Vehicle launch assembly for underwater platforms

A vehicle launch assembly for an underwater platform and providing pressurized water to a launch tube mounted on the platform, said assembly comprising:

• a water tank mounted on the platform;
• a plunger movably disposed in said tank and dividing said tank into first and second zones, the first zone being in communication with a water environment in which the platform is disposed, the second zone being in communication with the launch tube, said plunger comprising a rigid disc and an annular elastomeric seal fixed to a periphery of said disc and to an internal wall of said tank, said seal being stretchable to provide a bias on said plunger in a direction toward the second zone;
• a key means joined to said plunger for retaining said disc in a stationary condition, said key means being selectively movable to release said plunger for movement in response to the bias of said elastomeric seal on said plunger disc;
• and
• a reset device comprising a hollow cylinder, a drive rod extending from said hollow cylinder and connected to said plunger disc, a piston fixed to said drive rod and disposed in said hollow cylinder, and force means acting within said hollow cylinder and acting on said piston to move said drive rod, thereby moving said disc in said tank.

A vehicle launch assembly for an underwater platform, for providing pressurized water to a launch tube mounted on the platform said assembly comprising:

• a water tank mounted on the platform;
• a plunger movably disposed in said tank and dividing said tank into first and second zones, the first zone being in communication with a water environment in which the platform is disposed, and the second zone being in communication with the launch tube, said plunger comprising a rigid disc and an annular elastomeric seal fixed to a periphery of said disc and to an internal wall of said tank, said seal being stretchable to provide a bias on said plunger in a direction toward the second zone;
• a triggering device comprising key means for retaining said plunger in a stationary condition, said key means being selectively movable to release said plunger for movement in response to the bias of said elastomeric seal on said plunger disc in a direction toward the second zone to effect launch of a vehicle from the launch tube;
• and
• a reset device comprising an actuator, a shaft extending from said actuator and slidingly through said disc, a body fixed to said shaft in the second zone outside said disc, and said actuator acting on said shaft to move said body into engagement with said plunger to move said plunger in said tank to a position wherein said plunger is engageable by said key means.