Pipe stabilizing system for underwater use in joining flanged pipe sections

• US 5,004,017 A
• Filed: 04/18/1985
• Issued: 04/02/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Loran L. White
• Original Assignee: Loran L. White
• Inventors: White, Loran L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRETT, GLENN
• Application Number:
  US06/724,511
• Time in Patent Office: 2,175 Days
• Field of Search: 138/106, 138/104, 138/105, 405/169, 405/170, 405/154, 414/747, 414/910, 29/464, 29/237, 29/271, 29/272, 285/5, 285/6, 285/24, 285/27, 285/32, 285/84, 285/96, 269/43
• US Class Current: 138/106
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 1/26 Repairing or joining pipes on or under water
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/003 Auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53917 Tube with tube

Abstract

A stabilizing system for use in joining flanged pipe sections together in an underwater environment including at least one flange stabilizing element having a back plate portion with a support portion affixed thereto and extending orthogonally out therefrom a distance substantially in excess of the thickness of one flange, providing laterally spaced lines of support adjacent to the front of the flange at different vertical positions along its width defining a curved support tray area consistent with the curvature of the flanges of the pipe sections to be joined. At least one stub also extends orthogonally out from said back plate portion having a diameter less than the diameter of the bolt holes of the flanges. A series of left and right flange stabilizing elements are placed on the flange of the first pipe section with their back plate portions against the backside of the flanges with the stubs extending through selected ones of the bolt holes of the flange, with the support portion extending out substantially past the flange forming a tray upon which the flange of the other pipe section can be placed for support and proper mating positioning. The back plate portion also preferably includes a circular opening aligned with a flange bolt hole, through the combination of which is placed a locking key with downwardly extending, vertically disposed ends, effectively temporarily locking the respective stabilizing element to the first pipe flange. The system is particularly useful in making up underwater connections between pipe sections, even in rough water, using one or more divers with the stabilizing tray preventing the other flanged pipe section from moving around without restriction, assisting the divers in making up the flanged pipe sections. Once the flange sections are partially made up or joined together with for example two or more loosely fastened bolts, the flange stabilizing element(s) and locking key(s) are removed, and the flange sections completely made up with the standard "O" ring(s) and bolts.

Claims

1. A stabilizing system for use in joining flanged pipe sections together in an underwater environment, comprising:

a first flanged pipe section located in the water a significant depth;

a second flanged pipe section to be flanged together to said first pipe section located adjacent to said first pipe section;

at least one flange stabilizing element attached to said first flanged pipe section, said flange stabilizing element being attached to a flange of said first pipe section, said flange stabilizing element(s) having a pipe fastening portion with a flange stabilizing portion affixed thereto and extending out from said pipe fastening portion and past said first pipe section a distance substantially in excess of the thickness of one flange, providing laterally spaced lines of stabilization adjacent to the flange of said first pipe section at a different vertical position than a bottom center-point of said first pipe section thereby defining a curved stabilizing area consistent with the curvature of a flange of said second pipe section and having sufficient strength to adequately resist movement of the flange of said second pipe section past it;

said flange stabilizing portion providing means for guiding and stabilizing said second pipe section in making up the underwater connection between said pipe sections using at least one diver, the stabilizing element preventing the second flanged pipe section from moving around without restriction adjacent the flange interfaces thereby assisting the diver(s) in connecting the flanged pipe sections;

said flange of said first flanged pipe section having a plurality of bolt holes in it;

said pipe fastening portion including a circular opening aligned with a flange bolt hole; and

there being further included a locking key with downwardly extending, vertically disposed ends inserted through said circular opening and the flange bolt hole with which it is aligned, effectively locking the stabilizing element to the flange of said first pipe section;

said locking key being removable from said circular opening and the aligned bolt hole after the flanged pipe sections are connected together.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said flange stabilizing element includes an open area at its flange stabilizing portion adjacent to said circular opening, allowing easy access to said circular opening.

