Claims
- 1. A system for deploying a propulsor unit from a submersed portion of the hull of a water vehicle, wherein said unit includes a submersible motor and a propeller, comprising:
- an opening in said submersed hull portion that leads to a chamber that communicates with ambient water for storing said unit;
- means for pivotally mounting said motor of said unit with respect to said chamber for pivotally deploying said motor and propeller of said unit from said chamber to the water surrounding said hull portion, and
- a cover means for covering said hull opening to render the surface of said hull substantially continuous, wherein said cover means covers said hull opening when said propulsor unit is in said chamber and when said propulsor unit is deployed in said surrounding water.
- 2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said cover means is pivotally mounted with respect to said hull.
- 3. A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a drive assembly for pivotally moving said propulsor unit to said chamber and to said surrounding water.
- 4. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein said cover has first and second sides, and said first side covers said hull opening when said propulsor unit is disposed in said chamber, and said second side covers said hull opening when said propulsor unit is deployed in said surrounding water.
- 5. A system as defined in claim 4, wherein both said first and second sides of said cover means are shaped to conform with the contour of said hull portion.
- 6. A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a steering assembly for steering said propulsor unit when said unit is deployed.
- 7. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein said propulsor unit is mounted onto said second side of said cover means, and said mounting means pivotally mounts said cover means to said hull portion.
- 8. A system as defined in claim 2, wherein said cover means and said unit are separately pivotally connected with respect to said hull.
- 9. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein said cover means includes a hatch door and a cover and further comprising a linkage between said cover and said hatch door so that said hatch door opens to allow the unit to become deployed and then closes once the unit becomes deployed.
- 10. A system for deploying a propulsor unit from a submersed portion of the hull of a water vehicle, wherein said unit has a submersible motor connected to a propeller, comprising:
- an opening in said submerged hull portion that leads to a chamber that communicates with ambient water for storing said propulsor unit;
- a cover means for covering said hull opening to render the surface of said hull substantially continuous, wherein said cover means covers said hull opening when said propulsor unit is in said chamber and when said propulsor unit is deployed in said ambient water to reduce both fluid drag and noise generation, and
- means for pivotally mounting said cover means and said propulsor unit with respect to said hull for allowing said propulsor unit to move from a stored position to a deployed position.
- 11. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said propulsor unit is mounted on one side of said cover means.
- 12. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein said cover means has first and second sides, and said first side covers said hull opening when said propulsor unit is disposed in said chamber, and said second side covers said hull opening when said propulsor unit is deployed in said surrounding water.
- 13. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein both said first and second sides of said cover means are shaped to conform with the contour of said hull portion.
- 14. A system as defined in claim 10, further comprising a drive assembly for pivotally moving said propulsor unit from said stored to said deployed position.
- 15. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said cover and said propulsor unit are separately pivotally connected with respect to said hull.
- 16. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein said propulsor unit is mounted onto said second side of said cover means, and said mounting means pivotally mounts said cover means to said hull portion.
- 17. A system as defined in claim 16, further comprising a steering assembly for steering said propulsor unit when said unit is deployed.
- 18. A system as defined in claim 17, wherein said propulsor unit is rotatably mounted onto the second side of the cover means, and said steering assembly rotates said propulsor unit a selected angle with respect to said rotatable mounting.
- 19. A system as defined in claim 10, further comprising locking means for locking said mechanism in a stored position and in a deployed position.
- 20. A system for deploying a propulsor unit from a submersed portion of the hull of a water vehicle, wherein said propulsor unit includes a submersible motor connected to a propeller, comprising:
- an opening in said submerged hull portion that leads to a chamber for storing propulsor unit;
- a cover means for covering said hull opening to render the surface of said hull substantially continuous, said cover means having first and second sides, each of which conforms to the contour of the hull, said propulsor being mounted on the second side of said cover means, wherein said cover means cover said hull opening when said propulsor unit is in said chamber and when said propulsor unit is deployed in ambient water to reduce both fluid drag and noise generation;
- means for pivotally mounting both said cover means and said propulsor unit with respect to said hull for allowing said propulsor unit to move from a first stored position to a second deployed position;
- a drive assembly for pivotally moving said cover means and said propulsor unit between said first and second position;
- locking means for securing said cover means into said first and second positions, and
- a steering assembly including means for rotatably mounting said propulsor unit to said second side of said cover means, and means for rotatably moving said propulsor unit relative to said cover means to a desired angle.
- 21. A system as defined in claim 20, wherein said steering assembly includes the combination of a worm gear and a spur gear for rotatably moving said propulsor unit.
- 22. A system as defined in claim 20, wherein said drive assembly includes at least one hydraulic jack means.
- 23. A system as defined in claim 20, wherein said locking means includes at least one hydraulically operated, spring-biased bolt.
- 24. A system as defined in claim 20, wherein said cover means admits ambient water into said chamber to equilibrate the pressure between said chamber and the ambient water.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation application of Ser. No. 07/585,426, filed Sep. 20, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,323, Apr. 28, 1992.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
3718222 |
Oct 1988 |
DEX |
8700535 |
May 1987 |
NLX |
8802686 |
Jun 1990 |
NLX |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
585426 |
Sep 1990 |
|