Submarine Pipe Trenching Apparatus

The field of this invention is submarine pipeline trenching apparatus.

Apparatus is presently known for digging a trench below a pipeline, examples of which are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,429,131 and 3,429,132 granted to Charles F. Martin. With such prior patents it was necessary to pre-form or pre-dig a hole below the pipeline in the ocean bottom for receiving the cutter assembly or assemblies so that the apparatus could be mounted on the pipeline in its operable digging position. Additionally, difficulty was sometimes experienced in use due to shifting and other instability of the apparatus as it moved along the pipeline because of lateral bends and vertical undulations. Dragging of the lower ends of the cutters along the bottom of the trench often interfered with the cutting action and rapid longitudinal travel of the cutters relative to the pipeline.

The present invention relates to new and improved apparatus for digging a trench below a pipeline in the bottom of an ocean or other body of water so that the portion of the pipeline behind the apparatus will thereafter progressively drop into the trench. The apparatus has a pair of cutter assemblies, each of which is adapted to dig itself into the bottom, whereby the apparatus may be mounted on the pipeline with the cutter assemblies in the raised position and then the cutter assemblies may be operated to dig into the bottom to the upright trench cutting position. The apparatus is stabilized and is limited in its shifting due to lateral bends and vertical undulations. Each cutter assembly is disposed with its lower end inclined at a trailing angle with respect to the upper end thereof to minimize and substantially eliminate drag on the cutter assemblies during their trench cutting action and longitudinal movement relative to the pipeline.

FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the apparatus of this invention, showing the pair of cutter assemblies in trench digging position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, and showing the cutter assemblies in trench digging position on a pipeline;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 2, showing further details of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIGS. 1-3, showing the cutter assemblies in the retracted position prior to digging themselves into the cutting position of FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 3 to illustrate certain details of one of the pipe crawler assemblies;

FIG. 6 is a view taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 3 to further illustrate details of one of the pipe crawler assemblies;

FIG. 7 is a view taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 6 to illustrate further details of the pipe crawler assembly shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view taken on line 8--8 of FIG. 1 to illustrate details of the mechanism for moving each cutter assembly from a substantially horizontal position alongside the pipeline to a substantially upright position below the pipeline;

FIG. 9 is a view taken on line 9--9 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a view taken on line 10--10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view taken on line 11--11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a portion of a modified form of the apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 13 is a view taken on line 13--13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a side view of a modified cutter assembly having additional spoil remover means therewith;

FIG. 15 is a rear view of the modified cutter assembly shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is another modification of the cutter assembly and the spoil removal means therewith, wherein a plurality of jets are utilized for digging the trench below the pipeline;

FIG. 17 is a front view of the modified cutter assembly of FIG. 16, but showing the opposite cutter assembly to that shown in FIG. 16; and

FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken on line 18--18 of FIG. 16.

In the drawings, the letter A designates generally the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-11 which basically has a body B to which are mounted a pair of cutter assemblies C which are adapted to be positioned below a pipeline P for cutting a trench T therebelow. A pair of pipe crawler assemblies D are mounted with the body B for imparting longitudinal movement to the apparatus A relative to the pipeline P to thereby longitudinally move the cutter assemblies C for cutting the trench T as each of the cutter assemblies C is rotated about its own axis. Stabilizing means S is provided with the apparatus A for maintaining the cutter assemblies C in their substantially upright position while cutting the trench T, despite bends and undulations in the pipeline P.

Considering the invention more in detail, the body B is generally cylindrical in shape and is disposed above the pipeline P during the operation of the apparatus A, as will be more evident hereinafter. One or more motors 10 of any suitable type, such as a water driven turbine, electric motor, or hydraulic motor, are disposed on opposite sides of the body B and are secured thereto in any suitable manner. The motors 10 may be mounted in any suitable arrangement to provide power to the central forward shaft 11 and the central rearward shaft 12. By way of example, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, each motor 10 has a vertically extending shaft 10d with a gear 10e driving a horizontally extending shaft 10a having a gear 10b thereon. The gears 10b which are driven by the motors 10 are in meshing engagement with a gear 11a on the forward shaft 11 and a gear 12a on the rearward shaft 12. The rearward shaft 12 extends to an auxiliary motor or hydraulic system 14 secured to the body B by any suitable manner. Also, the shaft 12 has a gear 12b meshing with a gear 15a on a shaft 15 which extends to conventional spoil removal centrifugal pumps 16 mounted at the rear end on the sides of the body B (FIGS. 2 and 3). Each of the spoil removal pumps 16 has an inlet pipe 16a and an outlet pipe 16b for the intake and discharge of the spoil from the trench T being cut, as will be more evident hereinafter.

The forward central shaft 11 is mounted for providing power for two purposes in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-11. First, the shaft 11 supplies power for rotating the cutters C and it also provides power for the pipe crawler assemblies D to move the apparatus A longitudinally along the pipe P, as will be explained in detail.

