Hose clamp

(74) Agent

Siv.ing, Gunnar 0. Reistad, Bryns Patentkontor A / S, Oslo.

(30) Priority requested

19.05.82, US No. 379606.

(54) Designation of the invention

DEVICE FOR REPRESENTING A VERTICAL CONTINUOUS CONTROL CONTROL.

(57) Summary

A hose clamp (40) for supporting a vertically extending control wire (22) from a vertical carrier, for example a wire (18), is formed as a circular body with semicircular halves (42, 46) pivotally connected (48) to each other on the one hand and on the other side have cooperative locking means (56, 60). Inside the circular body there are several projections which are directed inward and are placed in vertically spaced circular rows. The projections (66) are offset from row to row relative to each other in the circumferential direction. The hose has matching recesses (70) on its outside. These recesses can advantageously be provided by placing a heated clamping mold around the conduit, the heated projections on the clamping mold then melting the recesses on the outer casing of the conduit. For connection with the carrier, for example a wire (18), the body may include three J-shaped hooks (92, 94, 96) pivotable about the pivot axis of the halves (48). Two of the hooks (92, 96) are attached to one half (46), while the third hook (94) is attached to the other half (43) and

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facing in a direction opposite to the hook direction of the first two hooks.

British (GB) Patent No. 797888, US (US) Patent No. 1725119, 4059872.

(56) Cited publications

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a device for supporting a vertically extending control sheath with plastic sheath from a vertical carrier, including a clamp consisting of two semicircular halves with pivot connection on one side and cooperating locking means on the other side, so that the clamp can be closed around the control line. means by which it can be attached to the vertical carrier.

Within the offshore activity, when drilling and controlling subsea well equipment, a control line is often used which can be an electrical control line, but which is usually a hydraulic control hose, extending down from above the water surface to the underwater equipment, often several hundred meters below the water surface. The vertical gradient control line is supported at vertically spaced locations from a vertically extending carrier.

A problem in this regard is the secure support of the control hose from the vertical support. It is essential that a hose clamp is well attached to both the carrier and the control hose. The hose clamp must not slide on one or the other element. Also, there is a problem that the control line, when it is a hydraulic control line, consists of a bundle of hoses containing several pilot control lines and a larger power supply hose inside a plastic jacket. If the hose clamp grips too tightly around the control hose, the clamp could cause a hose to clamp in the bundle and prevent it from functioning as intended. If, on another side, the hose clamp grips too loosely around the control hose, the hose will be able to slide into the clamp and it will be possible to wear the outer hose of the hose bundle. Previously known hose clamps have not taken into account that the outer sheath of the control line is at least a part of the problems and no attempt has been made to utilize the outer sheath to obtain a satisfactory solution. The outer jacket is relatively smooth and provides very little frictional resistance in both wet and dry conditions.

The present invention relates to a device which can be fastened very quickly to a hose and a vertical carrier will grip well around both the hose and the carrier cable without slipping, while at the same time preventing it from damaging the control line.

According to the invention, there is therefore provided a device as claimed in the claim.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of equipment for drilling in the sea, including control lines for controlling an exhaust barrier; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hose clamp which supports a control wire relative to a wire; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a section of a control line, with recesses on the outside; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an apparatus used for forming the recesses on the outside of the control line; and FIG. 5 shows an enlarged section of a control hose, showing the recesses on the outer surface.

The device according to the invention can be used for supporting a vertically extending control line from a vertical carrier, the control line being an electrical or hydraulic line. The conduit may extend from a location above the water surface and down to equipment underwater, for various control purposes, but the invention will be described in connection with a hydraulic hose bundle used for controlling an exhaust barrier located on the seabed.

In FIG. 1 is a hydraulically driven subsea blowout preventer designated by 10. It includes two separate control devices 12 and 14 for controlling various types of blowout barriers. The devices 12 and 14 can be picked up and lowered and picked up from a drilling platform 16 by means of the shown wires 18 and 20. A control line or control hose bundle 22 and 24 is associated with the respective control devices 12 and 14, for supplying hydraulic power fluid and hydraulic control fluid to the devices, for actuating the blowout barrier 10. The blowout barrier 10 may be several hundred meters below the water surface 26. It is therefore necessary to supporting the control hoses 22 and 24, both with respect to weight relief and also with respect to wave forces and horizontal forces acting horizontally. The control hose or hoses 22 and 24 are therefore connected to the wires 18 and 20 by means of hose clamps. In some cases, the control hose is otherwise connected to and supported by a vertically extending riser 41. The previously known hose clamps have not been properly secured to both the wires 18, 20 and control hoses 22, 24, and have tended to slip on either the wire or the hose. This sliding problem cannot be solved by stronger grips around the control lines 22 and 24. The reason for this is that the lines 22 and 24 consist of a bundle of hoses including several pilot control hoses 30 (Fig. 3) and a power supply hose 32, the hoses are placed together within a plastic sheath 34. If the hose clamp grips too tightly around the hose bundles 22, 24, then one of the hoses 30 and 32 inside the bundle can be clamped so that the desired operating effect of the blowout barrier 10 is no longer obtained. Furthermore, the plastic jacket 34 is relatively smooth, both in wet and dry condition, and if the hose clamp is too loose around the conduits 22, 24, the conduits may slip relative to the hose clamp, with associated wear of the plastic sheath 34.

