Pull-type trencher

Abstract

The invention belongs to ocean engineering equipment, and discloses a towed ditcher, which comprises a frame assembly provided with a towed point; the injection cutter assembly is hinged to the tail of the frame assembly through a four-bar mechanism, and retraction, release and swing of an injection cutter are controlled through an oil cylinder; the hoisting assembly is hinged to the top of the frame assembly and has two degrees of freedom; the cable grabbing hand assembly is fixed to the front portion of the frame assembly through a four-connecting-rod lifting mechanism, and lifting and clamping jaw opening and closing are controlled through an oil cylinder; the sliding shoe assemblies are fixed to the two sides of the frame assembly; high-pressure water flow is directly conveyed to the injection cutter through the pipeline, so that the equipment can operate independently without depending on a mother ship to provide a water source, the requirements of marine equipment are reduced, the construction cost and the operation complexity are reduced, the width of the injection cutter can be changed by adjusting the oil cylinder, and the laying requirements of cables or pipelines with different diameters are met; and the universality and the flexibility of the equipment are enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to marine engineering equipment, in particular to a towed trencher. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of the global economy and the continuous improvement of science and technology, the demand for energy is also rising year by year. At the same time, in order to meet the growing demand for information transmission, the construction of submarine communication networks around the world has reached an unprecedented scale. As an important link between continents, submarine cables are not only the key channel for power transmission, but also the main carrier for data transmission. Therefore, how to efficiently and safely complete the laying of submarine cables and pipelines has become a major issue facing the field of marine engineering.

[0003] Traditional submarine cable laying technology mainly relies on large professional ships and complex mechanical equipment. These equipment are often expensive to build and maintain, and in actual operation, their flexibility is greatly limited due to their large size and weight. This is especially true when faced with complex submarine terrain or deep-sea environments. For example, when operating in deep-sea areas, due to factors such as high water pressure and low visibility, traditional equipment often has difficulty accurately controlling the laying depth and direction, resulting in low laying accuracy and even damage to the submarine ecology.

[0004] In response to the above problems, "A Shallow Water Burial Plow and Its Control Method" with publication number CN113718876B provides a more advanced solution. This technology enables effective cable burial work on the seabed by using a main mounting frame with a plow. Specifically, the system includes a main mounting frame on which a rotatable plow is mounted. One end of the plow is a sharp tip for cutting the seabed soil, while the other end is connected to the main mounting frame by a hinge, so that the angle of the plow can be easily adjusted to adapt to different seabed conditions. In addition, the system is also equipped with a water pump provided by the mother ship, which can spray water to the seabed through a water pipe connected to the bottom of the plow, helping the plow to better cut into the seabed and remove the cut soil. In order to ensure the safety and accuracy of the operation, the system also integrates a pressure detection device and a controller, which can monitor the working status of the plow in real time and adjust the action of the drive device according to the feedback information, thereby achieving precise control of the plow.

[0005] However, although this technology has made significant progress compared to traditional methods, it still has some shortcomings. First, the system is not equipped with an independent water pump and must rely on the mother ship for water supply, which to some extent limits the system's maneuverability and operating range. Secondly, the design of the plow is relatively complex, requiring the cable to be pre-loaded into a specific position before operation, which increases the difficulty and time cost of preparation work. Finally, due to design limitations, the system can only handle cables within a certain diameter range, and lacks the ability to adjust the cable diameter, and cannot adapt to the laying needs of cables of different specifications.

[0006] In summary, although the existing submarine cable laying technology has made some progress, it still needs to be further optimized and improved in order to better serve the growing demand for marine engineering. Future technological development should focus on improving the autonomy of the system, simplifying the operation process, and enhancing its support for different types of cables, in order to achieve more efficient, lower cost, safer and more reliable submarine cable laying operations. Summary of the invention

[0007] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a towed trencher, aiming to solve the technical problems existing in the prior art such as low trenching efficiency, poor cable pressing effect, poor adaptability, insufficient stability, dependence on external equipment and complex operation.