Each of the pipe crawler assemblies D is preferably identical, so that both may be driven for impelling the apparatus A along the pipeline P. However, normally only the forward pipe crawler assembly D is supplied with driving power but to clarify the description, the specific details of the crawler assembly D at the rear of the apparatus A (FIG. 3) is specifically described since it is more visible in the drawings. It will be understood that only the forward crawler assembly D may be provided with the power, but essentially, the arrangement for supplying the power to either crawler assembly D is the same and therefore the description which follows hereinafter for the rear pipe crawler assembly D applies to both of such assemblies D.

Referring now in particular to FIGS. 3, 5, 6 and 7, the pipe crawler assembly D includes an upper semi-circular bracket 17 and a pair of quarter section brackets 17a and 17b which are pivotally joined to the upper bracket 17 at pivot points 17c and 17d. The lower brackets 17a and 17b are adapted to pivot about the pivot points 17c and 17d to open same to a width to permit the crawler assembly D to pass over the pipeline P and then, the sections 17a and 17b are adapted to be fastened together by any suitable pin connector 17e or similar connecting means, manually or mechanically applied. The upper bracket 17 has a support plate 17f welded or otherwise secured thereto. A pair of bracket arms 17g are provided for each of a plurality of rollers or wheels 18 which are mounted for engagement with the external surface of the pipeline P. Preferably, all of the rollers 18 are pivotally mounted on the bracket arms 17g by a pivot pin 17h or similar connecting means. The pins 17h extend to and are connected with wheel brackets 18a, preferably on each side of each wheel 18. It is to be noted that the lower wheels 18 preferably use shorter brackets 18a than the upper wheels 18 (FIG. 3).

All of the wheels 18 are urged radially into constant engagement with the external surface of the pipeline P by a conventional rotary hydraulic actuator or by a coil spring, such as the spring 18b illustrated in the drawings (FIG. 7). Such spring or hydraulic actuator exerts a predetermined torque or force on the wheel brackets 18a to urge the wheels 18 constantly in a direction towards the pipeline P to maintain contact therewith at all times, while permitting flexibility or movement with respect thereto for automatic adjustments in response to surface undulations or variations on the pipe coating or other external surface of the pipeline P. Also, when the apparatus A is shifted by other means, as will be more evident hereinafter, the controlled pivotal movement of the rollers or wheels 18 permits an adjustment in the position of the apparatus A to maintain the cutter assemblies C in their proper cutting position below the pipeline P.

For imparting power to the upper rollers 18 for driving the apparatus longitudinally of the pipeline P, a drive shaft 18c extends from a worm gear 19 to a sprocket 19a on the other end of the shaft 18c which is operably connected with a chain 19b extending to a sprocket 18d connected to the wheel 18. The worm gear 19 is driven by a worm 20 (FIG. 6) on shaft 20a which has a sprocket 20b thereon which is driven by a chain 21a in engagement with a sprocket 21b on a lower drive shaft 21 (FIGS. 3 and 5). The shaft 21 is mounted in any suitable bearings (not shown) and it extends forwardly from the sprocket 21b to a similar sprocket 21c which is driven by a chain 21d (FIG. 3) engaged with a sprocket 21e on the forward drive shaft 11. In the event only the forward pipe crawler assembly D is powered, the shaft 21 may be omitted and the drive is then directly from the shaft 11 through the sprocket 21e, chain 21d and sprocket 21c to the shaft 20a therebelow in the same manner as described for the rear assembly D. To facilitate the opening and closing of the brackets 17a and 17b, hydraulic cylinders 22 which are pivotally connected at 22a to brackets 22b on the brackets 17a and 17b are utilized. The hydraulic cylinders 22 are actuated in any known manner, by providing hydraulic fluid to either end of such cylinders for moving the piston rods 22c therewith in the known manner for opening and closing the brackets 17a and 17b when the retaining or locking pin 17e has been removed. The upper end 22d of each cylinder 22 is preferably pivotally connected to the support brackets 17f.

As best seen in FIG. 5, a pair of hydraulic or fluid actuated control cylinders 24 are mounted with their upper ends pivotally attached at 24a to a body plate 25 which is welded or is otherwise secured to the body B. The piston rod 24b with each cylinder 24 is pivotally connected at 24c to the support brackets 17f. Control valves 25 and 26 are suitably mounted in the body B with actuating stems 25a and 26a extending therefrom for engagement with fixed stop members 25b and 26b, respectively, when the cutter assemblies C tend to shift in either direction due to lateral bends in the pipeline P. Thus, as will be more evident hereinafter, in the event there is a lateral bend towards the left in the pipeline P, there is a tendency for the piston rod 24b in the left cylinder 24 (FIG. 5) to move upwardly to shorten the length of the piston rod 24b which is exposed, thereby shortening the distance from the pivot point 24a to the pivot point 24c for the left-hand cylinder 24 as viewed in FIG. 5. Simultaneously, the piston rod 24b is extended for the right-hand cylinder 24, and when the shift is sufficient to cause the valve rod 25a to contact the stop 25b, the valve 25 is actuated to direct hydraulic fluid to the left-hand cylinder 24 and from the right-hand cylinder 24 so that the cylinders 24 return to their normal positions shown in FIG. 5, wherein the distances from the upper pivot point 24a to the lower pivot point 24c for each of the cylinders 24 is substantially the same. The return of the cylinders 24 to the normal position also returns the body B to its normal position, together with the cutter assemblies C which are mounted therewith, as will be more evident hereinafter. It should be noted that portions of the forward pipe crawler assembly D have been omitted in the view shown in FIG. 1 for the purposes of clarity in that view, but the details thereof are fully disclosed in FIGS. 3, 5, 6 and 7.

Considering now the details of each cutter assembly C, and particularly as shown in FIGS. 8-11, it should first be noted that each cutter assembly C is substantially identical to the other except that they are rotated in an opposite direction, each about its own axis. Therefore, for the most part, only the details of one of the cutter assemblies C is described hereinafter since such details will apply to the other cutter assembly C as well. The actual details of the cutter assembly D may be identical to each cutter assembly illustrated in said U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,132, but preferably each assembly D is modified as compared to the cutter assemblies of such prior patent, as will be more evident hereinafter. Thus, each cutter assembly C is formed with a base ring 29 which is mounted for rotation relative to and in a water distribution base support 30 having a recess 30a therein for receiving a post 31a on a base 31. The base support 30 does not rotate but is held stationary with the base 31 while the ring 29 rotates relative thereto. Suitable bearings and/or water tight seals are provided between the ring 29 and the engaging surfaces forming the guide track and support in the base 30. The base 30 has a fluid chamber 30b formed therein for receiving water or other fluid for jetting purposes, as will be more evident hereinafter, and for this purpose, such chamber 30b is in communication with one or more inlet tubes or passages 31b which extend to a suitable source of water or liquid, which may either be located with the apparatus A or at a point remote therefrom. A shield 31c is formed with the base 30 and it has a connector plate 31d therewith so as to form a closed section 31e of the chamber 30b into which the water from the chamber 30b does not enter for thereby controlling the jetting action with the cutter assembly C, as will be explained.

The base 29 has a plurality of curved cutter blades 35 welded or otherwise affixed thereto and extending upwardly as best seen in FIG. 10 to a location in proximity to an annular upper ring 36 to which the upper end of each cutter blade 35 is also welded or otherwise secured. A plurality of contoured upper ribs 37 are also connected to the annular ring 36 and they extend upwardly and are secured to a bearing ring 39 shown in FIG. 1. The bearing ring 39 is supported on a tubular cutter support 40, the construction and mounting of which is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 1 and 8, and which will be described more in detail hereinafter.

For rotating each cutter assembly C, any suitable drive means is provided such as an annular beveled gear 41 which is connected by a pipe or other suitable means 41a to the upper ring 39 so that when the gear 41 is rotated, the entire cutter assembly C therebelow is rotated about its own axis. It is to be noted that the beveled gear 41 in the right-hand position of FIG. 1 is located at a higher elevation than the bevel gear 41 in the left-hand position shown in FIG. 1, the purpose of which is to accomplish opposite rotation of the cutter assemblies C with respect to each other to offset any torque effect from such rotation on the rest of the apparatus. The drive mechanism for driving the gear 41 shown in the right position of FIG. 1 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 8, and it will be understood that the same drive mechanism is utilized for the gear 41 on the left position of FIG. 1. Thus, the gear 41 meshes with a pinion gear 42 which is connected through a universal joint 42a to a shaft 42b having a gear 42c mounted therewith and operably connected to a worm 43 on shaft 11, which as previously explained, is driven by one or more of the motors 10. It should be noted that the gear teeth on the gear 41 shown in FIG. 8 appear to be below the pinion gear 42, but the relationship of the gears 41 and 42 for the right-hand cutter assembly C is actually that illustrated in FIG. 1. It should also be understood that although the single gear 42c is illustrated, a plurality of gears may be utilized in a gear box for determining the speed of rotation of the cutter assemblies C by the gear ratios thereof.

