Ihc Engineering Business Limited

Royal Ihc Limited

Other

Soil Machine Dynamics Limited

Ihc Iqip UK Ltd.

Jonathan Ralph Manchester

Michael John Watchorn

A trench cutting apparatus and method, the apparatus comprising a central support element comprising at least one jetting outlet and a cutting element configured to be driven around the central support element. The trench cutting apparatus is configured to be operable in a mechanical cutting mode in which the cutting element is driven around the central support element to cut material forward of the trench cutting apparatus, and a jet cutting mode in which a pump is activated to eject fluid from the at least one jetting outlet to fluidize or cut material forward of the trench cutting apparatus.

Trench cutting apparatus and method

An underwater trenching apparatus and pumping apparatus includes: first and second pumps and a trench-cutting jetting tool with first and second sections, the first pump having an inlet for fluid connection with a source of water and an outlet fluidly connected to the first section of the jetting tool, the second pump having an inlet for fluid connection with a source of water and an outlet fluidly connected to the second section of the jetting tool, wherein the outlet of the first pump is fluidly connected to the inlet of the second pump by valve means that is operable to divert at least a portion of an outlet flow of the first pump to the inlet of the second pump.

Underwater trenching apparatus and pumping apparatus

A load control apparatus and method for controlling movement of a suspended load is disclosed. The load control apparatus includes: a base for attachment to or forming part of a load; a support element pivotally secured to and extending from the base for receiving and/or connecting to a lift line; and actuation means connected to the support element and to the base at respective positions which are spaced from the pivotal connection between the support element and the base such that actuation, in use, of the actuation means causes the base to pivot relative to the support element.

Load control apparatus and method for controlling movement of a suspended load

A pump apparatus comprises a primary pump having a relatively low pressure fluid input and a relatively high pressure fluid output and means, associated with said primary pump fluid input, operable where the ambient pressure is insufficient substantially to prevent cavitation in the primary pump, to locally increase the pressure at said primary pump fluid input.

Pump apparatus and underwater trenching apparatus

Apparatus for manipulating a longitudinally extensive member comprises a main body portion, ground contacting assemblies on which said main body portion is mounted, said ground contact assemblies being operable to convey the apparatus over a ground surface, a trench cutting device, and a mounting arm depending directly or indirectly from said main body portion and having a proximal end arranged proximate said main body portion and a distal end arranged distal from said main body portion, said distal end being operatively laterally movable with respect to the main body portion between a first limit position towards a first side of the apparatus and a second limit position towards an opposite second side of the apparatus. The mounting arm is provided with a lifting device configured to lift, and/or support assembly configured to support, said longitudinally extensive member, proximate said distal end thereof. Detection apparatus may also be provided at or near the distal end, for determining the position of said longitudinally extensive member. A corresponding de-mounting arm may be provided at a side of the main body opposite the mounting arm.

Manipulating trenching apparatus and methods

An underwater trenching apparatus comprising a soil cutting arrangement having a forwardly disposed cutting portion and a rearwardly disposed non-cutting portion, a soil removal device configured to remove soil from a location forward of the soil cutting arrangement and barrier device located and configured substantially to prevent passage of soil to the non-cutting portion of the soil cutting arrangement. The soil cutting arrangement is typically a rockwheel or chain cutter. The soil removal device is typically a dredge pump or eductor.

Underwater trenching apparatus

Apparatus and Method for Burying Elongate Member Apparatus for laying an elongate member in a trench, the apparatus comprises a main body portion; ground-contacting apparatus on which the main body portion is mounted and by which the apparatus may in use move over the ground; an elongate member moving device configured to move the elongate member from an initial position to a elongate member laying position; and a depressor attached to the main body portion and configured to guide the elongate member from its elongate member laying position to its in-trench location, the depressor having an elongate member entry portion and an elongate member exit portion, wherein the depressor is rotatable in use about an axis which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member.

Apparatus and method for burying elongate member

An underwater trenching apparatus comprises at least one trenching tool; a lifting attachment point configured for attachment of a lifting means for lowering the trenching apparatus to, or raising the trenching apparatus from, its location of operation; at least two steerable endless track units for transmitting tractive effort to move the underwater trenching apparatus in use; and for each steerable endless track unit, a first mounting arrangement permitting rotation of the track unit about a vertical axis, and a first actuator configured to move the track unit about the vertical axis, and control means configured to control the action of the actuator. In alternative forms, in addition to, or alternative to the steerable endless track units, the apparatus includes height adjustment means for adjusting the vertical spacing between the main body portion and the respective endless tracks; and control means configured to control the action of the height adjustment means.

Steerable underwater trenching apparatus

An undersea power generation apparatus () includes two turbines () mounted side by side at either side of a support strut of hydrofoil-shaped cross section, each turbine () having a set of turbine blades which counter rotate so as to cancel out the respective torque produced by each turbine. The apparatus () is pivotally interconnected at point () to a pair of mooring cables (), which are releasably moored to the seabed (). The turbines () are positively buoyant such that in zero current they point vertically upwards as denoted by (). When the current flows in the direction shown by arrow A, the drag forces on turbines () and support strut cause the apparatus () to pivot about point () and pitch over into condition denoted by () and shown in broken lines.

Submerged power generating apparatus

A tidally driven electricity generator () has a series of turbines (), each of which is mounted under water in an offshore location. Each turbine () has blades () which are rotated by tidal flow of water, to power a respective generator (), which outputs AC electrical power via a respective transformer () to a cable () and appropriate switchgear (). The cable () is connected to a further transformer () located onshore, and the transformer () is connected to two AC inputs of a drive () containing an AC/DC converter, one input () of which is connected via a cable to a control feedback device (). The control feedback device () may be a flow meter which determines the velocity of the tidal flow, or may contain look-up tables containing information relating to the velocity of tidal flow at any particular time. The drive () outputs DC electrical signals along cabling () to DC/AC converter (), which outputs AC electrical powervia transformer () to a fixed frequency local supply grid (). The drive () also controls the speed of rotation of each turbine () by adjustment of the frequency of signals output to the turbines from the drive () via switchgear ().

Growing community of inventors

Rowlands Gill, United Kingdom

Jonathan Ralph Manchester