US 12,139,882 B2
Apparatus and method for underwater dredging
Cameron Edward Anderson, Banff (GB)
Assigned to Subsea Tooling Services UK Ltd., Aberdeenshire (GB)
Filed by Subsea Tooling Services UK Ltd, Aberdeenshire (GB)
Filed on Feb. 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/110,653.
Claims priority of application No. 2202074 (GB), filed on Feb. 16, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0279636 A1, Sep. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. E02F 3/92 (2006.01); E02F 3/88 (2006.01)
CPC E02F 3/8866 (2013.01) [E02F 3/925 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for underwater dredging comprising:
a pipe; and
a dredging head;
wherein the pipe comprises a first aperture and a second aperture each disposed at opposing ends of the pipe, and the pipe further comprises a sidewall, at least one first sidewall aperture and at least one second sidewall aperture;
wherein the dredging head is circumferentially arranged on the sidewall of the pipe and comprises at least one input, at least one output and a plenum chamber;
wherein the at least one output is in fluid communication with the at least one first sidewall aperture; and
further comprising a first obstruction mechanism configured to selectively deter reverse fluid flow into the dredging head,
wherein the first obstruction mechanism is configured to be selectively transformable between:—
i) a first, obstructing, configuration in which at least reverse fluid flow through the dredging head is deterred; and
ii) a second, open, configuration in which fluid flow through the dredging head is permitted; and
further comprising at least one thruster tube,
wherein the at least one thruster tube comprises a first thruster aperture, and a second thruster aperture, and further comprises a thruster disposed between the first thruster aperture and the second thruster aperture, wherein the at least one thruster tube is in fluid communication with the at least one second sidewall aperture.