USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Michael T Ansay

Angelo Di Biasio

Harry Zervas

Michael J Wroblewski

James T Broadmeadow

John R Little

Mariela I Santiago

George M Duarte

Michael D Wray

Joseph A Carreiro

Robert W Goldman

A system for deploying a fiber optic line sensor is provided that includes a launch vehicle to which three sections are attached. The first section is a buoy antenna section. The second section is an electronics canister section having control electronics. These sections are releasably attached to the launch vehicle. The electronics canister section is in contact with the antenna section and secured to the antenna section by a spring band. A communications cable is attached between the antenna and the control electronics. The third section is a spool section containing a spool of a fiber optic line sensor. This third section is attached to the launch vehicle by a rigid mount and is in contact with the electronics canister section. The fiber optic line sensor extends from the spool section into the electronics canister section to the control electronics.

Deployment system for fiber-optic line sensors

A hydraulic circuit for prevention of inadvertent weapons launches in which a hydraulic firing valve provides hydraulic pressure to a backup select valve rather than the backup select valve receiving hydraulic pressure directly from a ship supply header. This hydraulic pressure shifts the backup select valve to allow hydraulic pressure to pass to a mode select control valve that actuates a controllable air-firing valve, until a hydraulic firing valve for the weapon is opened. The backup select valve actuation can only occur with the initiation of the hydraulic firing valve. Only after the hydraulic firing valve is open, does the backup select valve initiate hydraulic pressure to the mode select control valve thereby preventing hydraulic actuation of the backup select valve.

Hydraulic safety circuit

A system is disclosed for pre-positioning a canister assembly at an undersea location. A transporter deploys to and releases the assembly proximate to the desired location. Once the assembly has fallen a safe distance after release, spring bands of the assembly are released by the action of lanyards of the transporter. The release allows anchor plates on each end of the assembly to separate from the assembly thereby dragging the assembly to a seafloor with the assembly buoyant at the undersea location. A vehicle deployment from the assembly is actuated by an acoustic receiver that causes a release device to release a normally compressed spring thereby allowing the spring to expand. During expansion, water is drawn into the assembly through flow ports to force a plunger plate with the water to act on a vehicle to deploy the vehicle out of a deployment tube of the assembly.

Pre-positioning deployment system

Pre-positioning deployment system for small unmanned underwater vehicles

A module for a payload that utilizes individual grippers in which each fill to a conical shape from an interior wall of the module toward a payload in the module. The shape of the grippers provides a holding strength on and lateral stability for the payload. The angle of the conical shape transfers the axial force of the payload into a tensional load on the gripper where it has comparatively greater strength. The conical shape of each gripper allows for more complete capture of a payload in that the grippers fill voids around the payload. Since there are more contact points with the grippers and the payload, the contact force required for an adequate capture can be spread out.

Flexible payload module with inflatable grippers

The present invention relates to a capsule sized to contain a weapon for launching and to withstand depth pressures. A telescoping nose section of the capsule, normally unextended around the weapon, extends at launch along a longitudinal axis of the capsule to provide the buoyancy used to lift the capsule out of a stored state and to ascent the capsule towards the surface. Once the surface is reached, a nose cone of the capsule is jettisoned to allow the weapon to exit the capsule.

Telescoping buoyancy capsule

An underwater missile launch system includes one or more missile loading modules for supporting a plurality of missiles in a stackable, in-line configuration within a pressure vessel. The missiles are arranged inside the modules, which may be stacked in groups inside a single pressure vessel, or payload bay. Each module is preferably substantially identical including a common size, shape, and payload of missiles in common with the module above and below it. A one-way positioning latch is provided that prevents the upper missiles from dropping down on top of the lower missiles, while allowing the lower missiles to later pass up through the same launch tube as the upper missiles, after the upper missiles have been ejected.

Stackable in-line surface missile launch system for a modular payload bay

An underwater missile launch system includes one or more missile loading modules for supporting a plurality of missiles disposed within protective capsules in a stackable, in-line configuration within a pressure vessel. The missiles are arranged inside the modules, which may be stacked in groups inside a single pressure vessel, or payload bay. Each module is preferably substantially identical including a common size, shape, and payload of missiles in common with the module above and below it. A one-way positioning latch is provided that prevents the upper missiles from dropping down on top of the lower missiles, while allowing the lower missiles to later pass up through the same launch tube as the upper missiles, after the upper missiles have been ejected.

Stackable in-line underwater missile launch system for a modular payload bay

An air bag launch assembly is disclosed which allows for modular loading onto a submarine, the launch of weapons or vehicles external to the submarine pressure hull, while also achieving greater packing density. The air bag launch assembly includes a large, watertight pressure container; one or more smaller, watertight canisters used to contain the weapon or vehicle. The canisters are sized to fit within the larger pressure container. An air bag inflator is attached to the top and/or sides of the small canister to buoy the canister out of the container.

Submarine air bag launch assembly

An assembly of underwater bodies and a launcher therefor. The assembly is adapted for mounting on a submarine outside the pressure hull. The assembly includes a launcher having a housing for enclosing an underwater body, a body support structure within the housing for supporting the body, a pressure regulator system in communication with the housing for imposing a selected pressure on an interior of the housing, a hatch pivotally mounted on the housing, and an actuator for opening the hatch to permit the body to exit the hatch, and for closing the hatch. The underwater body is a self-propelled body adapted to exit by gravity from the launcher. A release device is disposed on the launcher for releasing the body from the launcher to permit the exit of the body from the launcher by gravity.

Assembly of underwater bodies and launcher therefor

A vehicle launch assembly for underwater platforms includes a water tank mounted on the platform, and a plunger movably disposed in the tank and dividing the tank into first and second zones, the first zone being in communication with a. water environment in which the platform is disposed, and the second zone being in communication with a launch tube inlet line mounted on the platform. An actuator is connected to the plunger and is operable to move the plunger in the tank. A triggering device initiates operation of the actuator, moving the plunger in the tank to push water from the tank second zone to the launch tube inlet line to eject a vehicle from the launch tube, or moving the plunger to enlarge the tank second zone to draw water thereinto from a valve in communication with the water environment and the tank.

Growing community of inventors

Johnston, RI, United States of America

Michael T Ansay