A trencher with a depth indicator enables determination in real time of the depth of a trench being dug. The trencher comprises: an arm about which digging implements are moveable; a foot operably connected to the arm and being in contact with the ground when the trencher is in use excavating a trench, the foot comprising a ground contacting region; an inclinometer or orientation sensor operably connected to the arm to measure or determine an angle of inclination of the arm; a calculating element operably connected to the arm for calculating a depth of an end of the arm by using a determined angle of inclination of the arm; and an indicating element operably connected to the arm for indicating either a depth of the arm or a depth of the trench being excavated, or indicating whether the depth of the arm or the depth of the trench being excavated has deviated from a desired depth.

A ditch digging and cleaning apparatus comprising a housing adapted for being moved along a longitudinal axis of the ditch. The housing has an inlet opening at a bottom front portion thereof for transmitting therethrough debris disposed in the ditch and an outlet opening at an upper portion thereof. An impeller is disposed in the housing and rotatably movable mounted thereto. The impeller receives the debris from the inlet opening and propels the same through the outlet opening. A drive is connected to the impeller for driving the same, the drive has a power of at least 30 hp.

A ditch digging and cleaning apparatus comprising a housing adapted for being moved along a longitudinal axis of the ditch. The housing has an inlet opening at a bottom front portion thereof for transmitting therethrough debris disposed in the ditch and an outlet opening at an upper portion thereof. An impeller is disposed in the housing and rotatably movable mounted thereto. The impeller receives the debris from the inlet opening and propels the same through the outlet opening. A drive is connected to the impeller for driving the same, the drive has a power of at least 30 hp.

A plough for inserting a cable into a trench in the seabed is disclosed. The plough comprises a plough share for forming a trench in the seabed and a drawbar for enabling attachment of tensile members to the plough. The drawbar is moveable relative to the plough share between a first position, in which the plough is adapted to be towed by a towing cable to move the plough share relative to the seabed to form a trench, and a second position, in which the plough is adapted to be supported by the towing cable to enable the plough apparatus to be deployed to the seabed. A cable path receives the cable and an attachment part of the drawbar is moveable relative to the plough share between the second position and a third position, to enable the cable to be received in the cable path from above the plough.

A plough for inserting a cable into a trench in the seabed is disclosed. The plough comprises a plough share for forming a trench in the seabed and a drawbar for enabling attachment of tensile members to the plough. The drawbar is moveable relative to the plough share between a first position, in which the plough is adapted to be towed by a towing cable to move the plough share relative to the seabed to form a trench, and a second position, in which the plough is adapted to be supported by the towing cable to enable the plough apparatus to be deployed to the seabed. A cable path receives the cable and an attachment part of the drawbar is moveable relative to the plough share between the second position and a third position, to enable the cable to be received in the cable path from above the plough.

A ditch forming apparatus having: a frame; a primary ditch forming assembly having: a) a first subassembly for penetrating and separating subjacent ground material; and b) a second subassembly for directing separated ground material away from a ditch being formed; and a ground treatment assembly to facilitate delivery of ground material to the second subassembly and having a ground engaging component that is turned around a first axis. At least one of: a) a vertical height of the first axis relative to the frame; b) a variable vertical force generated between the at least one ground engaging component and frame; c) a fore and aft position of the first axis relative to the frame; d) a speed of turning of the at least one ground engaging component around the first axis; and e) a direction of turning of the at least one ground engaging component around the first axis, can be changed.

A device for providing an elongated element in a seabed is disclosed. The device comprises a main body having trench forming means for forming a trench in a seabed, and a receiving section for receiving an elongated element. The main body is adapted to guide said elongated element, from said receiving section, into a trench formed by said trench forming means. The device further includes supporting means defining a contact surface for supporting said main body with respect to said seabed, wherein the receiving section is configured to receive the elongated element from a side substantially opposite to the contact surface along a loading path. The device further includes a drawbar connected to said main body. The drawbar is movable from a loading position to a towing position. In the towing position said device is towable in a trenching direction via a towing line connected to said drawbar. In the loading position the drawbar is spaced apart from the loading path to allow the elongated element to be loaded into the receiving section along the loading path.

A device for providing an elongated element in a seabed is disclosed. The device comprises a main body having trench forming means for forming a trench in a seabed, and a receiving section for receiving an elongated element. The main body is adapted to guide said elongated element, from said receiving section, into a trench formed by said trench forming means. The device further includes supporting means defining a contact surface for supporting said main body with respect to said seabed, wherein the receiving section is configured to receive the elongated element from a side substantially opposite to the contact surface along a loading path. The device further includes a drawbar connected to said main body. The drawbar is movable from a loading position to a towing position. In the towing position said device is towable in a trenching direction via a towing line connected to said drawbar. In the loading position the drawbar is spaced apart from the loading path to allow the elongated element to be loaded into the receiving section along the loading path.

Disclosed is a full-hydraulic automatic diaphragm wall cutting-grooving machine, which includes a supporting frame, a cutting device, a cutting driving device and a verticality detection device. The verticality detection device is used to detect the verticality and flatness of the diaphragm wall during the cutting process, the cutting device is used to drive the supporting frame and an equipment arranged on the supporting frame to move and cut, the cutting driving device is used to drive and adjust the cutting device in different directions. The verticality detection device is used to realize the automatic measurement of the verticality of the wall and the bottom surface and the flatness of the wall during the cutting process.

The present invention is aimed to reduce power consumption of a measuring apparatus. A measuring apparatus according to the present invention is to be disposed in an excavation section of an underground excavator. The measuring apparatus according to the present invention includes a first measurement module, a second measurement module, and an information processor. The first measurement module includes a triaxial first accelerometer and a triaxial first magnetometer for performing highly-accurate measurement. The second measurement module includes a triaxial second accelerometer and a triaxial second magnetometer for performing measurement during excavation. The information processor controls the first measurement module and the second measurement module and obtains a position and an attitude of the excavation section based on output data of the first measurement module or the second measurement module. Further, the second accelerometer and the second magnetometer are MEMS sensors.