Patent GB-1133661-A (GB)
Title: Method of burying a long and flexible object and apparatus for use in this method
IPC: F16L1/032
Filed: 1966-01-10
Abstract: 1,133,661. Laying pipelines; vibratory mechanisms. A. G. BODINE. 10 Jan., 1966, No. 1116/66. Headings F2P and F2X. In a method of burying a pipeline 16 in unconsolidated ground, an elastic-wave radiator is positioned for face-to-face acoustic coupling engagement with the ground in close proximity to the pipeline and sufficiently energized so as to fluidize the ground underneath the pipeline while being moved in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline thereby forming a progressing fluidized region underneath the pipeline to cause the pipeline to sink progressively. A tractor vehicle 11 having spaced-apart tracks which straddle the pipeline is equipped with a rotatable, elastic sonic wave radiator bar 18 which is adjustable vertically to extend into the ground and is connected through a vibration generator 36 to a gear transmission housing 26 having a shaft 25 driven by, e.g. the engine of the vehicle 11. The latter tows a vehicle 20 carrying a vibration generator 89 mounted on springs 85 by means of which vibratory forces are transmitted to the wheels 22 of the vehicle. In modifications: (a) a barge 130, Fig. 9 (not shown), carries a vibration generator 135 to which is attached a steel beam 137 extending rearwardly under the barge and suspended from the pipeline 125 by sliding hook members 168 connected by drop lines 172 to a float 170 towed by the barge, (b) a barge or sledge (200) Figs. 17 and 18 (not shown), towed or winched by a tractor (203) carries a boom (210) which supports a horizontal cross-beam (212) from which are suspended two hollow elastic rods (213) provided with fins and orifices for discharging jets of water forwardly of the rods to displace sand &c. between the rods; a vibration generator is carried by the beam at one end thereof, and (c) a towed structure (305), Fig. 26 (not shown), comprising two parallel, horizontal, rectangular tube structures mounts a pair of steel shafts (320) extending at an acute angle to the horizontal and connected to a vibration generator (331) and a plough head (310), the pipeline (301) being guided by rollers (312)-(315). The generator 36, Fig. 3, comprises a housing 60, the bore 63 of which forms a raceway for a cylindrical, orbital, inertia rotor 64 rotatably mounted on an axle 66 projecting from a spur gear 67 which meshes with an internal gear 68, the axle being provided with a pin 70 which rides around and is guided by a boss 71 to maintain the rotor in proper engagement with the raceway when the generator is at rest or coming up to speed. The rotor is driven through a universal joint 74 connected to a conically gyratory shaft 35 driven through a gear box 26 from a shaft 25. In the generator (230), Fig. 23 (not shown), a housing (231) is connected to a source of compressed air, the latter flowing through passages (235) and tangentially via passages (236) into a chamber (237) containing an inertia rotor 238 upon which the air impinges to drive the rotor around the raceway formed by the chamber; spent air escapes through ports 239. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 964,924.