U.S. patent application number 09/785623 was filed with the patent office on 2001-09-13 for self-propelled apparatus for gripping, locking in position and moving underwater craft and the like.
Invention is credited to Ghignone, Stefano.
Application Number | 20010020435 09/785623 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11444085 |
Filed Date | 2001-09-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010020435 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ghignone, Stefano |
September 13, 2001 |
Self-propelled apparatus for gripping, locking in position and
moving underwater craft and the like
Abstract
Apparatus for gripping and moving underwater craft and the like
(101,102) comprising a crane (103) mounted on-board a ship (100)
and provided with articulated arms (1,2) and a crane cable (214),
said crane being connected at its free end to a device (200) for
gripping the craft to be recovered, wherein said device (200)
essentially consists of: a head (210) pivotably mounted on the free
end of the arm (1) of said crane and able to pivot with respect
thereto; a gripping unit (220) mounted on floats (222) and provided
with propulsion means (226) which are controllable by associated
means (227) and allow movement of the device parallel to the
surface of the water.
Inventors: |
Ghignone, Stefano;
(Calderara Di Reno, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Ladas & Parry
Suite 1200
224 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago
IL
60604
US
|
Family ID: |
11444085 |
Appl. No.: |
09/785623 |
Filed: |
February 16, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
114/322 ;
114/249 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B66C 13/02 20130101;
B63B 27/36 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
114/322 ;
114/249 |
International
Class: |
B63G 008/41; B63B
021/58 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 18, 2000 |
IT |
MI2000A 291 |
Claims
1. Apparatus for gripping and moving underwater craft and the like
(101,102) comprising a crane (103) mounted on-board a ship (100)
and provided with articulated arms (1,2) and a crane cable (214),
said crane being connected at its free end to a device (200) for
gripping the craft to be recovered, characterized in that said
device (200) essentially consists of: a head (210) pivotably
mounted on the free end of the arm (1) of said crane and able to
pivot with respect thereto; a gripping unit (220) mounted on floats
(222) and provided with propulsion means (226) which are
controllable by associated means (227) and allow movement of the
device parallel to the surface of the water.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said
pivoting head (210) comprises an internally hollow part (211) for
connection to said crane.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said
pivoting head comprises a ring (213) made of elastic material with
a high coefficient of friction, arranged coaxially with said
connecting part (211).
4. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said
pivoting head (210) comprises a rotating actuator (212) arranged
coaxially with said conical part.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said
floats (222) are connected to the support structure (221) of the
gripping unit by means of the intervening arrangement of means
(222a,222b) for adjusting the height of the structure from the free
surface of the water.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said
propulsion means consist of a propeller (226) which is connected to
each float (222) and can be actuated by means of an associated
actuator device which can be remotely controlled by associated
means (227).
7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said
gripping unit (220) comprises a conical element (224) extending
upwards from the structure (221) of the said unit (220) and
designed for coupling with said hollow head (211) attached to the
arm of the crane.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that said
conical element (224) is provided with a ring (224a) for hooking up
to the said crane cable (214).
9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said
gripping unit (220) comprises a guiding and gripping element (232)
which is substantially V-shaped and at the vertex of which there is
a formed a slot (232a) at the inlet of which non-return means (233)
are provided.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said
non-return means essentially consist of a pair of pawls (233) which
are hinged on pins (233a) arranged vertically and able to rotate
towards the inside of the slot (232) as a result of the thrusting
action of means (102) for hitching the craft (101) and against the
thrusting action of elastic means or the like designed to keep the
pawls (233) in a closed position, there also being provided members
for recalling the said pawls for controlled opening thereof.
11. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said
guiding element (232) envisages means for clamping the post (102)
of the craft (101) preferably consisting of pairs of opposite
devices (234) attached to the guiding element in the region of the
slot (232a) so as to exert an action clamping the hitching means
(102), locking them in rotation relative to the gripping device
(230).
12. Apparatus for gripping and moving underwater craft and the like
according to claim 1, characterized in that said hitching means
attached to the craft (101) essentially consist of a vertical post
(102) which is joined at the top to a horizontal disk (102a) which
is designed to prevent the said post from escaping downwards when
it has been inserted into the slot (232a) of the guiding element
(232).
13. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said
means for controlling the propulsion means (226) of the gripping
device comprise a remote control device (227).
14. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the
gripping unit (220) comprises at least one power supply
battery.
15. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it
comprises sensors for detecting the hitching means (102) attached
to the craft (101).
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for gripping,
locking in position and moving underwater craft and the like, in
particular from aboard ships, provided with a self-propulsion
device for hitching to the craft to be recovered.
[0002] It is known how, at sea, various types of underwater craft
are used both for civil and military purposes, being launched onto
the water and then recovered from aboard ships equipped for this
purpose.
[0003] The operations of launching out to sea and recovering these
craft are, however, always particularly difficult, because of the
difficulty in manoeuvring them, resulting from the impossibility of
maintaining a stable relative position between the craft in the
water and a hitching device which is normally attached to the ship,
due to the movement of the waves which may produce substantial
displacement of both the craft and the ship.
