JP3022588B2 - Submarine cable laying equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a submarine cable laying apparatus.

[Problems to be solved by conventional technology and invention]

In general, a cable laying device hangs a submarine cable from the ship to the sea, and pays out the cable sequentially as the ship progresses, and adjusts the tension of the cable by applying a braking force to the cable delivered by its own weight. Was. That is, in the conventional laying device, a pair of endless race rings sandwiching the cable from above and below is provided, and the cable is clamped between the upper and lower endless race rings with an appropriate clamping force to apply a braking force to the cable. Laying work was in progress.

By the way, in the case of a long submarine cable having a length of 10 km or more, for example, due to cable production or transmission characteristics, a connection portion or a junction box with an optical repeater or repeater (hereinafter, referred to as a repeater).
These are called connection boxes). This junction box has a larger diameter than the normal part of the cable, and when the junction box passes between the above-mentioned endless race rings, a sudden increase in braking force is caused, and the junction box can be damaged or can be passed smoothly. There was a disadvantage that there was no.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a submarine cable laying apparatus that can smoothly lay a submarine cable having a junction box on the way without damaging the junction box. I do.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, a submarine cable laying apparatus according to the present invention comprises two pairs of guide rails arranged on a laying ship in a direction substantially perpendicular to the submarine cable feed direction; and rolling on the guide rails The two bases having wheels and arranged on each guide rail and capable of reciprocating in the direction substantially orthogonal to each other are separated by a predetermined interval larger than the length of the connection box of the submarine cable. An endless track brake device having a pair of upper and lower endless track rings for sandwiching the submarine cable and applying a braking force to the submarine cable; A guide roller device comprising a plurality of guide roller groups for receiving the connection box;
The two bases are alternately switched in the substantially orthogonal direction along the guide rails when the junction box passes along with the submarine cable feeding; At the same time as receiving the connection box passing over the base by the guide roller group of the guide roller device,
On the other base, the submarine cable is clamped by the endless track brake device.

(Operation)

One of the brake devices is moved in a lateral direction substantially orthogonal to the cable feeding direction to avoid the passage of the junction box between the endless race rings, and the other brake device is moved on the cable traveling path. The cable can be laid on the seabed while the brake is applied by the other brake device. Conversely, one brake device can be provided on the cable travel path, and If the brake device of (1) is set in a state of avoiding passage between the endless races of the connection box, the cable can be laid on the seabed while applying a braking force by the one brake device. That is, while the laying work is being performed by one device, the other device can escape laterally from the cable path, and the junction box passes beside the upper and lower endless tracks of the other device. In addition, while the installation work is being performed by the other device, one device can be laterally released from the cable path, and the connection box besides the upper and lower endless tracks of one device. pass.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing examples.

FIG. 2 shows a laying ship 1, on which the submarine cable laying device according to the present invention is mounted. That is, the second
In the figure, reference numeral 2 denotes a cable which is fed out from the rear of the laying ship 1 along an arrow, and the cable 2 is wound in a coil shape in a cable storage room 3 in the laying ship 1. It is fed from. And cable 2
There is a measuring instrument 4, an auxiliary brake 5,
Endless track brake devices 6, 6, tension meter 7, etc. are sequentially arranged. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the cable 2 includes a cable body 8 and a connection box 9 connecting the cable bodies 8. Further, the measuring instrument 4 has two rotatable measuring wheels that are in pressure contact with the cable 2, and converts the number of rotations of the measuring wheel into an electric signal and outputs the length of the cable 2 (cable length). Laying length).
The auxiliary brake 5 is a backup brake mechanism for preventing the cable 2 from running away and wasting the expensive cable 2 when the endless track braking devices 6, 6 fail. A plurality of movable shoes are pressed against the fixed shoes by a pneumatic or hydraulically operated pressure cylinder to apply a braking force to the cable 2. Further, the tension meter 7 has a function of measuring the tension acting on the cable 2 drawn out from the rear end of the laid boat 1 into the sea and changing the tension into an electric signal.

Thus, the endless track braking device 6 is the same as that shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 5, a pair of upper and lower endless track rings 10, 11 for holding the submarine cable 2 and the endless track rings 10, 11 are moved in a direction substantially orthogonal to the feeding direction of the cable 2. And a moving mechanism 70.

