US3543527A - Underwater mining method - Google Patents

Underwater mining method Download PDF

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Publication number
US3543527A
US3543527A US733532A US3543527DA US3543527A US 3543527 A US3543527 A US 3543527A US 733532 A US733532 A US 733532A US 3543527D A US3543527D A US 3543527DA US 3543527 A US3543527 A US 3543527A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
conduit
vessel
collector
mining
joining
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US733532A
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English (en)
Inventor
Melvin W Smith
Charles S Kluth
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
CBS Corp
Original Assignee
Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Westinghouse Electric Corp filed Critical Westinghouse Electric Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3543527A publication Critical patent/US3543527A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B19/00—Handling rods, casings, tubes or the like outside the borehole, e.g. in the derrick; Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables
    • E21B19/14—Racks, ramps, troughs or bins, for holding the lengths of rod singly or connected; Handling between storage place and borehole
    • E21B19/143—Racks, ramps, troughs or bins, for holding the lengths of rod singly or connected; Handling between storage place and borehole specially adapted for underwater drilling
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21F—PAPER-MAKING MACHINES; METHODS OF PRODUCING PAPER THEREON
    • D21F13/00—Making discontinuous sheets of paper, pulpboard or cardboard, or of wet web, for fibreboard production
    • D21F13/04—Making discontinuous sheets of paper, pulpboard or cardboard, or of wet web, for fibreboard production on cylinder board machines
    • D21F13/06—Format rolls
    • D21F13/08—Automatic cut-off rolls
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02F—DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
    • E02F3/00—Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines
    • E02F3/04—Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven
    • E02F3/88—Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven with arrangements acting by a sucking or forcing effect, e.g. suction dredgers
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B15/00—Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts
    • E21B15/04—Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts specially adapted for directional drilling, e.g. slant hole rigs
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21C—MINING OR QUARRYING
    • E21C50/00—Obtaining minerals from underwater, not otherwise provided for
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01G—WEIGHING
    • G01G19/00—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups

Definitions

  • a derrick on the vessel is tilted at the same angle that the conduit makes with the vertical and includes means for gripping a conduit section to be added onto the already payed out conduit.
  • the tilted derrick serves to receive a new conduit section, lower the section down to the gimbal arrangement for joining onto the payed out conduit, and repeat the process until the desired length of conduit is payed out. Thereafter, the surface vessel trailing the conduit and collector slows down to a predetermined speed for placing the collector on the sea bottom to commence mining operations.
  • the invention in general relates to underwater mining systems and in particular to apparatus and a method for joining and paying out conduit sections used in the mining operations.
  • the collector may be connected to a flexible conduit and lowered through a working well located at the center of the vessel. While the vessel is dead in the water additional sections, in the form of metallic conduit sections are brought to a vertical position above the already payed out conduit hanging from, and held by, a holding and joining station. The new conduit section is connected to the held conduit section and thereafter lowered to a point where it then becomes the held conduit section. The process is continued until sufiicient conduit is payed out whereby the collector is placed on the sea bottom. Swivel or ball joints in conjunction with enough slack in the flexible conduit aid in allowing the collector to remain on the bottom when the vessel commences its travel through the Water over the mining area.
  • the paying out of conduit and the placement of the collector on the sea bottom may take one or more days.
  • the vessel dead in the Water it is subject to various unfavorable sea conditions which would necessitate either a halt in the paying out operation, or a complex positioning system for maintaining a favorable heading with respect to the sea (wave) direction.
  • a surface vessel for traveling through the water and includes a conduit holding and joining station for holding a conduit section at an angle greater than zero degrees with respect to vertical. While the vessel is underway the conduit depends from the vessel at a certain angle 6. Structural means are provided for the vessel for holding and positioning a conduit section at that angle 0 for joining to a held conduit section, in the holding and joining station.
  • the vessel When a predetermined length of conduit has been payed out the vessel may be slowed down to a predetermined speed whereby a collector at the end of the conduit will settle on and thereafter be pulled along the sea bottom, for mining operation.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the surface vessel, conduit and collector of a mining system
  • FIGS. 2 to 5 are side elevational views, of the vessel of FIG. 1, with portions cut away, illustrating various stages in the paying out of conduit;
  • FIG. 6 is a plan view of gimbal arrangement which may be utilized herein;
  • FIG. 7 is a view along line VIIVII of FIG. 6;
  • FIG. 8 illustrates various angular relationships.
  • FIG. 1 shows a surface vessel 10 moving through the water astern in the direction of the arrow.
  • a conduit 12 made up of a plurality of conduit sections, and at the end of which is connected a collector 14 traveling over the sea bottom 15 for collecting desired aggregates.
  • a collector which may be utilized is described and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 729,728 filed May 16, 1968 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
  • the lower section 17 of conduit 12 may be comprised of flexible conduit connected to metallic conduit by means of a ball joint 18.
  • the vessel It ⁇ includes a tilted or slanted derrick means 20 which is instrumental in the paying out of conduit 12, and typical joining and paying out of conduit sections is illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5, to which reference is now made.
  • FIGS. 2 to 5 the central portion of the vessel It] is illustrated in side elevational view with a portion broken away to show the central working well 24 through which collector, conduit, and other apparatus is lowered to the sea bottom.
  • Center Well vessels are commonly used in drilling and mining operations and are well known to those skilled in the art.
  • conduit holding and joining station 28 Located at the level of the main deck 26, and right above the working well 24, is a conduit holding and joining station 28 which includes means to hold a conduit section at various angles, such means by way of example taking the form of a gimbal 30 shown in more detail in FIGS. 6 and 7 to which reference should now be made.
  • FIG. 6 is a plan view of a typical gimbal which includes an outer frame member 32 which is rotatable about axis XX by means of bearings 33 and 34, also shown in section in FIG. 7.
  • an outer frame member 32 which is rotatable about axis XX by means of bearings 33 and 34, also shown in section in FIG. 7.
  • two bearings 36 and 37 connected to an inner frame j member 39 which is accordingly, rotatable about axis YY.
  • the central aperture 41 of the inner frame member 39 includes a sloped wall portion 42, also shown in FIG. 7.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates the central aperture of the gimbal accommodating a conduit section 45 held in place by means of removable wedges such as 47 and 48 each having a sloping outer edge mating with the sloped wall porq tion 42 and a toothed or ridged inner edge for gripping the conduit 45.
  • removable wedges such as 47 and 48 each having a sloping outer edge mating with the sloped wall porq tion 42 and a toothed or ridged inner edge for gripping the conduit 45.
  • the gimbal arrangement is utilized not only to accommodate for pitch and roll movements of the ship while conducting mining operations, but is additionally used to maintain the conduit, or a conduit section at a predetermined angle with respect to vertical while the conduit sections are being joined and the conduit payed out from the vessel.
  • the vessel 10 includes a structural means for holding and positioning a conduit section at an angle 6 greater than with respect to vertical for joining a new conduit section to a conduit section held by the gimbal 30.
  • This structural means is illustrated in FIGS. 2 to as a derrick means 20 generally extending along a central line C disposed at said angle 0.
  • Angular relationships are illustrated in FIG. 8 which shows a line C at an angle 0 with respect to the vertical V.
  • C is the angle of the derrick means 20 and is the same line C as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5.
  • Line C in FIG. 8 is also at an angle 0 with respect to the vertical V and is representative of a conduit section after the vessel has attained a certain predetermined speed at which metallic conduit section joining operations are commenced.
  • the derrick means includes an upper fixed pulley arrangement 50 and a lower traveling pulley arrangement 52 connected to the upper pulleys 50 by means of cables 53 and operable to travel substantially along the line C via track means 54.
  • the traveling pulley 52 includes conduit gripping means 65 depending therefrom. Movement of the pulleys is accomplished by suitably provided draw works (not shown).
  • the vessel includes conduit storage facilities (not shown) and each conduit section may be delivered to the derrick means by way of a conveyor 57 shown located at a level above the main deck 26.
  • a conveyor 57 shown located at a level above the main deck 26.
  • FIG. 2 there is depicted the situation wherein the vessel It] is dead in the water and a collector 14 connected to flexible conduit 17 has been lowered through the central well 24, with the upper part of the flexible conduit 17 being held by the ll gimbal 30 at the conduit holding and joining station 28.
  • the derrick means may have provisions for assuming a vertical position whereby the line C is vertical and passes through the center of gimbal 3t This may be accomplished by the provision of a hinged foot pad 67 pivotally connected to the rear derrick leg 69. The other rear derrick leg, not shown, would also be pivotally mounted.
  • the lower segment 7 0 of the front derrick leg '71, connected to foot pad 73, may be made collapsible or removable so that when the derrick means 20 is brought to a vertical position point A of leg 71 engages and is connected to foot pad 74.
  • the other front derrick leg, not shown, would have a similar arrangement.
  • a working platform 77 Located within the structure of the derrick means 20 is a working platform 77 and a snubber 80 movable in the directions as indicated by the double ended arrow. The purpose and operation of the snubber 80 will be brought out in the subsequent figures.
  • the major portion of the derrick means 20 is located between a bridge structure 83 and the stern of the vessel 10.
  • the bridge structure 83 is provided with viewing facilities whereby the joining and paying out of conduit may be supervised.
  • the vessel may be headed into the most favorable sea direction to minimize or eliminate unwanted vessel movements due to unfavorable sea conditions.
  • the arrangement of the present invention allows the conduit to be joined and payed out while the vessel is underway whereas in prior art methods the vessel is dead in the water and subject to these sea conditions.
  • the vessel 10 is accelerated astern.
  • the propelling of the vessel backwards is commonly done to obtain better vessel control when conduit is being towed.
  • the vessel travels backwards until a certain speed is attained whereby the conduit held by the gimbal 30 substantially becomes an extension of the line C, that is, the conduit assumes the angle 0 With respect to vertical. This situation is depicted in FIG. 3.
  • conduit 12 has assumed the same angle as the derrick means 20, it being understood that the conduit 12 could also be the flexible conduit 17. It is seen that the conveyor 57 has just delivered a conduit section 86 to the derrick means 20 and a workman on the platform 77 has connected the gripping means 65 of the traveling pulley 52 to the upper end of the conduit section 86.
  • the traveling pulley 52 is then raised to a position illustrated in FIG. 4 and the snubber 80 is moved to a position to engage the lower end of conduit section 86 as it comes off the conveyor 57. After engagement with the lower end of conduit 86 the snubber 8G is moved back to a position whereby the conduit section 86 lies substantially along the line C and assumes the angle 0.
  • the traveling pulley 52 is then lowered somewhat so that the conduit section 86 may be joined to the conduit held by the gimbal 30, as depicted in FIG. 5. After joining, the wedges 47 and 48 (FIG. 7) are removed and the traveling pulley 52 is lowered to the position shown dotted and during the course of travel of which the snubber 80 is moved out of position.
  • the vessel need not come to a complete halt but may speed up to lift the collector off the sea bottom and to bring the conduit angle again into agreement with the derrick angle 0.
  • the extra conduit section may be added on as previously described and the vessel thereafter slowed down to again commence mining operations.
  • a conduit having a mining collector at the lower end thereof and made up of a plurality of conduit sections may be payed out by joining the conduit sections while the vessel is underway.
  • the traveling of the vessel through the water at a predetermined speed coupled with the gimbal arrangement places the conduit at a predetermined angle which may be maintained in rough sea states since the vessel may choose its heading.
  • An underwater mining method for joining and paying out conduit sections comprising the steps of:
  • An underwater mining method for joining and paying out conduit sections comprising the steps of:

