US 4,753,400 A · Shipboard air vehicle retrieval apparatus

Abstract

A shipboard mounted apparatus for the retrieval of air vehicles, including remotely piloted, or automonous, unmanned vehicles, which includes a deployable lifting device such as a ram-air parachute which is secured through a tow line to the ship traveling upwind therebelow. A capturing device such as a ribbon parachute which may be annular is also movably secured to the tow line immediately below the ram-air parachute and may include a homing beacon therein such that capture of an air vehicle is achieved by it traveling into and collapsing this ribbon parachute. A winch is secured to the ship therebelow and is attached to the lower end of the tow line to control the inward and outward movement of the extended tow line. Once an air vehicle is captured in the ribbon parachute, the tow line is pulled in by the winch allowing the collapsed ribbon parachute and the captured air vehicle to be drawn into the ship to thereby be received by a landing net preferably of an open mesh nylon webbing. An initial launching device can be included such as an additional parachute or an explosive mortar device to provide the initial air-borne impetus to the ram-air parachute and ribbon capturing parachute.

Claims56

Dependent claims

An air vehicle retrieval apparatus for use aboard a ship comprising:

(a) a deployable lifting means to travel vertically upwardly above the ship therebelow;
(b) a tow line means attached with respect to the ship therebelow and attached to said deployable lifting means traveling thereabove;
(c) a stanchion means secured with respect to the ship and further including a guide means thereon adapted to receive said tow line means extended therethrough for guiding positioning thereof;
and
(d) a capturing means secured to said tow line means above said stanchion means and below said deployable lifting means to be adapted to be carried airborn, said capturing means being further adapted to receive an air vehicle therein for safe capture and retrieval thereof.

2 more elements

An air vehicle retrieval apparatus for use aboard a ship moving into the prevailing wind of the environment of the recovery area which comprises:

(a) a deployable lifting means to travel vertically upwardly above the ship therebelow, said deployable lifting means comprising a ram-air parachute means;
(b) a tow line means attached with respect to the ship therebelow and attached to said deployable lifting means traveling thereabove;
(c) a stanchion means secured with respect to the ship, said stanchion means including a frame means defining a guide means thereon adapted to receive said tow line means extended therethrough to facilitate guiding positioning thereof, said stanchion means being positioned extending vertically upwardly from the ship to locate said guide means and said tow line means in vertically spaced relation with respect to the ship to facilitate safe capture and retrieval of an air vehicle;
(d) a capturing means comprising a ribbon parachute of open nylon webbing secured to said tow line means above said stanchion means and below said deployable lifting means to be adapted to be carried airborn, said capturing means being further adapted to receive an air vehicle therein for safe capture and retrieval thereof, said ribbon parachute including a plurality of lateral retaining lines positioned extending thereacross to present an elliptically-shaped capturing profile;
(e) a launching parachute means secured with respect to the upper end of said tow line means to provide initial lifting impetus to the air vehicle retrieval apparatus;
(f) a landing net means of open nylon webbing secured at one end with respect to the ship and at the other end secured with respect to said frame means of said stanchion means to maintain said landing net means in spaced relation with respect to the ship to minimize damaging thereof during air vehicle retrieval, said landing net means being adjacent said two line means to receive an air vehicle therein after capture within said capturing means;
(g) a winch means secured with respect to the ship and having the lower end of said tow line means attached thereto to facilitate changing of the extended length of said tow line means between said stanchion means and said deployable lifting means, said winch means being reversible and being capable of manual overriding to facilitate control of the extended length of said tow line, said winch means including danger sensing means and emergency winch controls operably connected to said danger sensing means and being responsive to actuation thereof to control winch operation to prevent damaging of the air vehicle retrieval apparatus and the captured air vehicle;
(h) a crane and hoist means mounted with respect to the ship adjacent said landing net means to facilitate removal of a recovered air vehicle from said landing net;
(i) a primary retaining means adapted to hold said deployable lifting means in non-inflated condition until released, said primary retaining means including a primary releasing means adapted to open said primary retaining means to selectively allow release and inflation of said deployable lifting means at a predetermined time;
(j) a secondary retaining means adapted to hold said ribbon parachute in non-inflated condition until released, said secondary retaining means including a secondary releasing means adapted to open said secondary retaining means to selectively allow release and inflation of said ribbon parachute at a predetermined time;
and
(k) homing beacon means located in said ribbon parachute to serve as a targeting spot for an air vehicle being recovered, said homing beacon means being remotely initiatable.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Shipboard air vehicle retrieval apparatus

Life of this patent

Shipboard air vehicle retrieval apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims56