Releasable hydraulic and/or electric connection for subsea equipment

A system for establishing at least one of electrical and hydraulic communication between two underwater units, the system comprising:

• a connection device on one of said units,
• a receptacle on the other of said units,
• connection means in said connection device adapted to be extended from said connection device for reception in said receptacle,
• co-operable connector elements on said connection means and in said receptacle respectively for establishing said communication when said connection means is received within said receptacle, said connection device comprising concentric inner and outer sleeves having said connection means slidably received therebetween, and at least one supply line communicating said one unit with said connector element on said connection means.

A system for establishing electrical and/or hydraulic communication between two underwater units, said system comprising:

• a connection device on one of the units, said connection device comprising concentric inner and outer sleeves,
• a connection member adapted to be projected from said connection device, said connection member comprising tubular means slidably received between said inner and outer sleeves, and an end plate at the outer end of said tubular means,
• a receptacle on the other of said units for receiving said projected connection member therein,
• co-operable connector means on said connection member and in said receptacle for establishing said electrical and/or hydraulic communication when said connection member is projected into said receptacle, and
• projection means in said connection device for projecting said connection member therefrom.

A system for establishing at least one of electrical and hydraulic communication between two underwater units, said system comprising:

• a connection device, said connection device comprising a connector member which can be projected from said connection device, and projecting means for projecting said connection member from said connection device, a receptacle adapted to receive the connection member when projected from said projection device,
• first connector means within said receptacle, and
• mounting means mounting said connection device on one of said underwater units and said receptacle on the other of said units, said mounting means permitting relative movement of said connecting device and said receptacle into alignment,
• said connection member comprising a sleeve, a plunger concentrically and slidably received within said sleeve, and second connector means on said plunger, said second connector means being engageable with said first connector means to establish said at least one communication between said units, and said projection means being adapted to project said sleeve into said receptacle initially to effect alignment of said connecting device and said receptacle and to project said plunger into said receptacle after said alignment has been effected to establish said at least one communication.

In a system for establishing at least one of electrical and hydraulic communication between a first underwater unit and a second underwater unit, said second underwater unit being adapted to be vertically lowered into, and to be vertically lifted from adjacency with said first underwater unit;

• a connection device on one of said first and second underwater units, said connection device comprising a connection member, said connection member having an outer end region, means guiding said connection member for projection in a non-vertical direction from said connection device with said outer end region leading, and means selectively operable to effect said projection,
• a receptacle on the other of said first and second underwater units, said receptacle having an aperture and an inner end region spaced inwardly of said aperture and being adapted to receive said projected connection member therewithin with said connection member outer end region juxtaposed to said receptacle inner end region,
• co-operable connector elements at said connection member outer end region and said receptacle inner end region respectively, said co-operable connector elements being adapted to establish said at least one communication when said connection member outer end region is juxtaposed to said receptacle inner end region, and
• means pivotably mounting said connection device and said receptacle on said one and on said other of said first and second underwater units respectively, said mounting means permitting withdrawal of said connection member from said receptacle in said projected position of said connection member on said vertical lifting of said second underwater unit.