U.S. patent application number 10/042842 was filed with the patent office on 2003-11-06 for attachabel stabilization bracket for the versatile mine system.
This patent application is currently assigned to The United States of America represented by the Secretary of the Navy. Invention is credited to Updegrove, Darryl.
Application Number | 20030205656 10/042842 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29268547 |
Filed Date | 2003-11-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030205656 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Updegrove, Darryl |
November 6, 2003 |
Attachabel stabilization bracket for the versatile mine system
Abstract
A stabilizer system for a cylindrical-shaped undersea package
orients the package in an upright attitude and eliminates, or
reduces motion or rocking due to wave action and/or sea currents.
An outrigger base assembly has a flat base surface to rest on the
sea floor and is provided with upper surfaces having semi-circular
cross-sectional configurations to contiguously fit adjacent to
round outer contours of an undersea package. The outrigger base
assembly also has laterally extending outrigger portions extending
the flat base surface for increased stability. First and second
case clamps have curved surfaces with semi-circular cross-sectional
configurations that extend above the outrigger base assembly. The
first and second clamps clamp the curved surfaces and upper
surfaces onto the round contours and secure the undersea package in
an upright orientation.
Inventors: |
Updegrove, Darryl; (Panama
City, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
COASTAL SYSTEMS STATION
DAHLGREN DIVISION
NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER
6703 W HWY 98 CODE CP2L
PANAMA CITY
FL
32407-7001
US
|
Assignee: |
The United States of America
represented by the Secretary of the Navy
|
Family ID: |
29268547 |
Appl. No.: |
10/042842 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/505 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F42B 22/06 20130101;
G01D 11/30 20130101; F42B 8/28 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/505 |
International
Class: |
A47B 097/00 |
Goverment Interests
[0001] The invention described herein may be manufactured and used
by or for the Government of the United States of America for
governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon
or therefor.
Claims
We claim:
1- A stabilizer system for an undersea package comprising: means
for providing a flat base surface to rest on the sea floor, said
flat base surface providing means having laterally extending
outrigger portions and upper surfaces shaped to fit adjacent to
outer contours of an undersea package; and first and second means
extending above said flat base surface providing means between said
laterally extending outrigger portions for clamping said undersea
package on curved surfaces to said flat base surface providing
means, said first and second clamping means securing said undersea
package in a fixed orientation.
2- The stabilizer system of claim 1 wherein said first and second
clamping means are parallel with one another, said undersea package
is elongate and cylindrically-shaped, and said first and second
clamping means are longitudinally spaced apart from one another on
said cylindrically-shaped undersea package.
3- The stabilizer system of claim 2 further comprising: means
extending through said first and second clamping means for engaging
said flat base surface providing means to hold said undersea
package in said fixed orientation.
4- The stabilizer system of claim 3 further comprising: means on
said upper surfaces and said curved surfaces for resiliently
engaging said undersea package therebetween.
5- The stabilizer system of claim 4 wherein said upper surfaces
have essentially semi-circular cross-sectional shapes, said curved
surfaces have essentially semi-circular cross-sectional shapes, and
said outer contours of said undersea package form an essentially
circular cross-sectional shape.
6- A stabilizer for a cylindrical-shaped undersea package
comprising: an outrigger base assembly having a flat base surface
to rest on the sea floor, said outrigger base assembly being
provided with upper surfaces having a semi-circular cross-sectional
configuration to contiguously fit adjacent to round outer contours
of an undersea package and said outrigger base assembly having
outrigger portions laterally extending said flat base surface
therefrom; and first and second case clamps provided with curved
surfaces having semi-circular cross-sectional configurations and
extending above said outrigger base assembly, said first and second
clamps being shaped to clamp said curved surfaces onto said round
contours of said undersea package and said upper surfaces of said
outrigger base assembly onto said round contours of said undersea
package, said first and second case clamps securing said undersea
package in a fixed orientation.
7- The stabilizer of claim 6 wherein said first and second clamps
are parallel with one another, said undersea package is an
elongate, cylindrically-shaped emulator of mines, and said first
and second clamps are longitudinally spaced apart from one another
on said cylindrically-shaped emulator.