That is, the endless race wheel 10 is suspended between a driving sprocket 14 and a driven sprocket 15 provided on a housing 13, and the lower endless race wheel 11 is driven by a driving sprocket 17 and a driven sprocket 18 provided on a housing 16. Is suspended between. The shafts of the drive sprockets 14 and 17 are connected to the drive shafts of the motors 19 and 19, respectively.
The endless wheels 10, 11 run by the driving of the wheels 9, 19.

The housings 13 and 16 each have a plurality of guide rails 20... (In the example shown in FIG.
I only draw one by one. ) Are arranged, and the guide rings 20 make the track rings 10 and 11 adhere to the cable 2 running between the track rings 10 and 11. That is, the housings 13, 16
Are provided with rail holders 21 at a predetermined pitch, and projecting pieces 23 of each guide rail 20 are pivotally supported on the holders 21 via pivot pins 22. Therefore, each of the guide rails 20 is swingable around the pins 22 and is pivotally supported by the housings 13 and 16.

The lower housing 16 is erected on a base 24 provided on the laying boat 1 via air springs 25. The base 24 has a pair of guide posts 26, 2
6 is erected, and the guide posts 26, 26 are
A sliding member 27.27 connected to 6 is fitted so as to be vertically movable. That is, the housings 13, 16 move up and down along the guide posts 26, 26.

The upper housing 13 is provided with four cylinders 28, 2
Reciprocated vertically at 8,36,36. That is, each cylinder 28 on the opposite side of the posts 26, 26 with respect to the cable 2 is attached to a mounting piece 29 hanging down from the lower end of its main body 28a.
The standing piece 30 erected from 4 is fitted, the mounting piece 29 and the erected piece 30 are connected via a pin 31, and the mounting piece 32 is provided at the tip of the piston rod 28b. The projecting piece 33 projecting from the housing 13 is fitted, and the mounting piece 32 and the projecting piece 33 are pivotally connected via a pin 34. In this case, the pin 34 is detachable, and when the pin 34 is attached, the cylinder 28 is erected in the vertical direction as shown by the solid line in FIG. If removed, the cylinder 28 can swing about the pin 31 as shown by arrows D ₁ and D ₂ .

The cylinders 36, 36 provided between the posts 26, 26 are
A projecting piece 38 protruding from the housing 13 is fitted to a mounting piece 37 provided at the tip of the piston rod 36b, and a pin 39
The mounting piece 37 and the protruding piece 38 are connected via
The lower end of the main body 36a is connected to the base 24.

Therefore, each piston rod 2 of each cylinder 28, 28, 36, 36
8b, 28b, 36b, 36b reciprocates, the upper housing 13
Moves up and down along the guide posts 26, 26, and the vertical interval between the upper and lower endless races 10, 11 expands or contracts. That is, the opening / closing mechanism 12 that enlarges / reduces the vertical interval between the upper and lower endless race rings 10, 11 is formed by the cylinders 28, 28, 36, 36, the guide posts 26, 26, the sliding member 27, and the like. . The upper ends of the guide posts 26, 26 are connected by a connecting body 40.
The base 24 is provided with a guide roller 41 for guiding the lower end of the cable 2.

Thus, between the cylinders 28, 28 and the cylinders 36, 36,
Guide members 51 and 52 are provided, respectively. Guide member 5
1 has a pair of guide rods 53, 53
The lower end of each of 53 and 53 is swingably attached to the lower housing 16 by a pivot 54, and the upper end thereof is slidably fitted to a holder 55 provided in the upper housing 13. I have. That is, for example, the pivot body 54 includes a mounting piece 57 to which the lower ends of the guide rods 53, 53 are detachably mounted via a mounting tool such as a bolt (not shown), and a holding piece projecting from the mounting piece 57. 4, 58, 58, holding pieces 59, 59 projecting from the upper housing 13, and a pivot 60 inserted through the holding pieces 58, 59. As shown in FIG. 5, the mounting piece 61 includes a mounting piece 61 provided on the upper housing 13 and a swinging piece 62 pivotally attached to the mounting piece 61 via a connecting member 63 such as a hinge. In a state where the swinging piece 62 and the swinging piece 62 are overlapped, the mounting piece 61 and the swinging piece 62 are
Is held in this state, and the upper ends of the guide rods 53 are fitted slidably in the vertical direction. Then, when the locking state by the locking tool is released and the rocking piece 62 is rocked as shown by the imaginary line, as shown in FIG.
53 is swung as indicated by arrow E _1, E ₂ around the pivot shaft 60 of the pivot body 54.

