The British Petroleum Company, P.l.c.

Soil Machine Dynamics Limited

Pearson Engineering Limited

Alan R Reece

Timothy W Grinsted

Timothy W Grinstead

An apparatus for carrying a bridge on a vehicle and deploying the bridge to the ground is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a mounting bracket for mounting the apparatus to a vehicle, and a foot pivotable relative to the mounting bracket between a first position in which the foot engages the ground for supporting a bridge and a second position in which the foot is separated from the ground to permit movement of the vehicle. A bridge engaging probe is pivotable relative to the foot between a third position in which the bridge is on the ground and a fourth position in which the center of gravity of the bridge is raised relative to the third position. First and second cylinder actuators pivot the probe between the third and fourth positions. Third and fourth cylinder actuators pivot the foot between the first and second positions. The first and second cylinder actuators, and the third and fourth cylinder actuators, are arranged such that the sum of the turning moments produced by the first and second, and by the third and fourth actuators, is never zero when each pair of cylinder actuators pivots between said positions.

Bridge deploying apparatus and bridge transporting vehicle incorporating such apparatus

A submarine plough is disclosed comprising a plough share having a cutting edge A heel is arranged rearwardly of the cutting edge and a plough beam has an attachment portion for enabling a towing means to tow the plough to cut a trench in the sea floor. The plough share is pivotable relative to the plough beam to adjust the vertical separation between the cutting edge and the attachment portion. Front skids are arranged adjacent a forward end of the plough beam and hydraulic rams pivot the plough share relative to the plough beam A cable is passed in an arcuate path into the trench rearwardly of the cutting edge and heel

Submarine plough

An AGHV comprising a chassis 10 having front 11, 12 and rear 15, 16 wheels thereon, a support platform 25, 26 being movably mounted on the chassis 10 and jib 30 being provided on the chassis 10 for loading the nosewheels of an aircraft onto the platform 25, 26; said platform 25, 26 being longitudinally movable between the first position wherein said nose wheels can be loaded thereon so as to be supported by the platform 25, 26 on the chassis 10 and a second position which is clear of said first position.

Aircraft ground handling vehicle

A plough by means of which a cable may be buried below the sea-bed is characterized by means to vary the length of the path of a cable extending through the plough, which means is responsive to changes in tension in the cable. In one preferred form of the plough, the cable extends over two surfaces and these surfaces are mounted so as to be relatively movable in response to changes in the cable tension.

Submarine cable plough

The plough consists of two portions separable by rams (72). Each portion comprises a beam (14, 16) joined to a plough body part (18, 20). The portions include two pairs of longitudinally-spaced arms (69) interconnected by pivots (70). At each end of the plough a support including bearers (61) is closed by a ram (59) to entrap the pipeline (26). Another ram lifts the support to raise the pipeline between the plough body parts (18, 20). The support ram is connected to a pressurized accumulator so that the support rollers (62) are kept against the pipeline (26) as the plough rises and falls and pitches. The elevated positions of the arms (69) and the relatively short separation between the two pairs of arms (69) allows the plough to descend and pitch relatively to the pipeline. In a modification the two beams are joined by rigid bridging structure and the plough body parts are pivotally connected to their respective beams. In other modifications the supports are dispensed with; or only one is used.

Pipeline or cable plough

A self-loading plough assembly comprises a plough (2) having a channel (16) for the passage of a cable or pipe (8) and a cutter or cutters (5) for cutting and lifting a wedge of material from a substrate to form a trench into which the cable or pipe (8) is laid. The assembly also comprises a jib (11) for supporting the plough (2) and a carrier (7) for supporting the jib (11). The plough (2) is rotatably mounted under the jib (11) and the jib (11) is slideably mounted on the carrier (7) in such manner that the jib (11) can be raised or lowered and the plough (2) can be rotated about a horizontal axis to scoop the cable or pipe (8) into the channel (16). The assembly can pick up cable or pipe from the ground, e.g., the sea bed, and load it into the plough without manual intervention for burial, and reverse the procedure if need be.

Plough assembly

A plough for burying cable or pipe comprises at least two cutters laterally spaced apart, one being offset at an angle relative to the other for making two spaced apart cuts in a substrate to form a wedge of material. Means are provided for lifting and moving the wedge upwards and sideways to form a trench and for guiding the cable or pipe into the trench under the lifted wedge. The plough cuts an improved furrow shape, lifts the furrow slice through the minimum height in order to permit the cable or pipe to be inserted below it and allows the material to be replaced with minimun disturbence.

Plough

The plough has a front and a rear lifting assembly (60, 62) each including an arm (64, 80) which is extensible and angularly adjustable by hydraulic rams (65, 68; 81, 84). The arms carry rollers (74, 76, 78; 94, 96, 98) upon which the pipeline (110) is lifted by the arms. The plough can be positioned beneath the pipeline as the arms retract while supporting the pipeline as the plough approaches the pipeline from one side. Having been positioned, the plough advances to cut a trench, the pipeline being supported in yielding manner by the two arms, having their lifting rams (68, 84) connected to hydraulic accumulators. Pressurized gas in the accumulators maintains the rollers (74, 76; 94, 96) in contact with the pipeline as the plough moves up and down and pitches relatively to the pipeline, during ploughing. The plough requires no structure over the pipeline. The plough body (12) is not required to comprise parts which separate to allow positioning of the plough in relation to the pipeline.

Pipeline plough with lifting assemblies

A device for backfilling a trench from spoil left alongside it comprises a forecarriage (7) and a main frame (10). The former comprises means (12) for positioning it centrally in the trench (3). The latter is located behind the former and carries one or more angled blades (9) and lateral stabilizers (18,19) adapted to contact the ground outside the spoil. The device is towed rather than pushed and if a long tow-rope is used a pipeline can be trenched and the trench backfilled in a single traverse.

Trench backfill device

A trenching device for previously laid cable or pipeline, particularly those laid under water, has a plough (1), means (8) for following the cable or pipeline, a carriage (9), which may be a tractor, connected to the plough through a towing member (6), and vertical pivots between the towing member and the plough and the towing member and the carriage. The double pivot system allows the plough to follow the cable or pipeline independently of the motion of the carriage.

Trenching plow with plow carriage on curved supporting track

A trenching implement (41) suitable for towing on the sea bed to make a trench for a submarine cable or pipeline (54) comprises a body (44) attached to which is a soil cutting member (46) which makes a soil surface in the direction of travel of the implement, a landside (45) engaging the soil surface and a towing means (56) connected so that, when the direction of travel is different from the line of the towing force (56), the line of the towing force (56), projected if necessary, passes through a point (50) in the region of the landside (45) with the result that the landside (45) resists the sideways component of the towing force (56). This reduces the risk of damage to the cable or pipeline (54).

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Wylam, United Kingdom

Alan R Reece