Apparatus for inserting an elongate object into a trench
AssigneeSoil Machine Dynamics Limited
InventorRoger Paul WHITE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A depressor (16) for inserting a cable (4) into a trench (6) is disclosed. The depressor (16) comprises a plurality of cable shoes (22) adapted to be mounted to a support (18) and to engage the cable (4). Locating pins substantially prevent movement of the cable shoes (22) relative to the support (18) in a first direction as a result of movement of the cable shoes (22) relative to the cable (4) in an axial direction of the cable (4). A load cell provides an output dependent on a force applied to the cable shoes (22) in a second direction transverse, or perpendicular, to the first direction.
Claims18
An object engaging apparatus for engaging an elongate object being inserted into a trench, the object engaging apparatus comprising:
- object engaging means configured to be mountable to a support and configured to be engageable to an elongate object being inserted into a trench;
- restraining means for preventing movement of said object engaging means relative to a support in a first direction;
- and
- force measuring means for measuring a force applied to the object engaging means in a second direction, perpendicular to said first direction.
A method of measuring the force exerted on an elongated object being lowered to the seabed, comprising the step of:
- positioning an elongated object to be lowered to the seabed under an object engaging apparatus comprising:
- object engaging means configured to be mountable to a support and configured to be engageable to the elongate object being inserted into a trench;
- restraining means for preventing movement of said object engaging means relative to a support in a first direction;
- and
- force measuring means for measuring a force applied to the object engaging means in a second direction, perpendicular to said first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.