Annular anchor installing instrument and annular anchor installing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12553206-B2
Application number	US-202318220119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2023
Priority date	Apr 7, 2023
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an annular anchor installing instrument and an annular anchor installing method, relating to the technical field of ocean engineering. The annular anchor installing instrument includes an installation tube, a pump body assembly, a lifting portion and an installation portion. One end of the installation tube is provided with a cover body, and the other end of the installation tube is configured to be an open end for cooperating with the top of the annular anchor. The pump body assembly is arranged on the cover body, and used to vacuum the interior of the installation tube. The lifting portion is arranged on the cover body, and used to connect with a hoist. The installation portions are removably arranged on the cover body, and used to connect with the hoist and the anchor chain of the annular anchor, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An annular anchor installing instrument configured to cooperatively install an annular anchor ( 1 ) opened at its upper and lower ends, comprising
an installation tube ( 2 ), one end of which is provided with a cover body ( 3 ), and an other end of which is configured to be an open end for cooperating with the top of the annular anchor ( 1 ); a pump body assembly ( 4 ) arranged on said cover body ( 3 ), and used to vacuum the interior of said installation tube ( 2 ); a lifting portion(S) arranged on said cover body ( 3 ), and used to connect with a hoist; and installation portions ( 6 ) which are removably arranged on said cover body ( 3 ), and used to connect with the hoist and the anchor chain ( 7 ) of the annular anchor ( 1 ), respectively, so that the annular anchor ( 1 ) is coaxially fixed to the open end of said installation tube ( 2 ) by connecting with the anchor chain ( 7 ) of the annular anchor ( 1 ); wherein the hoist includes a first hoist ( 14 ) and a second hoist ( 15 ), the lifting portion(S) on the cover body ( 3 ) is connected with the first hoist ( 14 ), and the lifting plate ( 12 ) of the installation portion ( 6 ) is connected with the second hoist ( 15 ); after the installation portions ( 6 ) is detached from the cover body ( 3 ) by a underwater robot, the second hoist ( 15 ) places the installation portion ( 6 ) and the anchor chain ( 7 ) onto a surface of surrounding seabed.

2 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein it further includes a constraint means ( 8 ), positioned at the open end of said installation tube ( 2 ), which is used to limit a relative movement between the annular anchor ( 1 ) and said installation tube ( 2 ) in a direction.

3 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 2 , wherein said constraint means ( 8 ) includes a constraint plate ( 9 ), one end of which is connected with the inner wall of the open end of said installation tube ( 2 ), and the other end of which is suitable for protruding into the interior of the annular anchor ( 1 ), so as to abut on the inner wall of the annular anchor ( 1 ).

4 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 3 , wherein said constraint plates ( 9 ) are configured to be in multiple groups, which are spaced along the circumferential direction of said installation tube ( 2 ).

5 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the end face of the open end of said installation tube ( 2 ) and the end face of the annular anchor ( 1 ) are butted to each other.

6 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said installation portion ( 6 ) includes an installing plate ( 10 ), which is connected with said cover body ( 3 ), and on which a installation point ( 11 ) is set;
and a lifting plate ( 12 ) connected to said installing plate ( 10 ), and used to connect with a hoist.

7 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the side wall of said installation tube ( 2 ) is provided with tube connecting portions ( 13 ), which are arranged in multiple groups in correspondence to said installation portion ( 6 ) and connected to said installation portion ( 6 ) by the anchor chain ( 2 ).

8 . An annular anchor installing method using the annular anchor installing instrument described in claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
butting the open end of said installation tube ( 2 ) to the top of the annular anchor ( 1 ), and connecting the anchor chain ( 7 ) on the annular anchor ( 1 ) with said installation portion ( 6 ) on said cover body ( 3 ), so that the annular anchor ( 1 ) is fixed coaxially to the open end of said installation tube ( 2 ); connecting a hoist with said lifting portion ( 5 ) on said cover body ( 3 ), then hoisting the annular anchor ( 1 ) and the annular anchor installing instrument into water by means of the hoist to sink them; during the descent, actuating said pump body assembly ( 4 ) to drain water in said installation tube ( 2 ) until the annular anchor ( 1 ) is in contact with a seabed, removing said installation portion ( 6 ) from said cover body ( 3 ) by means of an underwater robot, and hoisting said installation portion ( 6 ) and the anchor chain ( 7 ) connected to it onto the surrounding seabed by means of a hoist; pumping water from said installation tube ( 2 ) by means of said pump body assembly ( 4 ), so that the annular anchor ( 1 ) sinks down to a designed depth of the seabed under negative pressure; and starting said pump body assembly ( 4 ) to fill water into said installation tube ( 2 ) for a pressure boost, meanwhile cooperating with a hoist to pull said installation tube ( 2 ) out of the seabed, leaving the annular anchor ( 1 ) under the seabed.

9 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the side wall of said installation tube ( 2 ) is provided with tube connecting portions ( 13 ), which are arranged in multiple groups in correspondence to said installation portion ( 6 ) and connected to said installation portion ( 6 ) by the anchor chain ( 7 ).

10 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 3 , wherein the side wall of said installation tube ( 2 ) is provided with tube connecting portions ( 13 ), which are arranged in multiple groups in correspondence to said installation portion ( 6 ) and connected to said installation portion ( 6 ) by the anchor chain ( 7 ).

11 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 4 , wherein the side wall of said installation tube ( 2 ) is provided with tube connecting portions ( 13 ), which are arranged in multiple groups in correspondence to said installation portion ( 6 ) and connected to said installation portion ( 6 ) by the anchor chain ( 7 ).

12 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 5 , wherein the side wall of said installation tube ( 2 ) is provided with tube connecting portions ( 13 ), which are arranged in multiple groups in correspondence to said installation portion ( 6 ) and connected to said installation portion ( 6 ) by the anchor chain ( 7 ).

13 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 6 , wherein the side wall of said installation tube ( 2 ) is provided with tube connecting portions ( 13 ), which are arranged in multiple groups in correspondence to said installation portion ( 6 ) and connected to said installation portion ( 6 ) by the anchor chain ( 7 ).

14 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the side wall of said installation tube ( 2 ) is provided with tube connecting portions ( 13 ), which area arranged in multiple groups in correspondence to said installation portion ( 6 ) and connected to said installation portion ( 6 ) by the anchor chain ( 7 ).

15 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 8 , wherein it further includes a constraint means ( 8 ), positioned at the open end of said installation tube ( 2 ), which is used to limit a relative movement between the annular anchor ( 1 ) and said installation tube ( 2 ) in a radial direction.

16 . The annular anchor installing instrument according to claim 8 , wherein said constraint means ( 8 ) includes a constraint plate ( 9 ), one end of which is connected with the inner wall of the open end of said installation tube ( 2 ), and the other end of which is suitable for protruding into the interior of the annular anchor ( 1 ), so as to abut on the inner wall of the annular anchor ( 1 ).

17 . The annular anchor installing i

Assignees

• China Three Gorges Corp

Inventors

• Luo Lunbo
• Sun Changping
• Lei Xiao
• Chen Xinqun
• Liu Jianping
• Jin Haijun
• Zhuang Weihuan
• Zheng Yongpei
• Lian Sheng
• Deng Yulin
• Jiang Juan
• Xiao Jiandong
• Yue Zhiji

Classifications

• E02D2250/0061

  for working underwater · CPC title

• E02D2250/0053

  using suction or vacuum techniques · CPC title

• B63B2021/203

  Mooring cables or ropes, hawsers, or the like; Adaptations thereof · CPC title

• B63B21/22

  Handling or lashing of anchors · CPC title

• B63B21/16

  using winches (winches per se B66D) · CPC title