초록 ▼

Apparatus for laying large pipe sections underwater without on-site manual participation. A beam is releasably attached to a pipe section that is to be lowered to the floor of the water body and attached to the open end of the previously laid pipe section. A positioning fork depending from the beam

Apparatus for laying large pipe sections underwater without on-site manual participation. A beam is releasably attached to a pipe section that is to be lowered to the floor of the water body and attached to the open end of the previously laid pipe section. A positioning fork depending from the beam is settled onto the prior pipe section with the fork legs straddling the pipe and assuring alignment of the pipe ends. Positioning rams in cooperation with landing gears on the fork legs achieve concentric abutment of the end flanges. The flange on the new pipe section is rotatable and a positioner from the beam is releasably attached to the rotatable flange and rotated therby to align bolt holes through the flanges. A wrench carried on a rigging releasably attached to the new pipe section behind the flange is movable between the bolt holes and pushes bolts partially pre-inserted in the bolt holes through the flanges and into engagement with nuts pre-positioned behind the bolt holes of the fixed flange. Surveillance cameras enable an operator to view the operations and upon completion, the beam, flange positioner and rigging are released from the pipe and raised to the water\s surface.

대표청구항 ▼

A system for joining large pipe sections underwater comprising; a pair of pipe sections, one pipe section being a prior pipe section previously laid and having an open and accessible end, and the other being a new pipe section having an end to be joined to the accessible end of the prior pipe sectio

A system for joining large pipe sections underwater comprising; a pair of pipe sections, one pipe section being a prior pipe section previously laid and having an open and accessible end, and the other being a new pipe section having an end to be joined to the accessible end of the prior pipe section, a fixed flange on the accessible end of the prior pipe section, said flange having bolt holes, a flange that is rotatable about the end of the new pipe section and having bolt holes adapted for mated alignment with the bolt holes of the fixed flange, a nut positioning means adjacent the fixed flange of the prior pipe section and carrying nuts positioned in line with the bolt holes of the fixed flange and adapted for threaded engagement with bolts projected through the bolt holes; an apparatus for releasable attachment to the new pipe section including a support beam having a gripper releasably clamping the support beam to the new pipe section, said beam extended over the rotatable flange end of the new pipe section and a fork-like appendage with fork legs depending from the extended-over-portion of the support beam, said fork legs adapted to straddle the prior pipe section inwardly of the fixed flange of the accessible end thereof, and positioning rams carried by the fork-like appendage extendible for pushing engagement with the fixed flange to force the beam inwardly on the prior pipe section with the new pipe section in tow forced toward the accessible end of the prior pipe section and into flange-to-flange abutment therewith; a rigging releasably strapped around the new pipe section inwardly of the rotatable flange, said rigging forming a track around the pipe, a bolt inserting and turning tool carried by the rigging on said track, and positioning means for selectively positioning the tool on the track; a positioner extending from the beam and releasably attached to the rotatable flange of the new pipe section; control means for above-surface control by an operator of the positioning of the new pipe section so that the fork-like appendage of the attached apparatus straddles the prior pipe section, actuation of the ram positioning means for achieving abutting engagement of the flanges, actuation of the flange positioner attached to the rotatable flange for alignment of the bolt holes of the rotatable flange with the bolt holes of the fixed flange, actuation of the positioning means for the tool for successively locating the tool on the track of the rigging at the respective aligned bolt holes through the flanges, actuation of the tool for inserting the bolts through the aligned holes of the flanges and then into threaded engagement with the nuts, and release of the rigging, rotatable flange, and grippers for withdrawal of the apparatus to the water\s surface; and underwater surveillance means to enable the operator to view the aligning of bolt-up operations as an aid to the control means.