Payload deployment system for a submarine
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A payload deployment system for a vessel, the system including:
- an ejection tube for holding a payload;
an ejection element in the ejection tube, the ejection element being moveable in the ejection tube and being arranged releasably to engage the payload;
a piston tube containing a piston, being located outside of the ejection tube, and defining a piston chamber on one side of the piston, the piston being moveable in the piston tube;
means for supplying compressed gas or fluid to the piston chamber, thereby to move the piston in the piston tube; and
a cable which extends between the piston and the ejection element, the cable passing through an aperture of the piston tube into the piston chamber; and
wherein the movement of the piston is arranged to cause movement of the cable which causes movement of the ejection element in the ejection tube, thereby to eject the payload from the ejection tube;
wherein the ejection element is moveable in the ejection tube between a rest position, at which the piston chamber is vacant of said compressed gas or fluid, and a deployed position, at which said piston chamber contains said compressed gas or fluid;
wherein the ejection tube includes an opening in the longitudinal surface thereof, which opening defines a fluid flow path between the interior and the exterior of the ejection tube; and
wherein the opening is blocked by a further part of the ejection element when the election element is in the rest position, and is unblocked when the ejection element is moved from the rest position to eject the payload to allow fluid flow between the interior and exterior.
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Abstract
A payload deployment system for a vessel, such as a submarine, which includes a cable extending between a piston in a piston tube and an ejection element in an ejection tube, wherein the ejection tube is suitable for holding the payload, such as a torpedo. The system is arranged such that movement of the piston in the piston tube causes movement of the cable which, in turn, exerts a force on the ejection element to move it in the ejection tube to eject the payload from the ejection tube.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A payload deployment system for a vessel, the system including:
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an ejection tube for holding a payload; an ejection element in the ejection tube, the ejection element being moveable in the ejection tube and being arranged releasably to engage the payload; a piston tube containing a piston, being located outside of the ejection tube, and defining a piston chamber on one side of the piston, the piston being moveable in the piston tube; means for supplying compressed gas or fluid to the piston chamber, thereby to move the piston in the piston tube; and a cable which extends between the piston and the ejection element, the cable passing through an aperture of the piston tube into the piston chamber; and wherein the movement of the piston is arranged to cause movement of the cable which causes movement of the ejection element in the ejection tube, thereby to eject the payload from the ejection tube; wherein the ejection element is moveable in the ejection tube between a rest position, at which the piston chamber is vacant of said compressed gas or fluid, and a deployed position, at which said piston chamber contains said compressed gas or fluid; wherein the ejection tube includes an opening in the longitudinal surface thereof, which opening defines a fluid flow path between the interior and the exterior of the ejection tube; and wherein the opening is blocked by a further part of the ejection element when the election element is in the rest position, and is unblocked when the ejection element is moved from the rest position to eject the payload to allow fluid flow between the interior and exterior. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification