Buoyancy apparatus

Claim 2

Buoyancy apparatus comprising: a tank floatable in a body of water and adapted to be connected to a pressure gas line, said tank having gas therein and consequently having a predetermined buoyancy in the water, an opening in the tank near the bottom thereof to maintain the interior of the tank in communication with said water, a gas inlet in the tank spaced below the top of the tank and through which gas from said line can be directed into the tank, normally-closed valve means controlling the gas inlet and normally preventing gas from entering the tank, and control means connected to the valve means operable to open said valve means and located at said opening, said control means being operated by water flowing through the opening into the tank when the tank is moved downwardly in the water to open valve means and permit gas to enter the tank to expel the entering water, thereby maintaining the buoyancy of the tank.

Claim 3

Buoyancy apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said valve means comprises a normally-closed valve, and said control means comprises a float operatively connected to the valve, said float opening the valve when the float is raised by the water flowing through the opening into the tank.

Claim 4

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 2 in which the opening in the tank is provided with a shroud projecting downwardly from the tank, and the valve float is located in the shroud.

Claim 5

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 1 including means to attach the tank to a load.

Claim 6

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 1 including a gas outlet in the tank remote from and above the level of said gas inlet, an outlet valve controlling the gas outlet, and operating means for the outlet valve and operable from a remote position selectively to close and open said outlet valve respectively to prevent and permit the escape of gas from the tank through said outlet.

Claim 7

Buoyancy apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which said valve means comprises a normally-closed valve, and said control means comprises a float operatively connected to the valve, said float opening the valve when the float is raised by the water flowing through the opening into the tank.

Claim 8

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 6 in which the opening in the tank is provided with a shroud projecting downwardly from the tank, and the valve float is loacted in the shroud.

Claim 9

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 5 in which said operating means comprises, spring means normally biasing the outlet valve to an open position, and gas pressure operated means for selectively closing said outlet valve.

Claim 10

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 8 including pipe means for connecting said pressure operated means to said pressure gas line.

Claim 11

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 5 in which the gas outlet has a dip tube extending into the tank.

Claim 12

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 5 in which said operating means comprises: a cylinder, a gas inlet adjacent one end of the cylinder, a piston reciprocable within the cylinder in substantially gas-tight manner, the piston being movable outwardly of the cylinder by application of gas through the cylinder inlet, said gas outlet being closable by the piston when the piston extends from the cylinder, and means urging the piston into the cylinder away from the outlet.

Claim 13

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 11 in which the piston is formed with a sealing member to engage the gas outlet in the tank to close it.

Claim 14

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 11 in which the tank has a pipe projecting outwardly from the gas outlet thereof, the end of the pipe remote from the tank forming a valve seat closable by movement outwardly of the piston.

Claim 15

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 8 including a pipe for pressure gas connected to the gas inlet and the gas pressure operated means, said pipe having means to permit connection to a compressed gas supply line.

Claim 16

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 11 comprising means operable to lock said piston in the position closing said gas outlet.

Claim 17

Buoyancy apparatus comprising: a tank floatable in a body of water and adapted to be connected to a pressure gas line, said tank having gas therein and consequently having a predetermined buoyancy in the water, an opening in the tank communicating with the interior near the bottom thereof to maintain said interior in communication with said water, a gas inlet in the tank spaced below the top thereof and through which gas from said line can be directed into the tank, and a normally-closed valve controlling the gas inlet and normally preventing gas from entering the tank, and a float located at said opening and operatively connected to the valve, said float on being raised by water flowing through the opening into the tank when the tank is moved downwardly in the water, opening the valve to permit gas to enter the tank to expel the entering water, thereby maintaining the buoyancy of the tank.

Claim 18

Buoyancy apparatus comprising: a tank floatable in a body of water and adapted to be connected to a pressure gas line, said tank having gas therein and consequently having a predetermined buoyancy in the water, an opening in the tank communicating with the interior near the bottom thereof to maintain said interior in communication with said water, a gas inlet in the tank spaced below the top thereof and through which gas from said line can be directed into the tank, and a normally-closed valve controlling the gas inlet and normally preventing gas from entering the tank, and a float located at said opening and operatively connected to the valve, said float on being raised by water flowing through the opening into the tank when the tank is moved downwardly in the water, opening the valve to permit gas to enter the tank to expel the entering water, thereby maintaining the buoyancy of the tank.

Claim 19

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 16 including a gas outlet in the tank remote from and above the level of said gas inlet, an outlet valve controlling the gas outlet, and operating means for the outlet valve and connectable to said gas line, said operating means being operable by pressure in said line selectively to close and open said outlet valve respectively to prevent and permit the escape of gas from the tank through said outlet.

