Method and apparatus for making submerged conduit connections

Claim 2

A submergible apparatus comprising: first pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along and be generally contiguous with a submerged surface; second pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along and be generally contiguous with said submerged surface; removable spacer means interconnecting said first and second pipeline conduit means; and template means carried by and interconnecting said first and second conduit means, said template means being operable to be disposed generally beneath the elevation of longitudinal axes of said first and second conduit means and being operable to extend generally contiguously with and along said submerged surface, and being operable to cradle an under portion of and align fitting means substituted for said spacer means, with said fitting means being aligned longitudinally between said first and second conduit means.

Claim 3

A submergible apparatus comprising: first pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along and the generally contiguous with a submerged surface; second pipeline conduit means operable to extend longitudinally along and be generally contiguous with said submerged surface; removable spacer means interconnecting said first and second conduit means, said spacer means being operable to extend generally longitudinally along said submerged surface and being longitudinally contractable between said first and second conduit means; and template means carried by and interconnecting said first and second conduit means, said template means being operable to be disposed generally beneath the elevation of longitudinal axes of said first and second conduit means and being operable to extend generally contiguously with and along said submerged surface and being operable to cradle an under portion of and align fitting means substituted for said spacer means, with said fitting means being aligned longitudinally between said first and second conduit means.

Claim 4

A submergible apparatus comprising: first pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along and the generally contiguous with a submerged surface; second pipeline conduit means operable to extend longitudinally along and be generally contiguous with said submerged surface; removable spacer means interconnecting said first and second conduit means, said spacer means being operable to extend generally longitudinally along said submerged surface and being longitudinally contractable between said first and second conduit means; and template means carried by and interconnecting said first and second conduit means, said template means being operable to be disposed generally beneath the elevation of longitudinal axes of said first and second conduit means and being operable to extend generally contiguously with and along said submerged surface and being operable to cradle an under portion of and align fitting means substituted for said spacer means, with said fitting means being aligned longitudinally between said first and second conduit means.

Claim 5

A submergible apparatus comprising: first pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along the be generally contiguous with a submerged surface; second pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along and be generally contiguous with said submerged surface; template means carried by and interconnecting said first and second conduit means and operable to extend generally contiguously with and along said submerged surface at an elevation generally beneath the longitudinal axes of said first and second pipeline conduit means; fitting means operable to be interconnected with said first and second conduit means; and said template means being operable to cradle an under portion of and aligningly support said fitting means longitudinally between said first and second conduit means.

Claim 6

A submergible apparatus comprising: first pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along the be generally contiguous with a submerged surface; second pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along and be generally contiguous with said submerged surface; template means carried by and interconnecting said first and second conduit means and operable to extend generally contiguously with and along said submerged surface at an elevation generally beneath the longitudinal axes of said first and second pipeline conduit means; fitting means operable to be interconnected with said first and second conduit means; and said template means being operable to cradle an under portion of and aligningly support said fitting means longitudinally between said first and second conduit means.

Claim 7

A submergible apparatus comprising: first pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along and be generally contiguous with a submerged surface; second pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along and be generally contiguous with a submerged surface; template means carried by and interconnecting said first and second conduit means and operable to extend generally contiguously with and long said submerged surface at an elevation generally beneath the longitudinal axes of said first and second pipeline conduit means; fitting means operable to be interconnected with said first and second conduit means; said template means being operable to cradle an under portion of and aligningly support said fitting means longitudinally between said first and second conduit means; and telescoping joint means operable to permit longitudinal extenSion of said fitting means between said first and second conduit means.

Claim 8

A submergible apparatus comprising: first pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along and be generally contiguous with a submerged surface; second pipeline conduit means operable to extend generally longitudinally along and be generally contiguous with a submerged surface; template means carried by and interconnecting said first and second conduit means and operable to extend generally contiguously with and long said submerged surface at an elevation generally beneath the longitudinal axes of said first and second pipeline conduit means; fitting means operable to be interconnected with said first and second conduit means; said template means being operable to cradle an under portion of and aligningly support said fitting means longitudinally between said first and second conduit means; and telescoping joint means operable to permit longitudinal extenSion of said fitting means between said first and second conduit means.

Claim 9

A submergible apparatus comprising: first conduit means; second conduit means; template means carried by and interconnecting said first and second conduit means; fitting means operable to be interconnected with said first and second conduit means; said template means being operable to cradle an under portion of said fitting means and aligningly support said fitting means at an elevation longitudinally between said first and second conduit means and axially aligned therewith; and skid means carried by said template means and operable to facilitate longitudinal sliding movement of said fitting means between said first and second conduit means to facilitate the slidable manipulation of at least a portion of said fitting means along said template means into contiguous connectable engagement with at least one of said first and second conduit means.

Claim 10

A submergible apparatus comprising: first conduit means; second conduit means; template means carried by and interconnecting said first and second conduit means; fitting means operable to be interconnected with said first and second conduit means; said template means being operable to cradle an under portion of said fitting means and aligningly support said fitting means at an elevation longitudinally between said first and second conduit means and axially aligned therewith; and skid means carried by said template means and operable to facilitate longitudinal sliding movement of said fitting means between said first and second conduit means to facilitate the slidable manipulation of at least a portion of said fitting means along said template means into contiguous connectable engagement with at least one of said first and second conduit means.

