US3872680A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for laying pipelines
Assignee: Brown and Root Inc
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Filing: 1973-08-31
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Granted: 1975-03-25
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Expires: 1993-08-31
Abstract
Abstract A method of and apparatus for laying on the floor of a body of water a pipeline wound on a reel mounted on a movable floating vessel, such as a barge. The reel is rotatably supported on the vessel to enable the pipeline to be unwound from the reel toward the stern of the vessel and into the body of water as the vessel is moved forwardly. Also, the reel assembly is movable along the deck of the vessel so that the reel can be positioned adjacent the stern of the vessel in which position the pipeline can be unwound therefrom and advanced into the body of water in a substantially straight line until it nears the floor of the body of water. The portability of the reel assembly relative to the vessel enables it to be conveniently and suitably positioned on the deck of the vessel so as to prevent excessive deformation of the pipeline when it is laid in shallow or deep water. Straightening rollers are positioned to reverse bend the pipe as it is unspooled from the reel to remove substantially all of the permanent curvature in the pipeline caused by winding on the reel.
Inventors
- 👤 William B Nicholson
- 👤 Benjamin C Tisdale
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 22:54
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L1/00; F16L1/12; F16L1/20; F16L1/202; F16L1/203
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
310 words
Apparatus for laying a pipeline on the floor of a body of water from a movable floating vessel, said apparatus comprising a reel assembly including a generally cylindrical real upon which a pipeline may be wound and means on the vessel supporting the reel for rotation around its longitudinal axis With said axis substantially horizontal to enable the pipeline to be unwound from said reel toward the stern of said vessel and into the body of water as the vessel moves forwardly, and for movement between the bow and stern of said vessel, whereby said reel can be moved adjacent to the stern of said vessel so that the pipeline can be unwound therefrom and advanced into the body of water in a substantially straight line until it nears the floor of the body of water, means for reverse bending the pipeline in a substantially vertical plane to remove curvature from said pipeline caused by winding on the reel, said reverse bending means being positioned on said vessel between said reel and the stern of said vessel, and including a movable roller and a fixed roller for reverse bending the pipeline as it is unwound from the reel, means mounting the movable roller for movement along a line that is substantially perpendicular to a line that intersects the axis of rotation of the reel, whereby the pipeline can be unwound from either the top or bottom of the reel with substantially the same curvature in the portion of the pipeline between the reel and the reverse bending means, and means for moving said reverse bending means horizontally to maintain the radius of curvature of the pipeline in a horizontal plane as it passes from the reel to the straightening means such that the stress imposed in the pipeline by such horizontal bending is below the yield point of the pipeline.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
310 words
Apparatus for laying a pipeline on the floor of a body of water from a movable floating vessel, said apparatus comprising a reel assembly including a generally cylindrical real upon which a pipeline may be wound and means on the vessel supporting the reel for rotation around its longitudinal axis With said axis substantially horizontal to enable the pipeline to be unwound from said reel toward the stern of said vessel and into the body of water as the vessel moves forwardly, and for movement between the bow and stern of said vessel, whereby said reel can be moved adjacent to the stern of said vessel so that the pipeline can be unwound therefrom and advanced into the body of water in a substantially straight line until it nears the floor of the body of water, means for reverse bending the pipeline in a substantially vertical plane to remove curvature from said pipeline caused by winding on the reel, said reverse bending means being positioned on said vessel between said reel and the stern of said vessel, and including a movable roller and a fixed roller for reverse bending the pipeline as it is unwound from the reel, means mounting the movable roller for movement along a line that is substantially perpendicular to a line that intersects the axis of rotation of the reel, whereby the pipeline can be unwound from either the top or bottom of the reel with substantially the same curvature in the portion of the pipeline between the reel and the reverse bending means, and means for moving said reverse bending means horizontally to maintain the radius of curvature of the pipeline in a horizontal plane as it passes from the reel to the straightening means such that the stress imposed in the pipeline by such horizontal bending is below the yield point of the pipeline.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of laying a pipeline wound on a reel on the floor of a body of water, comprising the steps of: rotatably and movably supporting said reel on a floating vessel such that said reel is movable between the bow and stern of said vessel, positioning the reel adjacent the stern of said vessel, and unwinding the pipeline from said reel into the body of water in a substantially straight line as said vessel is moved forwardly.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of laying a pipeline wound on a reel on the floor of a body of water, comprising the steps of: rotatably and movably supporting said reel on a floating vessel such that said reel is movable between the bow and stern of said vessel, positioning the reel adjacent the stern of said vessel, and unwinding the pipeline from said reel into the body of water in a substantially straight line as said vessel is moved forwardly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 2 comprising the additional step of reverse bending the pipeline to remove curvature therein caused by winding on the reel as the pipeline is unwound from the reel and before it enters the body of water.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said reverse bending means is positioned in alignment with the substantially straight line of the pipeline from the reel into the body of water.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
89 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said reel is rotatably mounted on said vessel for rotation about the substantially horizontal axis, and comprising the additional step of moving said reverse bending means horizontally in substantially parallel relation to the axis of rotation of said reel to maintain a radius of curvature of the pipeline in a horizontal plane as it passes from the reel to the reverse bending means such that the stress imposed in the pipeline by such horizontal bending is below the yield point of the pipeline.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
143 words
Apparatus for laying a pipeline on the bottom of a body of water comprising a generally cylindrical reel having said pipeline wound thereon, means supporting the reel for rotation around its longitudinal axis as the pipeline is pulled from the reel and moved into the water, and means for bending the pipeline in the opposite direction from the direction it was bent when wound on the reel to remove the curvature placed in the pipeline when wound on the reel, said straightening means including a movable roller and a fixed roller and means mounting the movable roller for movement along a line perpendicular to a line that intersects the axis of rotation of the reel to allow the pipeline to be unwound from the reel from either side of the reel with substantially the same curvature between the reel and the straightening means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
143 words
Apparatus for laying a pipeline on the bottom of a body of water comprising a generally cylindrical reel having said pipeline wound thereon, means supporting the reel for rotation around its longitudinal axis as the pipeline is pulled from the reel and moved into the water, and means for bending the pipeline in the opposite direction from the direction it was bent when wound on the reel to remove the curvature placed in the pipeline when wound on the reel, said straightening means including a movable roller and a fixed roller and means mounting the movable roller for movement along a line perpendicular to a line that intersects the axis of rotation of the reel to allow the pipeline to be unwound from the reel from either side of the reel with substantially the same curvature between the reel and the straightening means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1602450A
Cited
US3237438A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-24 | 1978-09-23 | 1979-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-24 | 1982-09-23 | 1983-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-24 | 1986-09-23 | 1987-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |