Underwater vehicle

• US 7,631,611 B1
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Government of the United States of America
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Horton, Duane M., Dick, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vasudeva; Ajay
• Application Number:
  US11/842,187
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 114/312, 114316-325, 114/337, 114/338, 114/238, 114/239, 114258-260, 114/330, 114/332, 89/18.09, 89/18.1, 89/5, 102/390, 102/399, 102/406, 405188-194
• US Class Current: 114/312
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 3/02 for torpedoes
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 3/04 for missiles
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/32 of torpedo-launching means torpedo-launching means per se F41F3/00; of torpedo stores or handlers

Abstract

An underwater vehicle is provided with facility for affixing to and maintaining station on a hull of another marine vehicle. The underwater vehicle includes a hull with a propulsion means for movement underwater. Maneuvering planes are mounted on the hull. Body panels are movably fixed to the hull and are moveable from first positions in which the panels conform to a shape of the hull to second positions in which the panels extend outwardly from the hull and toward the other marine vehicle, free edges of the panels being engageable with the other marine vehicle to deter flow of water between the underwater vehicle hull and the other marine vehicle and guide flow of water around the underwater vehicle hull to pin the underwater vehicle against the other marine vehicle hull.

Claims

1. An underwater vehicle having facility for maintaining station on an other marine vehicle hull, the underwater vehicle comprising:

a self-propelled underwater vehicle hull configured movement underwater;

maneuvering planes mounted on said underwater vehicle hull; and

body panels movably fixed to said underwater vehicle hull and moveable from first positions in which said panels conform to a shape of said underwater vehicle hull, to second positions in which said panels extend outwardly from said underwater vehicle hull, free edges of said panels being engageable with the other marine vehicle hull to deter flow of water between said underwater vehicle hull and the other marine vehicle hull and guide the flow of water around the underwater vehicle hull to pin the underwater vehicle against the other marine vehicle hull;

wherein said body panels include a bow panel and side panels, said bow panel being extendible forwardly from said underwater vehicle hull and said side panels being extendible from opposite sides of said underwater vehicle hull.

2. The underwater vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said maneuvering planes include stern planes.

3. The underwater vehicle in accordance with claim 2 wherein said maneuvering planes further include bow planes.

4. An underwater vehicle having facility for maintaining station on an other marine vehicle hull, the underwater vehicle comprising:

a self-propelled underwater vehicle hull configured movement underwater;

maneuvering planes mounted on said underwater vehicle hull;

arms pivotally mounted on said underwater vehicle hull such that in a nonextended condition said arms are disposed within an outboard surface of said underwater vehicle hull, said arms being extendible from said underwater vehicle hull, said arm when extended being capable of engaging the other marine vehicle hull to generally conform to an outside configuration of the other marine vehicle hull; and

attachment devices fixed to said arms to engage the other marine vehicle hull and hold said underwater vehicle onto the other marine vehicle hull;

wherein each of said arms comprises a series of linkages fixed pivotally to each other end-to-end; and

wherein said underwater vehicle hull is provided with annular recesses therein and each of said arms is adapted to be disposed in one of said recesses in the non-extended condition.

5. The underwater vehicle in accordance with claim 4 wherein said maneuvering planes include stern planes.

6. The underwater vehicle in accordance with claim 5 wherein said maneuvering planes further include bow planes.

7. The underwater vehicle in accordance with claim 4 wherein said body panels include a bow panel extendible forwardly from said underwater vehicle hull.

8. The underwater vehicle in accordance with claim 7 wherein said body panels include side panels extendible from opposite sides of said underwater vehicle hull.

9. The underwater vehicle in accordance with claim 4 wherein said attachment devices comprise spikes.

10. The underwater vehicle in accordance with claim 4 wherein said arms comprise at least one set of arms, each set of arms comprising two arms extendible oppositely to each other to engage the other marine vehicle hull on opposite sides of the underwater vehicle.

11. An underwater vehicle having facility for maintaining station on an other marine vehicle hull, the underwater vehicle comprising:

a self-propelled underwater vehicle hull configured for movement underwater;

maneuvering planes mounted on said underwater vehicle hull;

arms pivotally mounted on said underwater vehicle hull such that in a nonextended condition said arms are disposed within an outboard surface of said underwater vehicle hull, said arms being extendible from said underwater vehicle hull, said arm when extended being capable of engaging the other marine vehicle hull to generally conform to an outside configuration of the other marine vehicle hull wherein each of said arms comprises a series of linkages fixed pivotally to each other end-to-end; and

attachment devices fixed to said arms to engage the other marine vehicle hull and hold said underwater vehicle onto the other marine vehicle hull;

wherein said attachment devices comprise magnets.

12. The underwater vehicle in accordance with claim 11 wherein said magnets comprise electromagnets.