A capture locking device for underwater towed body launching and recovery

Abstract

This invention discloses a capture and locking device for underwater towed bodies, comprising: a device support, a front guide reel, a rear guide reel, a capture and guidance mechanism, locking hooks, and locking cylinders. The front and rear guide reels are mounted on the device support, with a gap formed between the outer circumferential surfaces of the front and rear guide reels for the passage of a tow cable. The capture and guidance mechanism is mounted at the bottom of the device support. The dry end of the tow cable is wound around a towing winch, and the wet end of the tow cable passes through the gap and the capture and guidance mechanism in sequence, before connecting to the towed body via a tow cable bearing joint. Two locking hooks are symmetrically arranged on the device support. Two locking cylinders are symmetrically arranged on the device support, and the locking cylinders drive the locking hooks to rotate, opening or closing the two locking hooks. When the two locking hooks close, they clamp the tow cable bearing joint. This invention has the functions of capturing, locking, releasing, and diluting towed underwater bodies, enabling fully autonomous capture and deployment of towed underwater bodies.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of underwater towed detection systems, specifically relating to a capture and locking device for the deployment and retraction of an underwater towed body. Background Technology

[0002] In underwater towed detection systems, the towed body needs to be deployed from the ship's deck to the underwater surface. After the towing winch lays out the cable to the predetermined length, the towed body performs depth-controlled, stable towing and detection tasks. After the task is completed, the towing winch retrieves the cable and recovers the towed body back onto the ship's deck for storage. During towing, the tow cable experiences significant vibration. Furthermore, ship turning, maneuvering, or defects in the towed body or cable itself can cause significant lateral swaying of the cable. When the towed body's depth is not consistent, the angle of the cable's trunk end (on the ship's side) will change significantly longitudinally. When the lateral and longitudinal changes of the cable become excessive, it is easy for the cable to rub against rigid structures such as the stern of the hull, causing wear and damage, severely reducing its service life, and even leading to cable breakage and loss of the underwater towed body. During deployment and retrieval, factors such as violent swaying and heaving of the ship can easily cause collisions between the towed body and hard deck surfaces such as the deployment and retrieval equipment, potentially causing damage to the towed body, breakage of the cable's load-bearing joints, and even injury to the deployment and retrieval personnel. Therefore, necessary improvements need to be made to the underwater towing and recovery device.

[0003] Currently, there are three main methods for launching and recovering underwater towed bodies:

[0004] 1. Manual Deployment and Retrieval. For small towed bodies weighing less than 50kg, the towed body is typically lowered slowly underwater by hand from the side or stern using a sling, and then the sling is released to complete the deployment. During retrieval, a sling is used to guide the sling through the towed body's towing frame, and then the towed body is manually lifted and retrieved. This method is simple and easy to use, but it is not feasible to lift and retrieve large towed bodies using purely manual methods.

[0005] 2. Direct deployment and retrieval by cantilever crane. During deployment, the cantilever crane is connected to the towing frame of the tow body via a release hook. The cantilever crane swings the tow body outside the ship and lowers it underwater. Then, the release hook is manually released to detach the tow body from the cantilever crane. During retrieval, a salvage hook is used to attach the salvage rope on the tow body to the cantilever crane hook for recovery. This method involves a certain length of free lifting cable or cantilever cable above the tow body during deployment and retrieval. When sea conditions are poor, the ship experiences significant swaying and heaving, causing severe swaying and vibration of the tow body during deployment and retrieval. Manual pulling of the anti-sway cable is necessary to reduce the risk of collision damage between the tow body and hard objects on the ship to some extent. Furthermore, auxiliary guide wheel sets are required during towing operations.

[0006] 3. Direct Deployment and Retrieval of A-Frame. A pulley is fixed under the A-frame. One end of the towing cable is wound onto the towing winch, and the other end is connected to the towed body via the pulley. During deployment, the towing winch retracts the cable, causing the towed body to rise off the deck. After the A-frame swings outward to the stern, the towing winch releases the cable, causing the towed body to enter the water and completing the deployment. Retrieval is the reverse process of deployment. This method is currently the most commonly used underwater towed body deployment and retrieval method. However, even with this method, the towed body still experiences violent swaying during deployment and retrieval in high sea states, requiring manual pulling of the anti-sway cable for assistance. It cannot achieve automatic deployment and retrieval of the towed body. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, the present invention provides a capture and locking device for the retrieval and deployment of an underwater towed body, which has the functions of capturing, locking, releasing and diluting the towed underwater towed body, and can realize the fully autonomous retrieval and deployment of the towed underwater towed body.

[0008] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0009] A capture and locking device for underwater towed body deployment and retrieval includes: a device bracket, a front guide cable reel, a rear guide cable reel, a capture and guiding mechanism, a locking hook, and a locking cylinder;

[0010] The front guide cable pulley and the rear guide cable pulley are installed side by side between the two side plates of the device bracket. The axial direction of the front guide cable pulley and the axial direction of the rear guide cable pulley are parallel. A gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the front guide cable pulley and the outer circumferential surface of the rear guide cable pulley for the passage of the tow cable.