8- The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first and second clamps
include a plurality of threaded bolts extending through holes to
engage mating threaded bores in said outrigger base assembly to
hold said cylindrically-shaped emulator in said fixed
orientation.
9- The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said upper surfaces of said
outrigger base assembly and said curved surfaces of said first and
second clamps are provided with resilient pads to engage said
cylindrically-shaped emulator.
10- The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said outrigger portions of
said outrigger base assembly laterally extend beyond said
cylindrically-shaped emulator to increase stability.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a stabilizer for a mine emulation
system deployed underwater. More particularly, the stabilizer
bracket of this invention can be quickly mounted on a
cylindrically-shaped underwater mine emulation system to stabilize
and orient it in a predetermined fixed attitude to improve the
quality of gathered data.
[0003] Acoustic/seismic, magnetic, and pressure data is collected
underwater by numbers of different sensors that usually are
contained in one or more housings. The housings are commonly made
in cylindrical shapes to protect the sensors and interconnected
processing modules from the effects of the ambient water during the
long periods of time that sometimes must be spent to collect
meaningful amounts of data. The housings additionally must be
stable and not move since random or uncompensated motion can
compromise the quality, or even the validity of the gathered
data.
[0004] One technique currently used to stabilize the
cylindrical-shaped housings is to put a dense, heavy weight on one
side of the housing. This side that is weighted would nominally be
considered the underside since the force of gravity would bring it
to rest on the ocean bottom. However, because the cylindrical shape
defines a curved outer surface, the housing is still prone to move,
or rock due to wave action and/or sea currents. It has been noted
that noise was present in the magnetic data, and this noise was
created by sea currents/wave action rocking the housing about its
cylindrical, or longitudinal axis.
[0005] Thus, in accordance with this inventive concept, a need has
been recognized in the state of the art for an effective means that
can be easily connected to a cylindrical-shaped housing to
stabilize and orient it on the ocean floor.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An object of the invention is to stabilize an orient a
cylindrical-shaped housing for sensors on the ocean floor.
[0007] Another object is to provide a stabilization structure for
the cylindrical-shaped mine emulation system to eliminate movement
caused by wave action and/or sea currents.
[0008] Another object is to provide stabilization structure that is
easily attached and removed by simple tools.
[0009] Another object is to provide a stabilization structure
having an outrigger design to create a flat bottom for a
cylindrical instrumentation housing to enhance its ability to
remain stable in high sea states and in strong currents.
[0010] Another object is to provide a cost-effective stabilizing
structure for a cylindrical housing made from materials resistant
to the harsh marine environment.
[0011] These and other objects of the invention will become more
readily apparent from the ensuing specification when taken in
conjunction with the appended claims.
[0012] Accordingly, the invention stabilizes a cylindrical-shaped
undersea package on the sea floor. An outrigger base assembly has a
flat base surface to rest on the sea floor and an upper surface
having a semi-circular cross-sectional configuration to
contiguously fit adjacent to round outer contours of the undersea
package. The outrigger base assembly has outrigger portions to
laterally extend the flat base surface. First and second case
clamps have curved surfaces with semi-circular cross-sectional
configurations to extend above the outrigger base assembly. The
first and second clamps clamp the curved surfaces onto the round
contours of the undersea package and the upper surface of the
outrigger base assembly onto the round contours of the undersea
package. The first and second case clamps secure the undersea
package in an upright orientation and resist tendencies for motion
by waves and/or currents.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the stabilizer
assembly of the invention installed on an undersea instrumentation
package, for example a versatile exercise mine system (VEMS) on the
sea floor.
[0014] FIG. 2 is an isometric, schematic representation of the
stabilizer assembly removed from the VEMS.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view taken along line 3-3 in
FIG. 1 showing details of the stabilizer assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, stabilizer system 10 of the invention
is installed on an undersea instrumentation package, for example a
versatile exercise mine system (VEMS) 30. VEMS 30 is shown on the
bottom, or sea floor 40 of a body of water 50 after it has been
dropped or otherwise deployed such as by cable (not shown) from a
surface vessel or aircraft. On sea floor 40 VEMS 30 will power-up
and collect acoustic/seismic, magnetic, and pressure data and
emulate various real mines.
