# US 2021/0276676 A1 · Bow clamp > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276676 A1 - Document ID: US20210276676A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/877,004 - Filed: 2020-05-18 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-17 - Assignees: L3Harris Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: L3Harris Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: David F. Charles; Douglas L. Veilleux, II; Daryl B. Slocum - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276676A1 ## CPC - B63G 8/001: {Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations (self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42)} - B63B 3/13: Hulls built to withstand hydrostatic pressure when fully submerged, e.g. submarine hulls - F16B 7/0426: {for rods or for tubes without using the innerside thereof} - F16B 21/186: {external, i.e. with contracting action} - B63G 2008/002: {unmanned} - F16B 2/08: using bands - B63G: OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (means of attack or defence in general, e.g. turrets F41H) - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) ## Abstract A quick release bow clamp comprising a hinged circular body having a vehicle mating flange and a nose cone mating flange configured to selectively attach to an access plate on the bow of an underwater vehicle and a nose cone for the same, respectively. The flanges of the bow clamp and the corresponding flanges of the access plate and nose cone may include an intermittent pattern of open and solid portions for weight reduction. The bow clamp may also include a quick release clamp having an adjustable draw latch configured to attach to a clip on the body of the bow clamp and a safety latch configured to prevent the draw latch from inadvertently disengaging with the clip. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bow clamp for attaching a component to a bow of an underwater vehicle, the bow clamp comprising: a circular body comprising: two semi-circular parts joined by a hinge, the hinge being operable to open the bow clamp; a vehicle mating flange configured to integrate with a flange on an access plate of the underwater vehicle; and a nose cone mating flange configured to integrate with a flange on a nose cone; wherein at least one of the vehicle mating flange and the nose cone mating flange comprises an intermittent pattern of open portions and solid portions; and a quick release clamp configured to selectively secure the bow clamp in a closed position, the quick release clamp comprising: an adjustable draw latch configured to attach to a clip on the circular body of the bow clamp; and a safety latch configured to prevent the draw latch from inadvertently disengaging the clip. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bow clamp of claim 1, wherein the draw latch is threaded to provide for adjustment of a lever arm length of the draw latch. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bow clamp of claim 1, wherein the circular body is constructed of titanium. ### Claim 4 A system for selectively securing components of an underwater vehicle, the system comprising: an access plate secured to the bow of the vehicle and having a flange; a nose cone having a flange; and a bow clamp configured to selectively attach the nose cone to the access plate, the bow clamp comprising: a circular body comprising two semi-circular parts joined by a hinge, the hinge being operable to open the bow clamp; a vehicle mating flange configured to integrate with the flange of the access plate; a nose cone mating flange configured to integrate with the flange of the nose cone; and a clamp configured to selectively secure the bow clamp to the access plate and the nose cone. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the clamp further comprises an adjustable draw latch configured to selectively attach to a clip on the circular body of the bow clamp and a safety latch configured to prevent the draw latch from inadvertently disengaging the clip. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein one or more of the vehicle mating flange, the nose cone mating flange, and the flanges of the access plate and the nose cone further comprises an intermittent pattern of solid sections and open sections. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle mating flange comprises solid sections that are larger than open sections of the flange of the access plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the flange of the access plate comprises solid sections that are larger than open sections of the vehicle mating flange. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the nose cone mating flange comprises solid sections that are larger than open sections of the flange of the nose cone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the flange of the nose cone comprises solid sections that are larger than open sections of the nose cone mating flange. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the bow clamp is at least partially constructed of titanium. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the nose cone is at least partially constructed of syntactic form comprised of hollow glass beads and urethane. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the nose cone comprises one or more openings allowing for emission and reception of sensor signals. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the nose cone comprises one or more solid portions that allow for emission and reception of sensor signals. ### Claim 15 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the access plate comprises a valve for vacuuming out a portion of the underwater vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the access plate comprises a valve for backfilling a portion of the underwater vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the access plate comprises an ethernet connector for coupling an external computing device to control computers inside of the underwater vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the access plate comprises one or more connectors for sensors to be implemented in the nose cone 106. ### Claim 19 A method of attaching a nose cone to an underwater vehicle, the method comprising: attaching an access plate secured to a bow of the vehicle and having a flange to a a nose cone having a flange by using a bow clamp configured to selectively attach the nose cone to the access plate via the flanges, the bow clamp comprising: a circular body comprising two semi-circular parts joined by a hinge, the hinge being operable to open the bow clamp; a vehicle mating flange configured to integrate with the flange of the access plate; a nose cone mating flange configured to integrate with the flange of the nose cone; a clamp configured to selectively secure the bow clamp to the access plate and the nose cone. wherein at least one of the vehicle mating flange and the nose cone mating flange comprises an intermittent pattern of open portions and solid portions, such that the nose cone is secured to the vehicle with at least one flange having the intermittent pattern of open portions and solid portions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising adjusting a draw latch configured to attach to a clip on the circular body of the bow clamp.