Underwater plough and method of operating an underwater plough

Abstract

An underwater plough and a method of operating an underwater plough is disclosed. In particular, an underwater plough for providing an elongated element into a submerged surface and a method of providing an elongated element into a submerged surface is disclosed, the underwater plough comprising a body portion, a plough share extending from an underside of the body portion, the plough share comprising a cutting edge for cutting a bottom of a trench in which the elongated element is to be deposited, support means and actuating means. The underwater plough is configured such that actuation of the actuating means within an operational configuration varies the first direction and the second direction changing the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the body portion with respect to the contact plane and/or the distance between the body portion and the contact plane while the underwater plough is supported by the support means.

1 . An underwater plough for providing an elongated element into a submerged surface, the underwater plough comprising:
 a body portion for receiving and guiding an elongated element therethrough, the body portion having:
 a first end positioned at or towards the front of the underwater plough; 
 a second end positioned at or towards the rear of the underwater plough; and 
 a longitudinal axis along which the first end and second end are spaced; 
   a plough share extending from an underside of the body portion, the plough share comprising a cutting edge for cutting a bottom of a trench in which the elongated element is to be deposited;   support means for supporting the underwater plough with respect to a submerged surface, the support means comprising:
 a first set of at least one support member extending from an underside of the body portion, the at least one support member of the first set having a contact portion for contacting the submerged surface; and 
 a second set of at least one support member extending from an underside of the body portion, the at least one support member of the second set having a contact portion for contacting the submerged surface, wherein the contact portion of the at least one support member of the first set and the contact portion of the at least one support member of the second set define a contact plane; 
 wherein the at least one support member of the first set is rotatable with respect to the body portion and the at least one support member of the second set is rotatable with respect to the body portion, 
   actuating means configured to rotate the at least one support member of the first set with respect to the body portion and/or to rotate the at least one support member of the second set with respect to the body portion,   
       wherein the underwater plough has an operational configuration for a ploughing operation in which:
 the at least one support member of the first set extends from the body portion in a first direction; 
 the at least one support member of the second set extends from the body portion in a second direction, at an angle to the first direction; 
 the longitudinal axis of the body portion is angled with respect to the contact plane, with the longitudinal axis being closer to the contact plane at the first end of the underwater plough than at the second end of the underwater plough; and 
 the cutting edge is positioned so as to contact with the submerged surface or the bottom of the trench during the ploughing operation; 
 
       wherein the underwater plough is configured such that actuation of the actuating means within the operational configuration varies the first direction and the second direction changing the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the body portion with respect to the contact plane and/or the distance between the body portion and the contact plane while the underwater plough is supported by the support means. 
     
     
         2 . The underwater plough of  claim 1 , wherein the underwater plough is configured such that, in the operational configuration, the at least one support member of the first set and the at least one support member of the second set contact the submerged surface such that the weight of the underwater plough on the submerged surface is supported by the at least one support member of the first set and the at least one support member of the second set so that the plough orientation and the depth of the resultant trench can be controlled by varying the first direction and second direction. 
     
     
         3 . The underwater plough of  claim 1 , wherein the plough share comprises a heel portion extending rearwardly from the cutting edge, wherein in the operational configuration the heel portion is angled with respect to the contact plane so that the heel portion can remain elevated from the submerged surface or a bottom of the trench during the ploughing operation. 
     
     
         4 . The underwater plough of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction is such that the at least one support member of the first set extends towards, or past, the front of the underwater plough. 
     
     
         5 . The underwater plough of  claim 1 , wherein the second direction is such that the least one support member of the second set extends towards, or past, the plough share at the rear of the underwater plough. 
     
     
         6 . The underwater plough of  claim 1 , wherein in the operational configuration the angle between the first direction and the second direction is from about 80 degrees to about 180 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The underwater plough of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a connection point between the at least one support member of the first set and the body portion is located towards, or proximal to, the first end of the body portion; and   wherein a connection point between the at least one support member of the second set and the body portion is located towards, or proximal to, the first end of the body portion.   
     
