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SEA SLED FOR ENTRENCHING AND PIPE BURYING OPERATIONS

  • US 3,877,238 A
  • Filed: 11/06/1973
  • Issued: 04/15/1975
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1973
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A sea sled for use in excavating a trench below a pipeline laid along the sea bottom and for removing the slurry formed by the excavation comprising:

  • a base structure, means carried by said base structure for excavating the trench and including a plurality of jet nozzles directed to flow high pressure fluid below the pipeline to fluidize the sea bottom and form a slurry, means and carried by said base structure for removing the slurry including a conduit having an inlet disposed below said base structure and a discharge, a pump nozzle having an inlet external to said conduit and exposed to the ambient fluid, said pump nozzle having an outlet within said conduit for delivery of fluid to said conduit intermediate said inlet and discharge, a primary nozzle external to said conduit and spaced a predetermined distance from said pump nozzle inlet, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said primary nozzle, said primary nozzle being disposed to flow the supply fluid toward said pump nozzle inlet across the space therebetween to entrain ambient fluid and deliver the entrained fluid and at least a portion of the supply fluid through the pump nozzle into said conduit whereby the combined flow through said pump nozzle causes slurry to flow through said conduit inlet into said conduit and delivery of the slurry, the supply fluid portion, and entrained fluid to the conduit discharge.

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