Underwater cable laying system

An apparatus for embedding a cable-like member under water and for making a trench in the rock layer of the waterbed, comprising:

• means for receiving and guiding said cable-like member down into said waterbed,
• cutting means for cutting through said rock layer of said waterbed for making said trench,
• a waterbed contacting support assembly,
• framework means mounted on said contacting support assembly for supporting said means for receiving and guiding said cable-like member and said cutting means as a unit,
• said framework means having a plurality of upright posts and a plurality of members for interconnecting said posts and for connecting said means for receiving and guiding said cable-like member and said cutting means to said framework, and
• said posts each including hydraulic means for disposing said means for receiving and guiding said cable-like member and said cutting means together as a unit in various elevational levels and into and out of said trench.

An apparatus for embedding a cable-like member under water and for making a trench in the rock layer of the waterbed, comprising:

• means for receiving and guiding said cable-like member down into said waterbed,
• cutting means for cutting through said rock layer,
• a waterbed contacting support assembly,
• framework means mounted on said contacting support assembly for supporting said cable receiving and guiding means and said rock cutting means together as a unit,
• said framework means including a plurality of hydraulically operated upright post means for disposing said cable receiving and guiding means and said cutting means together as a unit in various elevational levels relative to said waterbed and said trench, and
• means for mounting said framework means including hinge means pivotally connecting said upright post means located to the front of said contacting support assembly, and roller assembly means associated with said upright post means located to the rear of said contacting support assembly.

An apparatus for embedding a cable-like member under water along the waterbed or along a trench formed in the rock layer beneath said waterbed by said apparatus, comprising:

• a member for receiving and guiding said cable-like member,
• a rotary driven cutting means for cutting through said rock layer in forming said trench,
• a waterbed contacting support assembly,
• framework means mounted on said contacting support assembly for supporting said cable receiving and guiding member and said cutting means as a unit,
• said framework means including a plurality of hydraulically operated upright post means for disposing said cable receiving and guiding member and said cutting means in various elevational levels relative to sand waterbed and said trench for forming thereof,
• a system of spray nozzle means located at least along a front end of said support assembly for creating a spray at a sufficient flow rate and positive pressure to fluidize in the path of said apparatus the sand overburden of said waterbed and the rock cutting made by said cutting means into a slurry,
• eductor means connected to and communicating with said front of said support assembly and extending longitudinally relative to said support assembly and behind said cable receiving and guiding member, including means for creating a negative pressure for picking up, transporting, and discharging said slurry into said formed trench immediately behind said cable embedding apparatus for embedding said cable therein, and
• fluid supply means for providing fluid under pressure and connected to said system of spray nozzle means and to said eductor means for creating said positive and negative pressures therein.

A method of forming a trench for laying and embedding cable in a waterbed, having a rock layer and sand overburden layer, the steps comprising:

• providing a cable embedder with a waterbed contacting support assembly on said rock layer and having framework means for supporting a cable receiving and guiding means and rock cutting means together as a unit,
• operating said rock cutting means to dig into said rock layer providing a plurality of spray nozzles on the front of said support assembly and said cable receiving and guiding member whose flow cooperates to fluidize the sand overburden and rock cuttings into a slurry,
• picking up said slurry, conveying it along and discharging it immediately behind said contacting support assembly into the dug out portion of said rock layer, in forming said trench,
• hydraulically operating and allowing movement of said framework means on said contacting support assembly in such a manner that the front of said cable receiving and guiding means and said cutting means is progressively eased as a unit down into the trench being formed until the desired depth of said trench is reached at which time the bottom portions of said cable receiving and guiding means which dispenses the cable and said cutting means are in said trench and said water contacting support assembly still rests on said rock layer, and
• pulling said water contacting support assembly while continually operating said cutting means to form said trench, fluidizing said rock cuttings, and discharging said slurry back into said formed trench behind said support assembly for said embedding of said cable.

An apparatus for embedding a cable-like member under water, comprising:

• a waterbed contacting support assembly,
• means mounted on said support assembly for receiving and guiding said cable-like member along said waterbed,
• a system of spray nozzle means located along a front end of said support assembly for creating spray flows at a sufficient flow rate and positive pressure to fluidize at least the sand overburden of said waterbed in the path of said apparatus into a slurry,
• eductor means connected to and communicating with said front end of said support assembly and extending longitudinally relative to and behind said apparatus and including means for creating a negative pressure for picking up, carrying, and discharging said slurry in said path immediately behind said apparatus to embed said cable-like member, and
• fluid supply means for providing fluid under pressure connected to said system of spray nozzle means and said eductor means for creating said positive and negative pressures therein,
• said waterbed contacting support assembly further comprising two spaced apart parallel runners each with a front sled portion,
• said spray nozzle means being mounted in and said eductor means being in communication with said front sled portion of said each runner,
• said eductor means further including an eductor pipe associated with each said runner,
• said support assembly further comprising a support member mounted on said each runner toward the rear of said waterbed contacting support assembly and a traverse brace member supported by said support members,
• said eductor pipe of each said runner being supported by said traverse brace member, and
• said each eductor pipe having an entry end in said communication with said front sled portion and a discharge end being disposed at an angle into the path made by said embedding apparatus such that said slurry is backfilled into said path for embedding said cable-like member.

An apparatus for embedding a cable-like member under water, comprising:

• a waterbed contacting support assembly,
• means mounted on said support assembly for receiving and guiding said cable-like member along said waterbed,
• a system of spray nozzle means located along a front end of said support assembly for creating spray flows at a sufficient flow rate and positive pressure to fluidize at least the sand overburden of said waterbed in the path of said apparatus into a slurry,
• eductor means connected to and communicating with said front end of said support assembly and extending longitudinally relative to and behind said apparatus and including means for creating a negative pressure for picking up, carrying, and discharging said slurry in said path immediately behind said apparatus to embed said cable-like member, and
• fluid supply means for providing fluid under pressure connected to said system of spray nozzle means and said eductor means for creating said positive and negative pressures therein,
• said means for receiving and guiding said cable-like member comprising a bellmouth and including spray nozzle means arranged along the front of said bellmouth in cooperation with said spray nozzle means of said waterbed contacting support assembly for making said slurry.
• said fluid supply means comprising a manifold pipe extending along a bottom of said front end of said support assembly, and a manifold pipe extending along said front of said bellmouth in communication with said spray nozzle means thereof, and
• flexible conduit means interconnecting said manifold pipes.