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object of the invention, the first aspect of the present invention provides a towed trencher, comprising:

[0009] a frame assembly having towing points disposed thereon;

[0010] The punching knife assembly is hinged to the tail of the frame assembly through a four-bar linkage, and the retraction, extension and swing of the punching knife are controlled by an oil cylinder;

[0011] The hanging assembly is hinged to the top of the frame assembly, has two degrees of freedom, is locked and balanced by a cylinder, and can be limited by the structure;

[0012] The cable grabber assembly is fixed to the front of the frame assembly through a four-link lifting mechanism, and the lifting and lowering, as well as the opening and closing of the clamping claws are controlled by an oil cylinder;

[0013] The sliding shoe assemblies are fixed on both sides of the frame assembly and are used for sliding on the seabed.

[0014] Furthermore, the punching knife assembly comprises:

[0015] A four-bar linkage mechanism is used to realize the retraction and extension of the punching knife;

[0016] Two punching knives are mounted on one end of the four-bar linkage by bolts;

[0017] The fixed cable presser is installed at the end of the punching knife by means of bolts and moves synchronously with the punching knife to realize the cable pressing while digging trenches.

[0018] Furthermore, the fixed cable press is retracted and deployed together with the punching knife to realize the cable / pipeline pressing operation during the trenching process.

[0019] Furthermore, the cable grabber assembly comprises:

[0020] A four-link lifting mechanism is used to realize the lifting and lowering of the cable grabber assembly;

[0021] The cable gripping claw is fixed on the four-link lifting mechanism and is opened and closed by the oil cylinder to grasp and release the cable / pipeline.

[0022] Furthermore, it also includes a sliding shoe assembly, the sliding shoe assembly includes:

[0023] The bottom plate is made of wear-resistant material and is used for directly contacting and sliding on the seabed surface;

[0024] Mounting column, used to install auxiliary floats to enhance buoyancy or adjust the center of gravity.

[0025] Furthermore, it also includes an integrated waterway assembly, the integrated waterway assembly includes:

[0026] A water pump assembly is fixedly mounted on the frame assembly;

[0027] Water confluence, used to gather water flow;

[0028] The pipeline connects the water pump assembly with the water junction and delivers the water flow to the jetting knife.

[0029] Furthermore, it also includes at least one buoy, which is a hollow sealing structure and can be installed at different positions of the frame assembly to adjust the center of gravity and center of buoyancy of the whole machine.

[0030] Furthermore, the frame assembly is made of high-strength steel by welding, and is provided with mounting side beams on its sides for mounting the pontoon.

[0031] Furthermore, the punching knife assembly can independently complete the lowering, cable clamping and cable pressing operations without relying on external equipment.

[0032] Furthermore, the width of the punching knife is adjustable, and the distance between the punching knives can be changed by adjusting the oil cylinder to meet the laying requirements of cables / pipes of different diameters.

[0033] Beneficial effects:

[0034] The towed trencher of the present invention is derived based on the content of the exclusive right 1 to obtain beneficial effects.

[0035] 1. The present invention adopts an independent water pump assembly to directly deliver high-pressure water flow to the punching knife through a pipeline. This structural setting enables the equipment to operate independently without relying on the mother ship to provide water, reducing the demand for marine equipment, and reducing construction costs and operational complexity. The high-pressure water flow can quickly cut the seabed soil to form a groove with controllable depth and width, thereby improving the trenching efficiency. The four-bar mechanism is driven by an oil cylinder to achieve precise control and flexible adjustment of the punching knife. The swing angle and lowering depth of the punching knife can be adjusted in real time to ensure the accuracy and stability of the trenching operation. The width of the punching knife can also be changed by the oil cylinder to meet the needs of laying cables or pipes of different diameters, thereby enhancing the versatility and flexibility of the equipment.

[0036] 2. The present invention uses a fixed cable presser installed at the end of the punching knife, which moves synchronously with the punching knife and can press the cable or pipe into the groove while opening the trench. This integrated structure setting not only simplifies the operation process, but also improves the reliability of cable pressing and avoids the risk of failure caused by additional mechanical devices.

