US4405261A — Subsea template levelling system and method

Claim 1

Independent Claim 164 words

A template levelling system for levelling a template on a plurality of suspension joints implanted in the floor of a body of water, the combination comprising: a plurality of passageways formed in the template, each of the suspension joints passing through one of said passageways and extending above the template; a pair of guideposts pivotally coupled to the template adjacent each of said passageways; a handling string movable through the water; a hydraulic jack coupled to said handling string and including an inner member slidably received in an outer member; an articulated tension beam pivotally coupled to said inner member; a pair of tension joints; means for pivotally and releasably coupling said tension joints to said articulated tension beam; means for coupling said pair of tension joints to a pair of said guideposts; a support beam coupled to said suspension joint and releasably coupled to said outer member; and means, on said support beam, for releasably coupling said tension joints to said support beam.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 164 words

A template levelling system for levelling a template on a plurality of suspension joints implanted in the floor of a body of water, the combination comprising: a plurality of passageways formed in the template, each of the suspension joints passing through one of said passageways and extending above the template; a pair of guideposts pivotally coupled to the template adjacent each of said passageways; a handling string movable through the water; a hydraulic jack coupled to said handling string and including an inner member slidably received in an outer member; an articulated tension beam pivotally coupled to said inner member; a pair of tension joints; means for pivotally and releasably coupling said tension joints to said articulated tension beam; means for coupling said pair of tension joints to a pair of said guideposts; a support beam coupled to said suspension joint and releasably coupled to said outer member; and means, on said support beam, for releasably coupling said tension joints to said support beam.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 20 words

A system according to claim 1, wherein said support beam has a blind cavity for receiving said suspension joint therein.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

A system according to claim 1, wherein said suspension joint is hollow and receives said outer member therein.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

A system according to claim 1, wherein said outer member has a flange thereon engaging said support beam.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 55 words

A system according to claim 1, wherein said means for pivotally and releasably coupling said tension joints to said articulated tension beam comprises a pair of connector members, means for pivotally coupling each connector member to said tension beam, and means for releasably coupling each of said tension joints to one of said connector members.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 50 words

A system according to claim 5, wherein said means for releasably coupling each of said tension joints to one of said connector members comprises at least one annular groove formed in said tension joint, and a plurality of latching dogs engagable with said groove and coupled to said connector member.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 50 words

A system according to claim 1, wherein said means for coupling said pair of tension joints to a pair of said guideposts comprises an annular groove formed in each of said guideposts, and a plurality of spring biased locking dogs coupled to said tension joints and engagable with said groove.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 76 words

A system according to claim 1, wherein said means for releasably coupling said tension joints to said support beam comprises a support member having an inner frustoconical surface and coupled to said support beam, a plurality of gripping members having outer frustoconical surfaces slidably received by said inner surface of said support member and having serrated inner surfaces engagable with said tension joints, and power means for moving said gripping members relative to said support member.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 110 words

A levelled template comprising: a plurality of suspension joints implanted in the floor of a body of water; a rigid, generally planar template; a plurality of passageways formed in said template, each of said suspension joints passing through one of said passageways and extending above said template; a plurality of support beams, each rigidly coupled to one of said suspension joints above said template; a plurality of tension joints coupled to and extending upwardly from said template, each of said support beams having gripping means for releasably gripping a pair of said tension joints to couple them thereto; and means for moving said gripping means relative to said tension joints.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 110 words

A levelled template comprising: a plurality of suspension joints implanted in the floor of a body of water; a rigid, generally planar template; a plurality of passageways formed in said template, each of said suspension joints passing through one of said passageways and extending above said template; a plurality of support beams, each rigidly coupled to one of said suspension joints above said template; a plurality of tension joints coupled to and extending upwardly from said template, each of said support beams having gripping means for releasably gripping a pair of said tension joints to couple them thereto; and means for moving said gripping means relative to said tension joints.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

A levelled template according to claim 9, wherein each of said support beams has a bore therein receiving one of said suspension joints.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 19 words

A levelled template according to claim 9, wherein each of said tension joints is pivotally coupled to said template.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 164 words

A levelled template comprising: a plurality of suspension joints implanted in the floor of a body of water; a rigid, generally planar template; a plurality of passageways formed in said template, each of said suspension joints passing through one of said passageways and extending above said template; a plurality of support beams, each rigidly coupled to one of said suspension joints above said template; and a plurality of tension joints coupled to and extending upwardly from said template, each of said support beams having means for rigidly coupling a pair of said tension joints thereto, wherein said means for rigidly coupling a pair of said tension joints comprises: a support member having an inner frustoconical surface and coupled to said support beam, a plurality of gripping members having outer frustoconical surfaces slidably received by said inner surface of said support member and having serrated inner surfaces engageable with said tension joints, and power means for moving said gripping members relative to said support member.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 164 words

A levelled template comprising: a plurality of suspension joints implanted in the floor of a body of water; a rigid, generally planar template; a plurality of passageways formed in said template, each of said suspension joints passing through one of said passageways and extending above said template; a plurality of support beams, each rigidly coupled to one of said suspension joints above said template; and a plurality of tension joints coupled to and extending upwardly from said template, each of said support beams having means for rigidly coupling a pair of said tension joints thereto, wherein said means for rigidly coupling a pair of said tension joints comprises: a support member having an inner frustoconical surface and coupled to said support beam, a plurality of gripping members having outer frustoconical surfaces slidably received by said inner surface of said support member and having serrated inner surfaces engageable with said tension joints, and power means for moving said gripping members relative to said support member.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 138 words

