Abstract: A combined apparatus for handling modules and tools and laying of elongated flexible articles from a vessel supported on a body of water, including a vertical passage through the vessel and a frame structure supported above the vertical passage, guide means on said frame structure for guiding said elongated flexible articles from above and down through the frame structure and the vertical passage, tensioner means supported in said frame structure for applying tension in said elongated flexible article, means for storing of modules and/or tools on board said vessel, means for bodily moving said modules/tools from the storing means and towards said frame structure, means in said frame structure for allowing moving of said modules/tools into said frame structure to a position below said tensioner means and above said vertical passage, and means on said frame structure for supporting and lowering said modules/tools down through said vertical passage.

Abstract: A craft or boat of the type comprising two hulls and joined by a bridge deck is disclosed. Highly efficient hull design is defined by specific relationships along the waterline length, maximum bulge of each hull, the distance between the hulls at the location of the bulge, the distance from the bow to the location of minimum distance between the hulls and the immersed depth of each hull. Non-symmetrical hulls, about their respective longitudinal axis, are also disclosed.

Abstract: Coupling apparatus capable of joining first and second conduits in a nonaligned articulated relationship may comprise: a male member having a radially enlarged end portion thereon; a female member into which the male member may be inserted; a seal assembly for sealing between the male and female members; a gripping assembly carried by the female member and radially movable from a normally expanded position, in which the male member may be freely inserted and removed from the female member, to a contracted position gripping the enlarged end portion of the male member, preventing its removal and locking it in a fixed, articulated relationship with the female member; and a load ring carried by the female member and axially movable from a first position, allowing the gripping assembly to assume its normal expanded position, to a second position engaging and forcing the gripping assembly into its contracted position.

Abstract: Rapidly connectable and disconnectable pipe union, comprising a bush on which are fixed one or more pipes provided with a notched flange. It comprises, in addition, a union body on which are fixed one or more pipes. This body comprises an outer threading on which is screwed a nut provided with a toothed rim and a sliding sleeve, connected to the nut by a ring. This nut comprises a toothed rib which meshes behind the notched flange. One application of the present invention is the connection of underwater pipes with one another or onto underwater apparatus by divers or by remotely controlled devices.

Abstract: This invention relates to a union for assembling a smooth pipe end to a bush, composed of two half-unions fitted in each other and assembled by a nut fast with a toothed ring. Each half union comprises a jaw which cooperates with a sliding ring, which ring is displaced by means of a nut fast with a toothed gear. Said jaws comprise on their inner periphery truncated surfaces which cooperate with truncated surfaces carried by said sliding rings to disconnect the half-unions by manoeuvring said lock nuts.

Abstract: A circuit for detecting dial pulses at a receiving telephone transmitted from a sending telephone after the telephones are interconnected. Detecting circuits, including bandpass filters and summing and threshold circuits transmit a probable pulse signal. A probable pulse signal indicates that the signals on the telephone line have the characteristics present whenever the dialing mechanism at the sending telephone is actuated. A digital correlation circuit receives all the probable pulse signals and advances a counter which stores the number representing the dialed digit if a correlation exists.

Abstract: Apparatus for joining two conduits in an articulated relationship comprising: a male member attached to one of the conduits and having a radially enlarged portion thereon; a female member attached to the other of said conduits and into which the male member may be inserted; a gripping assembly carried by the female member and movable from a radially expanded position, in which the male member may be freely inserted and removed from the female member, to a radially contracted position gripping the enlarged portion of the male member, preventing its removal and locking it in a fixed articulated relationship with the female member; and an actuating assembly, carried by the female member, engageable with the gripping assembly and being operable by a force applied externally of the apparatus for moving the gripping assembly between its expanded and contracted positions.

Abstract: Apparatus for connecting a cylindrical first member to a second cooperating member comprising: a tubular housing adapted for connection to the second member and to coaxially receive a portion of the cylindrical first member; a gripping assembly carried by the housing and movable from a radially expanded position, in which the first member portion may be axially received in and displaced from the housing, to a radially contracted position gripping the exterior of the first member and preventing its axial displacement from the housing; and an actuating assembly carried by the housing, engageable with the gripping assembly and being operable by a force applied externally of the housing for moving the gripping assembly between its expanded and contracted positions, the actuating assembly being self-locking so that upon removal of the externally applied force the gripping assembly remains in its gripping contracted position.

Abstract: This invention relates to a self-propelled machine piloted by operators and working on the sea-bed, such machine comprising on the one hand a self-propelled chassis, comprising an electrically powered hydraulic pumping system driven by a submersible motor fed through a cable connecting the chassis to the surface and, on the other hand, a submarine which fixes itself on a platform connected to the self-propelled chassis, and in which submarine the operators are installed. The platform comprises ramps for precentering and centering the submarine. The submarine is fixed temporarily on the platform by electromagnets, and induction coils enable orders to be transmitted between the submarine and the self-propelled chassis.