Claim 15

A submergible apparatus comprising: first conduit means; second conduit means; removable spacer means interconnecting said first and second conduit means; template means carried by said first and second conduit means and operable to align fitting means substituted for said spacer means, with said fitting means being aligned longitudinally between said first and second conduit means; first conduit coupling means connected with one of said conduit means; second conduit coupling means connected with said spacer means; passage means extending generally longitudinally of said first and second coupling means; a plurality of coupling connecting means spaced circumferentially about said passage means, and operable to induce convergence of said first and second coupling means into fluid communicating and generally mutually sealed relationship; and a plurality of jack means carried by said first conduit coupling means and spaced circumferentially about said passage means and generally circumferentially displaced from said coupling connecting means; said jack means being operably indepenDent of said coupling connecting means, and operable to induce relative movement between said first and second coupling means with said coupling connecting means being substantially immobilized relative to said first coupling means.

Claim 16

A submergible apparatus comprising: first conduit means; second conduit means; removable spacer means interconnecting said first and second conduit means; template means carried by said first and second conduit means and operable to align fitting means substituted for said spacer means, with said fitting means being aligned longitudinally between said first and second conduit means; first conduit coupling means connected with one of said conduit means; second conduit coupling means connected with said spacer means; passage means extending generally longitudinally of said first and second coupling means; a plurality of coupling connecting means spaced circumferentially about said passage means, and operable to induce convergence of said first and second coupling means into fluid communicating and generally mutually sealed relationship; and a plurality of jack means carried by said first conduit coupling means and spaced circumferentially about said passage means and generally circumferentially displaced from said coupling connecting means; said jack means being operably indepenDent of said coupling connecting means, and operable to induce relative movement between said first and second coupling means with said coupling connecting means being substantially immobilized relative to said first coupling means.

Claim 17

A submergible apparatus comprising: first conduit means; second conduit means; removable spacer means interconnecting said first and second conduit means, said spacer means being longitudinally contractable between said first and second conduit means; template means carried by said first and second conduit means and operable to align fitting means substituted for said spacer means, with said fitting means being aligned longitudinally between said first and second conduit means; first conduit coupling means connected with one of said conduit means; second second conduit coupling means connected with said spacer means; passage means extending generally longitudinally of said first and second coupling means; a plurality of coupling connecting means spaced circumferentially about said passage means, and operable to induce convergence of said first and second coupling means into fluid communicating and generally mutually sealed relationship; and a plurality of jack means carried by said first conduit coupling means and spaced circumferentially about said passage means and generally circumferentially displaced from said coupling connecting means; said jack means being operable independent of said coupling connecting means, and operable to induce relative movement between said first and second coupling means with said coupling connecting means being substantially immobilized relative to said first coupling means.

Claim 18

A submergible apparatus comprising: first conduit means; second conduit means; removable spacer means interconnecting said first and second conduit means, said spacer means being longitudinally contractable between said first and second conduit means; template means carried by said first and second conduit means and operable to align fitting means substituted for said spacer means, with said fitting means being aligned longitudinally between said first and second conduit means; first conduit coupling means connected with one of said conduit means; second second conduit coupling means connected with said spacer means; passage means extending generally longitudinally of said first and second coupling means; a plurality of coupling connecting means spaced circumferentially about said passage means, and operable to induce convergence of said first and second coupling means into fluid communicating and generally mutually sealed relationship; and a plurality of jack means carried by said first conduit coupling means and spaced circumferentially about said passage means and generally circumferentially displaced from said coupling connecting means; said jack means being operable independent of said coupling connecting means, and operable to induce relative movement between said first and second coupling means with said coupling connecting means being substantially immobilized relative to said first coupling means.

Claim 19

A submergible apparatus comprising: first conduit means; second conduit means; template means carried by said first and second conduit means; fitting means operable to be interconnected with said first and second conduit means; said template means being operable to aligningly support said fitting means longitudinally between said first and second conduit means; first conduit coupling means connected with one of said conduit means; second conduit coupling means connected with said fitting means; passage means extending generally longitudinally of said first and second submerged coupling means; a plurality of coupling connecting means spaced circumferentially about said passage means, and operable to induce convergence of said first and second coupling means into fluid communicating and generally mutually sealed relationship; and a plurality of jack means carried by said first conduit coupling means and spaced circumferentially about said passage means and generally circumferentially displaced from said coupling connecting means; said jack means being operably independent of said coupling connecting means, and operable to induce relative movement between said first and second coupling means with said coupling connecting means being substantially immobilized relative to said first coupling means.

Claim 20

A submergible apparatus comprising: first conduit means; second conduit means; template means carried by said first and second conduit means; fitting means operable to be interconnected with said first and second conduit means; said template means being operable to aligningly support said fitting means longitudinally between said first and second conduit means; first conduit coupling means connected with one of said conduit means; second conduit coupling means connected with said fitting means; passage means extending generally longitudinally of said first and second submerged coupling means; a plurality of coupling connecting means spaced circumferentially about said passage means, and operable to induce convergence of said first and second coupling means into fluid communicating and generally mutually sealed relationship; and a plurality of jack means carried by said first conduit coupling means and spaced circumferentially about said passage means and generally circumferentially displaced from said coupling connecting means; said jack means being operably independent of said coupling connecting means, and operable to induce relative movement between said first and second coupling means with said coupling connecting means being substantially immobilized relative to said first coupling means.

Claim 21

An apparatus as described in claim 10 further comprising: telescoping joint means operable to permit longitudinal extension of said fitting means between said first and second conduit means; and skid means carried by said template means and operable to facilitate longitudinal sliding movement of said fitting means between said first and second conduit means.