GB1580030A

GB1580030A - Floatation devices for supporting a hose-line

Info

Publication number: GB1580030A
Application number: GB3663679A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Dunlop Ltd
Current assignee: Dunlop Ltd
Priority date: 1977-03-21
Filing date: 1977-03-21
Publication date: 1980-11-26

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO FLOATATION DEVICES FOR SUPPORTING A HOSE-LINE (71) We, DUNLOP LIMITED, a British Company of Dunlop House, Ryder Street, St. James's, London S.W.1. do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention concerns improvements in or relating to floatation devices for supporting a hose-line.

In our co-pending UK application No.

13183/76 (Serial No. 1580029) dated 1 April 1976 (accepted and published under Serial No. ) from which this application is divided we describe and claim a float/sink hose-line comprising floatation chambers provided at spaced-apart intervals along the hose-line, an air supply pipe and a separate water supply pipe, both pipes extending along the hose-line and communicating with each chamber.

By such an arrangement air or water can be selectively introduced into each floatation chamber so that the hose-line can be floated on the water surface or submerged as required.

According to the present invention we provide a floatation device for a hose-line comprising a pair of tanks which in use extend around the outer surface of the hoseline to define a fluid chamber, the tanks being interconnected at one side by hinge means and at the other side by locking means, the locking means being releasable to allow mounting of the device on the hoseline, and valve means for controlling the supply of air or water to the fluid chamber whereby the buoyance of the floatation device is controlled by selectively supplying air or water to the fluid chamber.

The device may have any desired external shape, for example cylindrical or ellipsoidal, but the radially inner surface of each tank preferably has a curved semi-circular profile for closing about the outer surface of the hose-line.

The locking means conveniently comprises respective apertured locking plates fixed to each tank which in the closed position of the tanks overlap to define an opening in which a locking pin is engaged to prevent relative hinging movement of the tanks about the hinge means. The locking pin is removable to allow the tanks to be mounted on or removed from a hose-line.

Preferably a groove is formed in the radially inner surface of each tank, the grooves defining a circumferentially extending recess in the closed position of the tanks.

In use an annular abutment on the outer surface of the hose-line is received in the recess to positively locate the device axially on the hose-line and prevent movement of the device lengthwise of the hose-line. The abutment may be formed by the abutting end flanges of the connector nipples used to connect the individual hose lengths of the hoseline.

Preferably the valve means comprises first and second valve means for controlling the supply of air and water respectively.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a floatation device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an end view of one of the tanks of the floatation device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the tank shown in Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second floatation device according to the present invention.

The floatation device 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings comprises a pair of semi-circular tanks 2,3 which in use extend around the outer surface of a hose line 4 to define a fluid chamber to which air or water can be selectively supplied to control the buoyancy of the fluid chamber.

The tanks 2,3 are connected at one side by hinge means 5 and at the other side by locking means. The locking means comprises respective apertured locking plates 6 fixed to each tank which in the closed position of the tanks shown in Figure 1 overlap to define an opening in which a locking pin (not shown) is engaged to prevent relative hinging movement of the tanks 2,3 about the hinge means 5. The locking pin is removable to permit relative hinging movement of the tanks 2,3 about the hinge means 5 so that the floatation chamber 1 can be fitted around the outer surface of the hose-line.

The radially inner surface of each tank is formed with a groove 7, the grooves defining a circumferentially extending recess 9 in the closed position of the tanks. In use a complementary annular abutment 10 on the radially outer surface of the hose-line is received in the recess 9 to positively locate the device 1 axially on the hose-line and prevent movement of the device lengthwise of the hose-line.

The floatation device is provided with separate valve means 11 and 12 for controlling the supply of air and water respectively to the tanks whereby the buoyance of the chamber can be controlled as required. The valve means 11 for controlling the supply of air comprises two separate connectors 13 and 14. The connector 13 has a flow restrictor (not shown) so that air can only pass into the fluid chamber at a low rate and the other connector 14 has a one-way valve (not shown) so that air can only pass out of the fluid chamber. The valve means 12 for controlling the supply of water also comprises two separate connectors 15 and 16. Both of the connectors 15, 16 have pressure sensitive one-way valves (not shown) which open to allow water to pass when a preset minimum pressure is exceeded. The one-way valve of the connector 15 opens at a pressure of 6 p.s.i. to allow water to leave the fluid chamber while the one-way valve of the connector 16 opens at 100 p.s.i. to allow water to enter the fluid chamber.

In use a plurality of floatation devices in accordance with the present invention are secured to a hose-line at spaced intervals along the length of the hose-line. The valve means 11 of each device is connected to a common air supply pipe (not shown) and the valve means 12 of each device is connected to a common water supply pipe (not shown) separate from the air supply pipe.

The fluid chamber of each device is filled with air or water by appropriate control of the air and water supplies to each device whereby the buoyance of the devices can be selected as required to either float the hoseline on the water surface or sink the hose-line to a selected depth.

For a more detailed description of the float-sink operation of the hose-line reference should be made to our aforementioned co-pending UK Patent Application No.

13183/76 (accepted and published under Serial No. 1580029).

The invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiment, for example various tank profiles may be used giving different shapes for the floatation device such as the ellipsoidal shape shown in Figure 4. The shape used is optional and depends on the handling requirements for the hose-line and the likelihood of external damage.

The tanks may be made of any suitable material to withstand the pressures and sea conditions. Glass reinforced resinous materials are eminently suitable.

