Underwater vehicle recovery system
US5447115A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 30, 1994 |
| Grant date | Sep 5, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 30, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB63G8/32
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An unmanned underwater vehicle recovery device being joinable with the brh of an existing torpedo tube. The recovery device comprises a plurality of concentric tubes which telescope through the torpedo tube to the exterior of the hull of a submarine to provide a mechanism for aligning the recovered unmanned underwater vehicle with the torpedo tube launchway. A recovery vehicle is held within the recovery device by a deployable tether. During recovery the recovery vehicle is launched from the recovery device in the torpedo tube of the submarine. The recovery vehicle travels out and mates with a coupling at the rear of the unmanned underwater vehicle. The tether is retracted and joined recovery vehicle/unmanned underwater vehicle is pulled into the torpedo tube launchway. The concentric tubes are retracted and the unmanned underwater vehicle is left in the torpedo tube.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.