RU2760798C1 - Launching and lifting apparatus for small-sized unmanned underwater vehicles and lowered hydroacoustic antennas from the carrier vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: watercrafts.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of water transport and can be used for launching and lifting remote-operated unmanned underwater vehicles (RUUV), towed unmanned underwater vehicles (TUUV), and lowered hydroacoustic (HA) antennas from a carrier vessel, primarily an unmanned boat (UB). The invention is aimed at providing the possibility of operation of the launching and lifting apparatus (LLA) with small-sized RUUV, TUUV, and lowered HA antennas from a UB with the possibility of operation in the automatic mode. The apparatus can be assembled and adjusted in the laboratory conditions and installed assembled on the UB

EFFECT: creation of a compact modular LLA exhibiting high characteristics due to implementation of the modularity principle; also implemented is the principle of universality, since the LA can ensure launching and lifting of objects of three types from the water: RUUV, TUUV, and lowered HA antennas.

1 cl, 6 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of water transport and can be used for lowering and lifting cable-controlled remotely controlled unmanned underwater vehicles (ROV), towed unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) and lowered hydroacoustic (GA) antennas from a carrier vessel, mainly an unmanned boat (BEC) ...

From the prior art, a ship launching (SPU) for underwater vehicles is known (RF Patent for invention No. 2013291, published on 05/30/1994). The device contains a metal structure, which consists of upper and lower levers with drives, hinged on the turntable. The turntable is connected to the base by a driven rotary support. The base is installed on the deck of the ship. A cargo winch is installed on the turntable. A pulley block with a gripper is hinged on the knock of the upper lever. The cable-rope is attached at one end to the cargo winch, and at the other end to the apparatus located next to the device on the keel block. The lifting frame and the hydraulic cylinder of the frame rotation drive are pivotally attached to the metal structure on the horizontal axis. Symmetrically located levers are hinged on the lifting frame. Each lever is made of pivotally connected root and end sections. The working surfaces of the sections are cylindrical. The root section is pivotally attached to the lifting frame and connected to the hydraulic cylinder of the lever swing drive, which is also attached to the lifting frame. An angular double-armed lever is hinged on the root section. The lever is connected to a spring, the other end of which is attached to the root section.

From the state of the art, it is also known SPU for towed underwater vehicles (RF patent for utility model No. 191507, published: 08.08.2019) The utility model belongs to the field of marine technology, namely to launching devices for towed underwater vehicles and can be used for launching , towing, lifting and stowage of towed underwater vehicles. SPU for BNPA contains a support base placed in a rigid frame, a pivotal support pivotally mounted on the support base, a lifting frame with a folding mechanism, a winch, drives, a control system pivotally connected to the rotary support. The rigid frame is made in the form of a container, in which a cradle is installed on the support base for placing the towed underwater vehicle in the stowed position, in the upper part of the container there are a cable-layer and a guide roller. The winch is made of 2-drum type. The drums contain sprockets surrounded by a chain, on which the main end of the cable tug is fixed. The axis of the lifting frame is made with the possibility of rotation in opposite directions and in the middle of the axis there is a gripping mechanism in which the towed underwater vehicle is held. Moreover, the gripping mechanism is equipped with a freely rotating pulley, the cable-tug, passing through the cable-layer, the guide roller and the rotating pulley, is fixed by the second end on the towed underwater vehicle. The efficiency of using the SPU for towed underwater vehicles is increased by ensuring its mobility, the ability to quickly install it at various carrier objects and transport it by various modes of transport, as well as for storage and maintenance of UUVs.

The analogue, the closest in technical essence to the claimed solution, is the SPU for towed and cable-guided underwater vehicles (Patent WO / 2019/207263, publication number WO / 2019/207263, publication date 10/31/2019). SUBSTANCE: invention relates to systems for launching and lifting aboard an underwater vehicle using a surface ship-carrier, which includes: an underwater vehicle, which is controlled through a connecting cable wound on a winch drum and connected to the control system of the carrier vessel. The winch with the cable is located on the superstructure of the carrier vessel. The underwater vehicle is located on the aft deck of the carrier vessel and is lowered overboard (climbed aboard) using the P-frame.

The well-known SPU for underwater vehicles is taken as a prototype.

