Bruce L Albert

US Patent:

45711216, Feb 18, 1986

Filed:

Mar 1, 1984

Appl. No.:

6/585358

Inventors:

Bruce J. Albert - Kenner LA

International Classification:

E02B 300
E02D 3100

US Classification:

405 15

Abstract:

An underwater backfilling apparatus which can be used by undersea divers provides a sediment intake which is randomly movable by a diver over the ocean floor for removing sediment material from the seabed which is to be used in underwater backfilling. A handheld discharge dispenses the sediment material into a selected void space to be backfilled with the sediment which is removed by the intake from the seabed. A conduit connects the intake and the discharge with a bore so that sediment can be transmitted from the intake to the outlet. A fluid drive is positioned in the conduit between the inlet and the outlet for moving a mixture of sediment and seawater through the conduit. The fluid drive in the preferred embodiment includes a fluid conveying tubular member having an inlet and an outlet which are connectable to the conduit, a branch conduit line extending angularly from the tubular member and forming an acute angle at the point of intersection with the tubular member and a fluid pump which is connectable to the branch conduit line for injecting a moving fluid mass into the bore of the tubular member so that the moving fluid mass can produce flow through the conduit between the inlet and the outlet.