UNDERWATER LEVELLER

Abstract

 The underwater leveller comprises a front body (2) with hydraulic or mechanical means for pushing the gravel, and a rear body with a flat base (1) for levelling. It also has guide projections (15) and winches (6) for pulling the leveller. The leveller optionally comprises means for supplying gravel and/or cement so that the surface zones are compacted, preventing possible dragging and crumbling.

Description

[0001] The subject of this invention is an underwater leveller for doing levelling work on the seabed in ports or on the bases of docks in which prefabricated blocks, such as concrete blocks, have to be fitted, with specific stability.

BACKGROUND

[0002] In port infrastructure work dredging is done to give the inner part of the harbour sufficient depth for ships, often large vessels, to be able to manoeuvre there with no risk of grounding and with sufficient depth for the propellers to displace the water properly and thus enable the vessel to move.

[0003] In earlier times, in order to build docks or jetties piles were sunk in the zone where the work was to be done and formwork was set up on site by pouring in the corresponding concrete.

[0004] Nowadays prefabricated blocks are used, requiring a lower investment in infrastructures, but needing the base on which the blocks are located to be horizontal for proper positioning. It should be stated that said prefabricated blocks are up to several metres in size in some of their dimensions, which is why it is vital for the support base to be firm and horizontal for the final construction to meet the required quality conditions.

[0005] The support bases have to be of a certain height, and for this purpose a certain number of large-sized rocks are provided from the surface to get a first approximation to the required height. Then smaller-sized rocks and gravel are placed in position, also from the surface, to ensure a proper finish on which the blocks can be laid.

[0006] To ensure the horizontality of the seabed on which the prefabricated blocks have to rest, ships on which plates for pulling along the material are fitted are used. This system nevertheless has the problem of depending on the depth of the water and the waves. It also produces highly deficient bases as a result, which is why these are not satisfactory for fitting prefabricated items. The wind may also make the vessel list, which could also cause an angular variation of the surface.

[0007] For proper finishing and verification of horizontality this finishing operation is also done by divers, who pull a ruling rod along the length of the seabed in which the jetty is to be made. This involves certain problems. First of all, there is danger for the divers, who have to work at great depths; secondly the visibility in the work zones is practically nil, due to the movement of the sludge, which stirs up a large amount of suspended particles. Apart from this, the operators will have their operating time limited depending on the depth at which the work is done, meaning that the greater the depth, the shorter the operating time. This works out in a high cost even though the quality of the work is good.

[0008] Apart from this a concrete surfacing operation is often separately carried out, so that the natural currents or the ones caused by ships' propellers do not entrain the gravel and make this collapse. As a substitute for the previous task, prefabricated slabs can be applied to the bases of the docks, so that less material is carried off.

STATE OF THE ART

[0009] Different levelling procedures are known, such as concrete levelling, always on the surface, but the author has not heard of any device able to carry out said function on the sea bed.

[0010] ES 2038953 refers to a finishing device for a system for levelling concrete which includes a flat lower plate with a finishing edge, with one finishing portion and one for securing.

[0011] EP 1256657 covers a machine for levelling materials on the ground, which comprises a levelling head and a carrier structure, which enables orientation and extension adjustment from a pulling machine.

[0012] None of these previous devices solves the problem of levelling on the sea bottom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] This invention consists of an underwater leveller for levelling streets (the longitudinal surface which has to be levelled) on which prefabricated blocks will be placed for building docks or similar, comprising a smooth base platform and preferably guide projections for proper steering. This is pulled along by a pair of capstans, winches or similar pulling devices; the ends of the cables being secured at the end of the street to be levelled and fixed on properly positioned mooring posts. The forward zone consists of a broadened section fitted with mechanical or hydraulic means for pushing and moving about any gravel exceeding the required height. The leveller optionally includes means for supplying cement so as to compact the surface zones preventing any possible entrainment and collapse.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] In order to illustrate the following explanation, eight sheets of drawings are adjoined to this descriptive report, in which eleven figures represent the essence of this invention, and in which:

Figure 1

shows a plan view of a first embodiment of the underwater leveller according to the invention, in which the device for pushing the gravel consists of hydraulic media;

Figure 2

shows a front view of the leveller of Figure 1;

Figure 3

shows a plan view of a second embodiment of the underwater leveller according to the invention, in which the device for pushing the gravel is made up of a pushing roller with transversal blades, moving in the opposite direction to its forward motion;

Figure 4

shows a front view of the leveller of Figure 3;

Figure 5

shows a plan view of a third embodiment of the underwater leveller according to the invention, in which the device for pushing the gravel is made up of a pushing roller with spiral blades, moving in the opposite direction to the leveller's forward motion;

Figure 6

shows a front view of the leveller of Figure 5;

Figure 7

shows a view from above of the underwater leveller of the invention in the operating phase, in which the rear part is levelled and the front part is not levelled yet;

Figure 8

shows a perspective view of the underwater leveller of the invention according to the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 9

shows a side view of the underwater leveller according to the invention as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 8.

Figure 10

shows a schematic side view of the underwater leveller according to the invention in the operating stage, in which one can appreciate a vessel cooperating with this leveller for supplying electric or hydraulic energy or supplying cement;

Figure 11

shows a detail of one of the zones for coupling the rear part forming a platform of the underwater leveller according to the invention, with the front part carrying the levelling means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The invention is an underwater leveller basically consisting of a rear body 1 with a flat base 3 joined together with a front body 2, which is provided with a system for discharging or thrusting 10,11,13,16,18 and pulling gravel 27 which is unevenly spread out on the surface of the street to be levelled, after previously being dropped from the surface by means of a vessel. The flat base 3 consists of a plate or platform. This plate or platform will normally be held by longitudinal beams 5 and transversal beams 34 placed on the top of this plate, which will provide the body of the leveller with the structural strength required to fulfil its function. The front body 2 will preferably be partly located on the platform 1, higher than this, and projecting to the front. The upper surface of the base 3 defining the base of the leveller comprises an anchorage for at least one and preferably two capstans or winches, to form means for pulling the leveller along. When a forward movement has to be made, the signal required will be given from the control vessel 29 which is on the surface over the leveller for the motors working the winches 6 set at the base 3 to move and wind in a certain length of cable 22 at a particular speed. Since the ends of the cables 22 are anchored to mooring posts 23 appropriately placed beyond the end of the street (lane or longitudinal surface) to be levelled, this will cause the forward movement as required. As the leveller moves forward, its front body 2 will arrange any gravel 27 which is unevenly spread out into a more regular position, and thus enable the leveller to move forward, the lower surface of this leveller causing accurate levelling. The cable 22 is preferably guided by certain guides, normally arranged on each side of the leveller, while there may also be guiding systems in the central part. When the term cable 22 is used, this refers to the pulling cables operating on the leveller.

[0016] To determine the height of the lane large blocks of stone 25 are set directly on the sea bed to approximately the required height, with medium-sized stones 26 being used to fill in the gaps and carry out a second approximation to said height, finally depositing gravel 27 on its surface to allow movement and adjustment of this in order to end up with a properly levelled gravel surface 20.

[0017] In order for the body of the leveller to have the weight required, the incorporation of ballast 24 in a zone envisaged for this on its surface has been designed. The ballast 24 will normally be secured, and prevent any oscillations due to some medium-sized stone 26 slightly emerging from the levelling surface, tending to embed this between the large stone blocks 25 or to break this.

[0018] Due to the large size of the leveller, which in an envisaged embodiment will be several metres wide by over ten metres long with the corresponding great weight, it has been designed for the leveller to be foldable and/or made in detachable sections for when it has to be transported or when maintenance operations have to be performed on this. For this purpose it has been envisaged for the front body 2 to be removable from the platform 1 in a coupling zone 7. For this purpose a transversal cut in the beams securing the surface has been made, by locating a plate 32, 33 on each side joined to the corresponding beams provided with holes to be joined together by means of screws. A removable or hinged part 4 has also been designed in the central part of the rear body 1 for dismantling or folding, the base 3 in this case being correspondingly divided, as well as means for securing said platform in the unfolded position.

[0019] The front body may have different widths, for which reason it must be exchangeable. Said front body may include support runners on its sides and/or central zones for proper stabilising. These runners may optionally be height-adjustable to correct any angular deviations in the surface to be levelled. Fixed or variable-angle blades may also be set on the sides and/or on the centre of the front part, to gather or expel gravel depending on the excess or shortage of this in the levelling zone.

[0020] Though not shown, one or more nozzles for issuing cement are intended to be included in the rear body 2 of the leveller which, as the leveller goes by, will produce a small layer of amalgamated gravel held by this cement, preventing its collapse when for example high-powered vessels go over this. It is also possible to have the supply of concrete made from the front body 2, which would mean that - given that the movement of gravel in said zone is greater - a similarly greater height of paving is achieved and thus one of greater strength than the previous one. Therefore, according to the requirements of the work, cement can be issued from the front or the central part of the leveller, in the first case with a greater supply of cement and in the second at a lower cost, though with less strength. There may optionally also be a localised gravel supply, preferably at the front, as this is required by the conditions of the floor to be levelled.

[0021] The lower part of the platform consists of at least one longitudinal guide 15 which emerges a few centimetres under the platform, with a view to ensuring that a rectilinear alignment in respect of the movement direction is kept.

[0022] The front end of the platform has an oblique or bevelled shape 36, to prevent it from becoming stuck and thus being able to get over any small obstacle which may be found along the travel.

[0023] As regards the front part, different forms of embodiment for pulling along the gravel will be explained. According, to a first embodiment, represented in Figures 1, 2, and 7 to 10, there are means for pushing the gravel by discharging water at the right speed to make any piles of gravel higher than necessary collapse; according to a second one, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the pulling is done by mechanical means by means of a roller with front blades set at the front of the levelling machine; in a third embodiment, the pulling will be done by means of oblique blades; according to a fourth embodiment, the gravel will be displaced by means of a to and fro device; according to a fifth embodiment, the gravel displacement will be done by means of oblique fixed blades. The front body 2 is preferably wider than the rear body 1, and the broadened part is reinforced by means of brackets 8 which define an upper surface on which parts of the leveller may be located, such as discharge pumps (9).

First form of embodiment of the front part

[0024] According to a first form of embodiment of the front body 2 of the leveller, water impellers activated by means of a discharge pump 9 are placed between the two longitudinal beams forming the sides of said front part. These impellers are preferably individually adjustable at different heights, and the one 11 furthest from the platform 1 will have to be the highest, the closest one 10 being at approximately the levelling height. Through the thrust of the water at the proper speed and flow level, the gravel is pushed forwards so that the gaps can be filled in with the surplus gravel from the piles. Water discharge pumps 9 will preferably be located on the brackets 8, connected with the discharge nozzles by means of the corresponding connections 14. At the front there is a large flow discharge pump 13 which will push down any large piles of gravel that the leveller might come up against, this pump preferably being angle-positionable and/or moveable on its support beam 12. The existence of any uneven spread of the gravel 27 can be determined by means of cameras, sonar or other devices provided on the leveller or on the support vessel for this.

Second form of embodiment of the front part

[0025] According to a second embodiment, the leveller will include a blade roller 16 at the front which will rotate in the opposite direction to the forward movement. When the leveller moves forward, any gravel that it comes up against emerging from the levelling surface will be pushed along forwards, filling in any gaps. A front beam 12 will help to force down any large piles of gravel that the leveller encounters. The roller is powered by a hydraulic motor or gear motor 17, and is provided with the corresponding hydraulic power line 19 from the support vessel.

Third form of embodiment of the front part

[0026] According to a third embodiment there is also a blade roller, in this case with oblique blades 18. Although this system may prove more satisfactory than the one previously described when there is a large surplus of gravel, through removing any surplus sideward, it is nevertheless true that when there is no such surplus of the gravel, it will be preferable to use a transversal blade roller.

Fourth form of embodiment of the front part

[0027] According to a fourth form of embodiment, at least one pair of hydraulic arms holding a shovel or scraper will be set at the front. This scraper will perform a to and fro movement in respect of the whole leveller, so that when the movement is extending it will sweep the zone through which the platform is to advance and during the platform's advance the retraction will take place, meaning that the forward movement of the leveller can take place even with no movement of the front scraper in respect of the ground. The scraper can have a wedge shape so as to push the gravel forwards and sideways. Since the scraper can be articulated at the end of the arms and each arm can be individually operated, its skew or inclination to one side or the other can be determined depending on the gravel to be removed, by a greater extension of one arm or the other, enabling the scraper movement to be frontal, oblique, or of variable inclination depending on the forward progress.

