The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 16, 1977
Filed:
Jul. 21, 1976
Edwin J Dressel, New Orleans, LA (US);
Houston W Hunter, Marrero, LA (US);
J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc., New Orleans, LA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for burying a pipeline in a seabed comprising unconsolidated materials such as sand. The apparatus includes a jet sled having jetting legs for disposition on opposite sides of the pipeline to direct a stream of high pressure water into the seabed to form a trench for the pipeline, and an elongate member extending rearwardly of the jet sled having shields depending therefrom to physically restrain the walls of the trench from caving-in and filling the trench beneath the unsupported portion of the pipeline. In addition, fluid jet nozzels are carried along each of the shields providing a mild turbulence at the lower edge of the shields to assist in keeping sand out of the trench and maintain the bottom of the trench in a fluidized condition. The elongate member comprises a pair of ballast tanks which may be selectively ballasted or deballasted to raise and lower the sand jet sled apparatus within the water, and to assist the settling of the pipeline into the seabed.