Universal offshore pipeline riser clamp assembly

Claim 2

A clamping assembly comprising: a first clamp including, a pair of hollow generally semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of hinge means mounted between said semicylindrical members for transversely pivotally connecting said semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of toggle bolt means operatively mounted upon said first clamp opposite said plurality of hinge means whereby said first clamp may be opened to transversely receive the placement of a first member to be held and then rigidly locked onto the first member and whereby said first clamp may be loosened to permit relative rotation and translation of said first clamp with respect to said first member to be held, a second clamp including, a pair of hollow generally semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of hinge means mounted between said semicylindrical members for transversely pivotally connecting said semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of toggle bolt means operatively mounted upon said second clamp opposite said plurality of hinge means whereby said second clamp may be opened to transversely receive the placement of a second member to be held and then rigidly locked onto the second member and whereby said second clamp may be loosened to permit relative rotation and translation of said second clamp with respect to said second member to be held; an intermediate member for connecting said first and second clamps for relative rotation and translation including, an arm member connected at one end to said first clamp, and a third clamp including, a pair of hollow generally semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of hinge means mounted between said semicylindrical members for transversely pivotally connecting said semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of toggle bolt means operatively mounted upon said third clamp opposite said plurality of hinge means whereby said third clamp may be opened to surround and rigidly hold said arm member generally at the other end thereof and whereby said third clamp may be loosened to permit rotation and translation of said third clamp with respect to said arm member; means for integrating said second clamp with said third clamp incLuding, a web plate interconnecting one of the semi-cylindrical members of said second and said third clamps, said web plate being fixedly connected to said second and third clamps in a posture normal to the longitudinal axis of one of said second and third clamps and coincident with the axis of the other of said second and third clamps, and interlocking means interconnecting said one of the semicylindrical members of said second and third clamps, said interlocking means being fixedly connected to said second and third clamps in a posture perpandicular with respect to said web plate, said interlocking means and said web means cooperating to form a rigid cross-interlocking construction which provides substantial transverse strength to the cross connection between said second and third clamps; said plurality of toggle bolt means operatively mounted upon said second and third clamps each including, a bolt pivotally secured to the other of said semi-cylindrical members of said clamp which is free to pivot with respect to said means for integrating, a corresponding slot fashioned in the corresponding semicylindrical member of said clamp which is fixedly positioned with respect to said means for integrating, and means for operatively retaining said bolt within said slot, whereby said plurality of toggle bolt means mounted upon said second and third clamp assemblies swing inwardly toward said means for integrating said second and third clamps for permitting said second and third clamps to be readily operatively manipulated.

Claim 3

A clamping assembly including: a first clamping including, a pair of hollow generally semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of hinge means mounted between said semi-cylindrical members for transversely pivotally connecting said semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of toggle bolt means operatively mounted upon said first clamp opposite said plurality of hinge means whereby said first clamp may be opened to transversely receive the placement of a first member to be held and then rigidly locked onto the first member and whereby said first clamp may be loosened to permit relative rotation and translation of said first clamp with respect to said first member to be held, a second clamp including, a pair of hollow generally semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of hinge means mounted between said semi-cylindrical members for transversely pivotally connecting said semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of toggle bolt means operatively mounted upon said second clamp opposite said plurality of hinge means whereby said second clamp may be opened to transversely receive the placement of a second member to be held and then rigidly locked onto the second member and whereby said second clamp may be loosened to permit relative rotation and translation of said second clamp with respect to said second member to be held; a first intermediate member for connecting said first and second clamps for relative rotation and translation including, an arm member connected at one end to said first clamp, and a third clamp including, a pair of hollow generally semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of hinge means mounted between said semi-cylindrical members for transversely pivotally connecting said semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of toggle bolt means operatively mounted upon said third clamp opposite said plurality of hinge means whereby said third clamp may be opened to surround and rigidly hold said arm member generally at the other end thereof and whereby said third clamp may be loosened to permit rotation and translation of said third clamp with respect to said arm member; a second intermediate member connecting said third clamp to said second clamp, including, a first plate secured on a first side to said second clamp, the plane of said first plate being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second clamp, a second plate secured on a first side to said third clamp, the plane of said second plate being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said third clamp, a second side of said first plate being fashioned with a smooth planar surface, a second side of said second plate being fashioned with a smooth planar surface, the second sides of said first and second plates being operatively juxtaposed for rotational movement about a common central axis lying normal to said first and second plates and means for locking said first plate and said second plate against relative rotational movement therebetween including, at least two arcuate slots formed in one of said first and second plates, the centerline of said arcuate slots being formed along the circumference of a circle described about the substantially central axis of said first and second plates and wholly within the outer periphery of said one of said first and second plates, a plurality of threaded stud means formed in the other of said first and second plates and corresponding in number to the number of said arcuate slots, said threaded stud means being positioned on the other of said first and second plates with the axes of said stud means being substantially normal to the plane of the other of said first and second plates and compatibly arranged for engagement through said arcuate slots, and said plurality of threaded stud means being thus arranged to releasably join or permit limited movement within said arcuate slots as said first and second plates are rotated with respect to each other about the central axis normal to both said first and second plates.

