Apparatus, And Methods Of Use, For Launching Vehicles From Ships

Abstract

Launching devices, kits, systems and methods. Embodiments may include devices for launching submergible vehicles from the top surface of the hull of ships. A launcher may retain vehicles at varying angles prior to launch. A bottom member may receive the vehicle and may have legs welded to the ship. The launcher may be tilted at varying angles, including a horizontal orientation for loading the vehicle and a raised orientation for launching the vehicle. The position of the loaded vehicle may be aligned by rotating the vehicle within the bottom member. An alignment fixture may engage alignment protrusions or slots on the exterior surface of the loaded vehicle. A top member may be attached to secure the aligned vehicle within the launcher. Upon command, the secured vehicle may be launched from the ship by releasing and enabling the vehicle to slide off of the bottom member into the water below.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This non-provisional patent application claims priority to, and incorporates herein by reference in its entirety, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 752,468 that was filed Jan. 31, 2025.STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST

[0002] The embodiments of the present disclosure 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.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0003] The present disclosure relates in general to the field of launching devices, and in particular to systems and methods and apparatuses for launching submergible vehicles from the top surface of the hull of ships.BACKGROUND

[0004] Basic techniques for manually loading, retaining, launching vehicles from ships are known in the art. Past methods for the retaining and discharging of submergible vehicles, however, are labor-intensive and dangerous due to the human participation in the maintenance and manipulation of vehicles having substantial weight and size. Improved solutions are desired for retaining, and launching on command, submergible vehicles from the topside of water-surface crafts that may be unmanned. Features of the present disclosure overcome various deficiencies of the prior art by providing a method, system and apparatus having advantages that will become apparent from the following disclosure.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0005] The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure, nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts, in accordance with the disclosure, in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description presented herein.

[0006] In accordance with certain embodiments, the disclosed device may comprise a launcher for retaining and releasing vehicles from the top surface of the hull of water-surface crafts or ships. The launcher may be adapted to retain a submergible vehicle at varying angles prior to launch. The launcher may comprise a bottom member adapted for receiving the submergible vehicle. In some embodiment, the launcher may be mounted on the top surface of the hull of a ship by welding the legs or feet of the launcher to the ship. The launcher may be adapted to be tilted at varying angles, which may include a horizontal orientation for loading the vehicle and a raised orientation for launching the vehicle. Once the vehicle is secured within the launcher, a bottom member of the launcher may be tilted to be in a launch-ready orientation such that the loaded vehicle may be retained in the launcher until a command is received to release the vehicle to enable the vehicle to slide off of the bottom member into the water. In some embodiments, the launcher may have legs or weldments adapted to buckle or pivot such that the orientation of the launcher may be adjusted between the load-ready orientation and the launch-ready orientation.

[0007] The position of the loaded vehicle may be adjusted to align with the launcher by rotating the vehicle within the bottom member. An alignment fixture may be used to engage alignment protrusions or slots on the exterior surface of the loaded vehicle, and to confirm alignment of the vehicle in a launch-ready position. A top member may be attached to secure the aligned vehicle within the launcher at varying angles prior to launch. The orientation of the launcher may be adjusted prior to launch by lifting the aft bottom end of the bottom member. In an embodiment, the launch angle may be a 15-degree angle. Upon command, the vehicle may be launched from the ship. Further advantages and features of the present disclosure are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail below.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages for embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent from the following more particular description of the embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which reference characters refer to the same components throughout the various views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale; emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating principles of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary implementation of a launching device or launcher adapted for retaining a vehicle at varying angles prior to launch, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the disclosed method for loading, aligning, retaining and launching a vehicle using various embodiments of the presently disclosed launcher, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 3a is a side view of a bottom member of the launcher depicted in FIG. 1 in a horizontal orientation adapted to receive a vehicle, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 3b is a prospective view of the bottom member of the launcher depicted in FIG. 3a in a horizontal orientation adapted to receive a vehicle, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a side view of the bottom member of the launcher depicted in FIG. 3a in a horizontal orientation with a vehicle loaded on the bottom member of the launcher, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 5 is a side view of the bottom member of the launcher depicted in FIG. 3a in a horizontal orientation with a vehicle loaded, wherein an alignment fixture is attached to the bottom member of the launcher, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 6 is a prospective view of an exemplary implementation of an alignment fixture adapted to engage an alignment member on the exterior surface of the loaded vehicle, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 7 is a prospective view of the bottom member of the launcher depicted in FIG. 5 in a horizontal orientation with a vehicle loaded and the alignment fixture attached to the bottom member of the launcher, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 8 is a prospective view of the bottom member of the launcher depicted in FIG. 7 in a horizontal orientation with the alignment fixture removed showing the alignment protrusions on the exterior surface of the aligned vehicle, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 9a is a side view of the bottom member of the launcher depicted in FIG. 4 in a horizontal orientation with a vehicle loaded and aligned wherein a removable, top member is attached to the bottom member of the launcher, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 9b is a prospective view of the launcher depicted in FIG. 9a with a vehicle loaded, wherein the top member is attached to the bottom member of the launcher, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 10 is a prospective view and an enlarged view of an exemplary implementation of a removable, top member adapted to engage a bottom member of a launcher and retain the loaded vehicle within the launcher oriented at varying angles prior to launch, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 11a is a side view of the launcher depicted in FIG. 9a with a vehicle loaded, wherein the launcher is oriented at a launch-ready angle with the top member retaining the loaded vehicle within the launcher, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 11b is a prospective view of the launcher depicted in FIG. 11a oriented at a launch-ready angle with the top member retaining the loaded vehicle within the launcher, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 12 illustrates a submergible vehicle launched in water from a launcher mounted on a top surface of a hull of a ship, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 13a is a side view of the launcher depicted in FIG. 11a shown without a vehicle loaded, wherein the launcher is oriented at a launch-ready angle with the top member engaged with the bottom member of the launcher, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 13b is a top view of the launcher depicted in FIG. 13a, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 14 is a prospective view of the launcher depicted in FIG. 13a, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIGS. 15 and 16 are prospective views of an exemplary implementation of aft weldments for supporting the launcher depicted in FIG. 13a, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 17 is a prospective view of an exemplary implementation of fore weldments for supporting the launcher depicted in FIG. 13a, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 18 is a prospective view of an exemplary implementation of stop lever for supporting and restraining the loaded vehicle depicted in FIG. 13a, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] In accordance with certain embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods may comprise a launcher 100 for retaining and releasing submergible vehicles 1. FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary implementation of such a launcher or launching device / system 100, which may be adapted to retain a submergible vehicle 1 at varying angles prior to launch. In some embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the launcher 100 may be configured to be mounted on or integrated with the top surface 9 of the hull 8 of a water-surface craft or ship 7. Such ships 7 may be unmanned or autonomous, and the launcher 100 may be adapted to release the submergible vehicle 1 into the water 900 based on a command that may be remotely received or programmed based on predetermined instructions, as further described below. The launcher 100 may have legs or weldments 50, 60 adapted to secure the launcher 100 to the hull 8 of the ship 7. The launcher 100 may be adapted to be mounted on land or stationary platforms, such as piers or offshore platforms or cliff-launch pads, in accordance with certain embodiments.

[0031] Referring back to FIG. 1, the launcher 100 may comprise a bottom member 10 or slide bottom 10 adapted for receiving the submergible vehicle 1. The launcher 100, or the bottom member 10 of the launcher 100, may be further adapted to be tilted at varying angles 91 which may be measured relative to the top surface 9 of the ship 7, the horizon, or the water surface 901. At one such angle 91, the launcher 100 may comprise an orientation 90 for loading the vehicle 1 onto the bottom member 10. For example, the bottom member 10 may be tilted to be in a horizontal orientation 90′ such that a submergible vehicle 1 may be horizontally mounted.

[0032] Once the vehicle 1 is secured within the launcher 100, the bottom member 10 may be tilted to be in a launch-ready orientation 90″ such that the loaded vehicle 1′ may be retained in the launcher 100 until a command is received to release the vehicle 1 and enable the vehicle 1 to slide off of the bottom member 10. In some embodiments, a predetermined set of legs or weldments 50 may be adapted to buckle, collapse, bend, shorten or lengthen such that one end of the bottom member 10 may be raised or lowered in order to adjust the orientation 90 of the launcher 100 between a load-ready orientation 90′ and a launch-ready orientation 90″. In an embodiment, a load-ready orientation 90′ may represent the positioning of a launcher 100 having a longitudinal axis 4 parallel to the top surface 9 of the ship 7, the horizon, or the water surface 901 such that the angle 91 of the launcher 100 is zero degrees. A launch-ready orientation 90″ may represent the positioning of a launcher 100 having a longitudinal axis 4 at a predetermined angle 91 relative to the top surface 9 of the ship 7, the horizon, or the water surface 901. The predetermined launch angle 91 may comprise an angle 91 selected from an angle range 91′ between 15 degrees and 60 degrees. In an embodiment, the predetermined angle 91 may be a 15-degree angle 91.

[0033] In accordance with certain embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 2, the presently disclosed method 200 of using a launcher 100 may comprise the step of loading a submergible vehicle 1 onto a bottom member 10 of the launcher 100 in a horizontal or load-ready orientation 90′ [block 202]. As shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, the bottom member 10 may be adjusted to be in a horizontal orientation 90′ [block 201] by buckling the aft weldments 50 and pivoting the bottom member 10 about the fore weldment 60. Accordingly, the vehicle 1 may be received by the bottom member 10 in a horizontal orientation 90′. In some embodiments, a loading device or crane 80 may be used to lower the vehicle 1 into the bottom member 10 in a horizontal orientation 90′ to reduce the likelihood of the vehicle 1 falling and being damaged. FIG. 4 illustrates a vehicle 1 loaded on the bottom member 10 of the launcher 100 in a horizontal orientation 90′.

[0034] In certain embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the method 200 may further comprise the step of aligning the loaded vehicle 1′ within the bottom member 10 [block 204]. This step may comprise rotating the vehicle 1′ within the bottom member 10. A precise alignment may be accomplished by first attaching an alignment fixture 30 [block 203] which may be adapted to be mounted on the bottom member 10 of the launcher 100, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary implementation of an alignment fixture 30, in accordance with certain embodiments. The alignment fixture 30 may be configured to engage an alignment member 6, such as a stop bolt or alignment protrusion or alignment slot, on an exterior surface 5 of the loaded vehicle 1′. Alignment members 6 are depicted in FIG. 8, which illustrates the aligned vehicle 1″ within the bottom member 10 after the step of removing the alignment fixture 30 from the bottom member 10 of the launcher 100 [block 205].

[0035] Referring back to FIGS. 6, the alignment fixture 30 may comprise a plurality of mounting plates 31, 34 indirectly secured to one another by being coupled together via support pipes 35. The alignment fixture 30 may comprise a forward mounting plate 31 and a back mounting plate 34. A top portion of one or more of the mounting plates 31, 34 may be indirectly coupled via top bars 33. A bottom portion of one or more of the mounting plates 31, 34 may be indirectly coupled via two or more alignment plates 32, which may be adapted to be mounted along opposite sides of the exterior surface 5 of a loaded vehicle 1′. In an embodiment, the fore ends of two alignment plates 32 may be attached or welded to the opposite ends of the forward mounting plate 31 as shown in FIG. 6, or to opposite ends of the back mounting plate 34 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. The bottom surface of the alignment plates 32 may be configured to be received by, and mounted upon, a bottom bolt-lip member 16 of the mid-section 14 of the bottom member 10 of the launcher 100. The mounting plates 31, 34 may comprise interior edges 36 having a concave shape configured based on the exterior surface 5 of the vehicle 1. The concave-shaped interior edges 36 may form a cavity 37 adapted to receive a top section of the exterior surface 5 of the loaded vehicle 1′. The interior edges 36 of the top portion of the mounting plates 31, 34 may comprise a notch 38 adapted to receive and / or engage an alignment member 6 protruding from the exterior surface 5 of the loaded vehicle 1′.

