Chain weighting device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a weighting device for a chain 12, particularly in an underwater environment, said device comprising at least: a one-piece weighting element 10, said weighting element 10 having a hole 101 formed along a longitudinal axis X of said weighting element 10 and allowing the passage of said chain 12; means for securing said chain 12 to said weighting element 10. According to the invention, said securing means comprise: a drawer 13 comprising two half-drawers 131 capable of being assembled to define an internal housing 1310 shaped to accommodate a link 120 of said chain 12; at least one securing key 11 for said drawer 13 to said weighting element 10 without interacting with said chain 12. Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Chain weighting device 1. Scope of the invention

[0001] The field of the invention is that of devices and methods for ballasting chains used as offshore anchor lines, for example: - Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units; - of any type of float, such as for floating wind turbines; - of electrical substations; - mooring buoy; 2. Prior art

[0002] Chains are commonly used to hold elements in position in offshore situations.

[0003] To this end, the chains are submerged, particularly in underwater or more generally subaquatic environments, and locally weighted to improve dynamic response and line lengths. To achieve this, several weighting devices are generally installed along a chain.

[0004] Two types of chain ballasting devices are known, namely: - devices comprising one-piece ballast elements; - ballast devices comprising ballast elements in two parts assembled by bolting.

[0005] Monobloc ballast elements comprise a monobloc mass, generally made of cast iron, through which a hole passes for a chain. The ballast element is held fixed to the chain, or more precisely to a link thereof, by means of an axle passing through the chain link and the ballast element.

[0006] The use of several ballast elements distributed along a chain allows for effective ballasting of the chain on a seabed. However, in use, the ballast elements tend to exert stress, via the axle, not only on the link it passes through, but also on the two adjacent links, which become trapped between the axle and the link it passes through.

[0007] This is likely to: - increase the transmission of forces with and without slippage between the links and the creation, on the links of the chain, of out-of-plane bending (OPB in English for "Out of Plane Bending") and in-plane bending (IPB in English for "In Plane Bending"). - to increase abrasion between the links concerned.

[0008] This results in a significant risk of premature damage to the chain.

[0009] The two-part ballast elements comprise two half-ballast elements that can be assembled to define a housing shaped to accommodate a chain link. The assembly of the two half-ballast elements is achieved by means of bolts.

[0010] The implementation of such two-part ballast elements is simple insofar as they are easier to install and secure to a chain, and effective insofar as it allows for proper ballasting of a chain.

[0011] However, the main drawback inherent in two-part ballast elements lies in the risk of breakage of the bolts used to assemble them, which, if it occurs, can result in the separation of the two half-ballast elements and the loss of the ballast element attached to the chain. The chain is then no longer ballasted or is improperly ballasted, which is detrimental.

[0012] There is therefore a need to improve chain ballasting devices. 3. Objectives of the invention

[0013] The invention aims in particular to provide an effective solution to at least some of these different problems.

[0014] In particular, according to at least one embodiment, an objective of the invention is to improve chain ballasting devices.

[0015] In particular, the invention aims, according to at least one embodiment, to provide such a ballast device which limits the risk of losing a ballast element attached to a chain.

[0016] Another objective of the invention is, according to at least one embodiment, to provide such a ballast device which is robust.

[0017] Another objective of the invention is, according to at least one embodiment, to provide such a ballast device which helps to reduce the wear of a chain weighted with.

[0018] Another objective of the invention is, according to at least one embodiment, to provide such a ballast device which is simple and / or economical. 4. Presentation of the invention

[0019] To this end, the invention proposes a chain weighting device, particularly for use in underwater environments, said device comprising at least: - a one-piece ballast element, said ballast element being traversed by a hole formed along a longitudinal axis X of said ballast element and allowing the passage of said chain; - means for securing said chain to said ballast element.

[0020] According to the invention, said securing means comprise: - a drawer comprising two half-drawers that can be assembled to delimit an internal compartment shaped to house a link of said chain; - at least one key for securing said drawer to said ballast element without interaction with said chain.

[0021] Thus, the invention is based on the implementation of a one-piece ballast element capable of housing a drawer inside which a link of a chain can be placed.

[0022] This implementation makes it possible to provide a ballast device whose ballast element(s) are robust so that there is no risk that this or these ballast elements will detach from a chain as is the case with two-part ballast elements.

[0023] It also makes it easier to secure the ballast device to the chain due to the implementation of a two-part drawer.

[0024] The invention avoids the implementation of an axle passing through a link of the chain to secure it to the ballast element and the disadvantages inherent in this prior art technique.

[0025] This implementation further reduces the stress on the links of a weighted chain and thus avoids premature wear of a weighted chain compared to an unweighted chain.

[0026] The invention therefore makes it possible to combine the advantages of the two prior art techniques without presenting their defects.

[0027] According to one possible feature, a ballast device according to the invention includes means for compensating for play between said keys, said drawer. This implementation makes it possible to avoid the occurrence of play between the drawer and the ballast element.

[0028] It is also preferable to leave some play between the ballast element and a chain link housed inside to limit the transmission of force between the ballast element and the link and thus preserve the latter.

