Claims
- 1. An underwater testing platform assembly comprising:
- first and second rails for disposition in part in a body of water, each of said rails being adapted for connection to a surface vessel, said rails being further adapted for disposition substantially vertically and spaced from each other and substantially parallel to each other;
- a cage mounted on said rails and comprising a network of struts;
- a skid mounted on and movable in said cage and adapted to receive and retain apparatus to be tested;
- first and second travelers fixed to said cage, said first traveler being movably mounted on said first rail and said second traveler being movably mounted on said second rail, such that said cage is vertically movable on said first and second rails;
- instrumentation mounted on said cage;
- a transmission line connected at a first end to said instrumentation and for extending to the surface vessel; and
- a receiver having a second end of said transmission line connected thereto and adapted to receive data signals from said instrumentation.
- 2. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said rails are each provided with a mounting plate at an upper end thereof for attachment to a deck of the surface vessel to effect, in part, the connection of said rails to the surface vessel.
- 3. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said rails has an inboard surface located toward the surface vessel, said platform assembly further comprising:
- at least one bracket for each rail adapted to be joined to the surface vessel; and
- a tab joined to each rail inboard surface and configured for receipt by said bracket for connecting said rails to the surface vessel.
- 4. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said mounting plates is provided with a hole therethrough adapted to receive an upstanding pole fixed to a deck of the surface vessel.
- 5. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said travelers is provided with wheels which ride along opposite sides of one of said rails.
- 6. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of said rails has an outboard surface located away from the surface vessel; and each of said travelers includes a housing on which said wheels are rotably mounted, and which is slidably movable along the rail outboard surface.
- 7. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said instrumentation includes sensors for detecting ocean water parameters, ocean bottom configuration, and speed of the assembly over the ocean bottom.
- 8. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said network of struts comprises a multiplicity of struts spaced sufficiently from one another to permit water flow through said cage.
- 9. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein at least some of said struts are provided with leading edge fairings on forward surfaces thereof to facilitate smooth flow of water therearound.
- 10. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 8 and further comprising a deck mounted on said cage at an end of said cage removed from another end of said cage on which said skid is mounted, said deck being adapted to receive weights for counterbalancing said skid and the apparatus mounted thereon to be tested.
- 11. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least a forward-most one of said rails is provided with a leading edge fairing fixed thereto and extending over a forward surface thereof to facilitate smooth flow of water therearound.
- 12. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said skid is provided with elongated pockets for receiving tongues of a fork-lift, by which said skid may be moved out of and into said cage.
- 13. The platform assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said assembly further includes a harness fixed at either end to said cage and by which said cage may be pulled by a crane upwardly on said rails and released to move downwardly on said rails.
- 14. An underwater testing assembly comprising:
- a surface vessel having a hull portion;
- first and second connection structures proximate a side of said vessel and spaced from each other;
- third and fourth connection structures on the hull portion of said vessel and on said side of said vessel, each of said third and fourth structures being in substantially vertical alignment with one of said first and second structures; and
- a test platform assembly comprising:
- first and second rails for disposition in part in water supporting said vessel, said rails being substantially parallel and disposed substantially vertically, and said rails each being provided with a mounting plate at an upper end thereof, and each mounting plate being connectable to one of said first and second surface vessel connection structures, each of said mounting plates being provided with a hole therethrough, and each of said first and second connection structures including an upstanding pole configured and sized to pass through said hole; and
- a test platform cage movably attached to said rails for disposition beneath the water, said first rail being connectingly engageable with said first and third connection structures, and said second rail being connectingly engageable with said second and fourth connection structures, such that said test platform cage is attachable to said vessel by said first, second, third and fourth connection structures.
- 15. The testing assembly in accordance with claim 14 wherein said rails are each provided with a tab fixed thereto extending inboard toward said vessel and downwardly and is connectable to one of said third and fourth connection structures.
- 16. The testing assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein each of said third and fourth connection structures comprises a generally U-shaped bar fixed at both ends to said hull portion and defining a slot for receiving one of said tabs.
- 17. The testing assembly in accordance with claim 14 and further comprising:
- instrumentation mounted on said cage for sensing ocean data;
- a transmission line connected at a first end to said instrumentation and extending to said surface vessel; and
- test equipment disposed on said vessel and having a second end of said transmission line connected thereto, said test equipment being adapted to receive signals from said instrumentation.
- 18. The testing assembly in accordance with claim 17 wherein said cage comprises a network of struts spaced apart for flow of water therethrough and supporting said instrumentation and an apparatus to be tested.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
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.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
61-24690 |
Feb 1986 |
JPX |