Cable handling system
AssigneePGS Americas, Inc.
InventorGary Lee Scott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system or apparatus and method for retrieving cable from water during marine operations is provided that reduces damage to the cable from pulling forces during the retrieval. A pulling device distributes the forces and stresses all along the cable components. In one embodiment, the pulling drive comprises a pulling drum powered by a clutching system or by a hydraulic torque conversion system set to slip or stall at a selectable force value. The apparatus may use a see-saw action to maintain the forces below damaging levels. The system may be adapted for deploying cable in marine operations as well.
Claims32
A system for retrieving cable from water during marine operations employing a floating vessel, said system comprising:
- a distributor for distributing forces across all components of the cable while pulling said cable;
- an adjuster for automatically adjusting the pulling forces on the cable caused by movement of said vessel in the water;
- and
- a holding area on said vessel for said cable, said holding area comprising a cylindrical cage whose outside perimeter has vertical slots from a top edge thereof and whose interior comprises a raceway path and a smaller diameter cylinder about the central point of said cylindrical cage.
A method for retrieving cable from water in marine operations employing a floating vessel, while monitoring and adjusting the pulling forces on said cable during said retrieval to reduce damage to said cable from said forces during said retrieval, said method comprising pulling said cable with a pulling device that distributes pulling forces and stresses among all of the cable components, and that employs a see-saw action for adjusting said pulling forces to maintain said forces below the damage point for said cable;
- and depositing cable in a storage area on said vessel, said storage area comprising a cylindrical cage having at least two vertical slots and a central interior cylinder having a conical top and separated from an exterior cylindrical cage wall by a raceway area for the cable, and a conical cap with a protruding arm rotatably mounted on the conical top for receiving and directing cable into the raceway area.
An apparatus for retrieving and deploying cable in marine operations, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) pulley drum assembly comprising a pulling drum capable of pulling the cable while distributing pulling forces across all components of the cable;
- (b) powered drive motor with regulatable torque drive for operating the pulling drum and adjusting the forces such pulling exerts on the cable;
- (c) front-mounted damper arm with an adjustable tension range positioned prior to the drum pulley assembly to dampen stress on the cable caused by movement of water;
- (d) storage system for said cable, said storage system comprising a cylindrical case having a smaller diameter cylinder about its central point and a raceway path in-between the smaller diameter cylinder and the interior wall of the outer-part of the cylindrical cage, wherein said smaller diameter cylinder has a conical top capped with a rotatably mounted cone;
- and
- (e) means for delivering cable from the pulley drum assembly to the storage system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.