The valve means 11 and 12 may be arranged integrally with the hinge means 5.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A floatation device for a hose-line comprising a pair of tanks which in use extend around the outer surface of the hoseline to define a fluid chamber, the tanks being interconnected at one side by hinge means and at the other side by locking means, the locking means being releasable to allow mounting of the device on the hoseline, and valve means for controlling the supply of air or water to the fluid chamber whereby the buoyance of the floatation device is controlled by selectively supplying air or water to the fluid chamber.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the radially inner surface of each tank has a curved semi-circular profile.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the locking means comprises respective apertured locking plates fixed to each tank which in the closed position of the tanks overlap to define an opening in which a locking pin is engaged, the locking pin being removable to allow relative hinging movement of the tanks.

4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a recess is provided in the radially inner surface of the device in which an abutment on the outer surface of the hose-line is received in use of the device to positively locate the device axially on the hose-line.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the recess is defined by respective grooves formed in the radially inner surface of each tank.

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the valve means comprises first and second valve means for controlling the supply of air and water respectively.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the first valve means comprises two separate

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

line 4 to define a fluid chamber to which air or water can be selectively supplied to control the buoyancy of the fluid chamber.

The tanks 2,3 are connected at one side by hinge means 5 and at the other side by locking means. The locking means comprises respective apertured locking plates 6 fixed to each tank which in the closed position of the tanks shown in Figure 1 overlap to define an opening in which a locking pin (not shown) is engaged to prevent relative hinging movement of the tanks 2,3 about the hinge means 5. The locking pin is removable to permit relative hinging movement of the tanks 2,3 about the hinge means 5 so that the floatation chamber 1 can be fitted around the outer surface of the hose-line.

The radially inner surface of each tank is formed with a groove 7, the grooves defining a circumferentially extending recess 9 in the closed position of the tanks. In use a complementary annular abutment 10 on the radially outer surface of the hose-line is received in the recess 9 to positively locate the device 1 axially on the hose-line and prevent movement of the device lengthwise of the hose-line.

The floatation device is provided with separate valve means 11 and 12 for controlling the supply of air and water respectively to the tanks whereby the buoyance of the chamber can be controlled as required. The valve means 11 for controlling the supply of air comprises two separate connectors 13 and 14. The connector 13 has a flow restrictor (not shown) so that air can only pass into the fluid chamber at a low rate and the other connector 14 has a one-way valve (not shown) so that air can only pass out of the fluid chamber. The valve means 12 for controlling the supply of water also comprises two separate connectors 15 and 16. Both of the connectors 15, 16 have pressure sensitive one-way valves (not shown) which open to allow water to pass when a preset minimum pressure is exceeded. The one-way valve of the connector 15 opens at a pressure of 6 p.s.i. to allow water to leave the fluid chamber while the one-way valve of the connector 16 opens at 100 p.s.i. to allow water to enter the fluid chamber.

In use a plurality of floatation devices in accordance with the present invention are secured to a hose-line at spaced intervals along the length of the hose-line. The valve means 11 of each device is connected to a common air supply pipe (not shown) and the valve means 12 of each device is connected to a common water supply pipe (not shown) separate from the air supply pipe.

The fluid chamber of each device is filled with air or water by appropriate control of the air and water supplies to each device whereby the buoyance of the devices can be selected as required to either float the hoseline on the water surface or sink the hose-line to a selected depth.

For a more detailed description of the float-sink operation of the hose-line reference should be made to our aforementioned co-pending UK Patent Application No.

13183/76 (accepted and published under Serial No. 1580029).

The invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiment, for example various tank profiles may be used giving different shapes for the floatation device such as the ellipsoidal shape shown in Figure 4. The shape used is optional and depends on the handling requirements for the hose-line and the likelihood of external damage.

The tanks may be made of any suitable material to withstand the pressures and sea conditions. Glass reinforced resinous materials are eminently suitable.

The valve means 11 and 12 may be arranged integrally with the hinge means 5.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A floatation device for a hose-line comprising a pair of tanks which in use extend around the outer surface of the hoseline to define a fluid chamber, the tanks being interconnected at one side by hinge means and at the other side by locking means, the locking means being releasable to allow mounting of the device on the hoseline, and valve means for controlling the supply of air or water to the fluid chamber whereby the buoyance of the floatation device is controlled by selectively supplying air or water to the fluid chamber.
2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the radially inner surface of each tank has a curved semi-circular profile.
3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the locking means comprises respective apertured locking plates fixed to each tank which in the closed position of the tanks overlap to define an opening in which a locking pin is engaged, the locking pin being removable to allow relative hinging movement of the tanks.
4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a recess is provided in the radially inner surface of the device in which an abutment on the outer surface of the hose-line is received in use of the device to positively locate the device axially on the hose-line.
5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the recess is defined by respective grooves formed in the radially inner surface of each tank.
6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the valve means comprises first and second valve means for controlling the supply of air and water respectively.
7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the first valve means comprises two separate

connectors, an inlet connector through which air may pass into the fluid chamber and an outlet connector through which air may pass out of the fluid chamber.
8. A device according to claim 7 wherein the air inlet connector has a flow restrictor to limit the flow rate of air passing into the chamber and the air outlet connector has a one-way valve.
9. A device according to claim 6 wherein the second valve means comprises two separate connectors, an inlet connector through which water may pass into the fluid chamber and an outlet connector through which water may pass into the fluid chamber.
10. A device according to claim 9 wherein the water inlet and outlet connectors each have a respective pressure sensitive one-way valve.
11. A device according to claim 10 wherein the pressure sensitive valve of the water outlet connector opens at a lower pressure than the pressure sensitive valve of the water inlet connector.
12. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the valve means is arranged integrally with the hinge means.
13. A floatation device for a hose-line substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
14. A floatation device for a hose-line substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 as modified by Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.