A method of installing a template adjacent the floor of a body of water, comprising the steps of lowering the template through the body of water and landing the template on the floor of the body of water, the template having a plurality of passageways with a pair of guideposts pivotally coupled to the template on opposite sides of each passageway, lowering a plurality of suspension joints through the water, passing the suspension joints through the passageways in the template, and implanting the suspension joints in the floor of the body of water with portions thereof extending above the template, lowering a jacking assembly through the water and remotely coupling the jacking assembly to a suspension joint and to a pair of the guideposts, and actuating the jacking assembly to move the template relative to the suspension joint.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 138 words

A method of installing a template adjacent the floor of a body of water, comprising the steps of lowering the template through the body of water and landing the template on the floor of the body of water, the template having a plurality of passageways with a pair of guideposts pivotally coupled to the template on opposite sides of each passageway, lowering a plurality of suspension joints through the water, passing the suspension joints through the passageways in the template, and implanting the suspension joints in the floor of the body of water with portions thereof extending above the template, lowering a jacking assembly through the water and remotely coupling the jacking assembly to a suspension joint and to a pair of the guideposts, and actuating the jacking assembly to move the template relative to the suspension joint.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method according to claim 13, wherein the coupling step comprises: landing a support beam on the suspension joint.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method according to claim 13, wherein the coupling step comprises: attaching a tension joint in the jacking assembly to one of the pair of guideposts on the template.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 32 words

A method according to claim 15, wherein the coupling step further comprises: attaching a second tension joint in the jacking assembly to a second of the pair of guideposts on the template.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method according to claim 16, wherein the actuating step comprises: moving the two tension joints vertically relative to one another.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 176 words

A method of installing a template adjacent the floor of a body of water, comprising the steps of: lowering the template through the body of water and landing the template on the floor of the body of water, lowering a plurality of suspension joints through the water, passing the suspension joints through passageways in the template, and implanting the suspension joints in the floor of the body of water with portions thereof extending above the template, lowering a jacking assembly through the water and coupling the jacking assembly to a suspension joint and to the template, and actuating the jacking assembly to move the template relative to the suspension joint, wherein the coupling step comprises: attaching a first tension joint in the jacking assembly to a guidepost on the template and attaching a second tension joint in the jacking assembly to a second guidepost on the template, and wherein the actuating step comprises: moving the two tension joints vertically relative to one another, and pivoting a tension beam that is pivotally coupled to each tension joint.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 176 words

A method of installing a template adjacent the floor of a body of water, comprising the steps of: lowering the template through the body of water and landing the template on the floor of the body of water, lowering a plurality of suspension joints through the water, passing the suspension joints through passageways in the template, and implanting the suspension joints in the floor of the body of water with portions thereof extending above the template, lowering a jacking assembly through the water and coupling the jacking assembly to a suspension joint and to the template, and actuating the jacking assembly to move the template relative to the suspension joint, wherein the coupling step comprises: attaching a first tension joint in the jacking assembly to a guidepost on the template and attaching a second tension joint in the jacking assembly to a second guidepost on the template, and wherein the actuating step comprises: moving the two tension joints vertically relative to one another, and pivoting a tension beam that is pivotally coupled to each tension joint.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method according to claim 18, and further comprising the step of releasing the tension beam from the tension joints and raising the tension beam through the water.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 111 words

A jacking assembly for levelling a template adjacent the floor of a body of water, the combination comprising: a handling string movable through the water; a hydraulic jack coupled to said handling string and including an inner member slidably received in an outer member; an articulated tension beam pivotally coupled to said inner member; a pair of tension joints; means for pivotally and releasably coupling said tension joints to said articulated tension beam; means, on said tension joints, for coupling said tension joints to the template; a support beam releasably coupled to said outer member; and means, on said support beam, for releasably coupling said tension joints to said support beam.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 111 words

A jacking assembly for levelling a template adjacent the floor of a body of water, the combination comprising: a handling string movable through the water; a hydraulic jack coupled to said handling string and including an inner member slidably received in an outer member; an articulated tension beam pivotally coupled to said inner member; a pair of tension joints; means for pivotally and releasably coupling said tension joints to said articulated tension beam; means, on said tension joints, for coupling said tension joints to the template; a support beam releasably coupled to said outer member; and means, on said support beam, for releasably coupling said tension joints to said support beam.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 22 words

A jacking assembly according to claim 20, wherein said support beam has a bore therein for slidably receiving said outer member therein.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 128 words

A method of installing a template adjacent the floor of a body of water, comprising the steps of lowering the template through the body of water and landing the template on the floor of the body of water, lowering a plurality of suspension joints through the water, passing the suspension joints through passageways in the template, and implanting the suspension joints in the floor of the body of water with portions thereof extending above the template, lowering a jacking assembly through the water, and remotely inserting a part of the jacking assembly into a suspension joint and remotely pivotally coupling a part of the jacking assembly to the template, and actuating the jacking assembly to pivot the template relative to the suspension joint to a substantially levelled position.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 128 words

A method of installing a template adjacent the floor of a body of water, comprising the steps of lowering the template through the body of water and landing the template on the floor of the body of water, lowering a plurality of suspension joints through the water, passing the suspension joints through passageways in the template, and implanting the suspension joints in the floor of the body of water with portions thereof extending above the template, lowering a jacking assembly through the water, and remotely inserting a part of the jacking assembly into a suspension joint and remotely pivotally coupling a part of the jacking assembly to the template, and actuating the jacking assembly to pivot the template relative to the suspension joint to a substantially levelled position.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-09-19	1987-03-21	1987-09-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-09-19	1991-03-21	1991-09-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-09-19	1995-03-21	1995-09-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Subsea template levelling system and method

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