Claim 4

A clamping assembly including: a first clamping including, a pair of hollow generally semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of hinge means mounted between said semi-cylindrical members for transversely pivotally connecting said semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of toggle bolt means operatively mounted upon said first clamp opposite said plurality of hinge means whereby said first clamp may be opened to transversely receive the placement of a first member to be held and then rigidly locked onto the first member and whereby said first clamp may be loosened to permit relative rotation and translation of said first clamp with respect to said first member to be held, a second clamp including, a pair of hollow generally semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of hinge means mounted between said semi-cylindrical members for transversely pivotally connecting said semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of toggle bolt means operatively mounted upon said second clamp opposite said plurality of hinge means whereby said second clamp may be opened to transversely receive the placement of a second member to be held and then rigidly locked onto the second member and whereby said second clamp may be loosened to permit relative rotation and translation of said second clamp with respect to said second member to be held; a first intermediate member for connecting said first and second clamps for relative rotation and translation including, an arm member connected at one end to said first clamp, and a third clamp including, a pair of hollow generally semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of hinge means mounted between said semi-cylindrical members for transversely pivotally connecting said semi-cylindrical members, a plurality of toggle bolt means operatively mounted upon said third clamp opposite said plurality of hinge means whereby said third clamp may be opened to surround and rigidly hold said arm member generally at the other end thereof and whereby said third clamp may be loosened to permit rotation and translation of said third clamp with respect to said arm member; a second intermediate member connecting said third clamp to said second clamp, including, a first plate secured on a first side to said second clamp, the plane of said first plate being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second clamp, a second plate secured on a first side to said third clamp, the plane of said second plate being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said third clamp, a second side of said first plate being fashioned with a smooth planar surface, a second side of said second plate being fashioned with a smooth planar surface, the second sides of said first and second plates being operatively juxtaposed for rotational movement about a common central axis lying normal to said first and second plates and means for locking said first plate and said second plate against relative rotational movement therebetween including, at least two arcuate slots formed in one of said first and second plates, the centerline of said arcuate slots being formed along the circumference of a circle described about the substantially central axis of said first and second plates and wholly within the outer periphery of said one of said first and second plates, a plurality of threaded stud means formed in the other of said first and second plates and corresponding in number to the number of said arcuate slots, said threaded stud means being positioned on the other of said first and second plates with the axes of said stud means being substantially normal to the plane of the other of said first and second plates and compatibly arranged for engagement through said arcuate slots, and said plurality of threaded stud means being thus arranged to releasably join or permit limited movement within said arcuate slots as said first and second plates are rotated with respect to each other about the central axis normal to both said first and second plates.