Although the housing or support 40 does not rotate as a result of the driving of the gear 41, such housing 40 may be rotated within predetermined limits for moving the cutter assembly C from a position substantially along side a pipeline P, or substantially horizontal (FIG. 4) to the substantially upright digging position of FIGS. 1 and 3. Also, the reverse movement may occur to return the cutter assemblies C from the digging position of FIG. 3 to the retracted position of FIG. 4. For accomplishing such movement of the housing 40, a sleeve 43 is formed integrally or is connected to one side of the housing 40 and it extends into a guide sleeve 44. A gear ring 43a having worm gear teeth 43b thereon is mounted in operable engagement with a worm 45 which is rotated by a suitable separate power means such as a small electric or fluid motor 46 mounted at the forward end of the body B. When the motor 46 is operated to rotate the worm 45, it turns the gear 43a and the sleeve 43 therewith relative to the guide sleeve 44 which is welded or is otherwise secured to the body B. The motors 46 may be relatively small and they require only a small amount of power because the cutter assemblies C are actually rotated as they are moved from the retracted substantially horizontal position along side the pipeline and this effects a digging of the soil by the cutter assemblies as they move downwardly to their substantially upright trench cutting position of FIG. 3. Thus, the cutter assemblies C tend to dig themselves into the cutting position from the retracted position and therefore the motors 46 merely assist in moving the cutter assemblies in the proper direction. It will be noted that the guide sleeves 44 are inclined forwardly or to the front of the apparatus A while the lower ends of the cutter assemblies C are castered or angled to the rear. Also, the cutter assemblies are cambered or inclined to the center line so that the pair of cutter assemblies meets at a substantially vertical line passing through the center of the pipeline P as illustrated in FIG. 1 to cut a single trench T with the pair of cutter assemblies C. Furthermore, because of the angular relationship at which the cutter assemblies C are mounted, the pivotal movement of each cutter assembly C from the trench cutting position of FIG. 3 effects an outward swinging of each cutter assembly C away from the pipe P so as to spread them apart in their substantially horizontal or retracted position shown in FIG. 4. This effects the disposition of the cutter assemblies C away from the pipeline P to facilitate the initial positioning of the pipe crawler assemblies D on the pipeline at the beginning of each cutting operation on a particular pipeline. For removing the spoil or cuttings made by each of the cutter assemblies C, each assembly C has a lower spoil remover tube 50 which is connected to the base 31, or is formed integrally therewith and which has a spoil inlet opening 50a therewith into which the spoil enters for discharge upwardly through the discharge tube 50. A crumber 51 is welded or is otherwise secured to the pipe or tube 50 by any suitable means such as a retaining bracket 51a which is welded or is otherwise secured to both the crumber 51 and the pipe 50. The crumber 51 has an opening 51b in alignment with the opening 50a in the pipe 50.

The upper end of the tube 50 has a swing joint 50b connected to a curved elbow 50c and which in turn is connected to another swing joint 50d on a substantially U-shaped tubular spoil removal tube section 50e. Another swing joint 50f is provided to connect the section 50e to the intake pipe 16a to the centrifugal pump 16 for each cutter assembly C.

Since the tube 50 moves with the cutter assembly C as it is pivoted from its retracted position to its cutting position, and vice versa, the swing joints 50b and 50d, as well as 50f permit flexibility in the spoil removal tubes so as to enable the cutter assemblies C to move with substantially no restriction to and from the retracted and upright positions, while still maintaining the connection through the spoil removal tube to the centrifugal pump 16. The manner in which spoil removal tubes move can be readily seen from a comparison of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings.

As previously explained, it is desirable to have a jet at the upper end of each of the cutter blades 35 and this jetting fluid is supplied through the tubes 31 which are carried with the spoil removal tube 50. The upper ends of the tubes 31b are not illustrated, but they are of any flexible type to facilitate bending thereof during the movement of the cutter assembly C to and from its retracted and upright trenching positions. The jet tubes 52 are illustrated in various positions in FIGS. 9-11, with one of the tubes 52 being mounted inwardly of each cutting blade 35 and having a substantially right angle portion 52a at its upper end for the discharge of the jetting fluid therefrom in a direction to facilitate the cutting or digging action with the blades 35. The jetting fluid is supplied to the jet tubes 52 only from the chamber 30b so that jetting action takes place only from those jet nozzles 52a which are at the forward or side portions of the cutter assembly C as best seen in FIG. 9. The direction of rotation of the cutter assembly C is illustrated by the arrow R in FIG. 9. As previously explained, the opposite cutter assembly C rotates in the opposite direction so that they minimize any torque effects by reason of the rotation of the cutter assemblies C.

As best illustrated in FIG. 10, each cutter assembly C is castered or angled so that the lower end is trailing with respect to the upper end and so that substantially no portion of the cutting assembly is in contact with the bottom of the trench at the point of cutting action, except the cutter blades 35 themselves. By reason of such inclination of each cutter assembly C, the resistance to longitudinal forward movement of the cutter assemblies C is greatly reduced as compared to the prior art wherein the entire bottom portion of the cutter assembly C was normally engaged with the bottom of the trench as it was being cut. It should also be noted that each cutter assembly C is of a frusto-conical shape with the larger diameter being at the upper end and the angle of inclination towards the center line of the pipeline is as illustrated in FIG. 1 so that the outer circumference of the conical portion of each cutter assembly C is substantially vertical at the center line passing through the center of the pipeline P. The contoured strips 37 are shaped so that they are clear of the pipeline P at all times.

In the preferred form of the invention, an overburden cutter 60 is mounted forwardly of each cutter assembly C and it has any suitable jets or cutting means therewith for cutting the upper portion of the trench known as the overburden. Cutter blades 60a of any suitable construction are mounted on the cutter 60 and they are rotatably supported by a rotatable frame 60b relative to a support column 61. The support column is tubular and serves also as a spoil removing means, preferably utilizing a simple type of conventional pump internally of the pipe 61 at the tubular portion 61a, which pump is not illustrated in detail but which may be of any conventional eduction type with a special pump motor 61b usable therewith if so desired. In any event, the tube 61 is curved and is connected to the upper end of the housing 40 by a swing joint 61c. The power for rotating the overburdened cutter 60 is supplied by a drive connection from the main cutter assembly C through a chain 62 which is mounted on a sprocket 60c on the cutter 60 and a corresponding sprocket 37a mounted on the contour strips 37 or any other suitable part of the cutter assembly C. Thus, as the cutter assembly C is rotated, the cutter 60 is likewise rotated by the chain drive 62.

When each cutter assembly C is in the substantially horizontal position of FIG. 4, the overburden cutter 60 therewith is likewise preferably in the substantially horizontal position as shown in FIG. 4, which is made possible because of the swing joint 61c, previously identified. To facilitate automatic swinging of the overburden cutters 60 from their substantially horizontal retracted position of FIG. 4 to their cutting position of FIGS. 2 and 3, control linkage is provided which includes a link arm 65 connected by a ball joint or universal connection 65a to the tube 61 and by another ball joint or universal connection 65b to the body B. Because the link arm 65 is of a fixed length, the swinging movement of the cutter assembly C therewith causes the cutter 60 to swing automatically to the positions indicated in the drawings. It will be appreciated that the cutters 60 may be moved into any desired position manually instead of using the automatic linkage 65, if so desired.

Considering now the stabilizing means S illustrated with the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-11, it can be seen that identical parts of the stabilizing assembly S are mounted on each side of the apparatus A and therefore, for the most part, a description of only one of the portions of the stabilizing assembly S is described hereinafter in detail. Thus, the portion of the stabilizing means S on the right as viewed in FIG. 1 includes a buoyancy tank 66 preferably in the shape of a sphere, which is suitably mounted on a pair of pivoted support members 67 and suitable gusset plates 67a welded or otherwise secured between the sphere 66 and the support members 67. The support members 67 are pivotally mounted to the body B at joints 67b (FIG. 2). The support members 67 are secured to an axle bracket 68 having a wheel 69 therewith which is adapted to rest upon the bottom G of the ocean or other body of water in which the trench T is being dug. An adjustable height standpipe 70 is mounted so that it extends into the interior of the sphere 66. Its upper and lower ends are open to the water in the ocean or other body of water in which the apparatus is mounted so that water may enter the sphere S and maintain a level that corresponds with the top end 70a of the standpipe 70. The area above the water 71 is a chamber 66a having air or other gas under pressure, corresponding to the pressure above the water at the depth at which the apparatus is located. The pressure in the chamber 66a is adjusted so that the water 71 in the sphere 66 will at all times be at the level of the upper end of the tube 70. The tube 70 is adjustable upwardly and downwardly by means of an adjustable nut 70b which is threaded or is otherwise secured to the standpipe 70 for effecting a raising or lowering of the standpipe 70 as desired to control the level of the water 71 in the sphere 66. The level of the water 71 in the sphere 66 determines the extent of buoyancy of such sphere 66 and thus determines the position at which the apparatus A is disposed, assuming that the opposite sphere 66 is adjusted accordingly, as will be more evident hereinafter. The details of the means for operating the nut 70 have been omitted since this may be done with conventional hydraulic equipment or it may be done manually. Preferably, a hydraulic motor is utilized for turning the nut 70b for adjusting the height of the standpipe 70 in the sphere 66 during operations.

Although the two spheres 66 may be mounted solely on their support arms 67 with the wheels 69, as heretofore explained, it is generally desirable to also connect a hydraulic system inlcuding a hydraulic cylinder 72 and a piston rod 72a therewith from a central plate 73 mounted on the body B. The cylinder 72 is pivotally connected to the plate 73 at a pivot point 72b, while the piston rod 72a is connected to a portion of the gusset 67a at pivot point 72c. The cylinders 72 are supplied with hydraulic fluid in the known manner for effecting a raising and lowering of the apparatus relative to the pipeline during the positioning thereof, particularly when initially positioning the pipe crawler assemblies D on the pipeline P. Thus, by extending the piston rods 72a on both sides of the plate 73, the body B is raised upwardly since the wheels 69 are on the bottom G. Similarly, by retracting or shortening the extent to which such rods 72a are extended, the body B and the cutter assemblies C therewith are lowered relative to the pipeline P when the wheels 69 are on the bottom G.

