Fixture for salvage of deep-sea flat-plate-shaped objects

Abstract

The invention relates to a clamp for salvaging a deep-sea flat-plate-shaped object, which comprises a bottom plate, a support frame arranged on the bottom plate, a top plate rotationally arranged on the support frame, a first clamping surface arranged on the bottom plate, a second clamping surface arranged on the top plate and corresponding to the first clamping surface, and a hook point arranged on the support frame, a clamped object is located between the first clamping face and the second clamping face. When the hoisting equipment continuously applies upward traction force to the hook point, the traction force can drive the top plate to rotate, so that the second clamping surface moves towards the first clamping surface and tightly presses the clamped object; dynamic self-locking is formed through dynamic coupling of traction force and pressing force, stable clamping can be maintained under disturbance of deep ocean currents without external energy, the clamping device directly acts on the smooth surface of a flat object to get rid of dependence on a preset hanging point, and no complex hydraulic / electric power system exists; and the reliability and the impact resistance under the deep sea high-pressure environment are remarkably improved, and the sealing failure risk of an adsorption type clamp is fundamentally avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of deep-sea salvage, and in particular to a clamp for salvaging deep-sea flat-plate objects. Background Art

[0002] The deep-sea salvage sector has long faced technical difficulties in recovering large, flat objects, such as aircraft wreckage and submarine bulkheads. These objects have smooth, flat surfaces and lack pre-set lifting points, making traditional hook-and-hook salvage methods completely ineffective. While suction clamps or temporary underwater welding lifting points are available as alternatives, they suffer from fundamental flaws in deep-sea environments. Suction clamps rely on negative pressure seals, which can easily fail due to changes in water pressure and temperature in the deep sea, and they also lack sufficient adhesion to rusted surfaces. Underwater welding, while used in shallow waters, has a near-zero pass rate in deep seas of thousands of meters due to issues such as high-voltage arc instability, brittle welds at low temperatures, and interference from ocean currents. Furthermore, there's a safety risk of igniting fuel and ammunition within the wreckage. While existing mechanical gripper solutions can grip flat objects, their gripping force requires continuous electrical or hydraulic drive. A system failure causes the object to fall immediately, and they are unable to withstand the dynamic impact of waves during lifting. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a deep-sea salvage device that does not rely on external energy, has passive self-locking capabilities, and is adaptable to multiple sizes, in order to solve the core problem of reliably grasping flat objects without fixed hanging points. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a clamp for salvaging deep-sea flat-plate objects, aiming to solve the problems existing in the background technology.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a clamp for salvaging deep-sea flat-plate objects, comprising: a bottom plate, a support frame arranged on the bottom plate, and a top plate rotatably arranged on the support frame, the bottom plate is provided with a first clamping surface, the top plate is provided with a second clamping surface corresponding to the first clamping surface, and the support frame is provided with a hook point compatible with external lifting equipment. When clamping, the clamped object is located between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface; when the lifting equipment continuously applies an upward traction force to the hook point, the traction force can drive the top plate to rotate, so that the second clamping surface moves toward the first clamping surface and presses the clamped object.

[0005] Furthermore, the hook point is arranged at an end of the top plate away from the second clamping surface.

[0006] Furthermore, a spring is included, one end of the spring is connected to the top plate, and the other end is connected to the support frame or the bottom plate, and the spring is used to provide a pre-tightening force to move the second clamping surface toward the first clamping surface.

[0007] Furthermore, it also includes a latch that is detachably arranged on the support frame, a through hole for the latch to pass through is provided on the support frame, and a fixing hole for the latch to be inserted is provided on the top plate.

[0008] Furthermore, a T-shaped handle is provided on the support frame for the submersible's manipulator to grasp.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes a locking mechanism, which includes a threaded rod with a T-handle. A threaded hole is opened on the support frame, and the threaded rod with the T-handle is threadedly connected to the support frame through the threaded hole. When locking, the manipulator of the submersible is controlled to rotate the threaded rod with the T-handle so that one end of the threaded rod with the T-handle presses the top plate.

[0010] Furthermore, both the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface are provided with anti-slip patterns.

