Remote control locking clamp for detachably interconnecting two concentric elements

Claim 3

A remote control locking clamp comprising, a. elongated clamp means having overlapping ends mounted between inner and outer spaced apart telescopic elements, b. actuating means for increasing the overlap of said ends for expanding said clamp means against said outer telescopic element and for contracting said clamp means against said inner telescopic element, c. said clamp means being responsive to said actuating means for locking said telescopic elements together, and d. said clamp means being responsive to said actuating means for decreasing the overlap of said ends for unlocking said telescopic elements from each other.

Claim 4

A remote control locking clamp comprising, a. elongated clamp means having overlapping ends mounted between inner and outer spaced apart telescopic elements, b. actuating means for increasing the overlap of said ends for expanding said clamp means against said outer telescopic element and for contracting said clamp means against said inner telescopic element, c. said clamp means being responsive to said actuating means for locking said telescopic elements together, and d. said clamp means being responsive to said actuating means for decreasing the overlap of said ends for unlocking said telescopic elements from each other.

Claim 5

A remote control locking clamp for detachably connecting inner and outer spaced apart telescopic elements wherein the inner element is positioned telescopically within the outer element comprising, a. elongated clamp means positioned between said inner and outer telescopic elements and encircling said inner element between said inner and outer elements with overlapping ends, b. means for expanding said clamp means, c. means for contracting said clamp means, d. said means for expanding said clamp means comprising means for increasing the overlap of said ends, e. said means for contracting said clamp means comprising means for decreasing the overlap of said ends, f. said clamp means being responsive to said expanding means for locking said telescopic elements to each other, and g. said clamp means being responsive to said contracting means for unlocking said telescopic elements from each other.

Claim 6

A remote control locking clamp for detachably connecting inner and outer spaced apart telescopic elements wherein the inner element is positioned telescopically within the outer element comprising, a. elongated clamp means positioned between said inner and outer telescopic elements and encircling said inner element between said inner and outer elements with overlapping ends, b. means for expanding said clamp means, c. means for contracting said clamp means, d. said means for expanding said clamp means comprising means for increasing the overlap of said ends, e. said means for contracting said clamp means comprising means for decreasing the overlap of said ends, f. said clamp means being responsive to said expanding means for locking said telescopic elements to each other, and g. said clamp means being responsive to said contracting means for unlocking said telescopic elements from each other.

Claim 7

A clamp as recited in claim 3 wherein, a. said clamp means comprises an elongated clamp encircling said inner element between said inner and outer elements with overlapping ends, b. the means for expanding the clamp means comprises a tapered pin means between said overlapping ends, c. motor means for actuating said tapered pin between said overlapping ends, d. said clamp means being responsive to said tapered pin means for increasing the distance between said overlapping ends for locking said telescopic elements together, and e. said clamp means being responsive to said tapered pin means for decreasing the distance between said overlapping ends for unlocking said telescopic elements from each other.

Claim 8

A remote control locking clamp comprising, a. an elongated clamp positioned between inner and outer spaced apart telescopic elements and encircling the inner element with tapered overlapping ends, b. means for increasing the overlapping of said tapered ends for expanding said clamp for locking said telescopic elements together, and c. means for decreasing the overlapping of said tapered ends for contracting said clamp for unlocking said telescopic elements from each other.

Claim 9

A remote control locking clamp comprising, a. an elongated clamp positioned between inner and outer spaced apart telescopic elements and encircling the inner element with tapered overlapping ends, b. means for increasing the overlapping of said tapered ends for expanding said clamp for locking said telescopic elements together, and c. means for decreasing the overlapping of said tapered ends for contracting said clamp for unlocking said telescopic elements from each other.

Claim 10

A remote control locking clamp comprising, a. inner and outer spaced apart concentric elements, b. elongated clamp means having internal and external concentric clamping surfaces mounted between said inner and outer elements, c. pin means for increasing the frictional resistance between said internal clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for locking said concentric elements together, d. said pin means comprising means for decreasing the frictional resistance between said external clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for unlocking said concentric elements from each other, e. said elongated clamp means comprises two parts, one end of both parts being hingedly interconnected, and f. the other ends of both parts overlap each other so that upon increasing the overlapping of said other ends, the clamp means interlocks the concentric elements together.

Claim 11

A remote control locking clamp comprising, a. inner and outer spaced apart concentric elements, b. elongated clamp means having internal and external concentric clamping surfaces mounted between said inner and outer elements, c. pin means for increasing the frictional resistance between said internal clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for locking said concentric elements together, d. said pin means comprising means for decreasing the frictional resistance between said external clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for unlocking said concentric elements from each other, e. said elongated clamp means comprises two parts, one end of both parts being hingedly interconnected, and f. the other ends of both parts overlap each other so that upon increasing the overlapping of said other ends, the clamp means interlocks the concentric elements together.

Claim 12

A remote control locking clamp comprising, a. inner and outer spaced apart concentric elements b. elongated clamp means having at least two pairs of interconnected spaced apart elongated internal and external concentric clamping surfaces mounted between said inner and outer elements, c. each pair of interconnected spaced apart elongated internal and external concentric clamping surfaces has a pair of interconnected hooks, d. a tapered pin between each of said hooks of each pair for expanding the effective distance between said internal and external clamping surfaces for increasing the frictional resistance between said internal clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for locking said concentric elements together, e. said tapered pins being pin means for contracting the effective distance between said internal and external clamping surfaces for decreasing the frictional resistance between said internal clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for unlocking said concentric elements from each other.

