Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6182553
-
Patent Number
6,182,553
-
Date Filed
Monday, March 22, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, February 6, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Gilbert; Harvey A.
- Peck; Donald G.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 089 11
- 089 111
- 089 3617
- 102 403
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A boat deployed explosive net assembly includes a boat, an elongated tray, a pair of pontoons, an explosive net and one or more drogue devices. The boat is floatable on and movable along a surface of a body of water, such as a surf zone. The tray includes an outer member and a pair of inner members. The outer member is rotatably mounted to the boat such that the tray is movable between a transport position in which it is aligned in generally parallel relation to the direction of movement of the boat and a deployed position in which it is aligned in generally transverse relation to the direction of movement of the boat. Each inner member is mounted to and disposed within an interior cavity of the outer member and telescopingly movable in relation to the outer member between retracted and extended condition. Each pontoon is floatable on and movable along the surf zone and mounted to one of the inner members of the tray. The explosive net is movable between a stored condition in which the explosive net is gathered within interior cavities of the inner members of the tray and a deployed condition in which the explosive net is spread over a portion of the surf zone.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to explosive devices and, more particularly, is concerned with a boat deployed explosive net assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The United States military would benefit from an improved capability to clear explosive devices, such as mines, in a surf zone of a beach in advance of a beach assault. Rockets and self-powered or gliding aircraft have been developed for deploying line charges and explosive nets. Rockets and aircraft, however, pose deficiencies related to cost and logistics.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,524 to Richards et al., many techniques have been developed over the years for clearing safe pathways across minefields on land and below water. Most methods have involved the detonation or removal of the explosive devices. Line charges and explosive nets have commonly been employed. By way of example, an explosive net may be deployed from a safe distance using rockets to carry a leading end of the net over a minefield while a trailing end of the net remains attached to a box the net was stored in. Explosives on the net are detonated to destroy mines which are located proximate to the charges. While prior art designs appear to be satisfactory in use for the specific purposes for which they were designed, none of them seem to provide an optimumly effective solution for the detonation of mines in a surf zone.
Consequently, a need still exists for an alternative approach which provides a cost and logistically effective solution to the aforementioned problem in the prior art without introducing any new problems in place thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a boat deployed explosive net assembly designed to satisfy the aforementioned need. The boat deployed explosive net assembly of the present invention includes a remotely controlled boat, an explosive net and a tray rotatably mounted to the boat for carrying and deploying the net. The boat deployed explosive net assembly can be constructed and deployed with less cost than prior art designs which use rockets or aircraft. The boat deployed explosive net assembly can also be moved to and used to detonate mines of a surf zone with less effort and more accuracy than the prior art designs which use rockets or aircraft.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a boat deployable explosive net assembly which comprises: (a) a boat floatable on and movable along a surface of a body of water in a given direction of travel; (b) an elongated tray mounted to the boat and adapted to undergo rotational movement relative to the boat between a transport position in which the tray is aligned in a generally parallel relation to the direction of travel of the boat and a deployed position in which the tray is aligned in a generally transverse relation to the direction of travel of the boat, the tray also adapted to undergo telescoping movement between a retracted condition in which the tray has a first length and an extended condition in which the tray has a second length greater than the first length; and (c) an explosive net carried by the tray in a stored condition when the tray is in the transport position and retracted condition and during movement to the deployed position and extended condition, the explosive net being deployable from the tray when the tray is in the deployed position and extended condition.
