US 12,280,455 B2
Tower for joining elements of underwater pipe for transporting fluids
Liborio Moceri, Lommoye (FR)
Assigned to SAIPEM S.A., Montigny Le Bretonneux (FR)
Filed by SAIPEM S.A., Montigny le Bretonneux (FR)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/525,195.
Application 18/525,195 is a division of application No. 17/310,251, previously published as PCT/FR2019/052679, filed on Nov. 12, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1900887 (FR), filed on Jan. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0091889 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
Int. Cl. B23K 37/053 (2006.01); B23K 37/0533 (2025.01); F16L 1/16 (2006.01); F16L 1/20 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 37/0533 (2013.01) [F16L 1/161 (2013.01); F16L 1/206 (2013.01); F16L 1/207 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tower for laying a subsea pipeline for transport of fluids, comprising:
a jointing device; and
two parallel fixed rails, forming a guide structure and mounting the jointing device to the tower;
wherein the jointing device includes:
a support structure capable of being connected to the guide structure and on which a pipeline section to be jointed to a pipeline element is intended to be mounted;
four plates each comprising a first element capable of cooperating with a first rail of the two parallel fixed rails and a second element fixed on the support structure, the first element and the second element of each plate being linked together by a first cylinder aligned along a first adjustment axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pipeline section and a second cylinder aligned along a second adjustment axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline section and to the first adjustment axis; and
a system for controlling the cylinders of the plates to achieve movements along the first and the second adjustment axis and capable of cooperating jointly with a set of cylinders for guiding in translation the support structure along the longitudinal axis of the pipeline section so as to allow jointing of the pipeline section and of the pipeline element.