[0011] The capture and guidance mechanism is installed at the bottom of the device support, below the front and rear guide cable reels; the dry end of the towing cable is wound around the towing winch, and the wet end of the towing cable passes through the gap and the capture and guidance mechanism in sequence, and is connected to the towing body through the towing cable bearing joint; the capture and guidance mechanism is used to limit the swing of the towing cable and to guide and limit the towing body.

[0012] Two locking hooks are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device bracket via locking hook pivots. Each locking hook has a semi-circular locking groove on one side for clamping the drag cable bearing joint. The locking grooves of the two locking hooks are arranged opposite to each other.

[0013] Two locking cylinders are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device support. The cylinder body end of each locking cylinder is pin-connected to the device support, and the cylinder rod end of each locking cylinder is rotatably connected to the locking hook. The locking cylinder is used to drive the locking hook to rotate around the locking hook shaft to open or close the two locking hooks. When the two locking hooks close, they clamp the drag cable bearing joint.

[0014] Furthermore, both the outer circumferential surfaces of the front guide cable wheel and the rear guide cable wheel are provided with annular grooves with a circular arc cross-section. The annular grooves on the outer circumferential surfaces of the front and rear guide cable wheels form a gap for the passage of the tow cable. The projections of the annular grooves on the front and rear guide cable wheels in the vertical direction form a closed cable passage area A, which is equal to the diameter of the tow cable.

[0015] Furthermore, the locking hook has a cylindrical body structure with a through hole in the inner hole and a clamping boss extending from the outer circumference of the cylindrical structure. The end of the clamping boss is machined into a semi-circular arc surface, which is a locking groove for clamping the towing cable bearing connector. The diameter of the locking groove is equal to the outer diameter of the corresponding position of the towing cable bearing connector. The outer surface of the integral structure consisting of the cylindrical structure and the clamping boss has two parallel connecting plates. Each connecting plate has a sliding groove, which is a V-shaped structure composed of an inclined groove and a vertical groove. The V-shape is obtuse. The width of the inclined groove and the vertical groove is equal to the outer diameter of the locking hook support shaft.

[0016] The locking hook shaft mates with the through hole shaft of the locking hook; the axial direction of the locking hook shaft is perpendicular to the axial direction of the front guide cable wheel; a locking hook support shaft is installed in the two slide grooves of each locking hook, and the locking hook support shaft can move along the slide groove. The locking hook support shaft is axially limited by the locking hook support shaft limit blocks fitted at both ends; the two ends of the locking hook support shaft are respectively slidably engaged with the vertical slide grooves provided on the side plate of the device bracket, so that the locking hook support shaft can slide up and down along the vertical slide groove at the same time;

[0017] The cylinder rod end of each locking cylinder is pinned to the locking hook support shaft, thereby achieving a rotatable connection with the locking hook.

[0018] Furthermore, the capture and guiding mechanism includes: two longitudinal guide roller shafts, a rear guide roller shaft, and a front guide roller shaft; the two longitudinal guide roller shafts are arranged side by side and parallel, the rear guide roller shaft is installed at one end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts and connects one end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts into one unit, the front guide roller shaft is installed at the other end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts and connects the other end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts into one unit; the two longitudinal guide roller shafts, the rear guide roller shaft, and the front guide roller shaft form a rectangular frame, and the projection of the rectangular frame in the vertical direction forms a closed cable passage area B; and the connection between the longitudinal guide roller shafts and the rear guide roller shaft and the front guide roller shaft is connected by a capture and guiding mounting seat;

[0019] Each longitudinal guide roller shaft is equipped with a rotating guide roller and fixed guide rollers at both ends of the rotating guide roller; a front guide roller is provided on the front guide roller shaft, and a rear guide roller is provided on the rear guide roller shaft; the rotating guide roller, the front guide roller, and the rear guide roller can all rotate around their respective longitudinal guide roller shafts, the front guide roller shaft, and the rear guide roller shaft; the front guide roller and the rear guide roller are variable diameter cylindrical structures, the outer diameter of the variable diameter cylindrical structure gradually increases from the middle to both ends, and is an arc-shaped concave surface; each end of the front guide roller on the two longitudinal guide roller shafts is fixed with a capture guide fork, and the two capture guide forks are arranged in a figure-eight shape.

[0020] Furthermore, when both locking cylinders retract simultaneously, they drive the locking hook support shaft to slide upward along the vertical slide groove on the device bracket, while simultaneously sliding inward within the locking hook slide groove, thereby causing the locking hook to open to both sides and completing the release action; when both locking cylinders extend simultaneously, they drive the locking hook support shaft to slide downward along the vertical slide groove on the device bracket, while simultaneously sliding outward within the locking hook slide groove, thereby causing the locking hook to close from both sides and completing the locking action;

[0021] Once the towed body is locked, the weight of the towed body and the downward reaction force of the buffer are jointly borne by the two locking hooks.