More particularly, the tray includes an outer member, a pivot member and a pair of inner members. The outer member has a top, a pair of opposite ends and a pair of opposite portions defining an interior cavity extending along the opposite portions between the opposite ends and open along the top of the outer member. The pivot member pivotally mounts the outer member to the boat such that the opposite portions of the outer member extend in opposite directions away from the pivot member and the pivot member adapts the outer member to undergo the rotational movement between the transport and deployed positions relative to the boat. Each of the inner members has a top and a pair of opposite ends and defines an interior compartment extending between the opposite ends and open along the top of the inner member. Each inner member is slidably mounted within the interior cavity of the outer member along a respective one of the end portions thereof and is telescopingly movable in relation to the outer member toward and away from the pivot member between the retracted condition of the tray in which the inner members are disposed substantially within the interior cavity of the outer member providing the tray at the first length and the extended condition of the tray in which the inner members are disposed substantially exteriorly of the outer member providing the tray at the second length. The explosive net is carried in the interior compartments of the inner members of the tray when the tray is in the transport and deployed positions and retracted condition and is carried in the interior cavity of the outer member and the interior compartments of the inner members during movement of the tray to and when the tray is at the deployed position and extended condition.
The assembly further comprises a pair of pontoons and one or more drogue devices. Each pontoon is floatable on and movable along the surface of the body of water and mounted adjacent to a respective one of a pair of opposite ends of the tray. The drogue devices are mounted to the explosive net for deploying therewith so as to remain substantially in place relative to the surface of the body of water for pulling the explosive net from the tray as the boat moves away from the drogue devices and thereby substantially spreads the explosive net over a portion of the surface of the water.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which:
FIG. 1
is a top schematic view of a boat deployed explosive net assembly of the present invention showing a telescopable tray of the assembly in a deployed position and extended condition after an explosive net is deployed from the tray.
FIG. 2A
is a top schematic view of the assembly showing the tray in a transport position and retracted condition.
FIG. 2B
is a top schematic view of the assembly showing the tray in a deployed position and retracted condition.
FIG. 2C
is a top schematic view of the assembly showing the tray is the deployed position and extended condition as in
FIG. 1
but before the explosive net is deployed from the tray.
FIG. 3
is an enlarged cross-section of the telescopable tray taken along line
3
—
3
of FIG.
2
B.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings and particularly to
FIG. 1
, there is illustrated a boat deployed explosive net assembly, generally designated
10
, of the present invention. Basically, the boat deployed explosive net assembly
10
includes a boat
12
, an elongated tray
14
, a pair of pontoons
16
, an explosive net
18
and one or more drogue devices
20
. The assembly
10
is intended for use on a surface of a body of water (not shown) for clearing mines in a surf zone in advance of a beach assault.
Referring now to
FIGS. 1 and 2A
to
2
C, the boat
12
of the assembly
10
is floatable on and movable along the water surface in a desired direction of travel D which is aligned generally parallel with a longitudinal centerline L of the the boat
12
extending from its bow or front end
12
A to its stern or rear end
12
B. The boat
12
can be one generally known as a planing boat and has a substantially elongated configuration. The boat
12
can have a length of approximately 50 feet and a width of approximately 10 to 12 feet, but can have any other suitable length and width. The boat
12
has a minimum draft and preferably is waterjet-propelled to allow the boat
12
to fully transit the surf zone and impact the beach with minimum chance of impacting the bottom of the body of water before reaching the beach. The boat
12
is made of a substantially light and high-strength material, such as fiberglass, or any other suitable material.
Referring now to
FIGS. 1
to
3
, the elongated tray
14
of the assembly
10
is mounted to the boat
12
and adapted to undergo rotational movement relative to the boat
12
between a transport position, as seen in
FIG. 2A
, and a deployed position, seen in
FIGS. 1
,
2
B and
2
C. In the transport position, the tray
14
is aligned in generally parallel relation to the direction of travel D and longitudinal centerline L of the boat
12
. In the deployed position, the tray
14
is aligned in generally transverse relation to the direction of travel D and longitudinal centerline L of the boat. The elongated tray
14
also is adapted to undergo telescoping movement between a retracted condition, as seen in
FIGS. 2A and 2B
, and an extended condition, as seen in
FIGS. 1 and 2C
. In the retracted condition, the tray
14
has a first, or minimum, length; in the extended condition, the tray
14
has a second, or maximum, length greater than the first length. Basically, the elongated tray
14
includes an outer member
22
, a pivot member
24
rotatably mounting the outer member
22
to the boat
12
, and a pair of inner members
26
telescopically movable relative to the outer member
22
.