[0004] This variation in the relative position of the craft with
respect to the ship both in the horizontal plane and in the
vertical plane therefore complicates the craft gripping operations,
very frequently resulting in the need to use personnel in the water
who directly perform the operation of attaching the hook of a
lifting crane to the craft gripping point; in view of the closeness
to the edge of the ship, this results in dangerous and high-risk
conditions for said personnel, whose presence in the water is
required in particular in bad weather conditions and rough sea
conditions which obviously increase further increase the risks.
[0005] In the art, some conventional solutions which envisage
hitching up the craft by means of a hook situated at the end of a
cable which leads to the winch of a crane are known.
[0006] These solutions, however, in addition to not allowing
gripping of the craft, have the drawback consisting in the fact
that, at the moment of lifting of the craft from the water, the
said craft is not firmly attached and therefore is able to swing
and/or rotate about the vertical axis, increasing the difficulty of
manoeuvring for transferral thereof into the parking position
on-board the ship; the operating personnel in this case must fasten
the craft to other auxiliary means, for example ropes, in order to
avoid or reduce these swinging movements and rotations.
[0007] This, however, results in other difficulties and risks
during the operation in particular when the ship is subject to
intense movement.
[0008] EP 0,532,096 in the name of the same Applicant also
discloses an apparatus for gripping, locking in position and moving
underwater craft and the like, comprising a crane mounted on-board
a ship and provided at its free end with a gripping device, wherein
said device essentially consists of a guide element arranged on
floats and provided with non-return means for clamping a fixed
element attached to the craft to be lifted, as well as means for
detecting the position of the mast with respect to the guide, and
means for performing movements of the crane arms which, together
with the action exerted by the floats, keep a constant distance
between the gripping device and the surface of the water and which,
together with rotation which can be performed from the crane tower,
allow movement of the device parallel to the surface of the water,
means also being provided for keeping the device in a vertical
position with respect to the ship.
[0009] This device has, however, limitations consisting in the need
for a dynamic response from the lifting crane, the size of which
depends on the weight of the craft to be lifted, which therefore
cannot exceed given dimensions since the dynamics of the crane
would not be such as to be able to compensate for the relative
movements.
[0010] In addition to this, the radius of action of the apparatus
is limited to the length of the crane arms and consequently the
craft to be recovered must be manoeuvred in the vicinity of the
hull of the recovery ship so that its gripping element may be
introduced with a certain headway into the recovery device,
resulting in the risk of collision and damage in particular in
rough sea conditions and/or poor visibility.
[0011] With the known apparatus, moreover, it is not possible to
recover passive floating craft which do not have their own
propulsion means.
[0012] The technical problem which is posed, therefore, is that of
providing an apparatus for hitching to and moving underwater craft
and the like, which is able to perform hitching of the craft in the
water, with or without its own propulsion means, in a safe manner
and without personnel operating in the water, also in the worst
conditions as regards weather, rough seas and poor visibility, and
which also allows firm gripping and stable positioning of the
craft, preventing oscillation and/or rotation thereof.
[0013] The apparatus must, moreover, be easy to assemble, also on
ships already provided with devices of the conventional type, and
able to be converted into auxiliary service apparatus for
operations of the conventional type.
[0014] These results are obtained by the present invention which
envisages an apparatus for gripping and moving underwater craft and
the like, comprising a crane mounted on-board a ship and provided
with articulated arms and a crane cable, said crane being connected
at its free end to a device for gripping the craft to be recovered,
wherein said device essentially consists of a head pivotably
mounted on the free end of the arm of said crane and able to pivot
with respect thereto; and a gripping unit mounted on floats and
provided with propulsion means which are controllable by associated
means and allow movement of the device parallel to the surface of
the water.
[0015] Further details may be obtained from the following
description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the gripping and moving
apparatus mounted on a ship;
[0017] FIG. 2 shows a front view of the gripping device according
to the invention; and
[0018] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section along the plane III-III in FIG.
2.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, a crane 103, which is known per se and
therefore only illustrated but not described in detail, is
installed on-board a ship 100.
[0020] The gripping device 200, consisting of a hollow pivoting
head 210 pivotably mounted on the said free end of the crane arm
and a gripping unit 220 able to float on the water, is joined to
the free end of the arm 1 of the crane 103.
[0021] In greater detail, said pivoting head 210 consists of a top
part essentially consisting of two flanges 211 provided with a hole
211a by means of which they are attached to a pin 211b for
connection to the crane arm. On the opposite side to that of the
pin 211b, said top part of the head is connected to an internally
hollow rotating actuator 212 underneath which a ring of plastic
material 213 with a high coefficient of friction is fixed; said
rotating actuator and elastic ring are respectively designed to
impart a rotational movement to the said device about its
longitudinal axis and prevent relative movements between the
parts.
[0022] The devices for actuating rotation may be of the electrical
and/or hydraulic type powered by means of cables or flexible pipes
departing from the arm 1 of the crane 103.