[0022] The outward swing torque M of each locking hook is:

[0023] M = G / 2 * L1 = F1 * L2 = Fz * L3

[0024] In the formula, G is the sum of the weight of the towing body and the reaction force of the buffer; F1 is the driving force for horizontal swing; Fz is the horizontal supporting force of the locking hook support shaft; L1 is the shortest distance between the axis of the through hole of the locking hook and the axis of the locking groove; L3 is the shortest distance between the axis of the through hole of the locking hook and the axis of the arc at the end of the vertical groove; L2 is the distance between the axis of the through hole of the locking hook and the point of force application of F1, and L2 and L3 are parallel.

[0025] Since Fz and F1 are in the same horizontal direction, and L2 is less than L3, when the locking hook locks the cable bearing joint under force, there is a slight deformation. At the same time, the existence of the weight of the locking hook support shaft itself causes the locking hook support shaft to have a downward force, which makes the locking hook have self-locking ability.

[0026] Furthermore, it also includes two release proximity switches and two locking proximity switches;

[0027] Two release proximity switches are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device bracket. The release proximity switches are triggered when the two locking hooks are opened to the correct position. Two locking proximity switches are respectively installed in the middle of the two locking hooks. The locking proximity switches are triggered when the two locking hooks are closed to the correct position.

[0028] Furthermore, it also includes buffers;

[0029] The capture and guidance mechanism is connected to the bottom of the device support via a buffer.

[0030] Furthermore, it also includes limiters;

[0031] The limiters are connected to the bottom of the device bracket and are located between the capture guide mechanism and the device bracket; each limiter is set in the vertical direction.

[0032] Furthermore, this also includes dilution nozzles;

[0033] The dilution nozzle is positioned above and between the front and rear guide sheaves and is fixed to the device bracket, with the nozzle orifice facing downwards. The dilution nozzle is connected to the ship's dilution water pipe and is used to flush the towed cable in real time during the storage and retrieval process.

[0034] Beneficial effects:

[0035] (1) This invention provides a capture and locking device for underwater towed body deployment and retrieval, suitable for the deployment, retrieval, and towing operations of towed bodies in underwater towed detection systems. A gap for the passage of the tow cable is formed between the outer circumferential surfaces of the front guide cable pulley and the rear guide cable pulley. The locking grooves of the two locking hooks are arranged opposite to each other. The locking cylinders are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the device support. One end of the locking cylinder is rotatably connected to the locking cylinder pin shaft, and the other end is rotatably connected to the locking hook support shaft. When the two locking cylinders retract simultaneously, the locking hooks open to both sides to complete the release action; when the two locking cylinders extend simultaneously, the locking hooks close from both sides to complete the locking action. Therefore, this invention can be installed on a gantry. The wet end of the tow cable passes between the front and rear guide cable pulleys and then through the capture and guiding mechanism. The cable extends outward and connects to the underwater towed body via a tow cable support joint. The dry end of the tow cable is wound onto the towing winch. After the towing winch pulls up the cable and lifts the towed body, it comes close to the capture and guidance mechanism. The tow cable support joint reaches the predetermined position, and the locking cylinder extends simultaneously. The locking hook grips the tow cable support joint and self-locks. As the gantry swings outward, the towing winch simultaneously releases the cable. The gantry swings outward so that the towed body approaches or is below the water surface. The towing winch pulls up the cable, the locking cylinder retracts to open the locking hook, and the winch releases the cable to the predetermined towing detection length, completing the deployment of the towed body. The towed body recovery is the reverse process of the towed body deployment. Therefore, this invention has the function of fully automatic deployment and recovery of the towed body, that is, it has the functions of capturing, locking, and releasing the towed body. It has the characteristics of high sea state adaptability, stability and reliability, and good trial installation.

[0036] (2) The capture and guide mechanism of the present invention can limit the left and right swing of the towing cable and prevent the towing cable from being damaged by excessive swing angle; the capture and guide mechanism can also guide and limit the towing body. When the towing winch retracts the cable and lifts the towing body, when the towing body is lifted close to the capture and guide mechanism, it pushes the capture and guide mechanism to move upward together. The capture and guide fork increases the correction capability of the towing body at the moment of capture.

[0037] (3) The present invention also includes two release proximity switches and two locking proximity switches. The two release proximity switches are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device bracket. The release proximity switches are triggered when the two locking hooks are opened to the position. The two locking proximity switches are respectively installed in the middle of the two locking hooks. The locking proximity switches are triggered when the two locking hooks are closed to the position. The locking proximity switches and the release proximity switches can detect the locking or releasing state of the locking hooks on the towing cable bearing joint.

[0038] (4) The capture and guidance mechanism of the present invention is connected to the bottom of the device support through a buffer. When the towed body is captured by the capture and guidance mechanism, the buffer provides a certain buffering effect during the capture process, reducing the impact force between the towed body and the capture and guidance mechanism.

[0039] (5) The present invention also includes a desalination nozzle, which has the function of real-time rinsing of the towing cable. When the towing operation is completed, the fresh water pipe switch is turned on, and the towing cable is rinsed in real time when the towing winch recovers the towing cable, so as to reduce the corrosion and damage of the towing cable by the residual seawater.