[0011] Furthermore, a spring limiting rod is provided on the top plate, one end of the spring limiting rod is hinged to the top plate, and the spring is sleeved on the spring limiting rod.

[0012] A salvage device, characterized in that it includes: a crane; a plurality of clamps for salvaging deep-sea flat-plate-shaped objects, distributed around the flat-plate target object; a chain system, including four-limb chains connected to the hook points of each clamp; a central lifting ring, connecting the converging ends of all the four-limb chains, for docking with the hook of the crane; wherein, when the crane applies an upward traction force to the central lifting ring, the traction force is synchronously transmitted to the hook points of each clamp through the four-limb chains, so that the top plates of all the clamps are synchronously pressed against the flat-plate target object.

[0013] The present invention describes a clamp for salvaging deep-sea flat-plate objects, which has the beneficial effects of forming passive self-locking through the dynamic coupling of traction force and compression force, maintaining stable clamping under deep-sea current disturbances without the need for external energy, and directly acting on the smooth surface of the flat-plate object to get rid of dependence on preset hanging points, and without complex hydraulic / electrical systems, significantly improving reliability and impact resistance in deep-sea high-pressure environments, fundamentally avoiding the risk of sealing failure of adsorption-type clamps. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a flat plate salvage fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 2 2 is a schematic diagram of the operation of the salvage equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Explanation of the accompanying reference numerals: 1. Bottom plate; 11. First clamping surface; 2. Support frame; 21. Through hole; 22. T-shaped handle; 3. Top plate; 31. Second clamping surface; 32. Hook point; 33. Spring limit rod; 4. Spring; 5. Threaded rod with T-handle; 6. Lifting chain system; 7. Center lifting ring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Typical embodiments embodying the features and advantages of the present invention are described in detail in the following description. It should be understood that the present invention is capable of various variations in different embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that the descriptions and illustrations herein are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting.

[0018] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the said features. In the description of the present application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0019] In order to further illustrate the principle and structure of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] like Figure 1-2 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a clamp for salvaging flat-plate objects in the deep sea, comprising: a bottom plate 1, a support frame 2, and a top plate 3. The bottom plate 1 is provided with a first clamping surface 11 for contacting the lower surface of the target object, and the top plate 3 is movably provided on the support frame 2 through a rotating connection structure (such as a rotating pin), and has a second clamping surface 31 corresponding to the first clamping surface 11. During the clamping operation, the flat-plate target object is placed between the first clamping surface 11 and the second clamping surface 31; when the external lifting equipment applies a continuous upward traction force to the hook point 32 on the support frame 2, the traction force drives the top plate 3 to rotate around the support frame 2, causing the second clamping surface 31 to move toward the first clamping surface 11, thereby pressing the clamped object. This design forms passive self-locking through the dynamic coupling of traction and compression forces. It can maintain stable clamping under deep-sea current disturbances without the need for external energy, and directly acts on the smooth surface of flat objects without relying on preset hanging points. The streamlined rigid structure consisting of the base plate 1, support frame 2, and top plate 3, without complex hydraulic / electrical systems, significantly improves the reliability and impact resistance in deep-sea high-pressure environments, and fundamentally avoids the risk of sealing failure of adsorption clamps.

[0021] Furthermore, the hook point 32 is located on the top plate 3 at the end away from the second clamping surface 31. This positional design allows the top plate 3 to create a lever effect with the rotating pin as the fulcrum when the lifting traction force acts on the hook point 32. This maximizes the torque generated at the end farthest from the fulcrum, significantly enhancing the pressure of the second clamping surface 31 on the target object. This structure ensures that even under conditions of deep-sea current disturbances or lifting vibrations, the clamp can maintain stable clamping through passive self-locking.

[0022] Furthermore, the clamp includes a spring 4, one end of which is connected to the top plate 3 and the other end is fixed to the support frame 2 or the bottom plate 1. When the clamp is not in operation, the spring 4 is compressed. When a flat target object enters the clamping surfaces, the deep-sea submersible's manipulator releases the spring 4. The preload of the spring 4 drives the second clamping surface 31 to continuously move toward the first clamping surface 11, achieving initial gripping of the target object. This design, through the dual guarantees of elastic preload and traction self-locking, eliminates the operational burden of fine-tuning the position of the top plate 3 while ensuring that a basic clamping force is established before the lifting traction force is introduced, significantly improving gripping reliability in complex deep-sea environments.

