System and method for closing and locking an unmanned underwater vehicle and torpedo clamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10407138-B2
Application number	US-201815888783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2018
Priority date	Feb 5, 2018
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

A system comprising a clamp assembly configured to capture an unmanned underwater vehicle, wherein the clamp assembly comprises a first arm, a second arm, and an extending rod assembly, wherein the first arm and second arm have a first end and a second end and are configured to form a hollow chamber when connected on both ends, wherein first arm and second arm are connected at the first end with the extending rod assembly, wherein the extending rod assembly comprises an extending rod that is configured to project downward when first arm and second arm are in an open position and is configured to retreat inside the extending rod assembly when the first arm and second arm are in a closed position, wherein a spring-loaded latch and a pin on the second end of the first arm and second arm are configured to automatically catch and lock upon closure.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system comprising:
a clamp assembly configured to capture an unmanned underwater vehicle, wherein the clamp assembly comprises a first arm, a second arm, and an extending rod assembly,
wherein the first arm and second arm have a first end and a second end and are configured to form a hollow chamber when connected on both ends;

wherein first arm and second arm are connected at the first end with the extending rod assembly;
wherein the extending rod assembly comprises an extending rod that is configured to project downward when first arm and second arm are in an open position and is configured to retreat inside the extending rod assembly when the first arm and second arm are in a closed position;
wherein a spring-loaded latch and a pin on the second end of the first arm and second arm are configured to automatically catch and lock upon closure, and
wherein a release lever is used to unlock the clamp assembly.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first arm and second arm are comprised of an exterior layer and an interior layer.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the exterior layer is a hard metal substance and the interior layer is a compliant-based material.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first arm and second arm are comprised of an exterior layer and an interior layer;
wherein the exterior layer is a hard metal substance and the interior layer is a compliant-based material, and
wherein a plurality of slider inserts are coupled with the interior layer.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the slider inserts are comprised of delrin plastic.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the extending rod assembly further comprises at least one hollow chamber.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one hollow chamber comprises a plastic slider that transverses from side to side and rotates back and forth.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the clamp assembly is configured to be mounted on a boat, and wherein the extending rod assembly is further configured to capture and lock a UUV inside its hollow chamber.

9. A method for capturing and locking an unmanned underwater vehicle comprising the steps of:
using a clamp assembly comprising an extending rod coupled to a first arm and a second arm, wherein the first arm and second arm are configured to open and close, and wherein the first arm and second arm form a hollow chamber upon closure;
configuring the extending rod to be lowered when first arm and second arm are open and retreated when first arm and second arm are closed;
when first arm and second arm are open, pushing an unmanned underwater vehicle against the extending rod, forcing the extending rod to retreat and resulting in closure of the first arm and second arm;
using a spring loaded latch coupled to the first arm and a pin coupled to the second arm to automatically lock the first arm and second arm upon closure, and
using a release lever coupled to the first arm to unlock the clamp assembly.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of using a spring-loaded pin coupled to the clamp assembly as an extra mechanism to lock the clamp assembly.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of attaching the clamp assembly to a boat.

12. A system comprising:
an unmanned underwater vehicle clamp assembly configured to automatically lock upon closing, wherein the clamp assembly comprises a first and second arm that form a hollow chamber into which an unmanned underwater vehicle can be locked, and wherein the unmanned underwater vehicle pushes against an extending rod coupled to the first and second arms forcing the first and second arm to close, and wherein a spring-loaded latch coupled to the first arm and a pin coupled to the second arm automatically catch and lock when first and second arms close;
wherein the first and second arm comprises an outer layer and an inner layer;
wherein the outer layer is a hard substance and the inner layer is a compliant-based substance;
wherein a lever coupled to the second arm is used to manually release and unlock the spring-loaded latch and pin.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the unmanned underwater vehicle clamp assembly is attached to a boat.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the underwater vehicle clamp assembly further comprises at least two chambers configured to aid in boat attachment.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein a plurality of slider inserts are coupled to the top of the compliant-based substance.

Assignees

• Us Navy

Inventors

• Hooper Ralph D
• Gilchrist Jeffrey T
• Chambers William A

Classifications

• B63G2008/002

  unmanned · CPC title

• B63B2027/165

  Deployment or recovery of underwater vehicles using lifts or hoists · CPC title

• B63B27/16 Primary

  of lifts or hoists {(pilot lifts B63B27/146)} · CPC title

• B63B2035/007

  autonomously operating · CPC title

• B63G3/02 Primary

  for torpedoes · CPC title