Variable length inflatable ramp launch and recovery system

• US 9,708,035 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2016
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Galego, Ryan F, Czepizak, Kurt M, Kirchoff, Eric H, Hulton, Andrew W, Cavallaro, Paul V, Muhitch, Joseph M
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Application Number:
  US15/272,536
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 114249, 114253, 114254, 114258, 114259
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2021/566 comprising running ropes or chains, e.g. endless, driven by ground-borne equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2027/165 Deployment or recovery of underwater vehicles using lifts or hoists
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/16 using winches winches per se B66D
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/56 Towing or pushing equipment tugs B63B35/66; towing arrangements for water sports use B63B34/60
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/66 Equipment specially adapted for towing underwater objects or vessels, e.g. fairings for tow-cables paravanes for dragging fishing nets A01K73/02; salvaging underwater vessels or objects B63C7/00; towed underwater vessels B63G8/42
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 27/16 of lifts or hoists pilot lifts B63B27/146
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 27/28 of chutes

Abstract

A launch and recovery system for a towed body is provided in which uninflated air beams extrude from winches where the beams enter a deployment frame and are inflated. Sealing rollers near the winches seal the air beams when the desired length of the air beams is inflated. To deploy the towed body, a positioning cart moves along the inflated air beams from an end of a deployment frame. A translating arch moves from the forward to the aft end of the positioning cart on the rails to where the tow body is released from the capture boom and swing support. The positioning cart can retract back into the deployment frame when not in use.

Claims

1. A variable length inflatable ramp launch and recovery system for a towed body, said launch and recovery system comprising:

a tow cable winch securable to a vessel;

a tow cable partially wound on said tow cable winch and connectable to the towed body;

a mounting frame with a flattened plane securable to the vessel aft of said tow cable winch when said winch is secured, with said mounting frame including an angled longitudinal cradle as a second plane opposite and facing away from said flattened plane, both planes separated at a distance by a support structure;

an air beam deployment frame with a first end hinged at said mounting frame, said deployment frame having an angled longitudinal protrusion sized to rest in said angled cradle;

a pair of air beam winches secured on a side of said angled protrusion opposite a side facing said angled cradle and at a second end of said deployment frame;

a pulley attached to said air beam deployment frame between said air beam winches with said pulley sized to control direction of said tow cable;

a pair of inflatable air beams, each of said air beams partially wound at a deflated section around each of said air beam winches;

a positioning cart having two flat sections spaced apart with each flat section parallel to each air beam and with each said flat section having a first and second plane with said first plane facing away from said mounting frame and having a rail protruding from a longitudinal axis of said first plane, with each said flat section having brackets extending perpendicular in direction from said second plane at longitudinal edges of said flat sections such that said brackets of each flat section encompass each of said air beams, each of said brackets including at least four cart wheels sized to roll on a curvature of each of said extended and inflated air beams;

a translating arch with ends resting on each said rail with a curvature of said arch spaced away from said cart wherein said translating arch is capable sliding along said rails of said positioning carts to a deploying position; and

a capture boom and swing support affixed to an underside of the curvature of said translating arch wherein said capture boom and swing support is capable of holding the tow body;

wherein each said air beam is capable of unwinding from each said air beam winch when each said air beam is inflated to extrude into said air beam deployment frame and wherein each said air beam winch is capable of winding each said air beam to stow each said air beam when deflated;

wherein said tow cable is wound on said tow cable winch when said extendable beams are deflated, said tow cable unwound and when said extendable beams are inflated;

wherein said positioning cart is capable of moving to an end of said extended air beams away from said air beam winches and using said capture boom and swing support for deployment of the towed body by releasing said tow cable from the towed body.

2. The launch and recovery system in accordance with claim 1, said system further including two pairs of at least two sealing rollers with each of said pairs of sealing rollers positioned between said cart and each of said air beam winches wherein each of said sealing rollers when mated with another of said sealing rollers is capable of sealing each of said air beams during inflation.

3. The launch and recovery system in accordance with claim 2, said system further including two pairs of at least two drive rollers with each of said drive rollers positioned between said sealing rollers and said cart wherein each of said drive rollers when mated with another of said drive rollers is capable of extruding each of said air beams from each of air beam winches.

4. The launch and recovery system for a towed body in accordance with claim 3, wherein said air beams are braided fabric structures.

5. A method for deployment of a towed body from a vessel, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a deployment and recovery system with two air beam winches, two air beams partially wound on the air beam winches, an air beam deployment frame, a positioning cart encompassing and movable on the air beams, a translating arch spanning the positioning cart and a capture boom and swing support attached to an underside of the translating arch;

tilting the air beam deployment frame aft and away from a mounting frame secured to the vessel;

extruding each air beam from each of the air beam winches;

inflating each air beam into a first end of the air beam deployment frame proximate to one of the air beam winches;

extending each air beam from another end of the air beam deployment frame;

sealing an end of each of the air beams subsequent to said inflating step;

extending a cable from a tow cable winch with one end of the cable attached to the winch and another end attached to the towed body;

moving the translating arch and positioning cart aft and to an end of the extended air beams; and

deploying the towed body by releasing the towed body from the capture boom and swing support when the tow cable is released from the towed body.

6. The method of claim 5, said method further comprising the step of tilting the deployment and recovery system such that the air beam deployment frame tilts away from the mounting frame at varying angles.

7. The method of claim 6, said method comprising the further step of inflating the air beams with connectable air hoses.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said extruding step is accomplished by a rolling motion of mating drive rollers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said sealing step is accomplished by a translational crushing motion of mating sealing rollers.

10. A method for retrieval of a towed body from a vessel, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a deployment and recovery system with two air beam winches, two air beams partially wound on the air beam winches, an air beam deployment frame, a positioning cart encompassing and movable on the air beams, a translating arch spanning the positioning cart and a capture boom and swing support attached to an underside of the translating arch;

tilting the air beam deployment frame aft and away from a mounting frame secured to the vessel;

extruding each air beam from each of the air beam winches into a first end of the air beam deployment frame proximate to the air beam winches;

inflating the air beams into the air beam deployment frame and out of second end of the air beam deployment frame;

sealing an end of each of the air beams subsequent to said inflating step;

extending a cable from a tow cable winch with one end of the cable attached to the winch and another attached to the capture boom and swing support;

moving the translating arch and positioning cart aft and to an end of the extended air beams; and

retrieving the towed body by securing the towed body with the capture boom and swing support when the tow cable is attachable to the towed body.

11. The method of claim 10, said method further comprising the step of tilting the deployment and recovery system such that the air beam deployment frame tilts away from the mounting frame at varying angles.

12. The method of claim 11, said method comprising the further step of inflating the air beams with connectable air hoses.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said extruding step is accomplished by a rolling motion of mating drive rollers.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said sealing step is accomplished by a rolling motion of mating sealing rollers.