The general disadvantages of the SPU for underwater vehicles described in the known analogs and prototype are:

- heavy weight, increased complexity, a large number of parts;

- for the operation of the SPU, it is necessary to have electric drives and hydraulic drives, which complicates its design and increases the requirements for the power supply of the carrier vessel;

- the winch with a cable-rope is located far from the U-frame, mainly on the superstructure, therefore, the SPU occupies almost the entire area of the aft deck of the carrier vessel;

- SPU cannot work in automatic mode, i.e. service personnel required.

The proposed invention is based on the task of eliminating the indicated disadvantages and ensuring the possibility of operation of the SPU with small-sized ROV, BNPA and lowered GA antennas with BEC with the ability to work in automatic mode.

The problem is solved by the fact that the launching device for small-sized unmanned underwater vehicles from the carrier vessel contains a P-frame mounted on hinges in the aft part of the carrier's deck perpendicular to its diametrical plane, and the P-frame is equipped with drives and a pulley, which is located on its upper part, as well as a winch installed in the center plane of the carrier vessel and equipped with an electric drive, a tensioner and a rope-laying device. The winch drum is equipped with a cable-rope, which is connected to the unmanned underwater vehicle through a system of pulleys. An unmanned boat was used as a launch vehicle for a launching device for small unmanned underwater vehicles, on the deck of which a removable platform is rigidly mounted in the aft hull, on which all mechanical and electrical components of the SPU are mounted in the form of a single compact module. Electromagnets are also installed on the platform to fix the UUV on it in the “traveling” position, while the P-frame is mounted on the aft part of the platform on hinges with the ability to occupy two extreme positions “traveling” and “working”, the latter being extended NPA for the stern of the boat. The movement of the U-frame on the hinges is carried out by an electric motor with built-in reduction gears, which are fixed on brackets installed on the platform, through lead screws and, kinematically connected with them, sliders, which are hinged on the P-frame, and on the upper part of the P-frame are hinged a block with pulleys is fixed, which is equipped, in its lower part, with an electromagnetic lock for fixing the NPA, together with the block, on the cable-cable, when the P-frame is moved from one extreme position to another extreme position and vice versa, while the block with a pulley is made also the ability to move both in the diametrical plane of the boat, and horizontally from side to side. The winch with an electric drive, as part of its standard mechanisms, is installed on the platform at such a distance from the P-frame that the UUV, which is in the "marching" position, is placed on the platform between them. The winch itself is rigidly installed on the platform by means of a foundation, which from the side of the P-frame in the diametrical plane of the boat is equipped with a cantilever and rigidly mounted axis, on which, as a standard winch mechanism, a swinging cage with a pulley is placed, with the possibility of swinging it from side to side following the movements of the winch cable-rope.

The task is also solved by the fact that the NPA in its lower part is equipped with flat plates made of ferromagnetic material for fixing the NPA on the platform.

Thus, the distinctive features of the proposed launching device for small-sized unmanned underwater vehicles from the carrier vessel made it possible to reduce the power consumption and weight and size characteristics of the SPU, to ensure the possibility of operation of the SPU in automatic mode with small-sized ROV, BNPA and lowered HA antennas with BEC, which in general allows to achieve the technical result ...

The technical result is the creation of a compact modular SPU with high performance due to the implementation of the modularity principle. The device can be assembled and adjusted in laboratory conditions and ready to be installed on the BEC. The principle of versatility has also been implemented, since this SPU can provide launching and lifting from water of objects of three types: TNLA, BNPA and lowered GA antennas.

Based on the foregoing, it can be concluded that the set of essential features of the claimed invention has a causal relationship with the achieved technical result, i.e. thanks to this set of essential features of the invention, it became possible to solve the problem. Therefore, the claimed invention is new, has an inventive step and is usable.

The essence of the alleged invention is illustrated by drawings, where:

- fig. 1 shows a block diagram of the SPU, the P-frame of which is located in the "working" position for the implementation of operations with TNLA;

- in Fig. 2 shows the layout of the SPU module on a removable platform (ROV in the "stowed" position;

- in Fig. 3 shows a block with a pulley placed on the P-frame with the ability to move both in the diametrical plane of the boat and horizontally from side to side;

- in Fig. 4 shows an oscillating cage with a pulley located on the winch with the ability to swing from side to side;

- in Fig. 5 shows the SPU BNPA placed on the platform in the "stowed" position;

- in Fig. 6 shows a hydroacoustic antenna placed on the SPU platform in the "stowed" position.