[0037] 3. The present invention can independently complete the operations of lowering, clamping and pressing cables through the punching knife assembly without relying on external equipment. The operator only needs to put a small section of the cable or pipeline into the cable gripping claw on the mother ship, and then control the four-bar linkage through the oil cylinder to lower the punching knife, clamp the cable or pipeline between the two punching knives, and press it into the bottom of the trench through the fixed cable presser. This structural setting greatly simplifies the operation steps and improves the construction efficiency.

[0038] 4. The present invention uses a slipper assembly made of wear-resistant materials, which directly contacts and slides on the seabed surface, provides stable sliding support, and reduces the resistance of the equipment when moving. The slipper assembly can also be installed with auxiliary buoys, and the overall balance of the equipment can be optimized by adjusting the position of the buoys to adapt to different depths and terrain conditions. The hoisting assembly has two degrees of freedom and can be limited by the structure to ensure the stability and safety of the equipment during the hoisting process. This allows the equipment to maintain good operating performance even in complex marine environments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a towed trencher according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of a loading buoy of a towed trencher according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of an integrated waterway assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a towed trencher, a cable / pipeline and a tow rope according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] in:

[0044] 1-punch knife assembly; 11-four-bar linkage; 12-punch knife; 13-fixed cable presser; 2-hoisting assembly; 3-cable grabber assembly; 31-four-bar lifting mechanism; 32-cable claw; 4-slipper assembly; 41-bottom plate; 42-mounting column; 5-frame assembly; 51-towing point; 52-mounting side beam; 61-water pump assembly; 62-water junction; 63-pipeline; 7-buoy; 8-cable / pipeline; 9-towing rope.

[0045] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention, and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0047] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "multiple" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0048] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0049] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0050] Reference Figure 1-Figure 4 An embodiment of the present invention provides a towed trencher, comprising:

[0051] A frame assembly 5 having a towing point 51 disposed thereon;

[0052] The punching knife assembly 1 is hinged to the tail of the frame assembly 5 through a four-bar linkage 11, and the retraction, extension and swing of the punching knife are controlled by an oil cylinder;

[0053] The hanging assembly 2 is hinged to the top of the frame assembly 5, has two degrees of freedom, is locked and balanced by the cylinder, and can be limited by the structure;

[0054] The cable grabber assembly 3 is fixed to the front of the frame assembly 5 through a four-link lifting mechanism 31, and the lifting and the opening and closing of the clamping claws are controlled by a cylinder;

[0055] The sliding shoe assembly 4 is fixed to both sides of the frame assembly 5 and is used for sliding on the seabed.

[0056] It should be noted that the frame assembly 5 is welded from high-strength steel to ensure the durability and stability of the equipment in harsh marine environments. A towing point 51 is provided on the frame assembly 5 to facilitate the operation of the towing winch on the mother ship. In addition, a mounting side beam 52 is installed on the side of the frame assembly 5 to fix the buoy 7 so that the center of gravity and the center of buoyancy of the whole machine can be adjusted as needed.

[0057] The hoisting assembly 2 is located at the top of the frame assembly 5 and has two degrees of freedom. It can be locked and maintain the balance of the machine body through the oil cylinder control. The assembly is limited by the structure to ensure stability and reliability during the hoisting process, avoiding safety hazards caused by shaking.

[0058] In one embodiment, the punching knife assembly 1 comprises:

[0059] A four-bar linkage 11 is used to realize the retraction and extension of the punching knife 12;

[0060] Two punching knives 12 are mounted on one end of the four-bar linkage 11 by bolts;

[0061] The fixed cable presser 13 is installed at the end of the punching knife 12 by means of bolts, and moves synchronously with the punching knife 12 to achieve trenching and cable pressing at the same time.

[0062] It should be noted that the punching knife assembly 1 is responsible for trenching on the seabed. It is hinged to the tail of the frame assembly 5 through a four-bar linkage 11, and can adjust the swing angle and lowering height and angle through the oil cylinder to achieve precise control of the punching knife 12. The punching knife 12 is installed at one end of the four-bar linkage 11 by bolts, and the width can be adjusted according to different operation requirements. The fixed cable press 13 is installed at the end of the punching knife 12 and moves synchronously with the punching knife 12 to ensure that the cable / pipeline 8 can be effectively pressed into the trench while trenching.

