UN APARATO PARA ENTERRAR UNA TUBERIA EN EL FONDO FLUYENTE DE UNA MASA DE AGUA.

摘要

1,152,220. Laying submerged pipe-lines. LAND & MARINE CONTRACTORS Ltd. 19 Dec., 1967 [20 Dec., 1966], No. 56905/66. Heading F2P. [Also in Division E1] A pipe-line 12 is sunk in the bed of a water mass, such as the sea or a lake by apparatus comprising a framework 10 which girdles and is moved along the pipe-line, as by rollers 14, 16 arranged on the framework, means for directing a jet or jets of fluidizing medium, preferably water, downwardly and forwardly of the framework as the latter advances, and suction means arranged immediately behind the jet producing means for removing the fluidized bed material and depositing it at the sides of the trench thus formed. The jets are preferably produced by a number of pumps 18 which pump water through valves 20 and portions of the framework 10 to manifolds each composed of sections 22, 24, 26, one manifold being disposed at each end of the framework and selectively connected by the valves with the pumps 18 according to the direction of movement of the framework. Each manifold is shaped to conform with the theoretical shape of the trench and has a number of orifices 28 to direct the water jets downwardly and forwardly. The suction means preferably comprises a number of pumps 34 each drawing fluidized material via one of a number of collecting ducts 32 and delivering to a pipe 36 for discharge beyond the sides of the trench. Buoyancy tanks 38 and a diver's platform 40 are also provided. The framework is moved by cables attached to anchorages 42 and extending, e.g. between a shore station and a barge containing a generator for electric power which is passed via cables to the pump motors. Alternatively, the pumps may be mounted on the barge in which case only the jet producing manifolds and suction manifolds are carried by the frame, these being connected by flexible hoses to the pumps. The valves 20 co-operate with a further set of valves (not shown) whereby the outlets of the pumps 18 may be diverted through these further valves to the suction means to clear blockages developed in them.