Apparatus, system and method for joining elongated elements in a body of water
AssigneeSaipem S.P.A.
InventorsDiego Lazzarin, Loris Ziero, Gabriele Cadeddu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for joining elongated elements in a body of water has a frame; a strap feeding device; two arms movable with respect to the frame and configured to guide a strap around the elongated elements; a clamping device, configured to retain an end portion of the strap; a driving device configured to advance and tighten the strap around the elongated elements; a junction device, configured to join two overlapping portions of the strap so as to close the strap around the elongated elements; and a cutting device configured to separate the strap upstream of the joined portion.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
- a strap feeding device;
- two arms, each arm configured to move with respect to the frame and configured to guide a strap around elongated elements in a body of water;
- a clamping device configured to retain an end portion of the strap;
- a driving device configured to advance the strap and tighten the strap around the elongated elements;
- a junction device configured to join two overlapping portions of the strap to close the strap around the elongated elements;
- and
- a cutting device configured to separate the strap upstream of the joined portions of the strap.
A system comprising:
- an apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
- a strap feeding device;
- two arms, each arm being moveable with respect to the frame and configured to guide a strap around elongated elements in a body of water;
- a clamping device configured to retain an end portion of the strap;
- a driving device configured to advance the strap and tighten the strap around the elongated elements;
- a junction device configured to join two overlapping portions of the strap to close the strap around the elongated elements;
- and
- a cutting device configured to separate the strap upstream of the joined portions of the strap;
- an underwater vehicle;
- and
- an articulated arm connected to the underwater vehicle and to the apparatus, the articulated arm configured to control a position of the apparatus.
A method for joining elongated elements in a body of water, the method comprising:
- placing an apparatus in the body of water at a designated zone of the elongated elements;
- coupling the apparatus to the elongated elements by an underwater vehicle and an articulated arm placed between the underwater vehicle and the apparatus at the designated zone;
- guiding, by two arms of the apparatus, a strap around the elongated elements;
- tightening, by a driving device of the apparatus, the strap around the elongated elements;
- and
- joining, by a junction device of the apparatus, two overlapping portions of the strap such that the strap is closed around the elongated elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.