System for locking a watercraft in place in a floating dock

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for securing a boat to a floating pier attached to a carrier vessel, characterized by a hook which engages a securing ring attached to the pier, with the ring hinged to the pier and equipped with devices that flexibly propel the boat into the securing position via the hook.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a locking system for a boat in a floating dock associated with a carrier vessel.

[0002] Such a vessel is for example an unmanned drone, which can be deployed from the carrier ship to carry out a number of missions such as mine warfare or other missions.

[0003] The carrier ship, which could then be commonly called a minesweeper in this type of mission, is then able to deploy a drone to explore and analyze the environment, or even deploy means of neutralizing this type of munition.

[0004] Of course, other missions could also be considered.

[0005] Securing the drone in its deployment dock is achieved through locking mechanisms in position.

[0006] An example of a boat locking system is described in US document 4,998,497 A.

[0007] The aim of the invention is to further improve this type of system.

[0008] To this end, the invention relates to a locking system for a boat in a floating dock associated with a carrier vessel, characterized in that the boat includes a catch hook for an anchor loop attached to the dock to immobilize the boat in position in the dock and in that the loop is articulated on the dock and is associated with elastic stress means in the capture position by the hook.

[0009] Depending on other characteristics of the system according to the invention, taken alone or in combination: The shackle comprises yoke-shaped means for articulation on the dock around an axis transverse to the dock; the means for elastically applying force to the shackle in the position of capture by the hook include at least one spring interposed between the dock and the yoke; the anchoring shackle comprises a gripping portion having a general U-shape in the transverse end portion intended to be grasped by the hook; the U-shaped gripping portion of the shackle has two lateral arms associated with its articulation yoke on the dock; the lateral arms of the U-shaped gripping portion of the shackle are slidably mounted in corresponding housings of the yoke and are associated with elastic means for damping their displacements; the elastic means include helical springs;The helical springs are placed around the lateral arms of the U-shaped gripping portion of the handle between stops on these arms and the hinge bracket of the handle on the dock; the vessel is formed by a drone.

[0010] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given solely as an example of a possible embodiment and made with reference to the attached drawings, in which: There figure 1 represents a perspective view of a carrier vessel equipped with a floating dock for deploying a craft such as a drone; The figure 2 represents a side view of a boat locking system in a dock, according to the invention; The figure 3 represents a top view of this locking system in position; and The figures 4 And 5 represent side views of this system during the locking of the vessel in the dock.

[0011] This was indeed illustrated on the figure 1 , a carrier vessel designated by general reference 1.

[0012] This ship could, for example, be a deployment vessel for a mine warfare drone, for example from one of its lateral edges.

[0013] For this purpose, the ship includes, for example, a gantry designated by general reference 2, for deployment from a hangar on this ship, of a floating dock designated by general reference 3, in which is placed the drone designated by general reference 4.

[0014] The ship then includes, for example, means for towing this dock on at least one side of the ship, these means being designated by general reference 5 and including, for example, a lateral pole designated by general reference 6 and a towing cable designated by general reference 7.

[0015] It is therefore understood that for the deployment and recovery of the drone, the floating dock is put into the water, which allows the vessel to be deployed or recovered.

[0016] This vessel and the dock are equipped with additional means of locking the vessel in position within the dock in order to secure its handling.

[0017] These methods of locking the vessel in the dock are illustrated in more detail on the figures 2 à 5 .

[0018] In these figures, the dock is always designated by the general reference 3 and the vessel is always designated by the general reference 4.

[0019] In fact, and as illustrated, the boat has a capture hook designated by general reference 10 in these figures, which is adapted to grasp an anchor loop designated by general reference 11, attached to dock 3 to immobilize the boat in position in this dock.

[0020] As illustrated in these figures, the anchoring shackle is, for example, articulated on the dock and is associated with elastic tensioning means in the position of capture by the hook, illustrated in particular on the figure 2 .

[0021] Thus for example, the anchoring loop 11 includes means in the form of a hinge clevis on the dock, these means being designated by the general reference 12, around an axis transverse to it, designated by the general reference 13 on this figure.

[0022] The elastic stress means are designated by the general reference 14 and are therefore interposed between this articulation clevis 12 and the dock 3.

[0023] As illustrated, these elastic loading means 14 can, for example, include several springs interposed between the clevis and the dock, such as four springs arranged in pairs on either side of this clevis, as illustrated on the figure 3 .

[0024] As is also more clearly visible on this figure 3 , the anchoring handle 11 includes a gripping portion having a general U-shape, the transverse end portion of which is intended to be gripped by the hook.

[0025] This U-shaped portion is designated by the general reference 15 on these figures and the transverse end portion intended to be grasped by the hook is designated by the general reference 16.

[0026] This U-shaped grip portion of the handle also has two lateral branches designated by general references 17 and 18 on these figures, which are associated with the articulation clevis 12.

[0027] More particularly these lateral branches 17 and 18 of the U-shaped grip portion of the handle are mounted sliding in the corresponding housings of the slab 12 and are associated with elastic means for damping the displacements of these, these elastic means being designated by the general references 19 and 20 on these figures.

[0028] In fact, these elastic damping means include, for example, helical springs which are arranged around the lateral arms 17 and 18 of the U-shaped grip portion of the handle.

[0029] These helical springs can be placed between stops on these arms and the hinge bracket of these arms on the dock, to dampen the movements of the handle relative to the bracket.

[0030] It is therefore understandable that in a waiting position such as illustrated on the figure 2 , the elastic means 14 allow the handle to be kept in a waiting position ready to cooperate with the hook of the boat.

[0031] When the boat enters the dock, its hook grasps the capture loop and locks onto it, as illustrated in the figure 4 .

[0032] As it continues to penetrate the dock, its hook then comes above the capture handle, any shocks between these parts being cushioned by elastic means 19 and 20.

[0033] The handle can also move in an articulated manner relative to the dock under the pressure of the hook 10 against the stress of the elastic means 14.

[0034] This then allows the hook to be brought into the position for capturing the handle, as illustrated in the... figures 4 And 5 , the hook locking mechanisms then allow the hook, and therefore the vessel, to be locked in relation to the dock.

[0035] It is therefore understandable that such a hooking system makes it possible to improve the reliability of hooking and locking the vessel in position in the dock for handling.

[0036] Indeed, such a system allows a great deal of freedom between the vessel and the dock, particularly to take into account the sea conditions encountered.

[0037] Of course, other embodiments can be envisaged as defined in the attached claims.

Claims

1. A system for locking in position a vessel (4) in a floating dock (3), the locking system comprising the floating dock (3), associated with a carrying vessel (1), and the vessel (4), which includes a hook (10) for capturing an anchoring loop (11) secured to the dock (3) to immobilize the vessel in position in the dock, the loop (11) being hinged on the dock (13) and including yoke-shaped means (12) for hinging on the dock about an axis (13) transverse thereto, the loop being associated with elastic biasing means (14) in a capture position by the hook, the locking system being characterized in that the anchoring loop includes a gripping portion (15) having a general U shape and having two lateral branches (17, 18) associated with the hinge yoke (12), the lateral branches (17, 18) being slidably mounted in corresponding housings of the yoke (12) and associated with elastic damping means (19) for movement of the lateral branches, the transverse end portion (16) of the gripping portion (15) being intended to be grasped by the hook.

2. The locking system according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic biasing means (14) of the loop in the capture position by the hook comprise at least one spring interposed between the dock and the yoke.

3. The locking system according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic damping means (19, 20) comprise helical springs.

4. The locking system according to claim 3, characterized in that the helical springs (19, 20) are placed around the lateral branches (17, 18) of the U-shaped gripping portion of the loop between stops of these branches and the hinge yoke thereof on the dock.

5. The locking system according to claim 3, characterized in that the vessel is formed by a drone (4).