In the operation or use of the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-11, the apparatus is positioned on the pipeline P which is disposed underneath the body of water. At the time of the initial positioning of the apparatus A on the pipeline P, the pipeline P is laying on the bottom G. The cutter assemblies C are in the retracted substantially horizontal position and the overburden cutters 60 are likewise in the retracted substantially horizontal position of FIG. 4, assuming the overburden cutters 60 are also utilized.

The lower brackets 17a and 17b of each of the pipe crawler assemblies D are spread apart so that they can pass over the pipeline P. When the wheels 69 engage the bottom G, the elevation of the body B, as well as the crawler assemblies D may be adjusted by controlling the extension of the piston rods 72a, as previously explained. Thus, the piston rods 72a are adjusted to move the upper pair of rollers 18 into contact with the upper surface of the pipeline P, and then the cylinders 22 are actuated to move the lower bracket sections 17a and 17b into the closed position of FIG. 5, at which time a retaining pin or lock 17e is applied to hold the sections 17a and 17b together with the lower rollers 18 in engagement with the lower part of the pipeline P. The pin or lock 17e may automatically connect when the sections 17a and 17b are brought together in the position of FIG. 5, or such pin or lock 17e may be inserted by a diver manually if desired.

The pressure in the chamber 66a is adjusted, preferably prior to the lowering of the apparatus A to the bottom G so as to obtain the partial buoyancy desired in each of the spheres 66. The height of the upper end 70a of the stand pipe 70 in each sphere 66 is also adjusted at the surface initially to provide such semi-buoyancy as desired.

With the clamping wheels 18 thus secured to the pipeline P, the power is then supplied to the cutter assemblies C and to the motors 46 for moving the cutter assemblies C from their substantially horizontal position along side the pipeline P, allowing them to dig their way down to the substantially upright position of FIGS. 1, 3 and 10. The overburden cutters 60, if used, move simultaneously with the cutter assemblies C from the retracted position of FIG. 4 to the cutting position of FIGS. 2 and 3, as previously explained.

The power supplied to the drive wheels 18 in either or both of the pipe crawler assemblies D then causes the entire apparatus A to be urged longitudinally along the pipeline P, the rate of travel of which depends upon the type of soil which is encountered and the rate of cutting action by the cutter assemblies C. During such cutting action, the spoil removal from each overburden cutter 60 passes through the pipe 61 and flows down into the area inwardly of the cutter assembly C therewith and out through the tube 50 together with the cuttings or spoil from each cutter assembly C. The discharge of the spoil is directed through the centrifugal pump 16 to the discharge tubes 16b which are preferably directed a substantial distance away from the apparatus A as illustrated in FIG. 1.

As the apparatus A moves along the pipeline P, the trench T is formed below the pipeline P and therefore the pipeline P drops into the trench by reason of its own weight.

When the apparatus A reaches the end of its travel along the pipeline P, it may be readily removed from the pipeline P by reversing the motors 46 to cause the housings 40 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 thus to move the cutter assemblies C to the retracted position of FIG. 4. The overburden cutters 60 are likewise moved to the retracted position by reason of the link members 65, as previously explained. Thereafter, the pin or lock 17e is removed by a diver or by any other suitable means, and the cylinders 22 are actuated to open the bracket sections 17a and 17b so that the entire apparatus may then be lifted off of the pipeline P.

During the longitudinal travel of the apparatus A along the pipeline P, vertical undulations such as caused by irregularities in the concrete coating on the pipe and actual bends in the pipe of relatively large radius may occur. To enable the apparatus A to move vertically in response to such undulations, the vertical variations are detected by a follower wheel 75 (FIG. 7) which is connected so as to provide a hydraulic signal by opening or closing a hydraulic control valve 75a varying amounts, or by any other suitable hydraulic control means so as to supply hydraulic fluid to the cylinders 72 (FIG. 1). Thus, if the deviation detector wheel 75 detects a rise in the pipe, the valve 75a is actuated to direct hydraulic fluid to the cylinders 72 to cause the piston rods 72a to extend which exerts a force tending to pivot the arms 67 downwardly, but since the wheels 69 are on the ground G the result is that the body B and the rollers 18 are raised upwardly to center them and properly locate them at the proper elevation with respect to the pipeline P. As soon as such upward movement occurs, the roller 75 is returned to its normal position in engagement with the pipe P and thus returning the valve 75a to its normal position so as to discontinue any further hydraulic action with respect to the cylinder 72. Should the pipeline drop some due to a bend or deviation, the opposite would occur so as to lower the body B and the cutters C therewith to reposition the wheels or rollers 18 for the proper elevation of the pipe P.