[0029] According to one possible feature, the hole in the ballast element has a frustoconical internal peripheral contour along the longitudinal axis, and the slide has a frustoconical external contour complementary to the peripheral contour of the hole. The slide is thus capable of being assembled to the ballast element, at least partially, by a conical joint. This ensures that the assembly of the slide and the ballast element is at least partially conical. This limits, or even eliminates, shearing in the connecting keys in the principal direction of stress, as the ballast element then absorbs the stress induced by the slide when the chain link acts on the slide.

[0030] According to one possible feature, at least one locking housing is provided in said ballast element orthogonally to said longitudinal axis, said at least one locking housing allowing said at least one key to be received.

[0031] This allows for a simple and effective joining of the drawer and the ballast element by means of keys.

[0032] According to one possible feature, at least one notch is provided at the periphery of said drawer orthogonally to said longitudinal axis, said at least one notch allowing the passage of said at least one key.

[0033] This allows for a simple and effective joining of the drawer and the ballast element by means of keys.

[0034] According to one possible characteristic, said at least one key has an essentially quadrangular section.

[0035] According to one possible feature, said at least one key has a beveled side located opposite a non-beveled side, the inclination of said beveled side of said at least one key being configured to act against said ballast element and said non-beveled side being configured to act against one of said notches of said drawer housing said at least one key, when said at least one key is introduced into said at least one locking housing and move a small diameter end of said drawer towards a small diameter end of said hole.

[0036] This implementation makes it possible to implement means of compensating for play so as to fill the play between the drawer and the ballast element and thus prevent them from moving relative to each other when assembled.

[0037] According to one possible feature, said at least one locking housing has an open end for the insertion and extraction of said at least one key, said beveled side of said at least one key being provided on the side of said large diameter ends of said drawer and said hole, the section of said at least one key tending to decrease towards an end of said at least one locking housing opposite their open end.

[0038] This implementation makes it possible to simply but effectively compensate for the play between the drawer and the ballast element.

[0039] According to one possible feature, said fastening means comprise at least one sealing plate of said at least one open end to hold said at least one key in said at least one locking housing.

[0040] This allows for a simple and secure way of ensuring effective fastening of the keys to the ballast element.

[0041] According to one possible feature, said fastening means comprise at least one locking insert for said at least one key, said at least one locking insert being placed in a locking cavity for said element of ballast, each locking cavity having a lateral opening for the introduction of said insert along an axis orthogonal to the axis of said at least one key and to the axis of said hole, and being delimited, along the axis of said at least one key, by a first bearing surface oriented towards the side of said at least one locking housing and a second bearing surface opposite to said first bearing surface, said at least one insert being in contact with said second surface when a key is housed in said corresponding locking housing, said at least one locking insert having an internal passage light for said at least one key, one end of said at least one key protruding inside said passage light when housed in said locking housing.

[0042] This also makes it possible to ensure in a simple and safe way an effective securing of the keys to the ballast element.

[0043] According to one possible feature, said at least one insert includes means for reversibly securing said insert to a cylinder body having a piston capable of acting on said at least one key along the axis of said at least one key to insert and constrain it in said at least one corresponding locking housing.

[0044] It is thus possible to use a pressure cylinder pushing on each key towards the corresponding locking housing to finalize the placement of the keys in their locking housing and to finish compensating for the play between the drawer and the hole in the ballast element by taking support from the insert, which takes support from the ballast element.

[0045] According to one possible feature, said at least one sealing plate is secured to said ballast element by screwing or welding and / or said at least one insert is secured to said at least one key by welding.

[0046] According to one possible feature, said at least one insert is traversed by a passage opening into said inner light in a region of said end of said at least one key projecting thereon, said passage housing a weld bead for securing said at least one insert by plugging to said at least one key.

[0047] This ensures that the keys are held very effectively and durably in their locking housing.

[0048] According to a possible feature, which said at least one locking housing is blind.

[0049] According to another possible feature, said at least one locking housing is through-hole.

[0050] In this case, each key has a distal end which protrudes, outside of said corresponding locking housing, beyond an end open end of said locking housing provided opposite said open end, said device comprising means for locking said key, said locking means comprising at least one locking element integral with said distal end, said at least one locking element having at least one dimension greater than at least one dimension of said open end.

[0051] This allows, in the event that the locking inserts or the sealing plates should become detached from the ballast element, to ensure that the keys remain inside the locking housings to hold the drawer in the hole, or to replace the function of the locking insert or sealing plate.

[0052] According to one possible feature, each key has a distal end which protrudes, outside of said corresponding locking housing, beyond an open end of said locking housing provided opposite said open end, said device comprising means for locking said key, said locking means comprising at least one locking element integral with said distal end, said at least one locking element having at least one dimension greater than at least one dimension of said open end.

[0053] According to one possible feature, a device according to the invention comprises means for self-centering in angularity said drawer in said hole, said self-centering means comprising: - a guide element integral with said drawer, said guide element comprising two first opposing guide surfaces forming an angle with respect to a plane passing through the axis of said hole and narrowing towards each other in the direction of a small diameter end of said drawer; - a receptacle formed in said ballast element along the axis of said hole, said receptacle comprising two second opposing guide surfaces parallel to a plane passing through the axis of said hole of said ballast element, said receptacle being able to house said guide element.

