GB2058282A

GB2058282A - Floating hose line

Info

Publication number: GB2058282A
Application number: GB8027156A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Bridgestone Corp
Current assignee: Bridgestone Corp
Priority date: 1979-09-05
Filing date: 1980-08-20
Publication date: 1981-04-08
Also published as: NL8004637A; JPS5639244A

Abstract

A floating hose line (3) for supplying material from one work ship (1) to another work ship (2) is composed of a number of sleeve hoses (5) each including a float and connected with each other through end flanges. Each end of the floating hose line is connected through a flexible pipe connector (6) to a manifold (4) mounted on the work ship, the flexible pipe connector having an outer peripheral wall outwardly deformable when the flexible pipe connector is bent. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Floating hose line This invention relates to a floating hose line, particularly for use on a rough sea.

In the case of continuously effecting hydraulic loading work between two sites distant from each other on the sea, for example in the case of hydraulically supplying earth and sand from a transport ship moored at an anchorage installation to a drop ship distant from the transport ship and operative to cover a submarine oil pipe line with earth and sand, heretofore it has been the common practice to lay a floating pipe line on the sea. Such a floating pipe line usually extends over several hundred meters, so that use is made of a number of rigid pipe lines which are connected with each other through flexible pipe connectors.

In such a floating pipe line, the joint portions between the rigid pipe lines and the flexible pipe connectors, which are of different rigidity, are subjected to large exterior forces. As a result, a flexible pipe connector may become broken or locally worn, thereby adversely affecting its durability. Therefore, such an above-mentioned floating pipe line may only be utilized for hydraulic loading work on a still sea such as an inland sea, but could not be used for hydraulic loading work on a rough sea. An attempt has been made to use an elongate floating hose line instead of a rigid floating pipe line formed of rigid material.

However, vibrations and bending moment produced due to strong and heavy waves on the sea are concentrated into the ends of the hose line, thereby inducing kinks or other fluid passage clogging failure.

The present invention provides a floating hose line, comprising a plurality of sleeve hoses of large diameter each including a float operative to maintain the sleeve hose floating on the sea surface, each sleeve hose being provided with end flanges for connection to end flanges of adjacent sleeve hoses, and a flexible pipe connector connected to and constituting at least one portion of a rising region extending from the end of the said hose line and detachably connected to a manifold mounted on a loading installation, floating structural body or the like on the sea, the said flexible pipe connector having an outer peripheral wall outwardly deformable when the flexible pipe connector is bent.

The flexible pipe connector is preferably a short spherical barrel-shaped sleeve hose.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fiugre 1 is a diagrammatic view of a conventional floating pipe line; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of one embodiment of a floating hose line according to the invention, for use on a rough sea; Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a sleeve hose having a large diameter, partly shown in section, constituting a part of the pipe line itself; Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a short spherical barrel-shaped sleeve hose, partly shown in section, constituting a flexible pipe connector; and Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the sleeve hose shown in Figure 4 in its bent state.

Figure 1 shows a transport ship 1, a drop ship 2, an earth and sand feed pipe 2', rigid pipe lines P, flexible pipe connectors J, floats F, a submarine oil pipe line B and a covering C of earth and sand.

In such a conventional floating pipe line, the joint portions between the rigid pipe lines P and the flexible pipe connectors J are subjected to large exterior forces under the influence of waves, thereby inducing breakage failure or local wear of a flexible pipe connector. As a result, such a floating pipe line has a poor resistance to wear and can only be used on a still sea such as an inland sea, but could not be used for hydrostatic loading work on a rough sea. in order to overcome this problem, an attempt has been made to use a floating hose line in place of the rigid pipe line.

However, as previously described, vibration or bending moment due to heavy waves on the open sea is particularly concentrated into both ends of the hose line, thereby inducing a kink or other fluid passage clogging failure.

Figure 2 shows a transport ship 1 and a drop ship 2, between which is laid a floating hose line 3 having a length of for example several hundred meters and comprising a plurality of elongate sleeve hoses 5 of large diameter. Manifolds 4 are mounted on the decks of the ships 1, 2 and are connected to short spherical barrel-shaped sleeve hoses 6 which in turn are connected to rising regions extending from the ends of the floating hose line 3. A pump 7 is provided on the transport ship 1 for supplying earth and sand under pressure from the ship 1 through the floating hose line 3 to the drop ship 2.