The outer member
22
of the elongated tray
14
has a top
22
A, a pair of opposite ends
22
B and a pair of opposite portions
22
C defining an interior cavity
28
extending along the opposite portions
22
C between the opposite ends
22
B and open along the top
22
A of the outer member
22
. The outer member
22
further has a bottom wall
30
and opposite side walls
32
providing the outer member
22
with a generally U-shaped configuration in transverse cross-section, as shown in
FIG. 3
, and defining the interior cavity
28
open along the top
22
A of the outer member
22
.
The pivot member
24
of the elongated tray
14
may take the form of a turn style and pivotally mounts the outer member
22
to the boat
12
such that the opposite portions
22
C of the outer member
22
extend in opposite directions away from the pivot member
24
. The pivot member
24
adapts the outer member
22
to undergo the rotational movement between the above-described transport and deployed positions relative to the boat
12
. Particularly, the outer member
22
is rotatably mounted upon the boat
12
by the pivot member
24
such that the outer member
22
is preferably vertically disposed 6 to 8 feet above the surface of the water. The pivot member
24
may be centrally located on the boat
12
and generally disposed on the longitudinal centerline L of the boat
12
.
Each of the inner members
26
has a top
26
A and a pair of opposite ends
26
B and defines an interior compartment
34
extending between the opposite ends
26
B and open along the top
26
A of the inner member
26
. Each inner member
26
further has a bottom wall
36
and opposite side walls
38
providing the inner member
26
with a substantially U-shaped configuration in transverse cross-section, as shown in
FIG. 3
, and defining the interior cavity
34
open along the top
26
A of the inner member
26
. Each inner member
26
is slidably mounted within the interior cavity
28
of the outer member
22
along a respective one of the opposite portions
22
C thereof and is telescopingly movable in relation to the outer member
22
toward and away from the pivot member
24
between the retracted condition of the tray
14
, as seen in
FIGS. 2A and 2B
, in which the inner members
26
are disposed substantially within the interior cavity
28
of the outer member
22
providing the tray
14
at the first or minimum length and the extended condition of the tray
14
, as seen in
FIGS. 1 and 2C
, in which the inner members
26
are disposed substantially exteriorly of the outer member
22
providing the tray
14
at the second or maximum length.
The outer member
22
of the tray
14
also has a pair of opposite ledges
40
. Each ledge
40
extends interiorly from the upper edge of one of the opposite side walls
32
of the outer member
22
so as to partially overlie upper edges of the side walls
38
of the respective inner members
26
. For example, each ledge
40
extends approximately half of the width of one of the opposite side walls
38
of the inner members
26
. The opposite ledges
40
in combination with the opposite side walls
32
and bottom wall
30
of the outer member
22
capture and prevent vertical movement of the inner members
22
within the interior cavity
28
of the outer member
22
away from the bottom wall
30
thereof. By way of example, the outer member
22
can have a length of approximately 100 feet or any other suitable length. Each of the inner members
26
has a length less than half of the length of the outer member
22
. As seen in
FIG. 3
, the cross-sectional size of each inner member
26
is slightly less in width and height than that of the outer member
22
such that the inner members
26
snugly but slidably fit therewithin. For purposes of facilitating movement of the inner members
22
away from the pivot member
24
from the retracted to extended condition of the tray
14
, the opposite portions
22
C of the outer member
22
going from the pivot member
24
to the opposite ends
22
B of the outer member
22
may slope downwardly relative to a horizontal reference plane so that each inner member
26
is movable by the influence of the force of gravity or a suitable mechanical means to the extended condition of the tray
14
. Each inner member
26
is normally held in the retracted condition of the tray
14
within the interior cavity
28
of the outer member
22
thereof by suitable latching means. When unlatched, the inner member
26
automatically moves, respectively, in opposite directions away from the pivot member
24
from the retracted condition to the extended condition. The latching means is automatically unlatched when the tray
14
reaches its deployed position shown in
FIG. 2C
upon rotation from its transport position. Each of the outer and inner members
22
,
26
is made of a substantially light and high-strength material, such as fiberglass, or any other suitable material.