Fifth form of embodiment

[0028] A fifth form of embodiment consists in providing the front part with a fixed scraper oblique to one side or in a wedge shape (oblique on both sides) so that when the leveller reaches a pile of gravel it will tend to separate the excess gravel from the front part towards the lateral zones. One option is to provide the front scraper with variable inclination, as in the previous embodiment, but with a fixed central part.

[0029] In any of the previous cases, there needs to be the support of a vessel 29 which will include the means for generating electrical energy 30, hydraulic energy 31 or pneumatic energy, which is transferred to the leveller by supply lines 28 and 19 respectively.

[0030] The gravel can optionally be channelled and deposited at the front of the leveller, to later be levelled by this.

[0031] The existence of any uneven spread of the gravel 27 can be determined by means of cameras, sonar or other devices provided on the leveller or on the vessel for support for this.

[0032] The leveller has been designed to have floats which can be filled with water or air for its immersion or emersion; the floats will be fully or partly filled with water when the machine has to be started up, and be filled with air when the operation is over and it needs to be removed for transport.

[0033] Although the invention is entitled 'underwater leveller' through this being the preferential application, it should be understood to be applicable to any underwater medium, such as rivers or lakes.

[0034] This is for application in technology for levelling underwater slopes.

Claims

1. An underwater leveller, for levelling bases for building docks, the foundation being formed of large stones (25), medium-sized stones (26) on top of these, and a surface layer of gravel, characterised by comprising two bodies, a rear body consisting of a platform (1) with a flat base (3), and a front body (2), with no base, said front body (2) having means for impelling or thrusting (10,11,13,16,18) and pulling along any gravel (27) spread out unevenly on the surface to be levelled.

2. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the front body (2) is partly located on the platform (1), higher than this, and emerging towards the front.

3. An underwater leveller, according to either of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the front body (2) and the platform (1) are joined by means of a coupling zone (7), and are able to be separated from each other when the leveller is not operative.

4. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the platform (1) comprises means for separation or folding by means of a hinging system (4) which divides said platform, as well as means for securing the platform in its unfolded position.

5. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the structure forming the platform (1) is formed of a set of longitudinal (5) and transversal beams (34) as well as at least one flat plate located under these.

6. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the platform (1) has at least one winch (6) and preferably two of these placed on it. The winch or winches form the means for pulling the leveller along by pulling the relevant cables (22), the ends of said cables (22) being secured on two mooring posts (23) located at the end of the zone to be levelled.

7. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the surface of the platform (1) of the leveller includes a zone for including ballast (24).

8. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that it also comprises localised means of supplying gravel and/or cement or concrete, on the front, central and/or rear zones.

9. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised by comprising at least one longitudinal guide (15) at the bottom of the platform, emerging a few centimetres under the platform to guarantee maintenance of the movement direction.

10. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the front end of the platform (1) has an oblique or bevelled shape (36).

11. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the front body (2) is wider than the platform (1), this wider zone being reinforced by means of brackets (8), which in turn define a surface for supporting different items, such as pumps.

12. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the front body (2) comprises lateral arms which incorporate means for impelling water, consisting of a set of discharge nozzles supplied by at least one discharge pump (9).

13. An underwater leveller, according to claim 12, characterised in that the discharge nozzles are set on supports (10, 11) each of which are individually height-adjustable.

14. An underwater leveller, according to claim 12, characterised by also comprising a front discharge pump with a large flow of water (13), angle-positionable and/or laterally moveable.

15. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the front body (2) comprises at least one roller (16) with transversal blades for pushing the gravel, whose rotation is inverse to the platform movement.

16. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the front body (2) comprises at least one roller with oblique blades (18) which, through turning in the opposite direction to the leveller movement, will tend to move the gravel to the sides.

17. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the front body (2) comprises at least one front scraper, held to said front part by means of at least one hydraulic arm and which performs a to and fro movement in respect of the leveller body, either associated with its forward movement or not.

18. An underwater leveller, according to claim 17, characterised in that the front body is held and articulated to two hydraulic arms which are individually operated, enabling the movement of said arm to be forwards, oblique or progressive.

19. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that the front body (2) comprises a fixed front, wedge-shaped scraper.

20. An underwater leveller, according to claim 1, characterised in that this comprises floats able to be filled with water or air for its immersion or emersion.

21. An underwater leveller, according to claim 6, characterised in that the cables (22) are preferably guided by guides, normally set on each side of the leveller, guiding means also being able to be installed on the central part.

Drawing