The drawings indicate:

1 - an annular "anchor" TNLA;

2 - TNLA;

3 - cable-rope;

4 - P-frame;

5 - electromagnetic lock;

6 - pulleys;

7 - swinging block with pulleys;

8 - sliders;

9 - lead screws;

10 - brackets;

11 - electric motors;

12 - electromagnets;

13 - swinging cage with a pulley;

14 - cable-cable tensioner and cable-laying mechanisms;

15 - winch drum with cable-rope;

16 - electric winch;

17 - pulley;

18 - axis;

19 - removable platform;

20 - hinge of the P-frame;

21 - unmanned boat (BEC);

22 - axis of longitudinal movement of the block 7 with pulleys;

23 - the axis of the transverse movement of the block 7 with pulleys;

24 - towed unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV);

25 - lowered hydroacoustic (GA) antenna.

Due to the fact that the present invention provides launching and lifting out of the water of objects of three types of TNLA, BNLA and a lowered hydroacoustic antenna, in the description of the invention only one of them is used as an example, namely TNLA.

The launching device for small-sized unmanned underwater vehicles from the carrier vessel is made as follows (Fig. 1). On the deck in the aft hull of the BEC 21, a removable platform 19 is installed, on which all the mechanical and electrical components of the SPU are mounted in the form of a single module (Fig. 2). The module is connected to the power supply and control systems of the BEC using a connector and an information technology interface cable. Electromagnets 12 are installed on the platform, designed to fix the TNLA 2 in the "stowed" position. TNLA 2 has in its lower part steel flat "anchors" (not shown), designed to interact with electromagnets 12. On the platform 19 on the hinges 20 there is a P-frame 4, which can take two extreme positions: "working" and " marching ". The P-frame is driven by electric motors with built-in reduction gears 11, which are hinged on brackets 10 mounted on the platform 19. Electric motors 11 through the reduction gears rotate the lead screws 9, which are connected with sliders 8 pivotally attached to the P-frame 4. В the upper part of the U-frame is pivotally fixed with a block 7 with pulleys 6, which has an electromagnetic lock 5 in its lower part, intended for fixing the ROV together with the block 7. The ROV (in turn) has in its upper part a flat steel reciprocal "anchor" ring-shaped form 1 designed to interact with the electromagnetic lock 5 of the unit 7. The cable cable 3 passes with one end in the middle of the "armature" 1 and is rigidly attached and electrically connected to the ROV, and the other is wound on the drum 15 of the electric winch 16, which is attached to the platform 19. The electric winch 16 includes the standard mechanisms of the cable layer and the tensioner 14. In order to reduce the dimensions of the platform 19, the winch 16 is maximally moved to the TNLA 2, which is in the "stowed" position on the platform 19. In order to prevent slipping of the cable-cable 3 from the pulleys 6 during the operation of the winch with the mechanisms of the tensioner and the cable-laying device, an oscillating cage 13 with pulley 17 (Fig. 4), which have the ability to swing on the axle 18 from side to side, following the movements of the tensioner and cable layer 14 mechanisms on the winch 16. The axle 18 is cantilevered to the foundation of the winch 16. Block 7 with pulleys 6 (Fig. 3) in order to prevent slipping of the cable - rope 3, when the ROV under water has gone far to the left or right side, has the ability to move in two planes: in the diametrical plane of the boat on axis 22 and in the plane "from side to side" on axis 23. With the help of this SPU it is also possible to implement lifting operations with BNPA 24 (Fig. 5), as well as with lowered GA antennas 25 (Fig. 6).

