a second plurality of pairs of guide means, said pairs of guide means being mounted in tandem fashion on mounting means and cooperating to define a cable path, wherein: the first plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, means are provided to operate the traction wheels to apply traction to a cable, individual means for each pair of traction wheels are provided to resiliently bias the wheels of the pair into contact with the cable at opposite ends of a diameter thereof and to constrain said wheels for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path, said individual means comprising individual hydraulic rams, each ram being associated with a hydraulic fluid pressure relief valve to limit the force which can be applied to the cable surface, individual means for each pair of guide means of said second plurality of guide means are provided to resiliently bias the guide means of the pair inwardly towards the cable path and to constrain said guide means for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path.

Claim 5

Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables, the apparatus including: a first plurality of pairs of guide means, and a second plurality of pairs of guide means, said pairs of guide means being mounted in tandem fashion on mounting means and co-operating to define a cable path, wherein: the first plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, means are provided to operate the traction wheels to apply traction to a cable, individual means for each pair of traction wheels are provided to resiliently bias the wheels of the pair into contact with the cable at opposite ends of a diameter thereof and to constrain said wheels for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path, said individual means comprising individual hydraulic rams, individual means for each pair of guide means of saiD second plurality of guide means are provided to resiliently bias the guide means of the pair inwardly towards the cable path and to constrain said guide means for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path.

Claim 6

Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables, the apparatus including: a first plurality of pairs of guide means, and a second plurality of pairs of guide means, said pairs of guide means being mounted in tandem fashion on mounting means and co-operating to define a cable path, wherein: the first plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, means are provided to operate the traction wheels to apply traction to a cable, individual means for each pair of traction wheels are provided to resiliently bias the wheels of the pair into contact with the cable at opposite ends of a diameter thereof and to constrain said wheels for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path, said individual means comprising individual hydraulic rams, individual means for each pair of guide means of saiD second plurality of guide means are provided to resiliently bias the guide means of the pair inwardly towards the cable path and to constrain said guide means for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path.

Claim 7

Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables, the apparatus including: a first plurality of pairs of guide means, and a second plurality of pairs of guide means, said pairs of guide means being mounted in tandem fashion on mounting means and co-operating to define a cable path, wherein: the first plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, means are provided to operate the traction wheels to apply traction to a cable, individual means for each pair of traction wheels are provided to resiliently bias the wheels of the pair into contact with the cable at opposite ends of a diameter thereof and to constrain said wheels for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path, said individual means comprising mechanically-coupled belt-crank lever mountings, individual means for each pair of guide means of said second plurality of guide means are provided to resiliently bias the guide means of the pair inwardly towards the cable path and to constrain said guide means for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path.

Claim 8

Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables, the apparatus including: a first plurality of pairs of guide means, and a second plurality of pairs of guide means, said pairs of guide means being mounted in tandem fashion on mounting means and co-operating to define a cable path, wherein: the first plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, means are provided to operate the traction wheels to apply traction to a cable, individual means for each pair of traction wheels are provided to resiliently bias the wheels of the pair into contact with the cable at opposite ends of a diameter thereof and to constrain said wheels for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path, said individual means comprising mechanically-coupled belt-crank lever mountings, individual means for each pair of guide means of said second plurality of guide means are provided to resiliently bias the guide means of the pair inwardly towards the cable path and to constrain said guide means for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path.

Claim 9

Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables, the apparatus including: a first plurality of pairs of guide means, and a second plurality of pairs of guide means, said pairs of guide means being mounted in tandem fashion on mounting means and co-operating to define a cable path, wherein: the first plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, means are provided to operate the traction wheels to apply traction to a cable, individual means for each pair of traction wheels are provided to resiliently bias the wheels of the pair into contact with the cable at opposite ends of a diameter thereof and to constrain said wheels for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path, and individual means for each pair of guide means of said second plurality of guide means are provided to resiliently bias the guide means of the pair inwardly towards the cable path and to constrain said guide means for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path, said last mentioned individual means comprising spring means and pivoted lever mounting members linked by quadrant gearing.

Claim 10

Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables, the apparatus including: a first plurality of pairs of guide means, and a second plurality of pairs of guide means, said pairs of guide means being mounted in tandem fashion on mounting means and co-operating to define a cable path, wherein: the first plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, means are provided to operate the traction wheels to apply traction to a cable, individual means for each pair of traction wheels are provided to resiliently bias the wheels of the pair into contact with the cable at opposite ends of a diameter thereof and to constrain said wheels for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path, and individual means for each pair of guide means of said second plurality of guide means are provided to resiliently bias the guide means of the pair inwardly towards the cable path and to constrain said guide means for substantially symmetrical movement about the cable path, said last mentioned individual means comprising spring means and pivoted lever mounting members linked by quadrant gearing.

Claim 11

Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables, the apparatus including: a first plurality of pairs of guide means, and a second plurality of pairs of guide means, said pairs of guide means being mounted in tandem fashion on mounting means and co-operating to define a cable path, wherein: the first plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, means are provided to operate the traction wheels to apply traction to a cable, a plurality of resilient wheel bias means, each wheel bias means being connected to a respective pair of traction wheels to resiliently bias the wheels of the pair into contact with the cable at opposite ends of a diameter thereof, a plurality of wheel constraining means, each wheel constraining means being connected to a respective pair of traction wheels to constrain the wheels of the pair for substantially symmetrical movement towards and away from the cable path, a plurality of resilient guide bias means, each guide bias means being connected to a respective pair of guide means to resiliently bias the guide means of the pair inwardly towards the cable path, and a plurality of guide constraining means, each guide constraining means being connected to a respective pair of guide means to constrain the guide means of the pair for substantially symmetrical movement towards and away from the cable path.

Claim 12

Apparatus for the laying or recovery of cables, the apparatus including: a first plurality of pairs of guide means, and a second plurality of pairs of guide means, said pairs of guide means being mounted in tandem fashion on mounting means and co-operating to define a cable path, wherein: the first plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, means are provided to operate the traction wheels to apply traction to a cable, a plurality of resilient wheel bias means, each wheel bias means being connected to a respective pair of traction wheels to resiliently bias the wheels of the pair into contact with the cable at opposite ends of a diameter thereof, a plurality of wheel constraining means, each wheel constraining means being connected to a respective pair of traction wheels to constrain the wheels of the pair for substantially symmetrical movement towards and away from the cable path, a plurality of resilient guide bias means, each guide bias means being connected to a respective pair of guide means to resiliently bias the guide means of the pair inwardly towards the cable path, and a plurality of guide constraining means, each guide constraining means being connected to a respective pair of guide means to constrain the guide means of the pair for substantially symmetrical movement towards and away from the cable path.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 further characterized in that the tracTion wheels are provided with disc brakes.

Claim 14

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 further characterized in that means are provided to monitor the tension in a cable being laid or recovered.

Claim 15

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the second plurality of pairs of guide means also comprises pairs of traction wheels fitted with pneumatic tires, the axes of the traction wheels of said second plurality being arranged substantially orthogonal to the axes of the first mentioned traction wheels.

Claim 16

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 further characterized in that the traction wheels are provided with disc brakes.

Claim 17

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the second plurality of pairs of guide means comprises pairs of skid members.

Claim 18

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means to operate the traction wheels comprises individual hydraulic motor/pump units.

Claim 19

Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 further characterized by the provision of an hydraulic system including a throttle control such that, in use, when the hydraulic motor/pump units are operated as pumps, the throttle control presents an adjustable resistance to the flow of hydraulic fluid from the said motor/pump units so as to cause the application of an adjustable braking traction to a cable being laid.