Sea vessel retrieval of unmanned underwater vehicles
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsKenneth M Forgach, Christos Kasselas, Emily K. Mayer, Francis M. Mulhern
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One or more docking cages releasably attached to a tow line extending from the stern of a retrieval ship, emit tracking beacon beams picked up by sensors in unmanned underwater sea craft vehicles being approached, for steered propulsion thereof into rammed hook attachment to the cages. A sea craft vehicle thereby releasably attached to a cage, is towed onboard the retrieval ship by storage reel-in of the tow line, which is then disconnected from the cage and the retrieved vehicle for subsequent use in retrieval of other unmanned sea craft vehicles.
Claims2
In combination with a seawater retrieval ship, a system for onboard retrieval of an unmanned sea craft vehicle located at an underwater location adjacent the retrieval ship, comprising:
- docking means ejected from the retrieval ship for releasable attachment to the vehicle by hooking means when the vehicle is positioned at said underwater location adjacent to the retrieval ship;
- signal emitting means on said docking means for controllably maneuvering the vehicle to said underwater location;
- and towing means extending from the docking means for transferring the vehicle releasably attached thereto by the hooking means onboard the retrieval ship;
- said docking means comprising:
- at least one cage of a generally spherical shape within which the signal emitting means is mounted emitting the tracking signal received by a steering control sensor within the vehicle to effect steering thereof;
- said cage having wiring defining an outer surface thereof to which said hooking means releasably attaches the vehicle;
- said signal emitting means being centrally positioned within the cage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.