← Back to Patent Explorer
US4364692A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Buckle arrestor for pipe using closely spaced turns of rod to form a coil

Assignee: California Institute of Technology
•
Filing: 1979-12-26
•
Granted: 1982-12-21
•
Expires: 1999-12-26
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A flexible buckle arrestor (20) is provided at somewhat regular intervals (l) along the length of a pipeline (10) as it is being laid underwater for arresting the propagation of any buckle (22) that may occur in the pipeline during or after pipeline laying operations. The buckle arrestor is comprised of a rod (20a) tightly wound around the pipe to form a number of spaced apart turns, the ends (20a and 20b) of which are secured either to the rod itself, to the pipe, or to the rod and pipe to prevent the turns from expanding while a buckle propagating in the pipe is arrested. The turns may be individual and unconnected, with each turn welded to itself, to the pipe, or itself and the pipe. The rod may be wound on the pipe as it is being payed out from a reel, or may be wound on the pipe before it is placed on the pipe laying vessel, particularly when a concrete coating (24) is applied to sections welded together as the pipe is laid. The flexibility of the arrestors thus formed at regular intervals will allow the pipe to conform to natural bends as it is laid.

Inventors

  • 👤 Stelios Kyriakides
  • 👤 Charles D. Babcock

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 04:29
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L1/00; F16L1/12; F16L1/20; F16L1/202; F16L1/203; F16L1/123; F16L1/16

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 104 words
A method for arresting the propagation of a buckle along an underwater pipeline comprising the steps of paying out a continuous pipe into the water from a vessel, tightly winding a metal rod around the pipe to form arrestors at intervals on the pipe as it is being laid, each arrestor consisting of a plurality of turns of said rod, and securing the ends of said rod in each arrestor to prevent the turns from expanding while a buckle propagating in the pipe is arrested, thereby to form flexible buckle arrestors which allow the pipe to conform to natural bends as it is laid.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 104 words
A method for arresting the propagation of a buckle along an underwater pipeline comprising the steps of paying out a continuous pipe into the water from a vessel, tightly winding a metal rod around the pipe to form arrestors at intervals on the pipe as it is being laid, each arrestor consisting of a plurality of turns of said rod, and securing the ends of said rod in each arrestor to prevent the turns from expanding while a buckle propagating in the pipe is arrested, thereby to form flexible buckle arrestors which allow the pipe to conform to natural bends as it is laid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein each arrestor is formed from one continuous section of said rod wound in a spiral form.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the rod is cut after each turn with ends of the rod of each turn secured to prevent each turn from expanding.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein each turn of said buckle arrestor is placed with no spacing between turns for maximum efficiency.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said buckle arrestor is placed on said pipe and coated with cement before it is laid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 72 words
Apparatus for arresting the propagation of a buckle along an underwater pipeline comprising a metal rod tightly wound a number of turns around the pipe of said pipeline at intervals to form at the end of each interval an arrestor having a number of turns, and means for securing the ends of said rod to prevent the turns of each arrestor from expanding while a buckle propagating in the pipe is arrested.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 72 words
Apparatus for arresting the propagation of a buckle along an underwater pipeline comprising a metal rod tightly wound a number of turns around the pipe of said pipeline at intervals to form at the end of each interval an arrestor having a number of turns, and means for securing the ends of said rod to prevent the turns of each arrestor from expanding while a buckle propagating in the pipe is arrested.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 26 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for securing the ends of the rod is comprised of welds at the ends of the rod.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said rod is cut after each turn of said coil, and the ends of the rod of each turn are secured.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2145244A Cited
US2147494A Cited
US2410753A Cited
US2425800A Cited
US3141480A Cited
US3349807A Cited
US3747356A Cited
US3768269A Cited
US4113132A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-12-20 1986-06-21 1986-12-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-12-20 1990-06-21 1990-12-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-12-20 1994-06-21 1994-12-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag