US 12,662,040 B2Granted

Rail-based launch and recovery system and kit for large unmanned undersea vehicles and methods of use

AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy

InventorsDaniel A. Sura, Michael R. Koppi, Jr., Colin J. Fera, Gary L. Davis

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Abstract

The invention disclosed herein include system, kit and method embodiments for transportation, launch and recovery of large watercraft, particularly large unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). Features of the system and kit embodiments may include, but are not limited to guide rails with guide wheels mounted to the open end of a marine trailer that may be fixed or rotating between an open V-shaped position for guiding the watercraft during launch and recovery and a closed parallel position when loaded and during transportation, mounting adapter assemblies that allow the guide rails to tilt vertically to compensate for boat ramp gradient and cable guide posts for maintaining the tow cable within the open end of the trailer during launch and recovery.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A system for transportation, launch and recovery of watercraft, the system including a trailer having an open end, a towing end opposite the open end, a right longitudinal beam, a left longitudinal beam, wherein the beams extend between the ends, the beams spaced apart from and parallel to one another thereby forming a cradle between the beams configured to carry the watercraft, the system further comprising:

laterally and vertically adjustable support structures extending perpendicularly between and underneath the beams to form a bottom of the cradle, wherein each of the laterally and vertically adjustable support structures further comprise:
two hollow horizontal members each having a cradle end, a beam end and a square cross-section, one of the two horizontal members is dimensioned to slide within the other at respective cradle ends to accommodate selective lateral spacing between the beams, each horizontal member further having a horizontal connector at the beam end;
and
two vertical members, each configured to slide vertically within accessory holes disposed within the beams, a vertical connector at a vertical bottom end for selectively mating with a respective horizontal connector and a plurality of evenly spaced through holes along a length of the vertical member configured to receive a cotter pin to selectively adjust the cradle vertical distance from the beams;
a winch located between the open and the towing ends and configured to selectively reel a tow cable connected between the winch and the watercraft;
right and left guide rails symmetrically mounted on respective beams at the open end configured to guide the watercraft into and out of the cradle when submerged in water, the guide rails capable of orientation in an open V-shaped position when viewed from above;
and
the guide rails each further comprising perpendicularly extending cable guide posts configured to maintain the tow cable between the rails.

5 more elements

A kit configured for converting a large watercraft trailer for use in transportation, launch and recovery of a large unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) the trailer having an open end, a towing end opposite the open end, a right longitudinal beam, a left longitudinal beam, wherein the beams extend between the ends and are configured with accessory holes, the beams spaced apart from and parallel to one another thereby forming a cradle between the beams configured to carry the UUV, the kit comprising:

laterally and vertically adjustable support structures extending perpendicularly between and underneath the beams and mounted to the accessory holes and forming a bottom of the cradle, wherein each of the laterally and vertically adjustable support structures further comprise:
two hollow horizontal members each having a cradle end, a beam end and a square cross-section, one of the two horizontal members is dimensioned to slide within the other at respective cradle ends to accommodate selective lateral spacing between the beams, each horizontal member further having a horizontal connector at the beam end;
and
two vertical members, each configured to slide vertically within accessory holes disposed within the beams, a vertical connector at a vertical bottom end for selectively mating with a respective horizontal connector and a plurality of evenly spaced through holes along a length of the vertical member configured to receive a cotter pin to selectively adjust the cradle vertical distance from the beams;
a winch with a tow cable located between the open and the towing ends and configured to selectively reel the tow cable connected between the winch and the UUV;
left and right guide rails symmetrically mounted on respective beams at the open end configured to guide the UUV into and out of the cradle when submerged in water, the guide rails capable of orientation in an open V-shaped position when viewed from above;
and
the guide rails each further comprising perpendicularly extending cable guide posts configured to maintain the tow cable within the open end of the trailer.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.