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US 2006/0075949 A1Published application
Reconfigurable attack and reconnaissance vessel I
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorGeorge Root
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reconfigurable marine vessel is disclosed. The marine vessel includes an upper hull, two propulsion hulls, and two struts for coupling the propulsion hulls to the upper hull. The struts are segmented and are capable of reconfiguring the marine vessel. In one configuration, the vessel can be folded for launch and recovery. In a second configuration, the struts can be extended downwardly for cruising and surveillance. In a third configuration, the struts can be extended laterally from the upper hull to provide a minimum-draft configuration for approaching a beach.
Claims17
A marine vessel comprising:
- an upper hull;
- a first propulsion hull, wherein said first propulsion hull remains at least partially submerged when said marine vessel is in water;
- a first strut, wherein said first strut couples said first propulsion hull and said upper hull to each other, and wherein said first strut is jointed into two segments, and wherein said two segments are pivotably coupled by a first hinge, and further wherein said first strut is movable to change the position of said first propulsion hull relative to said upper hull;
- wherein
- said marine vessel has a first configuration in which said two segments of said first strut are substantially parallel to one another.
2 more elements
-5. (canceled)
A reconfigurable marine vessel comprising:
- an upper hull;
- a first lower hull and a second lower hull;
- a first articulated strut for coupling said first lower hull to said upper hull;
- a second articulated strut for coupling said second lower hull to said upper hull, wherein said first and second articulated struts enable said marine vessel to reconfigure between a plurality of configurations;
- and
- an arrangement for adjusting draft of said marine vessel between a minimum draft and a maximum draft, wherein:
- at said minimum draft, some portion of said first lower hull and said second lower hull is above a water line;
- and
- at said maximum draft, said first lower hull, said second lower hull, said first articulated strut, and second articulated strut are completely submerged, and some portion of said upper hull is below said water line.
6 more elements
A marine vessel comprising:
- an upper hull;
- two propulsion hulls, wherein said two propulsion hulls are coupled to said upper hull by struts;
- an arrangement for changing a spatial relationship of said two propulsion hulls to said upper hull, thereby providing a capability for multiple configurations of said marine vessel, wherein, in a first configuration, said marine vessel has an inverted v-shape with said upper hull above said two struts, said two struts extending downward and outward of said upper hull and terminating in said propulsion hulls;
- and
- a ballasting system operable to change a draft of said marine vessel, wherein when said marine vessel is in said first configuration, said ballasting is operable to ballast said marine vessel between a first position wherein all of said upper hull is above a water line and a second position wherein some portion of said upper hull is below said water line.
2 more elements
A marine vessel comprising:
- an upper hull;
- two lower hulls, wherein said two lower hulls are pivotably coupled to said upper hull, and further wherein said two lower hulls provide substantially all buoyancy required for said marine vessel;
- and
- a first arrangement for causing said pivotably coupled lower hulls to move to change a configuration of said marine vessel;
- and
- a second arrangement for controlling a buoyancy of said marine vessel and its depth in water;
- wherein:
- in a first configuration and in a first mode of operation, said marine vessel is configured and operated as a SWATH;
- in said first configuration and in a second mode of operation, said marine vessel is configured as a SWATH but not operated as a SWATH;
- and
- in a second configuration and a third mode of operation, said marine vessel is neither configured nor operated as a SWATH.
8 more elements
A marine vessel comprising:
- an upper hull;
- two propulsion hulls that are capable of providing substantially all of the buoyancy required for said marine vessel, wherein said marine vessel does not utilize dynamic lift;
- and
- two articulated struts for coupling said propulsion hulls to said upper hull, wherein said articulated struts enable said marine vessel to reconfigure itself between three primary configurations, including
- (a) a cruise and surveillance configuration, wherein said articulated struts are extended downward and outward from said upper hull;
- (b) a minimum draft configuration, wherein said articulated struts are laterally extended relative to the upper hull;
- and
- (c) a launch/recovery configuration, wherein said articulated struts are folded and said marine vessel occupies a reduced storage volume relative to that required when said marine vessel is in said cruise and surveillance configuration or said minimum draft configuration;
- and
- a ballasting system, wherein said ballasting system provides a first operating mode of said cruise and surveillance configuration, wherein at least said two propulsion hulls and at least a portion of said articulated struts are submerged, and wherein said ballasting system further provides a second operating mode of said cruise and surveillance configuration, wherein said upper hull and said propulsion hulls are partially submerged.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.