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US 8,424,479 B1Granted
Universal launch and recovery system
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorMatthew P Caccamo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A universal launch and recovery system that may be used to launch or recover/receive water vessels. The launch and recovery system includes a deployable ramp having adjustable soft end guides and adjustable tire arrangements for guiding and cushioning vessels of different geometries.
Claims18
A universal launch and recovery arrangement comprising:
- a pivotable ramp having a forward edge and a pivot edge, the pivotable ramp pivotable at the pivot edge, with the forward edge movable between a stowed position and deployed position for receiving a water vessel, the pivotable ramp comprising:
- a substantially planar ramp surface;
- a first row of tire arrangements;
- a second row of tire arrangements substantially parallel to the first row of tire arrangements, wherein each tire arrangement comprises:
- an adjustable pivotable joint attached to the substantially planar ramp surface;
- an extendable arm having a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein the lower portion of the extendable arm is attached to the pivotable joint;
- an axle attached to the upper portion of the extendable arm;
- and
- a tire for supporting a water vessel and for moving the water vessel along the ramp, the tire attached to the axle, wherein the tire is rotatable about said axle;
- and
- a pneumatic actuator for extending and retracting the extendable arm, and wherein in each tire arrangement, each adjustable pivotable joint is adjusted so that each extendable arm projects at an acute angle α with respect to the ramp surface, the first and second rows of tire arrangements positioned so that an equal extension of the extendable arms of the first row and the extendable arms of the second row narrows a gap between the tires of the first row and the tires of the second row.
8 more elements
An arrangement for launching and receiving multiple water vessels of various geometries, comprising:
- a pivotable ramp having a forward edge, a pivot edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, with the forward and the pivot edges substantially perpendicular to the first and second side edges, the pivotable ramp pivotable at the pivot edge so that the ramp moves between a stowed position and deployed position for receiving a water vessel, the pivotable ramp comprising:
- a first set of vertically arranged soft entry guide bars positioned along the first side edge of the ramp for guiding water vessels of various geometries onto and off of the ramp;
- and
- a second set of vertically arranged adjustable soft entry guide bars substantially parallel to the first set of vertically arranged soft entry guide bars for guiding water vessels of various geometries onto and off of the ramp, the second set of vertically arranged adjustable soft entry guide bars positioned along the second side edge of the ramp, the first and second set of vertically arranged soft entry guide bars guiding water vessels onto and off the pivotable ramp;
- the arrangement for launching and receiving multiple water vessels further comprising a plurality of linear rails positioned along the substantially planar ramp surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second side edges of the ramp, wherein each linear rail includes one of the first soft entry bars slideably attached within and one of the second set of soft entry bars slideably attached within, said first and second soft entry bars being slidably adjustable within the rail towards and away from each other to adjust for the varying geometries of water vessels.
2 more elements
An at sea method of launching and/or receiving water vessels having different geometries, the method comprising:
- providing a ship having a ramp, the ramp comprising:
- a first set of vertically arranged laterally adjustable soft entry guide bars positioned along a first side edge of the ramp;
- a second set of vertically arranged laterally adjustable soft entry guide bars substantially parallel to the first set of vertically arranged soft entry guide bars, positioned along a second side edge of the ramp;
- a first row of tire arrangements comprising tires mounted on a pivotable and extendable arm;
- a second row of tire arrangements substantially parallel to the first row of tire arrangements comprising tires mounted on a pivotable and extendable arm, each of the first row and second row of tire arrangements positioned between the first and second set of vertically arranged soft entry guide bars;
- selecting one of a plurality of water vessels having different geometries for launching from the ship or for receiving onto the ship;
- adjusting the lateral positioning of the first and second set of vertically arranged laterally adjustable soft entry guide bars to a position commensurate with the geometry of the selected water vessel;
- adjusting the pivot angle and the extension length of each arm of first and second rows of tire arrangements to an angle and an extension length commensurate with the geometry of the selected water vessel;
- moving the ramp to a deployed position in which a forward edge is submerged beneath the surrounding water;
- and
- using the ramp to cushion and guide the selected water vessel onto the ship during launching or off the ship during receiving.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.