The device works as follows:

A. Lowering the ROV with the BEC into the water: In the initial position “on the stowed” (Fig. 2), the ROV 2 is located on the platform 19 and is fixed by operating electromagnets 12. To lower the ROV overboard the boat into the water, electromagnets 12 are turned off, and the electromagnetic lock 5 - turns on. The electric drive of the winch 16 is switched on to select the cable-rope, and the TNLA through block 7 with pulleys 6 rises above the platform until it comes into contact with the working electromagnetic lock 5, which will lead to the fixation of the TNLA on block 7. After that, the electric motors are turned on 11 and P-frame, through the operation of lead screws 9 and sliders 8, is transferred to the working position. Further, the electric motors 11 are turned off, and the ROV is hung over the side of the boat from the stern. In carrying out this action, the winch 16 deflects the cable-rope to the required length. Further, the winch 16 begins to etch the cable-rope to the depth of immersion of the ROV, thereby providing its working area near the ground, and the ROV, under remote control of a human operator on the shore, starts underwater work. When the ROV operates under water, it can take any position relative to the boat. With a strong departure of the ROV to the side of the boat, the block 7 is deflected to the side under the influence of the cable-rope tension force (Fig. 3), which reduces the likelihood of its slipping off the pulleys 6.

B. Lifting the ROV out of the water onto the BEC: P-frame 6 is in working position. At the end of the underwater work, the electric winch 16 is turned on to pick up the cable-rope 3, until the ROV takes a place near the stern of the BEC. Further, the operating winch 16 lifts the ROV out of the water until the "anchor" 1 of the ROV 2 touches the switched on electromagnetic lock 5 and fixes the apparatus on the block 7. After that, the electric motors 11 are started, and the P-frame 4 moves to the position " in a stowed way ", and the electric motors 11 are turned off. Further, the electromagnetic lock 5 on the block 7 is turned off, and the electromagnets 12 on the platform 19 are turned on. When the winch 16 with the mechanisms of the cable-laying device and the tensioner 14 for picking and pickling, the swinging cage 13 with the pulley 17 rotates on the axis 18 under the influence of the cable-cable tension force in the desired direction (Fig. 4), which also prevents the cable from sliding cable from pulleys 6 when choosing a cable-cable when transferring the P-frame to the "marching" position. After that, the winch is turned on for etching the cable-rope and the ROV is lowered onto the platform 19 and fixed on it with electromagnets 12 (the winch 16 is turned off).

Claims (2)

1. Launching device for small-sized unmanned underwater vehicles and lowered hydroacoustic antennas from the carrier vessel, containing a P-frame mounted on hinges in the aft deck of the carrier vessel perpendicular to its diametrical plane, and the P-frame is equipped with drives and a pulley, which is located on its upper part, as well as a winch installed in the center plane of the carrier vessel and equipped with an electric drive, a tensioner and a cable-laying device, and the winch drum is equipped with a cable-cable, which is connected through a system of pulleys to an uninhabited underwater vehicle, characterized in that as a carrier vessel a launching device for small-sized unmanned underwater vehicles, an unmanned boat was used, on the deck of which a removable platform is rigidly installed in the aft part of the hull, on which all mechanical and electrical components of the launching device are mounted in the form of a single compact module, on the platform it is also installed Electromagnets are installed to fix the unmanned underwater vehicle on it in the "stowed" position, while the P-frame is mounted on the aft part of the platform on hinges with the ability to occupy two extreme positions: "stowed" and "working", the latter with an extension of an uninhabited underwater vehicle behind the stern of the boat, the movement of the P-frame on hinges is performed by an electric motor with built-in reduction gears, which are fixed on brackets installed on the platform through lead screws and sliders kinematically connected to them, which are hinged on the P-frame, and on the upper part of the U-frame, a block with pulleys is hinged, which is equipped in its lower part with an electromagnetic lock for fixing the uninhabited underwater vehicle together with the block on the cable-rope when the U-frame is moved from one extreme position to another extreme position and back, while the block with the pulley is also made with the ability to move both in the diametrical plane of the boat and in the horizon flax from side to side, an electrically driven winch, as part of its standard mechanisms, is installed on the platform at such a distance from the P-frame so that the uninhabited underwater vehicle, in the "stowed" position, is placed on the platform between them, and the winch itself rigidly installed on the platform by means of a foundation, which from the side of the P-frame in the diametrical plane of the boat is equipped with a cantilever and rigidly installed axis, on which a swinging cage with a pulley is placed as a standard winch mechanism, with the possibility of swinging it from side to side, following the movements of the cable winch wire rope. 2. Launching device according to claim 1, characterized in that the unmanned underwater vehicle in its lower part is equipped with flat plates made of ferromagnetic material for fixing the unmanned underwater vehicle on the platform.

Images