[0017] VEMS 30 can be an exercise mine, for example the elongate,
cylindrical-shaped MARK 74 VEMS of the U.S. Navy, that is designed
to be placed into the ocean and rest on the floor, where it will
power up and collect acoustic/seismic, magnetic, and pressure data
and emulate various real mines. By emulating the mines, VEMS 30
will retrieve data from its sensors and, via software, analyze the
data to determine if the mine VEMS 30 is emulating would have
actuated from the signals received.
[0018] Heretofore, VEMS 30 has been internally weighted so that the
force of gravity would cause one rounded contour 31 of its rounded,
cylindrically-shaped housing 32 to come to rest on bottom 40 and
tend to stay in this orientation. However, practical experience
indicates that VEMS 30 is sensitive to wave action and/or sea
currents that push against its sides and cause it to rock back and
forth on rounded contour 31. This rocking motion affects triaxial
magnetic sensors in VEMS 30, since they then move relative to the
earth's background magnetic field. To these sensors, the rocking
motion can appear as fluctuating background noise levels
(fluctuations occur at frequencies associated with the frequencies
of the back and forth motions of VEMS 30). This background noise
level can be mistaken as emulations of a mine run by the VEMS 30 as
a potential target, or the background noise level could mask a low
level target so that VEMS 30 does not recognize it as a target. By
stabilizing VEMS 30 with stabilization system 10, the magnetic
sensors will not move, and consequently the earth's background
magnetic field should appear to the sensors to be stable.
[0019] Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, in accordance with this
invention stabilization system 10 secures an outrigger base
assembly 15 to VEMS 30 by a pair of stabilizing case clamps 20 and
25 wrapped around and engaging VEMS 30. Stabilizing case clamps 20
and 25 extend parallel with respect to one another and are
longitudinally separated from each other along VEMS 30. Typically,
stabilization system 10 is mounted on VEMS 30 in an assembly area
prior to deployment by placing a flat base surface 15a of outrigger
base assembly 15 on a flat surface 41 beneath VEMS 30 that has been
raised by an overhead crane (not shown). The overhead crane lowers
VEMS 30 onto outrigger base assembly 15, and after proper
orientation of VEMS 30 has been verified, the two stabilizing case
clamps 20 and 25 are placed across the top of VEMS 30. Case clamps
20 and 25 are secured to outrigger base assembly 15 by bolts 22 and
27, respectively. FIG. 3 shows bolts 27 extending through holes 28
in case clamp 25, to engage mating threaded bores 29 in assembly
15. Although not shown, it is understood that like bolts 27, bolts
22 also extend through similar holes in clamp 20 to engage similar
threaded bores in assembly 15. Tightening bolts 22 and 27 in their
respective bores causes case clamps 20 and 25 and outrigger base
assembly 15 to securely grip, or clamp onto and engage VEMS 30.
Installation of stabilizer system 10 on VEMS 30 is now complete.
Disassembly is the reverse procedure of this process of
assembly.
[0020] Outrigger base assembly 15 has upper surfaces 16 being
essentially semi-circular cross-sectional shaped to fit
contiguously adjacent to the essentially circular cross-sectional
shape of the outer contours 32a of VEMS 30 and has laterally
extending outrigger portions 17 that extend flat base surface 15a.
Stabilizing case clamps 20 and 25 extend above outrigger base
assembly 15 between outrigger portions 17 to clamp VEMS 30 to
outrigger base assembly 15 and securely orient VEMS 30 in an
upright, or other fixed orientation with respect to sea floor 40.
