Apparatus for capturing, securing and traversing remotely piloted vehicles and methods therefor

• US 5,092,540 A
• Filed: 03/04/1991
• Issued: 03/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Indal Technologies, Inc. (Curtiss-Wright Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Indal Technologies, Inc. (Curtiss-Wright Corporation)
• Inventors: Burgess, R. Anthony, Tadros, Atef, Cunliffe, Geoffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US07/664,315
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 244/110 F, 244/110 C, 244/115, 244/116, 244/17.17, 114/261, 114/262
• US Class Current: 244/110.00F
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/125 Mooring or ground handling devices for helicopters

Abstract

A system for capturing a remotely piloted vehicle, the remotely piloted vehicle including a snagging line having a mechanism to be snagged at the end thereof. The system includes a snag mechanism for snagging the line of the remotely piloted vehicle, and a mechanism which funnels or guides the snag line on the remotely piloted vehicle to the snag mechanism of the system.

Claims

1. A system for capturing a remotely piloted vehicle, the remotely piloted vehicle including a snagging line having means to be snagged at the end thereof, the system comprising a snag mechanism for snagging the means to be snagged, said snag mechanism having funneling means which guides the means to be snagged on the end of the snagging line of the remotely piloted vehicle into said snag mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the snag mechanism further comprises connector means for coupling to the means to be snagged of the snagging line of the remotely piloted vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the end of the snagging line of the remotely piloted vehicle carries enlarged means for connecting to the connector means.