[0040] In summary, this invention serves as a capture and locking device for underwater towed bodies. It is mounted and fixed to a gantry via a device bracket and, together with a towing winch, forms an underwater towed body deployment and recovery system. A dilution nozzle connects to the ship's freshwater pipe to form a dilution waterway. Locking and releasing proximity switches provide capture and locking status parameters for the underwater towed body deployment and recovery system. During operation, the towed body is captured via a capture guide mechanism, providing a certain buffering effect during capture. After capture, the locking hook locks the tow cable's load-bearing joint, completely fixing the towed body within the capture and locking device. No manual assistance is needed to prevent the towed body from swaying. By combining the locking and releasing proximity switches to determine the operational status, fully autonomous deployment and recovery can be achieved. Therefore, this invention provides underwater towed body capture, locking, release, and real-time tow cable cleaning and dilution functions, offering advantages such as high sea state adaptability, stability, reliability, and good trial-fitting capabilities. When used with a gantry and towing winch, it enables automatic deployment and recovery of underwater towed bodies. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The left view;

[0043] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Top view;

[0044] Figure 4 Here are the assembly diagrams for the locking hook, (a) is a schematic diagram of the locking hook locking the tow cable bearing joint, and (b) is a schematic diagram of the locking hook releasing the tow cable bearing joint.

[0045] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the specific structure of the locking hook;

[0046] Figure 6 To capture the structural diagram of the guidance mechanism;

[0047] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the present invention;

[0048] Among them, 0-capture locking device, 1-device bracket, 2-locking cylinder, 3-front guide cable pulley, 4-locking hook, 5-limiter, 6-buffer, 7-capture guide mechanism, 8-locking hook support shaft limit block, 9-locking hook support shaft, 10-rear guide cable pulley, 11-diluting nozzle, 12-locking cylinder body pin, 13-locking hook rotating shaft, 14-release proximity switch, 15-locking proximity switch, 16-rear guide cable pulley retaining ring, 17-rear guide cable pulley axle, 18-rear guide cable pulley axle sleeve, 19-rear guide cable pulley axle clamping plate, 20-front guide cable pulley retaining ring, 21-front guide cable pulley axle 22-Front guide sheave bushing, 23-Front guide sheave axle clamp, 24-Gantry, 25-Towing cable, 26-Towing winch, 27-Towing cable load-bearing joint, 28-Towing body, 29-Ship, 401-Through hole, 402-Inclined groove, 403-Vertical groove, 404-Mounting hole, 405-Chamfer, 406-Locking groove, 701-Fixed guide roller, 702-Capture guide fork, 703-Rear guide roller shaft, 704-Rear guide roller, 705-Rotating guide roller, 706-Guide roller shaft, 707-Front guide roller, 708-Front guide roller shaft, 709-Capture guide mounting seat. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0050] Example 1:

[0051] This embodiment provides a capture and locking device for underwater towed body deployment and retrieval, see attached document. Figures 1-3 It includes: device bracket 1, front guide cable wheel 3, rear guide cable wheel 10, capture and guide mechanism 7, locking hook 4 and locking cylinder 2;

[0052] The front guide cable pulley 3 and the rear guide cable pulley 10 are installed side by side between the two side plates of the device bracket 1. The axial direction of the front guide cable pulley 3 and the axial direction of the rear guide cable pulley 10 are parallel. A gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the front guide cable pulley 3 and the outer circumferential surface of the rear guide cable pulley 10 for the passage of the tow cable 25.

[0053] The capture and guidance mechanism 7 is installed at the bottom of the device bracket 1, below the front guide cable pulley 3 and the rear guide cable pulley 10; the dry end of the towing cable 25 is wound on the towing winch 26, and the wet end of the towing cable 25 passes through the gap between the front guide cable pulley 3 and the rear guide cable pulley 10 and the capture and guidance mechanism 7 in sequence, and is connected to the towing body 28 through the towing cable bearing joint 27; the capture and guidance mechanism 7 is used to limit the swing of the towing cable and guide and limit the towing body;

[0054] Two locking hooks 4 are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device bracket 1 via locking hook pivot 13. Each locking hook 4 has a semi-circular locking groove 406 on one side for clamping the drag cable bearing joint 27. The locking grooves 406 of the two locking hooks 4 are arranged opposite to each other.

[0055] Two locking cylinders 2 are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device bracket 1. The cylinder body end of each locking cylinder 2 is pinned to the device bracket 1, and the cylinder rod end of each locking cylinder 2 is pinned to the locking hook 4. The locking cylinder 2 is used to drive the locking hook 4 to rotate around the locking hook shaft 13. When the two locking hooks 4 are closed, they clamp the drag cable bearing joint 27.

[0056] Example 2:

[0057] Based on Embodiment 1, this embodiment also includes: a buffer 6, a limiter 5, a locking proximity switch 15, a releasing proximity switch 14, and a dilution nozzle 11;

[0058] The device bracket 1 serves as the mounting base for the remaining components;

[0059] The front guide cable wheel 3 and the rear guide cable wheel 10 are installed side by side between the two side plates of the device bracket 1. The axial direction of the front guide cable wheel 3 and the axial direction of the rear guide cable wheel 10 are parallel and perpendicular to the plane of the side plates. The outer circumferential surface of the front guide cable wheel 3 and the outer circumferential surface of the rear guide cable wheel 10 are provided with annular grooves with a cross-section of arc. The annular grooves on the outer circumferential surface of the front guide cable wheel 3 and the annular grooves on the outer circumferential surface of the rear guide cable wheel 10 form a gap for the tow cable 25 to pass through. The projections of the annular grooves on the front guide cable wheel 3 and the rear guide cable wheel 10 in the vertical direction form a closed cable passage area A, which is equal to the diameter of the tow cable 25.

[0060] The front guide wheel 3 is mounted on the device bracket 1 via the front guide wheel axle 21, and the rear guide wheel 10 is mounted on the device bracket 1 via the rear guide wheel axle 17. The front guide wheel axle 21 is installed between the two side plates of the device bracket 1, and the axial positioning of the front guide wheel axle 21 is achieved by a stepped surface at its head and a front guide wheel axle retaining plate 23 at its tail, thereby connecting the front guide wheel axle 21 to the device bracket 1. Both ends of the front guide wheel 3 are connected to the corresponding front guide wheel axle 27. A front guide wheel retaining ring 20 and a front guide wheel bushing 22 are provided between the ends of the device bracket 1; the rear guide wheel shaft 17 is installed between the two side plates of the device bracket 1, and the axial limit of the rear guide wheel shaft 17 is achieved by the stepped surface provided at its head and the rear guide wheel shaft clamping plate 19 provided at its tail, thereby realizing the connection between the rear guide wheel shaft 17 and the device bracket 1; a rear guide wheel retaining ring 16 and a rear guide wheel bushing 18 are provided between the two ends of the rear guide wheel 10 and the corresponding ends of the rear guide wheel shaft 17.

[0061] See appendix Figure 5 The locking hook 4 has a cylindrical body structure with a through hole 401 inside. A clamping boss extends from the outer circumference of the cylindrical structure. The end of the clamping boss is machined into a semi-circular arc surface, which serves as a locking groove 406 for clamping the towing cable bearing connector. The diameter of the locking groove 406 is equal to the outer diameter of the corresponding position of the towing cable bearing connector, and a 45° chamfer 405 is provided at both ends of the locking groove 406. The outer surface of the integral structure consisting of the cylindrical structure and the clamping boss has two parallel connecting plates. Each connecting plate has a sliding groove, which is a V-shaped structure composed of an inclined groove 402 and a vertical groove 403, with an obtuse angle. The width of the inclined groove 402 and the vertical groove 403 is equal to the outer diameter of the locking hook support shaft 9. When the vertical groove 403 is vertical, its bottom is lower than the locking groove 406.

[0062] See appendix Figure 4 Two locking hooks 4 are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device bracket 1 via locking hook shafts 13, and the locking grooves 406 of the two locking hooks 4 are arranged opposite each other; the locking hook shaft 13 is axially engaged with the through hole 401 of the locking hook 4; the axial direction of the locking hook shaft 13 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the front guide wheel 3; a locking hook support shaft 9 is installed in the two grooves of each locking hook 4, that is, the locking hook support shaft 9 passes through the two grooves of the locking hook 4, and the locking hook support shaft 9 can move along the grooves. The locking hook support shaft 9 is axially limited by the locking hook support shaft limiting blocks 8 fitted at both ends; the two ends of the locking hook support shaft 9 are slidably engaged with the vertical grooves provided on the side plates of the device bracket 1, so that the locking hook support shaft 9 can slide up and down along the vertical grooves at the same time;

[0063] Two locking cylinders 2 are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device bracket 1. The cylinder body end of each locking cylinder 2 is rotatably connected to the device bracket 1 through the locking cylinder body pin 12. The cylinder rod end of each locking cylinder 2 is pin-connected to the locking hook support shaft 9, thereby realizing the rotatable connection with the locking hook 4.

[0064] The capture and guidance mechanism 7 is connected to the bottom of the device support 1 via four buffers 6, and each connection is fixed with bolts. The four buffers 6 are arranged in a rectangular four-point configuration, that is, two buffers 6 are installed at the bottom of each side plate. The four limiters 5 are connected to the bottom of the device support 1 via bolts and are located between the capture and guidance mechanism 7 and the device support 1. The four limiters 5 are arranged in a rectangular four-point configuration, that is, two limiters are installed at the bottom of each side plate. Each limiter 5 is set in the vertical direction.

[0065] Two release proximity switches 14 are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device bracket 1. The release proximity switches 14 are triggered when the two locking hooks 4 are opened to the position. Two locking proximity switches 15 are respectively installed in the middle of the two locking hooks 4. That is, the middle of the locking hook 4 is provided with a mounting hole 404 for the locking proximity switch 15, and each locking proximity switch 15 is installed in the mounting hole 404 of the locking hook 4. The locking proximity switches 15 are triggered when the two locking hooks 4 are closed to the position.

