Buoyancy provisions for facilitating underwater friction welding
AssigneeFusematic Corporation
InventorsHarvey Lau, John M. Griffin, Thomas Foley, Mark Andrew Smith, Richard Jackson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and buoyancy system are disclosed for facilitating diver directed underwater friction welding (also known as friction welding) operations. Various illustrative embodiments of the method, buoyancy system and combined portable friction welding system and buoyancy provisions are disclosed for improving ease of diver use in making underwater joints.
Claims15
A buoyancy system for facilitating diver directed underwater joining operations to connect a fixture to a substrate, said buoyancy system comprising:
- a portable friction welding tool assembly having a center of gravity and a longitudinal axis said portable friction welding tool assembly comprising:
- a friction welding tool;
- and
- a clamp system engageable to the substrate;
- an engagement system removably securable to the portable friction welding tool assembly with a center of center of gravity;
- and
- a buoyancy module supportively connectable to the engagement system and having a center of buoyancy.
A buoyancy system in accordance with 1 where in the buoyancy module is a donut shaped float configured to encircle the friction welding tool.
A buoyancy system in accordance with 1 wherein the buoyancy module is a one piece tubular shaped syntactic foam float configured to encircle the friction welding tool, wherein the engagement system further comprises:
- one or more foam retaining straps on the exterior of the tubular shaped syntactic foam float;
- and
- a fastener connecting the foam retaining straps to the friction welding tool in a manner capturing the tubular shaped syntactic foam float in place around the friction welding tool.
A buoyancy system for facilitating diver directed underwater joining operations using a portable friction welding tool assembly having a center of gravity and a longitudinal axis, said portable friction welding tool assembly having at least a friction welding tool and a clamp system engageable to a substrate, said buoyancy system comprising:
- an engagement system removably securable to the portable friction welding tool assembly with a center of center of gravity;
- and
- a buoyancy module supportively connectable engagement system and having a center of buoyancy;
- wherein the buoyancy module is a one piece tubular shaped syntactic foam float configured to encircle the portable friction welding tool assembly and wherein the engagement system further comprises:
- one or more retaining straps on the exterior of the tubular shaped syntactic foam float;
- and
- a fastener connecting the foam retaining straps to the friction welding tool in a manner capturing the tubular shaped syntactic foam float in place around the portable friction welding tool assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.