Method tubular element of a fall pipe, fall pipe assembled from such elements, coupling between two such tubular elements and method for assembling the fall pipe

A tubular element (1) of a fall pipe used for the purpose of depositing materials underwater from a fall pipe vessel, which element (1) comprises a male (20) and a female (10) coupling part for coupling to another element of the same form, which coupling parts (10, 20) are provided on respectively an outer periphery (21) and inner periphery (11) thereof with at least two annular flanges (22, 23, 12, 13) which lie at a mutual axial distance and are divided in peripheral direction into segments (22a, 23a, 12a, 13a) which leave recesses (22b, 23b, 12b, 13b) clear therebetween, the segments (22a, 12a) of an upper annular flange (22, 12) being arranged offset relative to the segments (23a, 13a) of a lower annular flange (23, 13), wherein for coupling purposes segments (22a, 23a) of a male coupling part (20) are placed through recesses (12b, 13b) of a female coupling part (10) and are slid by rotation under segments (12a, 13a) of the female coupling part (10) at least twice.

A fall pipe comprising a plurality of coupled elements, wherein each element (1) comprises a male (20) and a female (10) coupling part for coupling to another element of the same form, which coupling parts (10, 20) are provided on respectively an outer periphery (21) and inner periphery (11) thereof with at least two annular flanges (22, 23, 12, 13) which lie at a mutual axial distance and are divided in peripheral direction into segments (22a, 23a, 12a, 13a) which leave recesses (22b, 23b, 12b, 13b) clear therebetween, the segments (22a, 12a) of an upper annular flange (22, 12) being arranged offset relative to the segments (23a, 13a) of a lower annular flange (23, 13), wherein for coupling purposes segments (22a, 23a) of a male coupling part (20) are placed through recesses (12b, 13b) of a female coupling part (10) and are slid by rotation under segments (12a, 13a) of the female coupling part (10).

A method for assembling a fall pipe providing a plurality of tubular elements, wherein each element (1) comprises a male (20) and a female (10) coupling part for coupling to another element of the same form, which coupling parts (10, 20) are provided on respectively an outer periphery (21) and inner periphery (11) thereof with at least two annular flanges (22, 23, 12, 13) which lie at a mutual axial distance and are divided in peripheral direction into segments (22a, 23a, 12a, 13a) which leave recesses (22b, 23b, 12b, 13b) clear therebetween, the segments (22a, 12a) of an upper annular flange (22, 12) being arranged offset relative to the segments (23a, 13a) of a lower annular flange (23, 13), wherein for coupling purposes segments (22a, 23a) of a male coupling part (20) are placed through recesses (12b, 13b) of a female coupling part (10) and are slid by rotation under segments (12a, 13a) of the female coupling part (10) at least twice, the method comprising placing segments of a male coupling part of a first element through recesses of a female coupling part of a second element, and rotating the first element relative to the second element, this in a manner such that the segments of the male coupling part are slid under segments of the female coupling part at least twice.