[0066] The dilution nozzle 11 is positioned above and between the front guide cable reel 3 and the rear guide cable reel 10, and is fixed on the device bracket 1, with the nozzle of the dilution nozzle 11 facing downwards; the dilution nozzle 11 is connected to the ship's dilution water pipe and is used to flush the towed cable in real time during the storage and retrieval process.

[0067] For details, please see the appendix. Figure 6 The capture and guide mechanism 7 is a closed load-bearing frame structure, including: two longitudinal guide roller shafts 706, a rear guide roller shaft 703, and a front guide roller shaft 708; the two longitudinal guide roller shafts 706 are arranged side by side and parallel, the rear guide roller shaft 703 is installed at one end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts 706 and connects one end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts 706 into one unit, the front guide roller shaft 708 is installed at the other end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts 706 and connects the other end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts 706 into one unit; the two longitudinal guide roller shafts 706, the rear guide roller shaft 703, and the front guide roller shaft 708 form a rectangular frame, and the projection of this rectangular frame in the vertical direction forms a closed cable passage area B; and the connection between the longitudinal guide roller shaft 706 and the rear guide roller shaft 703 and the front guide roller shaft 708 is connected by a capture and guide mounting seat 709;

[0068] Each longitudinal guide roller shaft 706 is provided with a rotating guide roller 705 and fixed guide rollers 701 located at both ends of the rotating guide roller 705; a front guide roller 707 is provided on the front guide roller shaft 708 and a rear guide roller 704 is provided on the rear guide roller shaft 703; the rotating guide roller 705, the front guide roller 707 and the rear guide roller 704 can all rotate around their respective longitudinal guide roller shafts 706, 708 and 703; the front guide roller 707 and the rear guide roller 704 are variable diameter cylindrical structures, that is, the outer diameter of the variable diameter cylindrical structure gradually increases from the middle to both ends, and is an arc-shaped concave surface; each end of the front guide roller 707 of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts 706 is fixed with a capture guide fork 702, and the two capture guide forks 702 are arranged in a figure-eight shape.

[0069] When working, please refer to the appendix. Figure 7 The capture and locking device 0 is installed on the gantry 24. The gantry 24 and the towing winch 26 are fixed on the deck of the ship 29. The dry end of the towing cable 25 is wound on the towing winch 26. The wet end of the towing cable 25 passes through the gap between the front guide cable wheel 3 and the rear guide cable wheel 10 of the capture and locking device 0 and the hollow part of the rectangular frame enclosed by the two longitudinal guide roller shafts 706, the rear guide roller shaft 703 and the front guide roller shaft 708 of the capture and guiding mechanism 7. Then, it is connected to the towing body 28 through the towing cable bearing joint 27. With the cable winding and unwinding of the towing winch 26 and the pitching and swinging of the gantry 24, the automatic deployment and recovery of the towing body can be realized.

[0070] The tow cable trunk end swings back and forth (i.e. Figure 1 The left-right sway of the tow cable 25 is limited by the front guide sheave 3 and the rear guide sheave 10. The outer diameters of the front guide sheave 3 and the rear guide sheave 10 are larger than the minimum bending diameter of the tow cable 25. Figure 1 The sway (vertical to the paper plane) is limited by the two rotating guide rollers 705 of the capture guide mechanism 7 to prevent excessive sway angle from damaging the tow cable 25. The capture guide mechanism 7 also guides and limits the tow body 28. When the towing winch 26 retracts the cable and lifts the tow body 28, when the tow body 28 is close to the capture guide mechanism 7, it pushes the capture guide mechanism 7 to move upward together. After being buffered by the buffer 6, it is stopped by the limiter 5. The height of the limiter 5 is determined by the relative position of the tow cable bearing joint 27 and the locking hook 4. The buffer 6 plays a buffering role to reduce the impact force between the tow body 28 and the capture guide mechanism 7. The capture guide fork 702 increases the correction capability of the tow body 28 at the moment of capture.

[0071] The towing cable bearing joint 27 is connected to the towing frame of the towing body 28, so the locking of the towing body 28 is achieved by locking the towing cable bearing joint 27. After the towing body is captured, when the two locking cylinders 2 extend simultaneously, they drive the locking hook support shaft 9 to slide downward along the vertical slide groove of the device bracket 1, and at the same time drive the locking hook 4 to rotate around the locking hook rotating shaft 13. The two locking hooks 4 close towards the towing cable bearing joint 27, so that the locking grooves 406 of the two locking hooks 4 move relative to each other, and the distance between the two locking grooves 406 decreases to grip the towing body tightly. At the corresponding position of the cable bearing joint 27, the towing cable bearing joint 27 is limited; when the locking hook support shaft 9 slides into the vertical slide groove 403 of the locking hook 4, the locking hook 4 no longer rotates, and the locking hook support shaft 9 continues to slide downward until the locking cylinder 2 is in place and stops, completing the locking action of the towing cable bearing joint 27. After the towing cable bearing joint 27 is properly locked, the locking proximity switch 15 is triggered by the towing cable bearing joint 27; only after the towing cable bearing joint 27 is properly locked can the two locking proximity switches 15 be triggered simultaneously.

[0072] After the tow body 28 is locked, the weight of the tow body 28 and the downward reaction force of the buffer 6 are jointly borne by the two locking hooks 4, combined with the attached... Figure 5 It can be seen that the outward swing torque M of each locking hook 4 is:

[0073] M = G / 2 * L1 = F1 * L2 = Fz * L3

[0074] In the formula, G is the sum of the weight of the tow body 28 and the reaction force of the buffer 6; F1 is the driving force for horizontal swing; Fz is the horizontal supporting force of the locking hook support shaft 9; L1 is the shortest distance between the axis of the through hole 401 of the locking hook 4 and the axis of the locking groove 406; L3 is the shortest distance between the axis of the through hole 401 of the locking hook 4 and the axis of the arc at the end of the vertical groove 403; L2 is the distance between the axis of the through hole 401 of the locking hook 4 and the point where F1 is applied, and L2 and L3 are parallel; since Fz and F1 are in the same horizontal direction, and L2 is less than L3, when the locking hook 4 locks the tow cable bearing joint under force, there is a slight deformation. At the same time, the existence of the weight of the locking hook support shaft 9 itself makes the locking hook support shaft 9 have a downward tendency force, so the locking hook 4 has a self-locking ability;

[0075] The release of the tow body 28 is achieved by releasing the tow cable bearing joint 27. After the tow body 28 is locked in place, the two locking cylinders 2 retract simultaneously, driving the locking hook support shaft 9 to slide upward along the vertical slide groove of the device bracket 1. At the same time, it drives the two locking hooks 4 to rotate around their respective locking hook rotating shafts 13, causing the locking grooves 406 of the two locking hooks 4 to move in opposite directions. The two locking hooks 4 open and rotate away from the tow cable bearing joint 27, and the distance between the two locking grooves 406 increases, freeing the tow cable bearing joint 27. When the locking hooks 4 simultaneously trigger the release proximity switch 14, the locking cylinder 2 stops retracting, and the locking hooks 4 remain open, completing the release action. The release action is only completed when both release proximity switches 14 are triggered simultaneously.

[0076] The freshwater nozzle 11 is connected to the ship's freshwater pipe. When the towing operation is completed, the freshwater pipe switch is turned on, and the towing cable 25 is rinsed in real time when the towing winch 26 retrieves the towing cable 25, so as to reduce the corrosion and damage of the towing cable 25 by the residual seawater.

[0077] In summary, the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A capture and locking device for underwater towed body deployment and retrieval, characterized in that, include: Device bracket, front guide cable reel, rear guide cable reel, capture and guide mechanism, locking hook and locking cylinder; The front guide cable pulley and the rear guide cable pulley are installed side by side between the two side plates of the device bracket. The axial direction of the front guide cable pulley and the axial direction of the rear guide cable pulley are parallel. A gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the front guide cable pulley and the outer circumferential surface of the rear guide cable pulley for the passage of the tow cable. The capture and guidance mechanism is installed at the bottom of the device support, below the front and rear guide cable reels; the dry end of the towing cable is wound around the towing winch, and the wet end of the towing cable passes through the gap and the capture and guidance mechanism in sequence, and is connected to the towing body through the towing cable bearing joint; the capture and guidance mechanism is used to limit the swing of the towing cable and to guide and limit the towing body. Two locking hooks are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device bracket via locking hook pivots. Each locking hook has a semi-circular locking groove on one side for clamping the drag cable bearing joint. The locking grooves of the two locking hooks are arranged opposite to each other. Two locking cylinders are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device support. The cylinder body end of each locking cylinder is pin-connected to the device support, and the cylinder rod end of each locking cylinder is rotatably connected to the locking hook. The locking cylinder is used to drive the locking hook to rotate around the locking hook shaft to open or close the two locking hooks. When the two locking hooks close, they clamp the drag cable bearing joint. The capture and guiding mechanism includes: two longitudinal guide roller shafts, a rear guide roller shaft, and a front guide roller shaft; the two longitudinal guide roller shafts are arranged side by side and parallel, the rear guide roller shaft is installed at one end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts and connects one end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts into one unit, the front guide roller shaft is installed at the other end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts and connects the other end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts into one unit; the two longitudinal guide roller shafts, the rear guide roller shaft, and the front guide roller shaft form a rectangular frame, and the projection of the rectangular frame in the vertical direction forms a closed cable passage area B; and the connection between the longitudinal guide roller shafts and the rear guide roller shaft and the front guide roller shaft is connected by a capture and guiding mounting seat; Each longitudinal guide roller shaft is equipped with a rotating guide roller and fixed guide rollers at both ends of the rotating guide roller; a front guide roller is provided on the front guide roller shaft, and a rear guide roller is provided on the rear guide roller shaft; the rotating guide roller, the front guide roller, and the rear guide roller can all rotate around their respective longitudinal guide roller shafts, the front guide roller shaft, and the rear guide roller shaft; the front guide roller and the rear guide roller are variable diameter cylindrical structures, with the outer diameter of the variable diameter cylindrical structure gradually increasing from the middle to both ends, and having an arc-shaped concave surface; each end of the two longitudinal guide roller shafts where the front guide roller is located is fixed with a capture guide fork, and the two capture guide forks are arranged in a figure-eight shape; The back-and-forth swing of the tow cable trunk end is limited by the front and rear guide pulleys, while the left-and-right swing of the tow cable is limited by the two rotating guide rollers of the capture and guiding mechanism.

2. A capture and locking device for underwater towed body deployment and retrieval according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the outer circumferential surfaces of the front guide cable wheel and the rear guide cable wheel are provided with annular grooves with a cross-section of arc. The annular grooves on the outer circumferential surfaces of the front and rear guide cable wheels form a gap for the passage of the tow cable. The projections of the annular grooves on the front and rear guide cable wheels in the vertical direction form a closed cable passage area A, which is equal to the diameter of the tow cable.

3. A capture and locking device for underwater towed body deployment and retrieval as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The locking hook has a cylindrical body structure with a through hole inside. A clamping boss extends from the outer circumference of the cylindrical body. The end of the clamping boss is machined into a semi-circular arc surface, which serves as a locking groove for clamping the towing cable bearing connector. The diameter of the locking groove is equal to the outer diameter of the corresponding position of the towing cable bearing connector. The outer surface of the integral structure consisting of the cylindrical body and the clamping boss has two parallel connecting plates. Each connecting plate has a sliding groove, which is a V-shaped structure composed of an inclined groove and a vertical groove, with the V-shape being obtuse. The width of the inclined groove and the vertical groove is equal to the outer diameter of the locking hook support shaft. The locking hook shaft mates with the through hole shaft of the locking hook; the axial direction of the locking hook shaft is perpendicular to the axial direction of the front guide cable wheel; a locking hook support shaft is installed in the two slide grooves of each locking hook, and the locking hook support shaft can move along the slide groove. The locking hook support shaft is axially limited by the locking hook support shaft limit blocks fitted at both ends; the two ends of the locking hook support shaft are respectively slidably engaged with the vertical slide grooves provided on the side plate of the device bracket, so that the locking hook support shaft can slide up and down along the vertical slide groove at the same time; The cylinder rod end of each locking cylinder is pinned to the locking hook support shaft, thereby achieving a rotatable connection with the locking hook.

4. A capture and locking device for underwater towed body deployment and retrieval as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that, When both locking cylinders retract simultaneously, they drive the locking hook support shaft to slide upward along the vertical slide groove on the device bracket. At the same time, the locking hook support shaft slides inward within the locking hook slide groove, thereby causing the locking hook to open to both sides and completing the release action. When both locking cylinders extend simultaneously, they drive the locking hook support shaft to slide downward along the vertical slide groove on the device bracket. At the same time, the locking hook support shaft slides outward within the locking hook slide groove, thereby causing the locking hook to close from both sides and completing the locking action. After the tow body is locked, the weight of the tow body and the downward reaction force of the buffer are jointly borne by the two locking hooks, and the outward swing torque M of each locking hook is: M = G / 2 * L1 = F1 * L2 = Fz * L3 In the formula, G is the sum of the weight of the towing body and the reaction force of the buffer; F1 is the driving force for horizontal swing; Fz is the horizontal supporting force of the locking hook support shaft; L1 is the shortest distance between the axis of the through hole of the locking hook and the axis of the locking groove; L3 is the shortest distance between the axis of the through hole of the locking hook and the axis of the arc at the end of the vertical groove; L2 is the distance between the axis of the through hole of the locking hook and the point of force application of F1, and L2 and L3 are parallel. Since Fz and F1 are in the same horizontal direction, and L2 is less than L3, when the locking hook locks the cable bearing joint under force, there is a slight deformation. At the same time, the existence of the weight of the locking hook support shaft itself causes the locking hook support shaft to have a downward force, which makes the locking hook have self-locking ability.

5. A capture and locking device for underwater towed body deployment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, It also includes two release proximity switches and two locking proximity switches; Two release proximity switches are symmetrically arranged on the two side plates of the device bracket. The release proximity switches are triggered when the two locking hooks are fully opened. Two locking proximity switches are installed in the middle of the two locking hooks respectively; the locking proximity switches are triggered when the two locking hooks are closed in place.

6. A capture latch for underwater towed body deployment and retrieval as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that, It also includes buffers; The capture and guidance mechanism is connected to the bottom of the device support via a buffer.

7. A capture latch for underwater towed body deployment and retrieval as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that, It also includes limit switches; The limiters are connected to the bottom of the device bracket and are located between the capture guide mechanism and the device bracket; each limiter is set in the vertical direction.

8. The capture latch of claim 1, wherein, This also includes dilution nozzles; The dilution nozzle is positioned above and between the front and rear guide sheaves and is fixed to the device bracket, with the nozzle orifice facing downwards. The dilution nozzle is connected to the ship's dilution water pipe and is used to flush the towed cable in real time during the storage and retrieval process.

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