Underwater vehicle cutting apparatus
AssigneeAdaptive Methods, Inc.
InventorsJames Wiggins, Chris Norkoski, Conrad Zeglin, Walter Allensworth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The problem of penetrating through nets and other objects is solved by cutting the object using a linear cutting assembly having a linear cutter arm that moves in an arc and pivots about an attachment point. The object is cut by a severing action caused by a moveable blade of the linear cutting arm moving back and forth across a stationary blade of the linear cutter arm. An underwater vehicle modified to incorporate an embodiment of the linear cutting assembly can cut a sufficiently large opening in the object to allow the vehicle to pass through.
Claims18
A cutting apparatus comprising:
- a cutter arm comprising a first blade and a second blade;
- a motor directly linked to a rotatable drive shaft and configured to move the rotatable drive shaft and further configured to move the second blade linearly back and forth and parallel to the first blade, wherein the cutter arm is configured to rotate about the rotatable drive shaft and a pivot point of rotation of the cutter arm is coaxial with the rotatable drive shaft, wherein the second blade comprises an engaging end, the engaging end includes perimeter within the engaging end defining a drive shaft receiving hole, and the drive shaft is within the drive shaft receiving hole and traversing a plane encompassing the perimeter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.