As previously explained, if there is any lateral bend in the pipeline P during the longitudinal travel of the apparatus A while cutting a trench T therebelow, the movement of the cylinders 24 causes a return of the body B to a position on top of the pipeline P, so as to maintain the cutters C vertically below the pipeline P and to prevent them from moving into the pipeline P or at an undesired angle with respect thereto.

In FIGS. 12 and 13, a modified form of the apparatus of FIGS. 1-11 is illustrated, with the principal changes being in the stabilizing means S-1 as compared to the stabilizing means S of FIGS. 1-11. Only one-half of the stabilizing means S-1 is illustrated since the other half is identical thereto, as will be understood.

The body B-1 of FIG. 12 is essentially the same as the body B of FIGS. 1-11, and the motors 110 are essentially the same as the motors 10, but the drive connection with the forward shaft 111 has been shown as modified as compared to that illustrated in FIGS. 1-11. However, it wil be understood that the drive assembly from the motors 110 to the shaft 111 may be identical to that illustrated in FIGS. 1-11. The centrifugal pumps 16, the cutter assemblies C and most of the other parts of the apparatus A-1 of FIGS. 12 and 13 are identical and bear the same numerals and/or letters for like parts. The arrangement of the gear drive from the drive shaft 111 to each cutter assembly C is illustrated somewhat differently in FIG. 12 as being from a gear 143 on the shaft 111 which is in engagement with a gear 142c driving a shaft 142b and gear 142 which engages gear 141, imparting rotation to the cutter assembly C in the same manner as described in connection with FIG. 8 in particular.

The stabilizing means S-1 is adapted to engage the bottom or ground G of the ocean or other body of water as illustrated in FIG. 13. Such stabilizing means S-1 includes a central tubular support member 80 which has a vertical housing 80a extending upwardly therefrom. The housing 80a is welded or is otherwise secured to pivoted arms 81 which are pivoted to the body B at 81a. Additional angular pivoted braces 82 (FIG. 13) may also be welded or otherwise secured to the housing 80a and pivoted with the pivoted support arms 81. A bearing support bracket 81a is welded or is otherwise connected between the pair of support arms 81 (FIG. 12) for receiving a bearing 81b through which a rotatable drive shaft 83 extends. The drive shaft 83 has a bevel gear 83a on its inner end in driving engagement with a gear 84a on a shaft 84 which has a sprocket 84b driven by a chain 84c from a sprocket 111a on the shaft 111. A bevel gear 83b is in driving engagement with a bevel gear 85a which drives a tubular shaft 85 connected by splines to a lower drive gear 85b which is in engagement with a bevel gear 86a on a drive shaft 86 extending through the central portion of the tubular support 80.

The shaft 86 is connected to an internal framework support which includes a disk 87 disposed at each end of the shaft. Each disk 87 is welded or is otherwise secured in a hollow pipe or tube 88 having a helical crawler blade 88a welded or otherwise secured thereto. A bearing cone 89 is welded or is otherwise secured to each side of the central hub or member 80 and is fixed thereto so that such cones do not rotate or move except with the movements of the hub 80. On the inside of each of the crawler tubes 88, an annular bearing 88b of coventional construction is mounted for engagement with the external surface of the cone 89 so that the tubular members 88 may rotate relative to the cones 89 and the hubs 80. An additional bearing support for each tubular member 88 is preferably provided by a bearing sleeve 87a which is welded or is otherwise secured to the plate 87 and which has a conventional bearing 87b in engagement with the external surface of the cone 89. Thus, bearings 87b and 88b provide longitudinally spaced bearing surfaces so that each of the tubular members 88 may rotate relative to the central hub 80. The rotation of such tubular members 88 is imparted thereto by the rotation of the shaft 86, as previously explained.

A hydraulic system, including a cylinder 90, a piston 90a therein and a piston rod 80b are pivotally connected at 90c to the body B and at a pivoted connector 90d to the bearing bracket 81c. By controlling the fluid introduced into the cylinder 90, it will be evident that the piston rod 90b may be extended or retracted imparting a force to the body B tending to raise or lower same for centering the apparatus A-1 with respect to the pipe P in a manner similar to that described heretofore in connection with the cylinder 72 in the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

In the event the pipeline P has lateral bends or deviations therein, the cylinders 24 are caused to move as heretofore described in connection with FIG. 5. Thus, if there is a left bend in the pipeline P viewing the pipeline from the rear of the apparatus, the piston rod 24b will tend to move into its cylinder 24 to shorten the distance between the pivot points 24a and 24c while the opposite piston rod 24b is extended. When this occurs, some of the fluid in the cylinder 24 which is displaced by the piston moving therein is transmitted to a hydraulic actuator 91 and is introduced through an inlet line 91a or other suitable means to move a piston or movable member 91b internally thereof a predetermined amount, which shifts an actuator head 92 with the piston 91b in the same direction as the piston 91b. Hydraulic fluid on the opposite side of the piston 91b is discharged through the tube 91c and it may return to the hydraulic cylinder 24 from which the fluid passed to the tube 91a so that the circuit is maintained complete. A universal or pivot connection 92a is provided on each side of the actuator 92 for pivotally connecting actuator rods 93 thereto at a pivotal joint 93a on the hub 80 of each of the bottom crawler assemblies S-1. Thus, both of the crawler assemblies S-1 are moved in the same direction and the same amount simultaneously, pivoting about the differential gearing 85a, 83b so that the crawler assemblies S-1 remain parallel to each other and are then in a different direction which causes the entire apparatus A-1 to change to the new direction which is likewise in the direction of the bend of the pipe P. When the pressure in the cylinder 24 which supplied the hydraulic fluid to the actuator 91 is thus relieved by the straightening of the apparatus to a substantially vertical position again, the hydraulic fluid then returns to the actuator 91 through the inlet tube 91c to return the piston 91b to its substantially central position to thereby move the crawler assemblies S-1 back to a substantially central position until another lateral bend or change in the direction of the pipeline P occurs, at which time a similar, or opposite, change is produced in the crawler assemblies S-1 to again position the apparatus A-1 in alignment with the central axis of the pipeline P, thus maintaining the cutter assemblies C properly positioned in their upright position below the pipeline P and substantially vertically aligned as illustrated in FIG. 1 with the central axis of the pipeline P at all times.

In FIGS. 14 and 15, a modification is illustrated wherein the spoil removal means is modified by including a pair of screw conveyors 95 in a modified form of the tube 150 which corresponds generally with the tube 50 heretofore described in connection with FIGS. 1-11 and particularly FIG. 10. Suitable power means is provided from the surface or from the apparatus A itself to rotate the screw conveyors 150 to supplement the suction provided by the centrifugal pump 16 in the removal of the spoil which is cut from the bottom to form the trench below the pipeline P.

In FIGS. 16-18, a modified cutter assembly C-1 is illustrated wherein a plurality of jets 135 are utilized for the cutting action exclusively rather than using the cutter blades 35 of the cutter assemblies C. Although FIGS. 16-18 show a specific special arrangement for the mounting of the modified cutter assembly C-1, it should be understood that the cutter assembly C-1 could be substituted in place of either or both of the cutter assemblies C illustrated in FIGS. 1-12.

The cutter assembly C-1 has a central tubular support 129 which may have any suitable means for supporting same in the inclined position illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17. For example, the lower end of the support 129 may be rotatably mounted on a base such as the base 31 of FIG. 10. The jet fluid which may be water is supplied through an inlet or supply tube 131 which is connected to any suitable source of water or fluid under pressure. The tube 131 extends downwardly through the full length of the support 129 so as to fill the bore thereof. A shield 151 corresponding to the shield 51 is disposed internally of the support pipe 129 so that the jetting fluid is supplied only to the jets 135 which are forwardly and to the side of the cutter assembly C-1, where the cutting action is taking place in the digging of the trench. The water flows outwardly from the bore of the tubular member 129 through hollow support pipes 135a to the jet nozzles 135 which are circumferentially spaced at different elevations and in a generally conical relationship with the smaller diameter being at the bottom and the larger diameter being at the top, corresponding generally to the configuration of the cutter assembly C.

For the spoil removal, it is desirable to locate the intake to the centrifugal pump 16 at a point above the cutter assembly C-1 since the jet nozzles 135 tend to wash and blow the solids upwardly with the water where they can be picked up by the overhead spoil removal pipe 150 which is curved to fit over the pipeline P with its open lower end 150a in position to receive the spoil. The centrifugal pump 16 is connected to the spoil removal pipe 150 in the same manner as described heretofore in connection with FIGS. 1-12. The location of the centrifugal pump 16 in FIGS. 16 and 17 is somewhat schematic, but it will be understood that it will be mounted and positioned basically as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The tube 129 is rotated together with the jets 135 by any suitable means. For example, an annular gear 129a may be mounted on the tube 129 and it may be driven in essentially the same manner as the gear 41 is driven by the gear 42 as heretofore described. It should also be understood that the bearing mounting for the upper end of the tube 129 may be essentially in a bearing support housing such as the housing 40 of FIG. 8. Swing joints are not illustrated in the tube 150, but they may be incorporated therein for swinging movement of the cutter assembly C-1 in a manner described heretofore in connection with the cutter assembly C.

It should also be understood that the use of jets may be accomplished by simply substituting the jets 135 for the blades 35 in the form of the invention particularly illustrated in FIGS. 1-11. In such case, the apparatus would not necessarily have the spoil remover tube 150 disposed above the pipeline P in the overhead position as illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, but instead the same support assembly and spoil remover tube 50 would be utilized. The supply of fluid to the jets 135 could be accomplished in that instance with the tube 131 through the tubes 31b as heretofore described, but providing the communication throughout the full length of the housing 129 so that all of the jets 135 are supplied with the fluid.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape, and materials as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.