     
         8 . The underwater plough of  claim 1 , wherein a connection point between the plough share and the body portion is located towards, or proximal to, the second end of the body portion. 
     
     
         9 . The underwater plough of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one support member of the second set is sized so as to be able to extend from the connection point between the at least one support member of the second set and the body portion to the cutting edge of the plough share. 
     
     
         10 . The underwater plough of  claim 9 , wherein in the operational configuration the at least one support member of the second set extends from the connection point between the at least one support member of the second set and the body portion up to, or past, the cutting edge of the plough share. 
     
     
         11 . The underwater plough of  claim 1 , wherein the actuating means comprises:
 first actuating means coupled to the body portion and the at least one support member of the first set, the first actuating means being configured to rotate the at least one support member of the first set with respect to the body portion; and   second actuating means coupled to the body portion and the at least one support member of the second set, the second actuating means configured to rotate the at least one support member of the second set with respect to the body portion.   
     
     
         12 . The underwater plough of  claim 1 , wherein in the operational configuration, the orientation of the plough share with respect to the body portion is fixed. 
     
     
         13 . The underwater plough of  claim 1 , wherein the plough share includes:
 a main body from which the cutting edge extends; and   a rear surface along which, in use, the elongated element traverses as it passes from the body portion into the trench cut by the cutting edge.   
     
     
         14 . The underwater plough of  claim 13 , wherein the underwater plough further comprises a depressor extending from the second end of the body portion, the depressor being configured to guide the elongated element into the trench cut by the cutting edge. 
     
     
         15 . The underwater plough of  claim 13 , wherein a lower portion of the rear surface is convex. 
     
     
         16 . The underwater plough of  claim 1 , wherein the underwater plough includes a drawbar coupled to the body portion, the drawbar being for connection to a towing line. 
     
     
         17 . The underwater plough of  claim 16 , wherein the drawbar is rotatable between a towing position and a deployment position. 
     
     
         18 . An assembly for providing an elongated element into a submerged surface, comprising:
 an underwater plough according to  claim 16 ;   a vessel comprising a towing line, wherein said towing line is connected to the drawbar of said underwater plough.   
     
     
         19 . A method of operating an underwater plough for providing an elongated element into a submerged surface, the method comprising:
 providing a underwater plough comprising:
 a body portion for receiving and guiding an elongated element therethrough, the body portion having:
 a first end positioned at or towards the front of the underwater plough; 
 a second end positioned at or towards the rear of the underwater plough; and 
 a longitudinal axis along which the first end and second end are spaced; 
 
 a plough share extending from an underside of the body portion, the plough share comprising a cutting edge for cutting a bottom of a trench in which the elongated element is to be deposited; 
 support means for supporting the underwater plough with respect to a submerged surface, the support means comprising:
 a first set of at least one support member extending from an underside of the body portion, the at least one support member of the first set having a contact portion for contacting the submerged surface; and 
 a second set of at least one support member extending from an underside of the body portion, the at least one support member of the second set having a contact portion for contacting the submerged surface; 
 wherein the at least one support member of the first set is rotatable with respect to the body portion and the at least one support member of the second set is rotatable with respect to the body portion, 
 