Claim 13

A remote control locking clamp comprising, a. inner and outer spaced apart concentric elements b. elongated clamp means having at least two pairs of interconnected spaced apart elongated internal and external concentric clamping surfaces mounted between said inner and outer elements, c. each pair of interconnected spaced apart elongated internal and external concentric clamping surfaces has a pair of interconnected hooks, d. a tapered pin between each of said hooks of each pair for expanding the effective distance between said internal and external clamping surfaces for increasing the frictional resistance between said internal clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for locking said concentric elements together, e. said tapered pins being pin means for contracting the effective distance between said internal and external clamping surfaces for decreasing the frictional resistance between said internal clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for unlocking said concentric elements from each other.

Claim 14

A remote control locking clamp comprising, a. inner and outer spaced apart concentric elements, b. elongated clamp means having internal and external concentric clamping surfaces mounted between said inner and outer elements, c. pin means for increasing the frictional resistance between said internal clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for locking said concentric elements together, d. said pin means comprising means for decreasing the frictional resistance between said internal clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for unlocking said concentric elements from each other, e. said elongated clamp means has two overlapping ends, f. each overlapping end being a hook, and g. said pin means comprises tapered pin means for spreading apart said hooks for locking said concentric elements together.

Claim 15

A remote control locking clamp comprising, a. inner and outer spaced apart concentric elements, b. elongated clamp means having internal and external concentric clamping surfaces mounted between said inner and outer elements, c. pin means for increasing the frictional resistance between said internal clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for locking said concentric elements together, d. said pin means comprising means for decreasing the frictional resistance between said internal clamping surface and said inner element and between said external clamping surface and said outer element for unlocking said concentric elements from each other, e. said elongated clamp means has two overlapping ends, f. each overlapping end being a hook, and g. said pin means comprises tapered pin means for spreading apart said hooks for locking said concentric elements together.

Claim 16

A clamp as recited in claim 8 wherein, a. the elongated clamp means has resilience, and b. the means for contracting said clamp means for unlocking said concentric elements from each other comprises contraction of said clamp means after removal of the tapered pin means due to said resilience of said elongated clamp means.

Claim 17

A remote control retractable locking clamp comprising, a. an elongated clamping element having internal and external concentric surfaces positioned between a template sleeve element of an offshore drilling tower telscopic with a structural pile element in the bottom of the sea, one of said two telescopic elements being an inner element, and said elongated clamping element encircling the inner element with tapered overlapping ends, b. means for increasing the friction between said internal and external clamp surfaces and the respective pile and sleeve elements for detachably locking said offshore drilling tower template sleeve to said sea bottom structural pile, c. means for decreasing the friction between said internal and external clamp surfaces and the respective pile and sleeve elements for unlocking said offshore drilling tower template sleeve from said sea bottom structural pile, d. said means for increasing the friction comprises means for increasing the overlap of the clamping element ends, and e. said means for decreasing the friction comprises means for decreasing the overlap of the clamping element ends.

Claim 18

A remote control retractable locking clamp comprising, a. an elongated clamping element having internal and external concentric surfaces positioned between a template sleeve element of an offshore drilling tower telscopic with a structural pile element in the bottom of the sea, one of said two telescopic elements being an inner element, and said elongated clamping element encircling the inner element with tapered overlapping ends, b. means for increasing the friction between said internal and external clamp surfaces and the respective pile and sleeve elements for detachably locking said offshore drilling tower template sleeve to said sea bottom structural pile, c. means for decreasing the friction between said internal and external clamp surfaces and the respective pile and sleeve elements for unlocking said offshore drilling tower template sleeve from said sea bottom structural pile, d. said means for increasing the friction comprises means for increasing the overlap of the clamping element ends, and e. said means for decreasing the friction comprises means for decreasing the overlap of the clamping element ends.

Claim 19

A clamp as recited in claim 10 wherein, a. the means for increasing the overlap of the clamping element ends comprises a tapered pin actuatable between said ends.

Claim 20

A clamp as recited in claim 11 wherein, a. the means for increasing and decreasing the friction comprises motor means for actuating the tapered pin in one direction for increasing the overlap of the clamping element ends for locking the offshore drilling tower template sleeve to said sea bottom structural pile, and b. said tapered pin being actuatable in the other direction by said motor means for decreasing the overlap of the clamping element ends for unlocking the offshore drilling tower template sleeve from said sea bottom structural pIle.

Claim 21

A clamp is recited in claim 12 wherein, a. said motor means comprises a reversible rotary motor with a gear train connected between the template sleeve and the tapered pin for actuating the pin in either of the two directions for locking and unlocking the clamp.

Claim 22

A clamp as recited in claim 12 wherein, a. said rotor means comprises a reversible reciprocating motor connected between the sleeve and the tapered pin for actuating the pin in either of the two directions for locking and unlocking the clamp.

Claim 23

A clamp as recited in claim 14 wherein, a. the reversible motor means for actuating the tapered pin being mounted on the drilling tower sleeve, and b. control means on the top of the offshore drilling tower for controlling the reversible motor means for detachably locking the sleeve to the sea bottom pile.