[0063] The fixed cable press 13 is retracted and extended together with the punching knife 12 to realize the cable / pipeline 8 pressing operation during the trenching process.

[0064] In one embodiment, the cable grabbing hand assembly 3 comprises:

[0065] A four-link lifting mechanism 31 is used to realize the lifting and lowering of the cable grabbing hand assembly 3;

[0066] The cable gripping claw 32 is fixed on the four-link lifting mechanism 31 and is opened and closed by a cylinder to grasp and release the cable / pipeline 8.

[0067] It should be noted that the cable grabber assembly 3 is fixed to the front of the frame assembly 5 through a four-link lifting mechanism 31, and its opening and closing movements are controlled by a cylinder to grab and release the cable / pipeline 8. The design of the cable gripper 32 ensures a firm grip on the cable / pipeline 8, and ensures smooth operation even in a complex submarine environment.

[0068] In one embodiment, a sliding shoe assembly 4 is further included, and the sliding shoe assembly 4 includes:

[0069] The bottom plate 41 is made of wear-resistant material and is used for directly contacting and sliding on the seabed surface;

[0070] The mounting column 42 is used to mount the auxiliary float 7 to enhance the buoyancy or adjust the center of gravity.

[0071] It should be noted that the shoe assembly 4 is fixed to both sides of the frame assembly 5, and is mainly composed of a bottom plate 41 made of wear-resistant material and a mounting column 42 for mounting the auxiliary buoy 7. The function of the shoe assembly 4 is to provide a stable sliding support on the seabed, reduce the resistance when the equipment moves, and optimize the overall balance of the equipment by adjusting the position of the buoy 7.

[0072] The bottom plate 41 is preferably made of NM360 wear-resistant steel plate, which has excellent wear resistance and high strength.

[0073] In one embodiment, an integrated waterway assembly is further included, and the integrated waterway assembly includes:

[0074] The water pump assembly 61 is fixedly mounted on the frame assembly 5;

[0075] A water confluence 62 is used to gather water flow;

[0076] The pipeline 63 connects the water pump assembly 61 and the water junction 62 , and delivers the water flow to the jetting blade 12 .

[0077] It should be noted that the integrated water circuit assembly provides the necessary high-pressure water flow for the jet knife assembly 1. It includes a water pump assembly 61 fixedly mounted on the frame assembly 5, a water junction 62 for gathering water flow, and a pipe 63 connecting the water pump assembly 61 and the water junction 62. The integrated water circuit assembly is designed to operate independently and does not rely on the water source provided by external ship equipment, ensuring the flexibility and efficiency of the operation.

[0078] In one embodiment, at least one buoy 7 is further included. The buoy 7 is a hollow sealing structure and can be installed at different positions of the frame assembly 5 to adjust the center of gravity and the center of buoyancy of the whole machine.

[0079] It should be noted that the float 7 is a hollow sealing structure and can be installed at different positions of the frame assembly 5 to adjust the center of gravity and the center of buoyancy of the whole machine to ensure that the equipment maintains the best working posture in the water.

[0080] Furthermore, the frame assembly 5 is made of high-strength steel by welding, and is provided with mounting side beams 52 on its sides for mounting the pontoon 7 .

[0081] The punching knife assembly 1 can independently complete the lowering, cable clamping and cable pressing operations without relying on external equipment.

[0082] The width of the punching knife 12 is adjustable, and the distance between the punching knives 12 can be changed by adjusting the oil cylinder to meet the laying requirements of cables / pipes 8 of different diameters.

[0083] Description: On the mother ship, the operator first opens the cable gripper 32 on the cable gripper assembly 3 and places the cable / pipeline 8 to be laid therein. Then, the whole device is lifted from the deck by the crane and the lifting assembly 2 on the mother ship and slowly lowered into the sea. After the device touches the bottom, the lifting assembly 2 is adjusted to ensure that the device is stably placed on the seabed.

[0084] The jet cutting knife assembly 1 is started: the water pump assembly 61 in the integrated waterway assembly is started, and the seawater is transported to the water junction 62 through the pipeline 63, and then distributed to the jet cutting knife 12. The high-pressure water flow is ejected through the jet cutting knife 12, generating a strong impact force, cutting the seabed soil and forming a groove. The four-bar linkage 11 is driven by the oil cylinder to make the jet cutting knife 12 swing downward and penetrate into the seabed. The width of the jet cutting knife 12 can be changed by adjusting the position or size of the four-bar linkage 11 to accommodate cables / pipes 8 of different diameters. The fixed cable presser 13 is installed at the end of the jet cutting knife 12, and moves synchronously with the lowering of the jet cutting knife 12 to press the cable / pipe 8 into the groove. The design of the cable presser ensures the stability of the cable / pipe 8 in the groove.

[0085] The mother ship tightens the towing rope 9 through the towing winch, applying tension to the towing point 51 on the frame assembly 5. The equipment moves along the predetermined route under the action of the tension, and the shoe assembly 4 slides smoothly on the seabed to reduce the movement resistance. The punching knife assembly 1 remains in the lowered state and continues to perform trenching and cable pressing operations. The lifting assembly 2 and the cable grabber assembly 3 work together to ensure the stability of the equipment during the journey and the correct laying of the cable / pipeline 8.

[0086] After completing a section of laying task, the mother ship stops moving forward, and the punch knife assembly 1 is retracted through the oil cylinder to drive the four-bar linkage 11 to return to the initial position. The cable gripping claw 32 on the cable grabber assembly 3 is opened to release the cable / pipeline 8. The equipment is lifted from the sea using the crane and the lifting assembly 2 on the mother ship, recovered to the deck, and prepared for the next section of operation.

[0087] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made by using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A towed trencher, characterized in that: include: A frame assembly (5) having a towing point (51) disposed thereon; The punching knife assembly (1) is hinged to the rear of the frame assembly (5) through a four-bar linkage (11); The hanging assembly (2) is hinged to the top of the frame assembly (5), has two degrees of freedom, and is locked and balanced by a cylinder; The cable grabber assembly (3) is fixed to the front of the frame assembly (5) through a four-link lifting mechanism (31), and the lifting and lowering, as well as the opening and closing of the clamping claws, are controlled by an oil cylinder; The sliding shoe assembly (4) is fixed on both sides of the frame assembly (5) and is used for sliding on the seabed.

2. The towed trencher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The punching knife assembly (1) comprises: A four-bar linkage (11) is used to realize the retraction and extension of the punching knife (12); Two punching knives (12) are mounted on one end of the four-bar linkage (11) by bolts; The fixed cable presser (13) is installed on the end of the punching knife (12) by means of bolts and moves synchronously with the punching knife (12).

3. The towed trencher according to claim 2, characterized in that: The fixed cable press (13) is retracted and released together with the punching knife (12) to realize the cable / pipeline pressing operation during the trenching process.

4. The towed trencher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable grabbing hand assembly (3) comprises: A four-link lifting mechanism (31) is used to realize the lifting and lowering of the cable grabbing hand assembly (3); The cable gripping claw (32) is fixed on the four-link lifting mechanism (31) and is opened and closed by a cylinder to grasp and release the cable / pipeline.

5. The towed trencher according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a sliding shoe assembly (4), wherein the sliding shoe assembly (4) includes: The bottom plate (41) is made of wear-resistant material and is used for directly contacting and sliding on the seabed surface; The mounting column (42) is used to mount the auxiliary buoy (7).

6. The towed trencher according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an integrated waterway assembly, the integrated waterway assembly comprising: A water pump assembly (61) is fixedly mounted on the frame assembly (5); A water confluence (62) for converging water flow; The pipeline (63) connects the water pump assembly (61) and the water junction (62) and delivers the water flow to the jetting knife (12).

7. The towed trencher according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also comprises at least one buoy (7), which is a hollow sealing structure and can be installed at different positions of the frame assembly (5).

8. The towed trencher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame assembly (5) is made of high-strength steel by welding, and is provided with a mounting side beam (52) on its side for mounting the buoy (7).

9. The towed trencher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The punching knife assembly (1) can independently complete the operations of lowering, clamping and pressing the cable without relying on external equipment.

10. The towed trencher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The distance between the punching knives (12) is changed by adjusting the oil cylinder to meet the laying requirements of cables / pipes with different diameters.

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