As shown in Figure 3, each elongate sleeve hose 5 having a large diameter has a multi-layer construction and is composed of an inner surface rubber 5a, a reinforcing layer Sb surrounding the inner surface rubber 5a and consisting of reinforcing cords and reinforcing wires, a float 5c surrounding the reinforcing layer 5b and formed of foam material, and an outer cover Sd surrounding the float 5c. The elongate sleeve hose 5 is connected at its end flanges 5e to the end flanges of adjacent elongate sleeve hoses 5.

As shown in Figure 4, each short spherical barrel-shaped sleeve hose 6 has a pair of opposed nipples 6b distant apart from each other and each provided at its outer end with an end flange 6a and a rubber spherical shell 6d including a reinforcing layer 6c embedded therein and secured at its ends to bead wires 6e.

The rubber spherical shell 6d is made integral with the nipples Sb. The inner peripheral surface of the sleeve hose 6 is formed of a wear resistant rubber, whereas the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve hose 6 is formed of rubber having an excellent weather resistant property.

The inner peripheral surface of the sleeve hose 6 is provided at its centre with an arcuate depression 6f. When the sleeve hose 6 is bent such that the opposed end flanges 6a are inclined with respect to the radial direction of the sleeve hose 6 as shown in Figure 5, the spherical shell 6d between the opposed inner ends of the nipples 6b is projected outwardly in the radial direction of the sleeve hose 6. As a result, the cross-sectional area of the area of the inner passage of the sleeve hose 6 is not reduced in diameter.

The short sleeve hose 6 has a total length of less than 1,000 mm when the floating sleeve hose 5 has a diameter of several hundred mm. As shown in Figure 2, it is preferable to connect a plurality of sleeve hoses 6 in series with each other so as to constitute at least one portion of a rising region extending from each end of the floating hose line 3.

The floating hose line 3 is detachably connected at its one end through the rising region to the manifold 4 mounted on the transport ship 1 and is continuously connected at the other end through the corresponding rising region to the manifold 4 mounted on the drop ship 2. Under such conditions, earth and sand are fed from the transport ship 1 through the floating hose line 3 to the drop ship 2 so as to continuously cover a submarine oil pipe line B with a covering C of earth and sand.

The rising region extending from the end of the floating hose line 3 and constructed as above described can reduce its bending rigidity. As a result, even when an exterior force applied to the floating hose line 3 is concentrated into the end portion thereof, there is no risk of the end portion being subjected to a kink or any other fluid passage failure. In addition, the rubber floating hose line 3 is considerably flexible if compared with the conventional floating pipe line P shown in Figure 1, so that it is possible to effectively alleviate the influence of the exterior force due to high waves on the sea. In addition, the floating hose line as a whole has a substantially uniform rigidity and hence it is possible to eliminiate the cause of adversely affecting the durability of the floating pipe line due to local wear thereof.

The embodiment described above with reference to Figure 2 of the floating hose line according to the invention has been applied to the working operation of covering a submarine oil pipe line with earth and sand. The floating hose line according to the invention is, however, applicable not only to the hydraulic transport of earth and sand or the like as described above, but also to various loading works effected between loading installations, floating constructions or the like on the sea as represented by the work ship and mother ship described in the above embodiment.

As stated hereinbeofre, the floating hose line according to the invention is capable of effecting hydraulic loading work on a rough sea at the site concerned.

Claims

1. A floating hose line, comprising a plurality of sleeve hoses of large diameter each including a float operative to maintain the sleeve hose floating on the sea surface, each sleeve hose being provided with end flanges for connection to end flanges of adjacent sleeve hoses, and a flexible pipe connector connected to and constituting at least one portion of a rising region extending from the end of the said hose line and detachably connected to a manifold mounted on a loading installation, floating structural body or the like on the sea, the said flexible pipe connector having an outer peripheral wall outwardly deformable when the flexible pipe connector is bent.

2. A hose line as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each said sleeve hose is composed of an inner surface rubber, a reinforcing layer surrounding the said inner surface rubber and comprising reinforcing cord and reinforcing wire, a float surrounding the said reinforcing layer and formed of foam material, and an outer cover surrounding the said float and provided with end flanges.

3. A hose line as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the flexible pipe connector is a short spherical barrel-shaped sleeve hose.

4. A hose line as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the said barrel-shaped sleeve hose has a pair of opposed nipples distant apart from each other and each provided at its outer end with an end flange, and a rubber spherical shell including a reinforcing layer embedded therein and made integral with the said pair of opposed nipples.

5. A hose line as claimed in Claim 3 or 4, wherein a plurality of said barrel-shaped sleeve hoses are connected with each other so as to constitute at least one portion of a rising region extending from the end of the hose line and connected to a manifold mounted on a work ship.

6. A floating hose line according to Claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.