[0023] Furthermore, the clamp includes a latch removably mounted on the support frame 2. The support frame 2 is provided with a through hole 21 for the latch to pass through, and the top plate 3 is provided with a fixing hole for the latch to be inserted. When the clamp is not in operation, the latch is inserted into the through hole 21 of the support frame 2 and the fixing hole of the top plate 3, forcing the top plate 3 to remain open against the preload force of the spring 4. At this time, the spring 4 is in a compressed energy storage state, and the accumulated elastic potential energy continuously provides a preload force that causes the second clamping surface 31 to move toward the first clamping surface 11, but is constrained by the mechanical limit of the latch and cannot be released. When a flat target object enters between the first clamping surface 11 and the second clamping surface 31, the deep-sea submersible's manipulator pulls out the latch to release the limit. The compressed potential energy of the spring 4 is instantly released, driving the top plate 3 to rebound rapidly around the rotating pin, causing the second clamping surface 31 to actively press against the target surface to complete the initial clamping. This process uses the physical constraint of the pin and the energy pre-storage mechanism of the spring 4 to achieve automatic locking of the clamp triggered by a single action of the submersible, greatly reducing the difficulty of delicate underwater operations.

[0024] Furthermore, a T-shaped handle 22 is provided on the support frame 2 for the submersible's manipulator to grasp. When the submersible manipulates the clamp underwater, the manipulator can achieve precise positioning of the clamp by grasping the horizontal crossbar of the T-shaped handle 22, significantly reducing the difficulty of coordination between the submersible's manipulator and the clamp.

[0025] Furthermore, the clamp includes a locking mechanism, the core component of which is a threaded rod 5 with a T-handle. This rod 5 is threadedly connected to the support frame 2 through a threaded hole provided in the support frame 2. Specifically, the support frame 2 is provided with a pre-set threaded hole that matches the threaded rod 5. The rod body of the T-handle threaded rod 5 passes through the threaded hole. Its top end is designed as a T-shaped handle to facilitate gripping and operation by the submersible manipulator; the other end is a clamping end that engages the side surface of the top plate 3. When locking is required, the submersible manipulator grasps the T-handle and rotates the rod 5, moving it axially toward the top plate 3. The clamping end gradually presses against the top plate 3, mechanically securing the top plate 3 in position to clamp the target object, achieving a secondary locking of the flat plate. This design not only enhances clamping stability by utilizing the self-locking properties of the threaded connection, but also utilizes the ergonomic design of the T-handle to adapt to deep-sea manipulator operation, ensuring reliable locking even in high-pressure environments and preventing loosening of the top plate 3 due to wave impact or fluctuations in traction.

[0026] Furthermore, both the top plate 3 and bottom plate 1 utilize a high-strength titanium alloy frame structure. This material exhibits excellent high-pressure and corrosion resistance, effectively surviving the harsh working conditions of deep-sea environments and ensuring the structural stability of the fixture even at depths of several thousand meters. Furthermore, both the first clamping surface 11 of the bottom plate 1 and the second clamping surface 31 of the top plate 3 are provided with anti-slip patterns. These patterns employ a staggered or toothed design, increasing the friction coefficient of the contact surface to prevent flat-plate objects from slipping or deflecting during the clamping process. Especially during upward salvage, the anti-slip patterns work synergistically with the progressive clamping force to further enhance the target's securement, ensuring the safety and reliability of the salvage operation.

[0027] Furthermore, a spring limiting rod 33 is provided on the top plate 3. One end of the limiting rod is hinged to the top plate 3, and the other end extends in the direction of the support frame 2 or the bottom plate 1. The spring 4 is coaxially sleeved on the outer periphery of the limiting rod. When the spring 4 is compressed during the rotation of the top plate 3, the limiting rod limits the radial expansion or torsional deformation of the spring 4 during axial compression through the contact between the rod body and the inner wall of the spring 4, ensuring that the spring 4 always provides a stable preload in the axial direction. This design not only avoids the elastic force attenuation or jamming of the spring 4 due to radial deviation, but also ensures that the top plate 3 is evenly stressed during the clamping process, improving the reliability and stability of the clamping action. It is particularly suitable for frequent clamping operations in deep-sea high-pressure environments.