Each pontoon
16
of the assembly
10
is mounted adjacent to a respective one of the opposite ends
26
B of each of the inner member
26
of the tray
14
. Each pontoon
16
is floatable upon the water and thus movable with the tray
14
along the surface of the water. Each pontoon
16
has a configuration which substantially resembles, though on a reduced scale, the configuration of the boat
12
. The pontoon
16
has a suitable height for keeping the one opposite end
26
B of the respective inner member
26
of the tray
14
to which it is mounted out of the water. Each pontoon
16
is made of a substantially light and high-strength material, such as fiberglass, or any other suitable material.
The explosive net
18
has opposite forward or leading and rearward or trailing ends
18
A,
18
B. The forward end
18
A is mounted along the inner members
22
of the tray
12
. The explosive net
18
is movable between a stored condition in which it is gathered and carried wholly within the interior compartments
34
of the inner members
26
of the tray
14
when the tray
14
is in the transport position of
FIGS. 2A and 2B
, and a deployed condition in which it is payed out from the interior compartments
34
of the inner members
26
of the tray
14
and substantially spread over a portion of the surface of the water. In
FIG. 1
, the explosive net
18
is shown at least partially payed out. The explosive net
18
has a substantially rectangular configuration, though may have any other suitable configuration. The net
18
can have a length of approximately 80 yards and a width of approximately 55 yards when fully extended. This size of net
18
has a weight of approximately 3,000 pounds and has a volume of approximately 180 cubic feet when packaged. This size of net
18
covers about half of a surf zone of 150 yards by 50 yards. The net
18
may have any other suitable size and weight. The explosive net
18
is comprised of any suitable conventional material.
The drogue devices
20
are mounted to the trailing or rearward end
18
B of the net
18
and, upon movement of the tray
14
to its retracted to extended condition, will drop into the body of water and pull the net
18
from the interior compartments
34
of the inner members
26
of the tray
14
. The drogue devices
20
once deployed with the net
18
will remain substantially in place relative to the surface of the body of water and so hold the rearward end
18
of the net
18
in place also on or just below the surface of the body of water as the boat
12
continues to move away from the drogue devices
20
and rearward end
18
B of the net
18
causing the net
18
to spread substantially over the portion of the surface of the water at the surf zone. The drogue devices
20
are spaced approximately an equal distance apart from one another along the trailing end
72
of the net
18
or may have any other suitable arrangement. Each drogue device
20
could be a substantially parachute-shaped configuration, though may have any other suitable configuration. Each drogue device
20
has a size approximately similar to that of one of the pontoons
16
, though may have any other suitable size.
In addition to explosives (not shown) being incorporated in a known manner in the net
18
, explosives (not shown) also are mounted to one or more of and, preferably, to each of the boat
12
, tray
14
and pontoons
16
. The explosives, through remote actuation, are detonated once the explosive net
18
is in a fully deployed position. The explosives are of any suitable type. Destruction of the boat
12
, tray
14
and pontoons
16
prevents them from becoming obstacles themselves.
The assembly
10
further includes a suitable known remote control means for controlling movement of the boat
12
. The remote control means may set the boat
12
in transit up to 20 to 25 kt from a seaward launch point to a point at or near the surf zone. The assembly
10
further includes any suitable means for controlling rotation of the tray
14
between the transport position and deployed position. For example, the tray
14
could be spring-biased to move from the transport to deployed position by remote actuation of a pin or latch that would release the tray
14
from the transport position. The tray
14
moves
90
degrees from the transport position to deployed position. As mentioned above, the assembly
10
further has any suitable latch means for latching the inner members
26
of the tray
14
to the outer member
22
thereof so as to retain the tray
14
in the retracted condiiton. Upon the tray
14
rotating to its transverse deployed position of
FIG. 2B
, such latch means is automatically tripped permitting the inner members
26
to unlatch from the outer member
22
and slide relative thereto away from the pivot member
24
from the retracted to extended condition of the tray
14
. Any well-known suitable means can be employed for detonating the explosives from a remote location.