[0023] The hollow pivoting head 210 receives, inside it, with ample
play, the crane cable 214, one end of which is connected to
recovery/release means attached to the said crane 103 and the free
end of which can be connected to a device 220 for gripping the
craft 101 to be recovered.
[0024] Said gripping unit 220 consists of a load-bearing structure
221 which has, connected to it, two floats 222 by associated means
222a,222b designed to allow adjustment of the distance, from the
free water surface, of the whole assembly connected to the
structure 221.
[0025] The top part of the structure 221 also has, arranged on it,
a circular plate 223 on which there is mounted a conical support
224 provided at its free top end with a ring 224a to which the
cable 214 of the crane may be attached by means of a known device
214a.
[0026] Each of said floats 222 is equipped with a propeller 226
which is operated by an actuator preferably consisting of an
electric motor which is known per se and not illustrated.
[0027] The two motors, and therefore the two propellers 226, may be
remotely operated, one independently of the other one, by means of
a remote control device 227 arranged on-board the ship and operated
by the operator and/or by an automatic control device. On the part
of the structure opposite to said conical element 224, the plate
has, attached to it, the actual element 230 for guiding and
hitching up the craft 101, the distance of which from the free
surface of the water may be adjusted by said means 222a,222b for
adjusting the distance of the device 230 from the free surface of
the water.
[0028] Said guiding and hitching element 230 consists of a
substantially V-shaped element 232 which terminates at its vertex
in a slot 232a.
[0029] At the inlet to the slot 232a the V-shaped element has (FIG.
3) two pawls 233 which are hinged on pins 233a about which they are
able to rotate; the pawls 233 are normally kept in the closed
position by a spring which is known per se and not illustrated and
against the thrusting action of which the said pawls may open
towards the inside of the slot 232 both owing to the thrust exerted
by a body which makes contact and following operation by the
operator.
[0030] The hitching device 230 is also equipped with two locking
devices 234 which, as will be described further below, are designed
to clamp a post 102 attached to the craft 101 once it has been
manoeuvred into the gripping position. Said cylindrical post 102
advantageously has a disk 102a at its top free end.
[0031] The operating principle of the apparatus is as follows:
[0032] the underwater craft 101, which is brought to the surface by
its own means, is positioned at a safe distance from the ship
100;
[0033] the height of the gripping unit 230 is adjusted by means of
the said cylinder 231 so as to position it at a distance from the
surface of the sea, suitable for engagement with the corresponding
post 102 of the craft 101;
[0034] the operator on-board the ship hitches up the cable 214 of
the crane to the gripping/recovery unit 220 and, by means of a
suitable manoeuvre performed by the crane, lifts the said unit,
depositing it on the surface of the water and leaving a certain
amount of loose cable so that that relative movements between the
ends of the crane and the water surface do not lift the unit from
the water;
[0035] once it has been deposited on the surface of the water, the
unit 220 remains afloat owing to the effect of the floats 222;
[0036] the operator on-board the ship, by means of the remote
control device 227, activates the motors of the propellers 226,
causing the gripping unit 220 to move towards the craft 101, while
the crane releases cable 214 accordingly;
[0037] owing to the V shape of the guide element 232, the unit 220
may easily locate and guide the post 102 towards the slot 232a
inside which it is trapped by means of the pawls 233 and firmly
held by means of the locking devices 234 to prevent rotational
and/or deviating movements;
[0038] at this point the crane operator starts to reel in the cable
214 until the gripping unit and craft are brought into a position
substantially coaxial with the pivoting head 210;
[0039] As more cable 214 is reeled in, the conical element 224 is
inserted between the two supports 211 of the head 210, being
centred with respect to the hole in the actuator 212 until the
plate 223 comes into contact against the elastic ring 213.
[0040] In this situation, co-operation between the conical surfaces
of the element 224 and the hollow head 211 prevents any major
relative oscillating movements, while the friction between the
plate 223 and the elastic element 213 prevents relative rotational
movements, allowing safe lifting and recovery of the craft 101 so
as to deposit it in its parked position 104 on-board the ship.
[0041] During this lifting operation the rotating actuator 213 may
be suitably actuated so as to orient the craft correctly before it
is deposited in the parking position.
[0042] Many variations may be made to the constructional embodiment
of the component parts of the apparatus without thereby departing
from scope of the invention with regard to its general features; in
particular it is envisaged that the gripping unit may be equipped
with a power supply battery and a radio control receiving device
able to receive control and actuating commands in order to make the
device more autonomous, allowing recovery at greater distances.
[0043] The actuator of the various devices 233 and 234 may be
electric or hydraulic; in the latter case a hydraulic power source
is provided on-board the device 220.
[0044] It is envisaged moreover that adjustment of the height of
the gripping device from the free surface of the water may be
performed manually or by means of electrical or hydraulic motor
systems.
[0045] In addition it is envisaged that the gripping element 230
may be equipped with sensors, for example of the optical or laser
type, for detecting the gripping post 102 attached to the craft
101, and with an automatic guiding device which, upon receiving
signals from said sensors, allows engagement with the post on the
craft even in conditions where there is poor or zero
visibility.
* * * * *