[0054] This implementation makes it easier to insert the drawer into the hole of the ballast element and in particular to align it angularly with the ballast element.

[0055] According to one possible feature, said at least one key extends outside said inner housing of said drawer so that it does not pass into said inner housing nor through a chain link, if any, housed therein.

[0056] Thus, when a chain link is housed in the ballast element, no pin passes inside it, so the neighboring links are not trapped between the link housed in the ballast element and the fixing pin. The neighboring links are thus preserved.

[0057] According to one possible feature, said inner housing of said drawer is shaped to retain said ballast element on said link housed in said inner housing of said drawer by contact on the outer peripheral contour of said link.

[0058] The external crown catch of the link imprisoned in the drawer makes it possible to block the link in translation completely independently and without interaction with the adjacent link, unlike any system that catches the link from the inside, which would necessarily have a harmful effect on the adjacent link.

[0059] According to one possible feature, said drawer includes at each end of said inner housing a clearance shaped to allow free rotation of the links of said chain secured to said link housed in said inner housing.

[0060] This makes it possible to limit the forces transmitted between the neighboring links and the link housed in the ballast element, and thus to preserve these links.

[0061] The invention also covers a method of attaching a ballast device to a chain according to any one of the variants described above, said method comprising at least: - a step of passing said chain through at least one hole in at least one ballast element; - a positioning step of at least two half-drawers, forming at least one drawer, around at least one link of said chain so as to house said at least one link in at least one internal housing formed by said at least two half-drawers; - a step of inserting said at least one drawer into said at least one hole in said at least one ballast element, or vice versa; - a step of securing said at least one drawer to said at least one ballast element. 5. Description of the figures

[0062] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of particular embodiments, given by way of simple illustrative and non-limiting example, and the accompanying drawings, among which:

[0063] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] illustrates an exploded view of a ballast device according to a first method of implementing the invention;

[0064] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] illustrates a perspective view of a ballast element of the device of staging illustrated in [Fig.1];

[0065] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] illustrates a front view of the ballast element illustrated in [Fig.1];

[0066] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] illustrates a perspective view of half a drawer of the device illustrated stage in [Fig.1];

[0067] [Fig. 5] [Fig. 5] illustrates a perspective view of the ballast device shown in the [Fig.l] attached to a link in a chain;

[0068] [Fig.6] [Fig.6] illustrates a side view of the ballast device illustrated in [Fig.5] attached to a link in a chain;

[0069] [Fig.7] [Fig.7] illustrates an exploded view of a ballast device according to a second method of implementing the invention;

[0070] [Fig. 8] [Fig. 8] illustrates a cross-sectional view of the device of [Fig. 7] according to a plan median passing through a key;

[0071] [Fig.9] [Fig.9] illustrates a cross-sectional view of the device of [Fig.7] according to plans perpendicular to the keys;

[0072] [Fig. 10] [Fig. 11] Figures 10 and 11 illustrate detailed views of the installation locking insert in locking cavities of a ballast element;

[0073] [Fig. 12] [Fig. 12] illustrates a detailed view of the locking of the distal end of a key by means of a pin;

[0074] [Fig. 13] [Fig. 13] illustrates a cross-sectional view of the device of [Fig. 7];

[0075] [Fig. 14] [Fig. 14] illustrates a flowchart of a process for securing to a chain of a ballast device according to the invention.

[0076] 6. Description of particular embodiments

[0077] 6.1. Examples of chain weighting devices

[0078] 6.1.1. Pins held by sealing plates

[0079] A first example of a chain weighting device according to the invention is presented in relation to figures 1 to 6.

[0080] Such a device includes one or more ballast elements 10, also called barrels, and means of securing 11 to secure the ballast element(s) 10 along a chain 12 for example to keep it ballasted in an underwater or more generally subaquatic environment.

[0081] The ballast elements 10 comprise a single-piece body 100. This means that the body 100 of the ballast elements 10 is formed in one piece and is not made up of several assembled elements. This body 100 is preferably made of cast iron (grey cast iron or other suitable cast iron). However, it could alternatively be made of cast steel.

[0082] Each ballast element 10 is traversed by a hole 101 formed along a longitudinal axis X of the ballast element 10. As will be detailed later, this hole 101 allows the passage of a chain 12.

[0083] Each ballast element 10 also has at least two locking recesses 102 arranged orthogonally to the longitudinal axis X of the corresponding ballast element 10. These locking recesses 102, of which there are two in this embodiment, are provided on either side of the hole 101. These locking recesses 102 have an open end 1021 from which they extend inside the one-piece body 100 until their opposite end which is blind. In a variant, which will be described later, the locking housings may be through-holes. They open laterally into the hole 101 of the corresponding ballast element and thus form open areas 1022 in the hole 101. Their cross-section, orthogonal to their longitudinal axis X, is preferably quadrangular, in particular rectangular or square or other. It could also be circular or other.

[0084] These locking housings 102 each allow a locking key 11 to be housed. The open end 1021 of each locking housing 102 thus constitutes an open end for the insertion and extraction of a locking key 11.

[0085] The one-piece body 100 of the ballast element 10 includes, upstream of each open end 1021 of each locking housing 102, a locking cavity 103. These locking cavities have a larger cross-section, in a plane orthogonal to the axis of the locking housings 102, than the cross-section in this plane of the locking housings 102. They have a bearing surface 104 which extends essentially originally to the axis of the locking housings 102.

[0086] The locking pins 11 have a shape complementary to the locking recesses 102. They have a length substantially equal to the depth of the locking recesses 102 between the open end 1021 and the blind end. When housed in the locking recesses 102, they protrude, through the open areas 1022, into the hole 101 of the corresponding ballast element 10. They may preferably be made of stainless steel.

[0087] Sealing plates 1200 are used to close the open ends 1021 of the locking recesses 102 in order to retain the retaining keys 11 in the locking recesses 102. Each sealing plate 1200 is in the form of a plate that is placed inside one of the locking cavities 103 and held against the bearing surface 104. The sealing plates 1200 are preferably secured to the corresponding ballast element 10 by means of steel screws, preferably stainless steel. They are themselves preferably made of stainless steel. Alternatively, the sealing plates could be secured to the ballast element by welding.

[0088] Each plate could be integral with the corresponding key and form with it a single piece.

[0089] The ballast device 10 further comprises as many drawer(s) 13 as there are ballast element(s) 10.

[0090] Each drawer 13 is intended to fit into the hole 101 of a ballast element 10.

[0091] Each drawer 13 comprises two half-drawers 131. The half-drawers 131 can be assembled to define an internal recess 1310 shaped to house a link 120 of a weighted chain 12. The half-drawers 131 have centering pins 132 and centering recesses 133 adapted to cooperate in pairs to allow the half-drawers 131 to be centered during assembly and to withstand shear forces.

[0092] The contact between the two half-drawers is flat. This prevents the formation of play between the two half-drawers. Such play would induce a gap between the half-drawers 131 and the one-piece body 100, which is undesirable, particularly since a gap is already provided between the inner housing 1310 and the chain link 120 housed inside.

[0093] The hole 101 of each ballast element 10 preferably has a frustoconical inner peripheral contour along the longitudinal axis X. It therefore has one end with a large diameter and one end with a smaller diameter. In this case, the slide 13 has a frustoconical outer contour complementary to the inner peripheral contour of the hole 101. It therefore has one end with a large diameter and one end with a smaller diameter. The slide 13 can thus be assembled to the ballast element 10, at least partially, by a conical joint. This makes it possible to limit or even eliminate shear in the connecting keys 11 in the principal direction of stress, the body of the ballast element 10 then absorbing the stress induced by the slide 13 when the chain link 120 acts on the slide 13 (related to the dynamics of the anchor line).

[0094] The taper of hole 101 follows the arrow in the drawings (see Figures 1, 2, 5, and 7), i.e., the diameter of hole 101 narrows in the direction of this arrow. This arrow, which represents the principal direction of stress, is oriented in the direction of the principal forces induced on the ballast elements. These forces are directed towards the element ballasted with the chain, i.e., towards the ocean surface during ballasting in a marine environment. The frustoconical shape of hole 101 and of the slide 13 allows the forces to be absorbed so that the keys 11 do not undergo shear in the direction of the principal forces. Conversely, in the opposite direction of the principal forces, the keys undergo shear. The taper of the hole 101 and the drawer 13 prevents play between the drawer 13 and the monobloc body 100 and allows the force to be passed directly in the main direction of the forces.

[0095] In variants, the hole 101 of the ballast elements 10 and the drawers 13 may not have a truncated conical contour so that they will not be assembled by a conical assembly although this is preferred.

[0096] Two notches 134 are provided at the periphery of each drawer 13, orthogonally to the longitudinal axis. These notches 134 coincide with the locking recesses 102, more specifically with the open areas 1022 in the hole 101, when the drawer 13 is in the hole 101 of a ballast element 10. These notches 134 thus allow the passage of the retaining keys 11, i.e., their protruding portion inside the hole 101 of a ballast element 10 when they are housed in the corresponding locking recesses 102. More specifically, each notch comprises two opposing surfaces 1341 that extend in planes orthogonal to the X-axis of the hole 101. When a key 11 is housed in a locking recess 102, then one of its two opposite sides is likely to bear against one of the surfaces 1341 of the corresponding notch 134. Thus, the keys 11 block the drawer 13 in translation within the hole 101.

[0097] When a drawer 13 is housed in a hole 101 of a ballast element 10 and connecting keys 11 are housed in the corresponding locking recesses 102, these connecting keys 11 extend beyond the inner recess 1310 of the drawer 13, which is designed to house a link 102 of a chain 12. In other words, the keys do not pass through the inner recess 1310 or the link housed therein, if any. Thus, this link 120 is not in contact with the connecting keys 11. This helps to limit the OPB / IPB and abrasion stresses experienced by the link 120 of the chain 12 housed in the drawer 13 and by the adjacent links 120.

[0098] The inner housing 1310 of each drawer 13 has an imprint 1311 of complementary shape of a chain link 120 12. This inner housing 1310 is thus shaped to retain the ballast element 10 on the link 120 housed in the inner housing 1310 of the drawer 13 by contact on the outer peripheral contour of the link 120 (outer crown of the link).

[0099] The inner housing 1310 is dimensioned such that a play exists between the link housed in the inner housing 1310 and the drawer 13. In this way, when a ballast element, used to weight a chain, comes to hit the ground, the ballast element does not transmit any force to the link it houses, and the link / housing interaction is limited to the stresses induced by the link's own mass.

[0100] In addition, the drawer 13 includes at each end of the housing 1310 a clearance 1312 shaped to allow free rotation of the links 120 of the chain 12 attached to the link 120 housed in the housing 1310 of the drawer 13.

[0101] The drawer 13 and the securing keys 11 constitute means of securing the chain 12 to the ballast element 10.

[0102] The drawer 13 and the keys 11 contribute to the ballast as does the one-piece body 100.

[0103] In an embodiment, means for compensating for play may be implemented so as to fill the play between the drawer 13 and the one-piece body 100 and thus prevent them from moving relative to each other when assembled.

[0104] In this case, the keys 11 have an inclined side 110 forming a bevel (beveled side) provided opposite a non-beveled side.

[0105] The beveled side 110 of each of the keys 11 is provided on the side of the large diameter ends of the drawer 13 and the hole 101, and the section of the keys 11 tends to decrease towards one end of the locking housings 102 opposite their open end 1021.

[0106] The locking housings 102 of the ballast element also have a beveled surface oriented towards the side of the large diameter of the holeOl located opposite a non-beveled surface.

[0107] The notches 134 of the drawer do not have a beveled surface.

[0108] The inclination of the beveled side 110 of each of the keys 11 is complementary to the beveled surface of the corresponding locking housing 102.

[0109] The chamfered surfaces 110 of the keys 11 and the locking housings 102 are designed to come into contact with each other when a key 11 is inserted into a locking housing 102. The inclination of the chamfered surfaces of the keys and the locking housings is configured so that these surfaces act against each other when the keys 11 are inserted into the locking housings 102, thereby inducing a displacement of the small diameter end of the slide 13 towards the small diameter end of the hole 101.

[0110] When a key is inserted into a locking housing, the non-beveled side of this key, located opposite its beveled side, acts against the corresponding surface of the drawer notch, but not on the weighting element, and the beveled side of the key does not come into contact with the drawer notch.

[0111] Alternatively, the beveled side of each key, as well as of the weighting element and the slide, could be oriented towards the small diameter ends. In this case, the beveled side of each key would act against the corresponding surface of the notch of the corresponding slide when the key 11 is inserted into the locking housing 102 and would move the small diameter end of the slide 13 towards the small diameter end of the hole 101.

[0112] Thus, along its longitudinal axis, each key has three sides perpendicular in pairs and a fourth side inclined in such a way that the cross-section of the key decreases towards its end intended to go into the bottom of the corresponding locking housing 102, i.e. to its blind end. 6.1.2. Pins held by inserts

[0113] A second example of a chain weighting device according to the invention is presented in relation to figures 7 to 13.

[0114] We will now describe the main differences between this second example and the first example just described.

[0115] In this example, the means for securing the keys do not include a plate for sealing the locking recesses into which the keys are inserted. According to a different approach, the securing means include locking inserts 20, each key being held in position relative to the ballast element by means of an insert.

[0116] A locking insert 20 comprises an essentially rectangular parallelepiped body 201.

[0117] The body 201 of the insert is traversed by an internal light 202 allowing the passage of a key 11 through the insert 20. This internal light 202 is provided between two opposite surfaces 203 of the body along the axis of the keys 11.

[0118] Each locking insert 20 is intended to be housed inside a locking cavity 103 provided in the ballast element 10 upstream of the locking housings 102. There are therefore as many locking cavities as there are keys.

[0119] Each locking cavity 103 has a lateral opening 104' for inserting an insert 20 along an axis orthogonal to the axis of the keys 11 and the axis of the hole 101. Each lateral opening 104' is delimited, along the axis of the keys 11, by two bearing surfaces 105, 106 against which the two opposing surfaces 203 of an insert 20 can bear depending on the stresses imposed during the key assembly. The first bearing surface 106 is located on the side of the corresponding locking housing 102, while the second bearing surface 105 is located opposite the first bearing surface 106.

[0120] When a key 11 is housed in a locking housing 102, its end located in the region of the open end 1021 of the locking housing 102 protrudes inside the light 202.

[0121] It is possible to attach a jack to each insert to allow the keys to be put under stress, leading to the movement of the small diameter end of the drawer towards the small diameter end of the hole in the ballast element, as will become clearer from reading the description of a method according to the invention.

[0122] In this case, each insert 20 includes reversible fastening means, to the body of the insert 20, of a cylinder body 30 having a piston (not visible) capable of acting on the key 11 along the axis of the key to finish inserting it and constraining it in the corresponding locking housing 102.

[0123] In this embodiment, the cylinder body 30 includes a circumferential groove 301 at its end. In this case, the means for securing the cylinder body include two pins 40 which are housed in through holes 41 the body of the insert 20 near the surface 203 located opposite that located near the opening 1021 of the locking housing 102.

[0124] The locking inserts 20 are secured to the corresponding key by welding.

[0125] In this case, each insert 20 is open, through its wall accessible from the periphery of the device, by a passage 204 opening into the internal light 202 in a region where the end of the key 11 protrudes. This passage 204 houses a weld bead (not shown) for securing the insert 20 to the key 11 by plugging.

[0126] As in the first embodiment, the locking housings 102 can be blind. However, the locking housings 102 are preferably through-holes.

[0127] In this case, each key 11 has a distal end 111 that projects beyond the corresponding locking recess 102, extending from a through end 1022 of the locking recess 102 located opposite the open end 1021. Locking means are then attached to the end 111 of the key 11 to prevent it from coming out of its locking recess 102 if the locking insert 20 were to become detached from the weighting element 10, or to replace the inserts. Generally, these locking means comprise, for each key, at least one locking element having at least one dimension greater than at least one dimension of the through end 1022 such that it cannot pass through it.

[0128] In the example illustrated in [Fig. 12], the locking element comprises a U-shaped spring pin 42 comprising two arms 420 connected by a cross member 421. The cross member 421 is free to press against the key 11 or to move to a locking surface 1090 described below, and the two arms 420 are housed in grooves 1111 formed on two opposite sides of the distal end 111 of the key 11.

[0129] In this case, the ballast element 10 includes recesses 109, each for housing the distal end 111 of a key 11 and the locking element. In the case of pins, this recess 109 includes a locking surface 1090 that extends essentially orthogonally to the arms 420. The distance between the key and this locking surface is chosen according to the length of the arms 420, so that if the cross member 421 bears against the locking surface 1090, the arms 420 remain in their recess (groove 1111). This ensures that the pins remain securely attached to the corresponding key under all circumstances and thus perform their locking function in the key's position.

[0130] The pin 42 and the grooves 110 could respectively be replaced by a bolt whose screw would pass through a hole through the distal end of the key 11, or any other relevant pinning system.

[0131] The variant just described, with through-hole locking housings and locking means, could also be implemented within the framework of the first embodiment, as a safety locking of the keys or as a replacement for the 1200 sealing plates

[0132] The device may include self-centering means for the drawer 13 in the hole 101. Such self-centering means may facilitate the insertion of the drawer into the hole.

[0133] In this embodiment, these self-centering means include: - a guide element 135 attached to the drawer 13, this guide element 135 comprising two first opposing guide surfaces 1350 forming an angle with respect to a plane passing through the axis of the hole 101 and narrowing towards each other in the direction of a small diameter end 136 of the drawer 13; - a receptacle 107 formed in the ballast element 10 along the axis of the hole 101, the receptacle 107 comprising two second guide surfaces 1070 opposite parallel to a plane passing through the axis of the hole 101 of the ballast element 10, this receptacle 107 being able to house the guide element 135.

[0134] This variant with means for self-centering the angularity of the drawer relative to the barrel can be implemented within the framework of the first embodiment.

[0135] With reference to [Fig. 13], the drawer halves 131 can be traversed by a countersunk hole 1313, at the entrance of each of which is a recess 1314. When the drawer halves 131 are assembled to form the drawer 13, the holes 1313 extend along the axis of one another. They allow the passage of a bolt (not shown) to secure the two drawer halves 131 together. The recesses 1314 accommodate the head of the screw and the nut of the bolt so that they do not protrude from the surface of the drawer 13, the screw not penetrating the internal groove of the drawer.

[0136] This variant can be implemented within the framework of the first embodiment.

[0137] 6.2. Example of a method for attaching a device to a chain floor

[0138] To work towards securing a chain of a ballast device, a securing process is implemented.

[0139] Such a process is presented in relation to [Fig.14].

[0140] Such a process comprises at least: - a step 50 of passing said chain 12 through at least one hole 101 of at least one weighting element; a step 51 of positioning at least one pair of half-drawers 131, forming at least one drawer, around at least one link 120 of the chain 12 to be weighted so as to accommodate the at least one link 120 in at least one housing 1310 formed by at least one pair of half-drawers 131; - a step 52 of inserting at least one drawer 13 into the hole 101 of at least one ballast element 10 (or conversely, placing a ballast element around a drawer); - a step 53 of securing the drawer 13 to the ballast element 10.

[0141] More commonly, the chain will be weighted by means of a plurality of weighting elements arranged at essentially regular intervals.

[0142] In this case, step 50 consists of passing the chain through the holes 101 of several ballast elements spaced apart from each other.

[0143] Several pairs of half-drawers are then positioned, in step 51, around several links, each pair of half-drawers being arranged between two ballast elements 10.

[0144] Step 51 of positioning the half-drawers 131 around one or more links 120 of the chain 12 to be weighted consists of bringing the two half-drawers 131 of each pair to either side of a link 120 of the chain 12 and bringing them together so that their centering pins 132 and their centering recesses 133 cooperate, thus forming the inner recess 1310 in which the link 120 of the chain 12 is then housed. This link 120 is then in the recess 1311 formed by the union of two half-drawers 131. If necessary, the two half-drawers 131 are secured to each other by means of a bolt passing through the holes 1313.

[0145] Step 52 of inserting each drawer 13 into the hole 101 of a ballast element 10 consists of sliding the drawer 13, in which there is a link 120 of the chain 12, into the hole 101 of a ballast element 10 until the notches 134 are in line with the locking housings 102 of the ballast element 10, and in particular in line with its open areas 1022 (or vice versa if it is the ballast element that is slid around the drawer.

[0146] The drawers are inserted into the holes in the ballast elements by sliding the chain through the holes (or vice versa).

[0147] When the hole 101 and the ballast element 10 have respectively inner and outer contours of frustoconical shape, this step thus makes it possible to obtain a conical type assembly.

[0148] During the insertion of a drawer 13 into a hole 101 (or vice versa), the first guide surfaces 1350 of the guide element 135 slide against the second guide surfaces 1070 of the receptacle 107 so that the drawer 13 is self-centered (in relative angularity) in the hole 101.

[0149] Step 53 of the joining process consists of inserting the locking keys 11 into the locking slots 102 through the insertion openings 1021. The keys The locking lugs 11 then protrude into the hole 101 at the open areas 1022 and fit into the notches 134. Each drawer 13 is thus locked inside the hole 101.

[0150] When the keys 11 are inserted into their locking recesses 102, their beveled side acts on the beveled surface of the corresponding locking recess, but not on the drawer, and their non-beveled surface acts on a non-beveled surface of the notches 134 of the drawer, but not on the ballast element, in such a way that the insertion movement of the keys 11 into their locking recess 102 is transformed into a translational movement of the drawer 13 inside the hole 101 along the axis of the hole 101. This makes it possible to bring the small diameter end 136 of the drawer 13 closer to the small diameter end 108 of the hole 101 of the ballast element 10 and thus to take up the play between the drawer and the ballast element.

[0151] According to the first embodiment, the openings 1021 are then closed by means of the closing plates 1200 which are attached to the ballast element 10 by means of screws or by welding.

[0152] According to the second embodiment, prior to the insertion of the keys 11 into the locking recesses 102, the locking inserts 20 are inserted laterally into the locking cavities 103 through the lateral openings 104'. The lower surface 203 of the locking inserts 20 is then pressed against the lower bearing surfaces 106 of the locking cavities 103 under the effect of gravity. Thus, the locking inserts 20 are blocked in translation within the locking cavities 103 along axes parallel to the axes of the keys 11.

[0153] The keys 11 are then inserted into the locking housings 102 by passing through internal lights 202 of the locking inserts 20. Their distal end 111 opens out of the corresponding locking housing 102 while their opposite end protrudes inside the internal light 202 of the corresponding locking insert 20, in the axis of the corresponding passage 204. The end of the body of a cylinder 30 is reversibly secured to each locking insert 20 by means of the pins 40 passing through the holes 41 and the groove 301. The rod (not shown) of the cylinder is extended towards the end of the key 11 located in the insert 20 and pushes on the key 11 to finish putting it in its locking housing 102 and take up the play between the slide and the hole of the ballast element.During the extension of the cylinder rod, the upper surface 203 of the insert comes into contact with the upper bearing surface 105 of the cavity. During this stressing process, a weld bead is formed in the passage 204 of each insert 20 to secure each insert 20 in place, bearing against surface 105. The key is thus held in a stressed position relative to the ballast element. Its weld to the insert which bears on the upper bearing surface 105 of the cavity of the ballast element. The rod of the cylinder is retracted and the body of each cylinder is separated from the corresponding insert 20 by removing the pins 40.

[0154] When a key is pressed into its locking housing against the bearing surfaces of the ballast element, the slide and the corresponding insert, and held in permanent pressure by welding, the corresponding insert is in contact with the second surface.

[0155] A pin 42 is then placed at the distal end 110 of each key 11.

[0156] Such a pinning system can also be implemented in the first embodiment and may not be implemented in the second embodiment. 6.3. Variants

[0157] In the embodiments just described, the drawer is secured to the ballast element by means of a pair of keys. In some variations, the drawer may be secured to the ballast element by means of a single key, although it is preferable to use a pair. It could also be secured to the ballast element by means of more than two keys. The number of locking recesses, sealing plates, inserts, cavities, notches, etc., will obviously be determined according to the number of keys used.

Claims

Demands

1. A chain 12 weighting device, particularly in an underwater environment, said device comprising at least: - a one-piece weighting element 10, said weighting element 10 being traversed by a hole 101 formed along a longitudinal axis X of said weighting element 10 and allowing the passage of said chain 12; - means for securing said chain 12 to said weighting element 10; characterized in that said securing means comprise: - a drawer 13 comprising two half-drawers 131 capable of being assembled to delimit an internal housing 1310 shaped to house a link 120 of said chain 12; - at least one securing key 11 of said drawer 13 to said weighting element 10 without interaction with said chain 12.

2. Ballasting device according to claim 1 comprising means for compensating for play between said keys 11 and said drawer 13.

3. Ballast device according to claim 1 or 2 in which said hole 101 of said ballast element 10 has a frustoconical peripheral contour along said longitudinal axis X, said drawer 13 having an external frustoconical contour of complementary shape to said peripheral contour of said hole 101, said drawer 13 being thus capable of being assembled to said ballast element 10 at least in part by a conical assembly.

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which at least one locking housing 102 is provided in said ballast element 10 orthogonally to said longitudinal axis X, said at least one locking housing 102 allowing said at least one key 11 to receive.

5. Device according to claim 4 in which at least one notch 134 is provided at the periphery of said drawer 13 orthogonally to said longitudinal axis X, said at least one notch 134 allowing the passage of said at least one key 11.

6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said at least one key connected an essentially quadrangular section.

7. Device according to claim 2 alone or in combination with any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein said at least one key 11 has a beveled side located opposite a non-beveled side, the inclination of said beveled side of said at least one key being configured to act against said ballast element and said non-beveled side being configured to act against one of said notches of said drawer housing said at least one key, when said at least one key is introduced into said at least one locking housing and move a small-diameter end of said drawer towards a small-diameter end of said hole.

8. Device according to claim 7 in which said at least one locking housing 102 has an open end 1021 for the insertion and extraction of said at least one key 11, said beveled side of said at least one key being provided on the side of said large diameter ends of said drawer and said hole, the cross-section of said at least one key 11 tending to decrease in the direction of an end of said at least one locking housing 102 opposite their open end 1021.

9. Device according to any one of claims 4 to 8 wherein said fastening means comprise at least one sealing plate 1200 of said at least one open end 1021 for holding said at least one key 11 in said at least one locking housing 102.

10. A device according to any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein said fastening means comprise at least one locking insert for said at least one key, said at least one locking insert being placed in a locking cavity for said ballast element, each locking cavity having a lateral opening for the insertion of said insert along an axis orthogonal to the axis of said at least one key and to the axis of said hole, and being delimited, along the axis of said at least one key, by a first bearing surface oriented towards said at least one locking housing and a second bearing surface opposite said first bearing surface, said at least one insert being bearing against said second surface when a key is housed in said corresponding locking housing, said at least one locking insert having an internal passage light for said at least one key, one end of said at least one key protruding inside said passage light when housed in said locking housing.

11. Device according to claim 10 wherein said at least one insert comprises means for reversibly securing said insert to a cylinder body having a piston capable of acting on said at least one key along the axis of said at least one key to insert it and place it under stress in said at least one corresponding locking housing.

12. Device according to any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein said at least one sealing plate 1200 is secured to said ballast element 10 by screwing or welding and / or said at least one insert is secured to said at least one key by welding.

13. Device according to claim 10 or 11 wherein said at least one insert is traversed by a passage opening into said inner light in a region of said end of said at least one key projecting thereon, said passage housing a weld bead for securing said at least one insert by plugging to said at least one key.

14. Device according to any one of claims 4 to 13 wherein said at least one locking housing is blind.

15. Device according to any one of claims 4 to 13 in which said at least one locking housing is through-hole.

16. Device according to claim 15 wherein each key has a distal end which projects, outside of said corresponding locking housing, beyond an open end of said locking housing provided opposite said open end, said device comprising means for locking said keys, said locking means comprising at least one locking element integral with said distal end, said at least one locking element having at least one dimension greater than at least one dimension of said open end.

17. A device according to any one of claims 3 to 16 comprising means for self-centering in angularity said drawer in said hole, said self-centering means comprising: - a guide element integral with said drawer, said guide element comprising two first opposing guide surfaces forming an angle with respect to a plane passing through the axis of said hole and constricting towards each other in the direction of a small diameter end of said drawer; - a receptacle formed in said ballast element along the axis of said hole, said receptacle comprising two second opposing guide surfaces parallel to a plane passing through the axis of said hole of said ballast element, said receptacle being able to house said guide element.

18. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 17 wherein said at least one key 11 extends outside said inner housing 1310 of said drawer 13 so that it does not pass into said inner housing 1310 nor through a chain link 120 12 if and when housed therein.

19. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein said inner housing 1310 of said drawer 13 is shaped to retain said ballast element 10 on said link 120 housed in said inner housing 1310 of said drawer 13 by contact on the outer peripheral contour of said link 120.

20. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 19 in which said drawer 13 comprises at each end of said inner housing 1310 a shaped clearance 1312 to permit free rotation of the links 120 of said chain 12 secured to said link 120 housed in said inner housing 1310.

21. A method for attaching a ballast device according to any one of claims 1 to 20 to a chain 12, said method comprising at least: - a step of passing said chain through at least one hole in at least one ballast element; - a step of positioning at least two half-drawers 131, forming at least one drawer, around at least one link 120 of said chain 12 so as to accommodate said half-drawer. minus one link 120 in at least one internal housing 1310 formed by said at least two half-drawers 131; an insertion step of said at least one drawer 13 into said at least one hole 101 of said at least one ballast element 10, or vice versa; a step of securing said at least one drawer 13 said at least one ballast element 10.

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