Further, the guide member 52 has a pair of guide rods 64, 64, and the lower ends of the guide rods 64, 64 are detachably attached to mounting members (not shown) of the lower housing 16 via bolts or other mounting members. It is mounted and its upper end is the upper housing 13
Is fitted to a holding piece (not shown) provided in the apparatus so as to be vertically movable.

Then, the guide rods 53, 53, 64 of the two guide members 51, 52,
64, guide member main bodies 66, 66 are slidably fitted, and the guide member main body 6 is
6, 66 are fixed to the guide rods 53, 53, 64, 64.

On the base 24, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a number of guide rollers 65 whose submarine cable bearing height is substantially equal to the submarine cable clamping height of the endless races 10, 11 are provided. A group of guide roller devices 71 is provided. That is, the mounting pieces 66 are erected on the base 24, and the guide roller 65 is rotatably supported between the opposing mounting pieces 66, 66. Further, in this case, the guide roller 65 is disposed along a horizontal direction substantially orthogonal to the feeding direction of the cable 2, and its height position is substantially the same as that of the traveling cable 2.

Wheels 67 are rotatably projected from both end surfaces 69a, 69b of the base 24, and the wheels 67 roll on guide rails 68a, 68b provided on the laying boat 1. That is, the guide rails 68a and 68b are provided along a direction substantially perpendicular to the feed direction of the cable 2, and the base 24 can be moved in a direction substantially perpendicular to the feed direction of the cable 2. In addition, as a traveling method of the base 24, it is performed manually,
A motor is mounted on the base 24 and the wheels 67 are rotated and driven by the drive of the motor, or a cylinder is provided near the base 24 and the cylinder is moved by reciprocating piston rods of the cylinder. Be free. Accordingly, the moving mechanism 70 is constituted by the guide rails 68a, 68b, the wheels 67, and the like.

Thus, the endless track brake device 6 configured as described above is arranged in series at a predetermined interval along the feed direction of the submarine cable 2 as shown in FIG. 1, but in this case, the devices 6, 6 The interval L between them is larger than the length l of the connection box 9 and when the device 6 is moved in the lateral direction,
As shown in FIG. 1 (III), the connection box 9 is set so as to pass beside the endless race rings 10 and 11 of the device 6 and not to pass between the upper and lower endless race rings 10 and 11. In addition, each brake device
Guide rollers 50 are arranged between 6, 6, and the cable 2 is sent out on the guide rollers 50 in the direction of arrow A.

Next, a method of using the submarine cable laying apparatus configured as described above will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1 (I), the upstream brake device 6 is laterally released from the travel path of the cable 2 and the downstream brake device 6 is disposed on the travel path of the cable 2. And upper and lower endless tracks of the downstream device 6
Clamp cable 2 at 10,11. When the cable 2 is interposed between the upper and lower endless race rings 10 and 11, as shown in FIG. 5, the cylinders 28 and 28 and the guide member 51 are folded down as shown by phantom lines to remove the cable 2. It can be interposed between the endless race rings 10 and 11 from the direction.

Then, the motor 19 of the device 6 on the downstream side that holds the cable 2 is driven to circulate the upper and lower endless tracks 10, 11, and the cable 2 is sent out in the direction of arrow A, and the cable 2 is laid on the sea floor. Go on. In this case, since the cable 2 is clamped between the upper and lower endless race rings 10, 11, the cable 2 is laid while being given a predetermined appropriate braking force.

When the cables 2 are sequentially laid, the connection box 9 approaches the upstream device 6 as shown in FIG. 1 (I), and further as shown in FIG. 1 (II). In the meantime, the vehicle 6 passes beside the endless tracks 10 and 11 of the device 6 and approaches the downstream device 6. In this case, as shown in FIG. The cable 2 is interposed between the upper and lower endless race rings 10 and 11 of the apparatus, and the cable 2 is clamped between the endless race rings 10 and 11. That is, the device 6 is moved on the traveling path in a state where the cylinders 28, 28 and the guide member 51 are tilted to allow the cable 2 to be inserted in the lateral direction, and then the cylinders 28, 28 and the guide member 51 are mounted. Lower the upper endless race ring 10 and connect the cable 2 to the upper and lower endless race rings 1
Hold at 0,11.