 actuating means configured to rotate the at least one support member of the first set with respect to the body portion and/or to rotate the at least one support member of the second set with respect to the body portion, 
   positioning the underwater plough on the submerged surface in an operational configuration in which:
 the at least one support member of the first set extends from the body portion in a first direction, the first direction being angled away from the longitudinal axis of the body portion; 
 the at least one support member of the second set extends from the body portion in a second direction, at an angle to the first direction, the second direction being angled away from the longitudinal axis of the body portion; 
 the contact portion of the at least one support member of the first set and the contact portion of the at least one support member of the second set are in contact with the submerged surface; 
 the longitudinal axis of the body portion is angled with respect to the submerged surface, with the longitudinal axis being closer to the submerged surface at the first end of the underwater plough than at the second end of the underwater plough; and 
 the cutting edge is in contact with the submerged surface or the bottom of the trench; 
   performing a ploughing operation with the underwater plough; and   actuating the actuating means with underwater plough in the operational configuration such that the first direction and the second direction are varied to change the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the body portion with respect to the submerged surface and/or the distance between the body portion and the submerged surface while the underwater plough is supported by the support means.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein in the operational configuration, the at least one support member of the first set and the at least one support member of the second set contact the submerged surface such that the weight of the underwater plough on the submerged surface is supported by the at least one support member of the first set and the at least one support member of the second set so that the plough orientation and the depth of the resultant trench can be controlled by varying the first direction and second direction. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first direction is such that the at least one support member of the first set extends towards, or past, the front of the underwater plough. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the second direction is such that the least one support member of the second set extends towards, or past, the plough share at the rear of the underwater plough. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein in the operational configuration the angle between the first direction and the second direction is from about 80 degrees to about 180 degrees. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 ,
 wherein a connection point between the at least one support member of the first set and the body portion is located towards, or proximal to, the first end of the body portion; and   wherein a connection point between the at least one support member of the second set and the body portion is located towards, or proximal to, the first end of the body portion.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a connection point between the plough share and the body portion is located towards, or proximal to, the second end of the body portion. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one support member of the second set is sized so as to be able to extend from the connection point between the at least one support member of the second set and the body portion to the cutting edge of the plough share. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein in the operational configuration the at least one support member of the second set extends from the connection point between the at least one support member of the second set and the body portion up to, or past, the cutting edge of the plough share. 
     
     
         28 . A method of deploying an underwater plough for providing an elongated element into a submerged surface, the method comprising:
 providing a underwater plough comprising:
 a body portion for receiving and guiding an elongated element therethrough, the body portion having:
 a first end positioned at or towards the front of the underwater plough; 
 a second end positioned at or towards the rear of the underwater plough; and 
 a longitudinal axis along which the first end and second end are spaced; 
 
 a plough share extending from an underside of the body portion, the plough share comprising a cutting edge for cutting a bottom of a trench in which the elongated element is to be deposited; 
 support means for supporting the underwater plough with respect to a submerged surface, the support means comprising:
 a first set of at least one support member extending from an underside of the body portion, the at least one support member of the first set having a contact portion for contacting the submerged surface; and 
 a second set of at least one support member extending from an underside of the body portion, the at least one support member of the second set having a contact portion for contacting the submerged surface; and 
 
 a drawbar coupled to the body portion, the drawbar being for connection to a towing line; 
   positioning the underwater plough on a surface of a deployment vessel in a deployment configuration in which:
 the at least one support member of the first set extends from the body portion in a first direction; 
 the at least one support member of the second set extends from the body portion in a second direction, at an angle to the first direction; 
 the contact portion of the at least one support member of the first set and the contact portion of the at least one support member of the second set are in contact with the surface of the deployment vessel; 
 the longitudinal axis of the body portion is angled with respect to the surface of the deployment vessel, with the longitudinal axis being closer to the surface of the deployment vessel at the first end of the underwater plough than at the second end of the underwater plough; 
 the drawbar is in a deployment position wherein the drawbar is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body portion so as to extend substantially vertically from the body portion; and 
 the cutting edge is in contact with or adjacent to the surface of the deployment vessel; 
   loading an elongated cable onto the underwater plough; and   suspending the underwater plough from a towing line connected to the drawbar and deploying the underwater plough from the deployment vessel to a submerged surface in a body of water.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the step of deploying the underwater plough from the deployment vessel to a submerged surface in a body of water comprises:
 over-boarding the underwater plough from the deployment vessel with the underwater plough in the deployment configuration.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of deploying the underwater plough from the deployment vessel to a submerged surface in a body of water further comprises:
 touching the underwater plough is down to the submerged surface with the underwater plough in the deployment configuration.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of deploying the underwater plough from the deployment vessel to a submerged surface in a body of water further comprises:
 configuring the underwater plough in a second deployment configuration by:
 reducing the angle between the first direction and the second direction; and 
 rotating the drawbar forwardly to a second deployment position; and 
   
       lowering the underwater plough through the body of water in the second deployment configuration.