Claim 20

A buoyancy vessel as claimed in claim 17 in which said operating means normally retains said outlet valve closed when there is pressure in the line and being operated to open said outlet valve when there is no pressure in the line, whereby when the pressure gas is cut off from the line, the outlet valve is opened to permit gas to escape from the tank thereby allowing water to enter through said opening to lower the buoyancy of the tank.

Claim 21

Buoyancy apparatus as claimed in claim 17 including means for attaching said tank to a load.

Claim 22

Buoyancy apparatus as claimed in claim 17 in which said operating means comprises: a cylinder, a valve seat in communication with said gas outlet, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder and movable between a retracted and an extended position, said piston when extended engaging the valve seat to close the latter, means normally retaining the piston in the retracted position leaving the valve seat open, and a gas inlet in the cylinder on the side of the piston remote from the valve seat and connectable to the gas line, whereby gas pressure in the gas line extends the piston to close the valve seat.

Claim 23

Buoyancy apparatus as claimed in claim 20 including a sealing member on the piston to engage said valve seat when the piston is extended.

Claim 24

Buoyancy apparatus as claimed in claim 20 in which said valve seat comprises a pipe in communication at one end with the interior of the tank and having an open opposite end facing the piston and engageable by the latter.

Claim 25

Buoyancy apparatus as claimed in claim 22 including a dip tube connected to said pipe and projecting downwardly in the tank to limit the amount of air that can escape therefrom when the valve seat is free of the piston.

Claim 26

Buoyancy apparatus as claimed in claim 17 in which said operating means comprises: a cylinder closed at one end and open at an opposite end, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder and projecting from the open end thereof, a pipe aligned with and spaced from the open end of the cylinder, said pipe communicating at one end with the gas outlet and the interior of the tank and forming a valve seat at an opposite end, means normally biasing the piston away from the valve seat thereby leaving the tank open, and a gas inlet in the cylinder near the closed end thereof and connectable with the gas line, whereby gas pressure in the gas line moves the piston against the valve seat to close the tank.

Claim 27

Buoyancy apparatus for a pipeline to be moved in a body of water, comprising: a plurality of buoyancy vessels connected to the pipeline at spaced intervals to give the pipeline a predetermined degree of buoyancy; each of said vessels comprising: a tank having gas therein and consequently a predetermined buoyancy in the water, an opening in the tank communicating with the interior near the bottom thereof to maintain the interior in communication with said water, a gas inlet in the tank, normally-closed valve means controlling the gas inlet, control means connected to the valve means operable to open said valve means and located at said opening, said control means being operated by water flowing through the opening into the tank when the tank is moved downwardly in the water, to open the valve means; a pressure gas line extending along the pipeline and connected to the gas inlets of the tanks to direct gas into each tank when the valve means thereof is opened, whereby when the tanks submerge and the water pressure increases, the control means of the tanks open the respective valve means thereof to permit gas to enter the tanks to maintain the bouyancy thereof.

Claim 28

Buoyancy apparatus for a pipeline to be moved in a body of water, comprising: a plurality of buoyancy vessels connected to the pipeline at spaced intervals to give the pipeline a predetermined degree of buoyancy; each of said vessels comprising: a tank having gas therein and consequently a predetermined buoyancy in the water, an opening in the tank communicating with the interior near the bottom thereof to maintain the interior in communication with said water, a gas inlet in the tank, normally-closed valve means controlling the gas inlet, control means connected to the valve means operable to open said valve means and located at said opening, said control means being operated by water flowing through the opening into the tank when the tank is moved downwardly in the water, to open the valve means; a pressure gas line extending along the pipeline and connected to the gas inlets of the tanks to direct gas into each tank when the valve means thereof is opened, whereby when the tanks submerge and the water pressure increases, the control means of the tanks open the respective valve means thereof to permit gas to enter the tanks to maintain the bouyancy thereof.

Claim 29

Buoyancy apparatus as claimed in claim 25 in which each tank includes a gas outlet in the tank near the top thereof, a normally-open outlet valve controlling said gas outlet, said outlet valve when open permitting gas to escape from the tank, operating means for the outlet valve operable under gas pressure to close said outlet valve, pipe means connecting said operating means to the gas line, said operating means closing the outlet valve when there is gas pressure in the line; whereby when the gas pressure of the gas line is cut off, the outlet valves open to permit gas to escape from the tanks thereby allowing water to enter the tanks through the openings thereof as there is no pressure gas in the gas lines at this time to expel the water from the tanks.