3. A flange stabilizing element for use in joining a first and second flanged pipe sections together in an underwater environment, each flange of each pipe section having equally spaced peripherally located bolt holes, said flange stabilizing element comprising:

a back plate portion having a flat front face and at least one stub extending orthogonally out from said flat front face having a diameter less than the diameter of the flange bolt holes, and an opening comparable in size to a flange bolt hole, said stub(s) and said opening being laterally spaced equally to the lateral spacing of the flange bolt holes; and

a support tray portion fixedly attached to a bottom portion of said back plate portion and extending orthogonally out from said back plate portion in the direction of as said stub(s), an upper side of said tray portion defining a curved surface compatible in curvature with the curvature of the flanges of the pipe sections;

said support tray portion when connected to the flange of the first pipe section having sufficient strength to adequately resist movement of the flange of the second pipe section past it and being capable of providing support means for guiding and stabilizing the second pipe section in making up an underwater connection between the two pipe sections using at least one diver, the support tray portion preventing the other flanged pipe section from moving around without restriction adjacent the flange interfaces thereby assisting the diver(s) in connecting the flanged pipe sections.

4. The element of claim 3, wherein the upper side of said tray portion is spaced down a distance from a corresponding adjacent edge portion of the flange of said first pipe section;

and wherein a drift pin is driven through two, facing, adjacent bolt holes of said two flanged pipe sections, causing the flange of said second pipe section to be lifted up off of the tray portion of said flange stabilizing element, allowing the easy removal of said flange stabilizing element from the flange of said first pipe section without restriction due to any engagement of said tray portion with an underside of the said flange of said second pipe section.

5. The element of claim 3, wherein said flange stabilizing element includes an open area at its support tray portion adjacent to said circular opening on said back plate portion allowing easy access to said circular opening.

6. The element of claim 3, wherein in association with said stabilizing element there is further included a locking key with downwardly extending, vertically disposed ends insertable through said circular opening on said back plate portion and the flange bolt hole with which it is aligned, effectively locking the stabilizing element to the flange of said first pipe section;

said locking key being removable from said circular opening and the aligned bolt hole after the flanged pipe sections are connected together.

7. A stabilizing system for use in joining flanged pipe sections together in an underwater environment formed by a body of water, comprising:

a pair of spaced pipe sections forming a portion of a pipe line for communicating fluids therethrough located in the underwater environment, each of said sections including at a respective end a flanged end for forming a pair of spaced, flanged ends;

an intermediate pipe section having a pair of flanged ends located at respective ends for positioning between said pair of spaced, flanged ends in an abutting relationship therewith for forming said pipe line for communicating fluids therethrough;

a flange stabilizing element attached to each of said spaced, flanged ends of said spaced pipe sections for forming a pair of spaced, stabilizing elements;

a back plate portion included with each of said flange stabilizing portions and attached to a backside of each of said flanged ends of said spaced pipe sections in an abutting relationship therewith;

a tray support portion included with each of said flange stabilizing elements extending coaxially with said pipe sections and laterally from said back plate portion in a vertically spaced arrangement below said pipe sections for providing an upper surface to support said flanged end of said intermediate pipe section during a connecting operation, each of said tray supports further extending laterally from said flanged end toward each other and past a portion of said intermediate pipe section for forming a free distal end spaced vertically down from said intermediate pipe sections and included with each of said tray support portions for forming a pair of opposed, spaced tray support portions having a pair of opposed free distal ends in a spaced arrangement;

positioning means included with said spaced pipe sections and said back plate portion for positioning said tray support coaxial with said pipe sections;

locking means including an arm extending laterally from an elongated member positioned in an aligned bore through said back plate portion and said abutting flanged end of said first spaced pipe section for engaging a radially extending portion of said spaced pipe section included with said abutting flanged end, and a second arm extending laterally from said elongated member in a spaced relationship with said first arm for engaging a portion of said back plate portion for locking said tray support in a spaced arrangement coaxial with said pipe sections;

a flange stabilizing portion affixed to a pipe fastening portion extending laterally along said tray portion a distance substantially in excess of the thickness of one of said flanged ends for providing laterally spaced lines of stabilization for positioning said flanged end of said intermediate section in an adjacent abutting relationship with said flanged end of said spaced pipe sections; and

a curved stabilizing area included with said flange stabilizing portion consistent with the curvature of said flanged end of said intermediate pipe section extending laterally past said abutting flanged ends in a vertically spaced arrangement with said pipe sections for providing means for guiding and stabilizing said intermediate pipe section into an abutting relationship with said flanged end of said spaced pipe sections during the connecting operation.