US 6,834,608 B1Granted

Assembly of underwater bodies and launcher therefor

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

InventorsMichael T. Ansay, John R. Little

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Abstract

An assembly of underwater bodies and a launcher therefor. The assembly is adapted for mounting on a submarine outside the pressure hull. The assembly includes a launcher having a housing for enclosing an underwater body, a body support structure within the housing for supporting the body, a pressure regulator system in communication with the housing for imposing a selected pressure on an interior of the housing, a hatch pivotally mounted on the housing, and an actuator for opening the hatch to permit the body to exit the hatch, and for closing the hatch. The underwater body is a self-propelled body adapted to exit by gravity from the launcher. A release device is disposed on the launcher for releasing the body from the launcher to permit the exit of the body from the launcher by gravity.

Claims13

Dependent claims

An underwater body storage and launch assembly adapted for mounting outside the pressure hull of a submarine, the assembly comprising:

a body adapted to be negatively buoyant;
a housing for enclosing said body;
a body support structure positioned within said housing for supporting said body;
a pressure regulator system in communication with said housing for imposing a selected pressure on an interior of said housing wherein said pressure regulator system receives pressure from a selected one of the ballast tanks of the submarine and a gas generator;
a hatch pivotally mounted on said housing;
an actuator joined between said hatch and said housing for opening said hatch to permit the body to exit said hatch, and for closing said hatch;
and
a release means disposed between at least one of said housing and said body support structure and said body for releasing said body from said body support structure to permit the exit of said body by gravity.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.