[0028] The present invention also includes a salvage device, comprising a crane (not shown), multiple clamps for salvaging deep-sea flat-plate objects, a chain system 6, and a central lifting ring 7. The crane is mounted on a mother vessel and serves as a power source to provide upward traction. Multiple clamps are evenly distributed around the flat-plate target object. Each clamp has the same structure as described above, with a bottom plate 1 in contact with the target surface and a top plate 3 capable of rotatably clamping the target object. The chain system 6 includes four chain limbs, each of which is connected to a hook point 32 on a corresponding clamp at one end and converges toward the center at the other end. The central lifting ring 7 connects the convergent ends of all four chains and is used to connect to the crane's hook, forming a force transmission hub.

[0029] When the crane applies upward traction to the central lifting ring 7, this force is synchronously transmitted through the four sling chains to the hook points 32 of each clamp. Because the hook points 32 are located at the distal end of the top plate 3, the traction is converted into a torque that causes the top plate 3 to rotate, causing the top plates 3 of all clamps to rotate synchronously toward the bottom plate 1. The second clamping surfaces 31 gradually compress the flat-plate target. This design, through multi-point distributed clamping and synchronized force transmission, ensures uniform force on large flat-plate targets during the lifting process, avoiding deformation caused by localized stress concentration and enabling efficient salvage operations for targets without fixed hook points.

[0030] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, any minor modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention are still within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A clamp for salvaging deep-sea flat-plate objects, characterized in that: include: A base plate, a support frame arranged on the base plate, and a top plate rotatably arranged on the support frame, a first clamping surface is provided on the base plate, a second clamping surface corresponding to the first clamping surface is provided on the top plate, and a hook point compatible with external lifting equipment is provided on the support frame. When clamping, the clamped object is located between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface; when the lifting equipment continuously applies an upward traction force to the hook point, the traction force can drive the top plate to rotate, so that the second clamping surface moves toward the first clamping surface and presses the clamped object.

2. The deep-sea flat-plate object salvaging fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hook point is arranged at an end of the top plate away from the second clamping surface.

3. The deep-sea flat-plate object salvaging fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a spring, one end of which is connected to the top plate, and the other end is connected to the support frame or the bottom plate. The spring is used to provide a pre-tightening force to move the second clamping surface toward the first clamping surface.

4. The deep-sea flat-plate object salvaging fixture according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a latch that is detachably arranged on the support frame. The support frame is provided with a through hole for the latch to pass through, and the top plate is provided with a fixing hole for the latch to be inserted.

5. The deep-sea flat-plate object salvaging fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that: A T-shaped handle is provided on the support frame for the submersible's manipulator to grasp.

6. The deep-sea flat-plate object salvaging fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a locking mechanism, which includes a threaded rod with a T-handle. A threaded hole is provided on the support frame, and the threaded rod with the T-handle is threadedly connected to the support frame through the threaded hole. When locking, the manipulator of the submersible is controlled to rotate the threaded rod with the T-handle so that one end of the threaded rod with the T-handle presses the top plate.

7. The deep-sea flat-plate object salvaging fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first clamping surface and the second clamping surface are both provided with anti-slip patterns.

8. The deep-sea flat-plate object salvaging fixture according to claim 3, characterized in that: A spring limiting rod is arranged on the top plate, one end of the spring limiting rod is hinged to the top plate, and the spring is sleeved on the spring limiting rod.

9. A salvage device, characterized in that: include: crane; A plurality of deep-sea flat-plate object salvaging fixtures according to any one of claims 1 to 8, distributed around the flat-plate target object; A chain hoist system, comprising four-limb chains connected to the hook points of each clamp; The center lifting ring connects the convergent ends of all the four-limb lifting chains and is used to connect the hook of the crane; When the crane applies an upward traction force to the central lifting ring, the traction force is synchronously transmitted to the hook points of each clamp through the four-limb lifting chain, so that the top plates of all clamps synchronously press the flat target object.

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