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According to the invention there is provided a hose clamp 40 which connects the hoses 22, 24 with the wires 18 and 20 or with the riser 41, and repels the hoses in relation to these carriers. The hose clamps 40 are usually located at suitable vertical distances, for example 10 m distances, calculated along the hoses and wires. In FIG. 2, a hose clamp 40 is shown. The hose clamp grips a hose bundle 22 which includes hydraulic control hoses. Furthermore, the clamp also grips a wire 18. The hose clamp 40 consists of a circular body 42 with semicircular portions 44, 46. These portions are pivotally connected to each other by a pivot pin 48. The halves 44, 46 have cooperating locking means, in this case consisting of a pivotally supported threaded bolt 56 on one half 42 , and a cooperating nut 60. When the nut 60 is tightened on the bolt 56 and goes against the shown stoppers 64 on the half 46, the halves will be pulled towards each other and the body 42 is thereby tightened around the hose bundle 22.

On the inside of the circular body 42, there are several projections 66. Advantageously, the projections are placed in circular rows, each such circular row lying in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body 42. Thus, each such circle of curved projections is also perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the control tube 22.

The control hose 22 is provided with recesses 70 in its outer jacket 34. These recesses are placed in a pattern similar to the projection pattern, so that when the hose clamp 40 is placed around the hoses 22, the projections will enter the recesses. Between each row of projections 66 there are projections-free sections 72 so as not to weaken the outer casing 34 of the control hose 22 too strongly. It should also be noted that in the adjacent rows of projections 66 the projections are offset relative to each other in the circumferential direction. In other words, the protrusions 66 in one row align vertically with the protrusion-free portions 72 in the next row.

The selected projection pattern therefore provides a secure support for the control hose 22, while the recesses 70 are positioned so that the outer casing 34 of the control hose 22 is not undesirably weakened.

Advantageously, the recesses 70 on the control hose 22 are formed by placing a heated hose clamp shape around the hose. This clamping form has heated projections which correspond to the projections on the clamp 49, and these heated projections will melt recesses 70 in the plastic sheath 34. In FIG. 4, such a mold clip 40a is shown. Its projection is designated 66a. These projections are located in the same pattern as the projections 66 on the hose clamp 40. The clamping mold 40a includes a heat coil 80 embedded in the halves 42a, 46a and may be connected to an electrical power source through a conduit 82. As the clamping mold 40a is laid around the tubing 22 and heated, the projections 66a form the desired recesses 70 on the outside of the tubing 22. The recesses 70 can be made at the hose manufacturer, or in the field, in both cases by means of the portable and heatable clamping mold 40a.

The depth of the recess 70, see FIG. 5, is selected so that the gripping effect between hose and clamp is sufficiently reinforced while ensuring that the recesses do not become so deep as to destroy the integrity of the hose 22. As an example of the recess depth, a depth of 1.5 mm can be mentioned. Of course, other pattern types for the protrusions than shown can be used, as long as a desirable gripping and holding effect is achieved without undesired weakening of the control tube 22.

In FIG. 2, coupling means 90 are shown which are used to attach the body 42 to a wire 18. The coupling means in this case consist of three J-shaped hooks 92, 94 and 96. These are pivotable about the pivot pin 48. Two of the hooks, here 92 and 96 , is associated with one half 46 of the circular

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body, and facing in the same direction. The third hook 94 is attached to the second half 44 and faces in a direction opposite to that of the two hooks 92 and 96. As shown, the third hook 94 lies between the two hooks 92 and 96.

As the halves 44, 46 are pivoted about the pivot pin 48, the hook 94 will be pulled in the direction from the hook 92 and 96. The wire is inserted between the hooks as the halves 44, 46 are placed around the control hose. When the half 44, 46 is closed around the hose and locked by the nut 60, at the same time the wire 18 will lock between the hooks 92, 94, 96, under which the hooks make a small crack on the wire 18 as shown, so that a proper locking is achieved. with the wire. Of course, other suitable coupling means can also be used between the body 42 and the wire, and when the body 42 is to be connected to the riser 41, it can of course also be used for suitable means.