Next, the track ring 10 above the downstream device 6 is raised to release the cable 2 from being caught by the track rings 10 and 11 of the device 6, and the cylinders 28 and 28 and the guide member 5 are released.
1 to allow the cable 2 to escape in the horizontal direction. In this state, the device 6 on the downstream side is moved as shown by the arrow C in FIG. Box 9
Is passed beside the endless tracks 10 and 11 of the device 6.
In this case, the cable 2 is laid by the upstream device 6 while applying a predetermined appropriate braking force. And
After the junction box 9 has passed beside the endless tracks 10 and 11 of the downstream device 6, the downstream device 6 is returned to the traveling path again as shown in FIG. And the upstream device 6 is returned to the state where it has escaped in the lateral direction, and the next connection box 9 comes. When the next connection box 9 comes, the above-described laying work is performed again. .

Therefore, the cable 2 is always clamped by one of the two brake devices 6, 6 and is laid while a predetermined appropriate braking force is applied. Since it passes beside the endless race rings 10 and 11, it is not pinched by the upper and lower endless race rings 10 and 11.

When the connection box 9 passes beside the endless races 10 and 11 of each device 6, the connection box 9 is guided at its lower end by guide rollers 65 arranged on the base 24. , The feed of the cable 2 is performed smoothly.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be freely changed in design without departing from the gist of the present invention.
Contrary to the embodiment, first, the downstream device 6 is set in a state of being released in the lateral direction, the upstream device 6 is arranged on the traveling path, and the laying work by the upstream device 6 is performed. When the connection box 9 approaches the upstream device 6, the downstream device 6 is moved on the traveling path, and the cable 2 is clamped between the upper and lower endless tracks 10, 11 of the device 6, and then, In a state in which the upstream device 6 has been moved laterally and has escaped from the traveling path,
Next to the endless track rings 10 and 11 of the upstream device 6, a connection box 9
Pass through. Then, after the junction box 9 has passed beside the endless races 10, 11 of the upstream device 6, the upstream device 6 is moved again on the traveling path, and the upper and lower endless races 10, 11 of the device 6 are moved again. It is also free to hold the cable 2 at a position, and then make the downstream device 6 relieve laterally again.

 The number of the guide rollers 65 can be freely increased or decreased.

The cable 2 used in the laying device according to the present invention is an optical submarine cable, a normal power or communication submarine cable, or a composite submarine cable of these.

〔The invention's effect〕

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained.

The cable 2 can be continuously and smoothly sent out without damaging and stopping the connection box 9, and the cable 2 is laid on the seabed while always applying an appropriate braking force to the cable 2. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified plan view of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a simplified view of the whole, FIG. 3 is a front view of the endless track braking device, FIG. It is the same simplified side view. 2… Submarine cable, 6… Track brake device, 1
0,11… Crawler ring, 71… Guide roller device.

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor, Yoshimasa Yoshikawa 8 Nishinocho, Higashimukaijima, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture Inside Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroshi Kajikawa 8th, Nishinocho, Higashimushimajima, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd. (72) Inventor Seiichiro Yamamoto 2-11-15, Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Japan Salvage Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yukio Kajiya 15-73, Tanoura Beach, Moji-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka Moji Branch, Japan Salvage Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shinji Fujishima 15-73 Tanoura Beach, Moji-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka Japan Salvage Corporation Moji Branch Inside (72) Inventor Takao Takase 15-73 Tanoura Beach, Moji-ku, Moji-ku, Kitakyushu Fukuoka Japan Salvage Corporation (56) References JP-A-55-23749 (JP, A) JP-A-59-156109 (JP, A) JP-A-60-197108 (JP, A) JP-A-4-145818 (JP, A A) Japanese Utility Model Showa 63-41065 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Showa 64-64 30620 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H02G 1/00-1/10

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of guide rails in a direction substantially perpendicular to the seabed cable feed direction are arranged on a laid ship, and wheels are provided for rolling on the guide rails. The two bases that can be reciprocated in the direction substantially orthogonal to each other are arranged in the feed direction at a predetermined interval L larger than the length l of the connection box of the submarine cable, and are arranged in a row in the feed direction. An endless track brake device having a pair of upper and lower endless track rings for holding and applying a braking force to the submarine cable, and a plurality of guide rollers for receiving the connection box when the connection box of the submarine cable passes therethrough And a guide roller device consisting of: a plurality of base rollers are arranged side by side on each base, and when the connection box passes along with the feeding of the submarine cable, the two bases alternately extend along the guide rails. Cut in orthogonal direction On the other hand, the connection box passing on one base is received by the guide roller group of the guide roller device, and the submarine cable is clamped on the other base by the endless track brake device. A submarine cable laying device.