It is thought that the present invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely preferred or exemplary embodiment thereof.
Claims
- 1. A boat deployable explosive net assembly, comprising:(a) a boat floatable on and movable along a surface of a body of water in a given direction of travel; (b) an elongated tray mounted to said boat and adapted to undergo rotational movement relative to said boat between a transport position in which said tray is aligned in a generally parallel relation to said direction of travel of said boat and a deployed position in which said tray is aligned in a generally transverse relation to said direction of travel of said boat, said tray also adapted to undergo telescoping movement between a retracted condition in which said tray has a first length and an extended condition in which said tray has a second length greater than said first length; and (c) an explosive net carried by said tray in a stored condition when said tray is in said transport position and said retracted condition and during movement to said deployed position and said extended condition, said explosive net being deployable from said tray when said tray is in said deployed position and said extended condition.
- 2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:a pair of pontoons each floatable on and movable along the surface of the body of water and mounted adjacent to a respective one of a pair of opposite ends of said tray.
- 3. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:one or more drogue devices mounted to said explodable net for deploying therewith so as to remain substantially in place relative to the surface of the body of water for pulling said explosive net from said tray as said boat moves away from said drogue devices and thereby substantially spreads said explosive net over a portion of the surface of the water.
- 4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said tray includes an outer member having a top, a pair of opposite ends and a pair of opposite portions defining an interior cavity extending along said opposite portions between said opposite ends and open along said top of said outer member.
- 5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said outer member further has a bottom wall and a pair of opposite side walls providing said outer member with a substantially U-shaped configuration in transverse cross-section and defining said interior cavity with said open top.
- 6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said tray further includes a pivot member pivotally mounting said outer member to said boat such that said opposite portions of said outer member extend in opposite directions away from said pivot member and said pivot member adapts said outer member to undergo said rotational movement between said stored and deployed positions relative to said boat.
- 7. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said tray further includes a pair of inner members each having a top and a pair of opposite ends and defining an interior compartment extending between said opposite ends and open along said top of said inner member, each of said inner members being slidably mounted within said interior cavity of said outer member along a respective one of said end portions of said outer member and being telescopingly movable in relation to said outer member between said retracted condition of said tray in which said inner members are disposed substantially within said interior cavity of said outer member providing said tray at said first length and said extended condition of said tray in which said inner members are disposed substantially exteriorly of said outer member providing said tray at said second length.
- 8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein each of said inner members further has a bottom wall and a pair of opposite side walls providing said inner member with a substantially U-shaped configuration in transverse cross-section and defining said interior compartment with said open top.
- 9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said explosive net is carried in said interior compartments of said inner members of said tray when said tray is in said transport and deployed positions and said retracted condition and is carried in said interior cavity of said outer member and said interior compartments of said inner members during movement of said tray to and when said tray is at said deployed position and extended condition.
- 10. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said explosive net has opposite trailing and forward ends, said forward end of said explosive net being attached to said outer and inner members of said tray, said explosive net being movable between a stored condition in which said explosive net is gathered within said interior cavity of said outer member and interior compartments of said inner members of said tray and an expanded condition in which said explosive net is payed out from said interior cavity of said outer member and interior compartments of said inner members of said tray and spread over a portion of the surface of the water behind said boat.
