Method and Apparatus for Forming a Trench in a Sea Floor
AssigneeSoil Machine Dynamics Limited
InventorsRoger Paul White, John Graeme Walker, Simon Vivian Ranulf Bateson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for forming a trench in a sea floor and/or displacing material on the sea floor is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a body and front skids mounted to the body for engaging the sea floor and supporting the body. The front skids are adjustable between a first mode, in which the front skids engage the sea floor, and a second mode, in which the front skids engage the sea floor adjacent the trench and at the trench walls.
Claims14
An apparatus for forming a trench in a sea floor and/or displacing material on the sea floor, the apparatus comprising:—
- a body;
- and
- at least one sea floor engaging device mounted to the body for engaging the sea floor and supporting the body;
- wherein at least one said sea floor engaging device is adjustable between a first mode of said sea floor engaging device, in which the sea floor engaging device engages the sea floor, and a second mode of the sea floor engaging device, in which the sea floor engaging device engages the sea floor adjacent the trench and at least one wall of the trench.
An apparatus for forming a trench in a sea floor and/or displacing material on the sea floor, the apparatus comprising:
- a body;
- at least one trench cutting device supported by the body for cutting a trench in the sea floor;
- at least one sea floor engaging device mounted to the body for engaging the sea floor and supporting the body;
- and
- at least one material displacing device for displacing material on the sea floor as a result of movement of the apparatus along the trench, wherein at least one said material displacing device is adjustable between a first mode of the material displacing device, in which material removed from the trench is displaced laterally away from the trench, and a second mode of the material displacing device, in which material adjacent the trench is displaced into the trench.
An apparatus for forming a trench and/or inserting material into a trench in a sea floor, the apparatus comprising:
- a body;
- at least one sea floor engaging device mounted to the body for engaging the sea floor and supporting the body;
- and
- at least one material displacing device for displacing material on the sea floor as a result of movement of the apparatus along the sea floor, wherein at least one said material displacing device comprises a plurality of first material displacement members mounted to the body, and a plurality of second material displacement members mounted to the first material displacement members in a first mode of the material displacing device such that a lateral width of the apparatus in said first mode of the material displacing device is larger than the lateral with of the apparatus in a second mode of the material displacing device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.