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Earth Drilling (AREA)
  • Drilling And Exploitation, And Mining Machines And Methods (AREA)
US733532A 1968-05-31 1968-05-31 Underwater mining method Expired - Lifetime US3543527A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US73353268A 1968-05-31 1968-05-31

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3543527A true US3543527A (en) 1970-12-01

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US733532A Expired - Lifetime US3543527A (en) 1968-05-31 1968-05-31 Underwater mining method

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3543527A (ja)
JP (1) JPS4827561B1 (ja)
DE (1) DE1926455A1 (ja)
FR (1) FR2009774A1 (ja)
GB (1) GB1214435A (ja)
NL (1) NL6908246A (ja)
SE (1) SE356329B (ja)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3919958A (en) * 1974-06-13 1975-11-18 Global Marine Inc Deep ocean mining ship
SG10201902911YA (en) * 2019-04-01 2020-11-27 Keppel Marine & Deepwater Tech Pte Ltd Apparatus and method for seabed resources collection

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3373807A (en) * 1966-06-06 1968-03-19 Chevron Res Underwater pipeline connecting method and apparatus
US3389563A (en) * 1963-03-27 1968-06-25 Chevron Res Apparatus for laying submarine pipelines
US3429062A (en) * 1966-03-11 1969-02-25 Arthur J Nelson Deep water harvesting system

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3389563A (en) * 1963-03-27 1968-06-25 Chevron Res Apparatus for laying submarine pipelines
US3429062A (en) * 1966-03-11 1969-02-25 Arthur J Nelson Deep water harvesting system
US3373807A (en) * 1966-06-06 1968-03-19 Chevron Res Underwater pipeline connecting method and apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1214435A (en) 1970-12-02
DE1926455A1 (de) 1969-12-04
SE356329B (ja) 1973-05-21
JPS4827561B1 (ja) 1973-08-23
FR2009774A1 (ja) 1970-02-06
NL6908246A (ja) 1969-12-02

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