Stabilizing case clamps 20 and 25 do this when bolts 22 and 27 are
tightened to cause a firm gripping engagement on outer contours 32a
of VEMS 30 along curved surfaces 21 and 26 that each has an
essentially semi-circular cross-sectional shape. Thus, the
orientation of VEMS 30 with respect to sea floor 40 (or the
relative angle between outrigger base assembly 15 and VEMS 30 or
another external reference) is fixed and does not change throughout
the period of an operational deployment while data is being
gathered.
[0021] The design and construction of the stabilizer system 10 are
uncomplicated to lower construction costs. Outrigger base assembly
15 and stabilizer base clamps 20 and 25 can be suitably constructed
of strong aluminum, stainless steel, or other materials that can
handle the expected loads induced by water entry and coming to rest
against bottom 40, and bear the weight of VEMS 30. The materials
are chosen to be non-corrosive, or corrosion resistant so as not to
be affected by salt water. Stabilizer system 10 is not intended to
be a lifting mechanism or hard point for deployment of VEMS 30.
Other hard points and/or connecting structure (not shown)
associated with VEMS 30 are used for deployment to sea floor 40.
Outrigger base assembly 15 is built to be sufficiently strong to
support the weight of VEMS 30 on sea floor 40 with the attached
stabilizer system 10.
[0022] FIG. 3 shows threaded bolts 27, flat washers 27a, and lock
washers 27b as attachment hardware for stabilizing case clamp 25.
Although flat washers, lock washers, holes, and threaded bores
associated with bolts 22 are not shown it is understood that
stabilizing case clamp 20 also can be connected to outrigger base
assembly 15 in this manner. Other mechanisms to connect stabilizing
case clamps 20 and 25 to the outrigger base assembly 15 might be
chosen, such as hinges, over-center latches. captive pins, etc.
Stabilizing case clamps 20 and 25 and/or outrigger base assembly 15
could also utilize rubber pads, or other resiliently engaging means
21a, 26a, and 16a to prevent damage to VEMS 30 and its protective
coating, and to provide additional gripping frictional force.
Stabilizing case clamps 20 and 25 can have a variety of
cross-sectional shapes, such as square, triangular, circular,
elliptical, for examples. Outrigger base assembly 15 can be made
from different stock including square tube, round tube, I-beams,
C-beams, or other cross-sectional shapes. An exemplary VEMS 30
having a diameter of 21.0 inches can have outrigger base assembly
15 and stabilizing case clamps 20 and 25 shaped to have an inner
radius of 10.5 inches to accommodate the exemplary VEMS 30. The
length and width of outrigger base assembly 15 should be the
maximum practical length so as not to interfere with detachable
hardware or sensors or access ports on the exemplary VEMS 30.
Therefore, outrigger base assembly 15 of stabilizer system 10
provides a flat bottom for VEMS 30 and greatly enhances the ability
of VEMS 30 to remain stable even in high sea states or locations
where strong sea currents are prevalent.
[0023] Having the teachings of this invention in mind, different
applications, modifications and alternate embodiments of this
invention may be adapted. Stabilizer system 10 can be made in
larger or smaller sizes and in a multitude of different shapes, and
could be made from a wide variety of materials. In other words, the
design and construction of stabilizer system 10 allows for
accommodation of different underwater systems other than the
cylindrical shape of VEMS 30 by substituting differently
dimensioned and shaped components. Stabilizer system 10 of the
invention can easily be removed and reinstalled if necessary, and
simple tools are all that are required to perform this operation.
Optionally, the reliable, uncomplicated and cost effective design
of stabilizer system 10 can permit its non-recyclable use to
stabilize undersea packages. Other modifications could be made as
will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which this invention
pertains.
[0024] The disclosed components and their arrangements as disclosed
herein all contribute to the novel features of this invention.
Stabilizer system 10 of this invention is an effective improvement
that can be readily connected or disconnected to enable its
addition or removal from VEMS 30 without undue effort. Therefore,
stabilizer system 10, as disclosed herein is not to be construed as
limiting, but rather, is intended to be demonstrative of this
inventive concept.
[0025] It should be readily understood that many modifications and
variations of the present invention are possible within the purview
of the claimed invention. It is to be understood that within the
scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced
otherwise than as specifically described.
* * * * *