- 11. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising:one or more drogue devices mounted to said trailing end of said explosive net for deploying therewith from said tray so as to remain substantially in place relative to the surface of the body of water for pulling said explosive net from said interior cavity of said outer member and interior compartments of said inner members of said tray as said boat moves away from said drogue devices and thereby substantially spreads said explosive net over the portion of the surface of the water.
- 12. A boat deployable explosive net assembly, comprising:(a) a boat floatable on and movable along a surface of a body of water in a given direction of travel; (b) an elongated tray mounted to said boat and adapted to undergo rotational movement relative to said boat between a transport position in which said tray is aligned in a generally parallel relation to said direction of travel of said boat and a deployed position in which said tray is aligned in a generally transverse relation to said direction of travel of said boat, said tray also adapted to undergo telescoping movement between a retracted condition in which said tray has a first length and an extended condition in which said tray has a second length greater than said first length, said tray including (i) an outer member having a top, a pair of opposite ends and a pair of opposite portions defining an interior cavity extending along said opposite portions between said opposite ends and open along said top of said outer member, (ii) a pivot member pivotally mounting said outer member to said boat such that said opposite portions of said outer member extend in opposite directions away from said pivot member and said pivot member adapts said outer member to undergo said rotational movement between said transport and deployed positions relative to said boat, and (iii) a pair of inner members each having a top and a pair of opposite ends and defining an interior compartment extending between said opposite ends and open along said top of said inner member, each of said inner members being slidably mounted within said interior cavity of said outer member along a respective one of said end portions of said outer member and being telescopingly movable in relation to said outer member between said retracted condition of said tray in which said inner members are disposed substantially within said interior cavity of said outer member providing said tray at said first length and said extended condition of said tray in which said inner members are disposed substantially exteriorly of said outer member providing said tray at said second length; (c) an explosive net carried by said tray in a stored condition when said tray is in said transport position and said retracted condition and during movement to said deployed position and said extended condition, said explosive net being deployable from said tray when said tray is in said deployed position and said extended condition; and (d) a pair of pontoons each floatable on and movable along the surface of the body of water and mounted adjacent to a respective one of said opposite ends of each of said inner members of said tray located farthest from said pivot member.
- 13. The assembly of claim 12 further comprising:one or more drogue devices mounted to said explosive net for deploying therewith so as to remain substantially in place relative to the surface of the body of water for pulling said explosive net from said tray as said boat moves away from said drogue devices and thereby substantially spreads said explosive net over a portion of the surface of the water.
- 14. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said outer member further has a bottom wall and a pair of opposite side walls providing said outer member with a substantially U-shaped configuration in transverse cross-section and defining said interior cavity with said open top.
- 15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein each of said inner members further has a bottom wall and a pair of opposite side walls providing said inner member with a substantially U-shaped configuration in transverse cross-section and defining said interior compartment with said open top.
- 16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said outer member has opposite ledges each extending inwardly toward one another from one of said opposite side walls of said outer member, said opposite ledges in combination with said opposite side walls of said outer member and said bottom wall of said outer member capturing and preventing movement of said inner members away from said bottom wall of said outer member and through said open top of said outer member.
- 17. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said explosive net is carried in said interior compartments of said inner members of said tray when said tray is in said transport and deployed positions and said retracted condition and is carried in said interior cavity of said outer member and said interior compartments of said inner members during movement of said tray to and when said tray is at said deployed position and extended condition.
- 18. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said explosive net has opposite trailing and forward ends, said forward end of said explosive net being attached to said outer and inner members of said tray, said explosive net being movable between a stored condition in which said explosive net is gathered within said interior cavity of said outer member and interior compartments of said inner members of said tray and an expanded condition in which said explosive net is payed out from said interior cavity of said outer member and interior compartments of said inner members of said tray and spread over a portion of the surface of the water behind said boat.
- 19. The assembly of claim 12 wherein each of said inner members of said tray has a length less than one-half of a length of said outer member of said tray.
- 20. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said first length is a minimum length of said tray and said second length is a maximum length of said tray.
US Referenced Citations (7)