[0036] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the method 200 may further comprise the step of securing the aligned vehicle 1″ within the launcher 100 such that the vehicle 1″ is securely retained until launch time. This step may comprise coupling or attaching a top member 20 of the launcher 100 to the bottom member 10 of the launcher 100 [block 206], as shown in FIGS. 9a and 9b. FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the top member 20, in accordance with certain embodiments. The top member 20 may be configured to be removably coupled to the bottom member 10. The top member 20 may be coupled and decoupled, such that a submergible vehicle 1 may be repeatedly loaded, retained and launched. In an embodiment, the top member 20 may be adapted to be locked to the bottom member 10 of a launcher 100 to prevent the authorized removal of the vehicle 1 from the ship 7. In some embodiments, the top member 20 may retain the loaded vehicle 1′ within the launcher 100 oriented at varying angles 91 prior to launch.

[0037] In accordance with certain embodiments, the disclosed method 200 of use may comprise the step of adjusting the orientation 90 of the launcher 100 to a launch-ready orientation 90″ [block 207]. This step may comprise tilting the launcher 100 to a launch-ready orientation 90″ of approximately 15 degrees, as shown in FIGS. 11a and 11b. In some embodiments, the step may further comprise the unbuckling of the aft weldments 50 and the pivoting of the bottom member 10 about the fore weldment 60 such that the bottom member 10 may be adjusted from the horizontal orientation 90′ to the launch-ready orientation 90″. A sling, rope, chains or straps 81 may be looped around the longitudinal rails 13 near the aft bottom end 11 of the bottom member 10. The sling 81 may be lifted by a crane or loading device 80 adapted to raise the launcher 100 to a predetermined angle 91 for launching the vehicle 1. Such a loading device 80 may also be used to lower the launcher 100, which may be tied to or supported by the sling 81, to a load-ready or horizontal orientation 90′. For example, after a vehicle 1 is launched, the crane 80 may lower the launcher 100 such that the bottom member 10 is adjusted to be in a horizontal orientation 90′ and ready to receive another vehicle 1 for launching from the ship 7.

[0038] The disclosed method 200 may comprise the step of launching the aligned vehicle 1″ [block 208] by releasing the vehicle 1 from the retained position within the launcher 100, in accordance with certain embodiments. This step may comprise receiving a launch command 209 and enabling the vehicle 1 to slide out of the launcher 100 such that the vehicle 1 departs from the hull 8 of the ship 7 and enters into the water 900 below, as shown in FIG. 12. Upon being unlocked and / or released from the launcher 100, the vehicle 1 may be permitted to free-fall under the force of gravity. As used herein, the vehicle 1 may comprise an autonomous vehicle, unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), unmanned water-surface vehicle, drone, maneuverable projectile, glided projectiles, hybrid mobile vehicle / buoy, multi-rotor mobile buoy, floating buoy, submerged buoy, sonobuoy, wave glider, or sea glider. In some embodiments, the vehicle 1 may transport or be integrated with radio devices, optical sensors, communication devices, sonar equipment, acoustic sensors, recordation devices, homing and docking systems, propellers, fins, explosive material and module tools adapted to manipulate objects. In an embodiment, the diameter of the vehicle 1 may be twenty-one inches.

[0039] FIGS. 13a, 13b and 14 illustrate various views of the presently disclosed launcher 100 and its components, which may be provided as a kit 300, that may be assembled and installed upon a ship 7. Such launcher kit components 301 may comprise: the slide bottom 10 or bottom member 10; the slide top 20 or top member 20; the alignment fixture 30; an A-cable extension pipe 40, aft weldments 50; fore weldments 60; stop levers 70; and / or, a loading device 80. As shown in FIG. 14, certain components 301 of the assembled kit 300′ may form the launcher 100 while other components 301 may be included as part of the kit 300 yet packaged separately. In embodiment, at least some of the launcher kit components 301 may be preassembled for shipping purposes. In some embodiments, each of the components 301 may be separately packaged and assembled upon delivery.

[0040] Referring back to FIG. 13b, the bottom member 10 may comprise a bottom mid-section 14 which may further comprise a rounded bottom plate 15. As shown in FIG. 4, the rounded bottom plate 15 may be configured to receive an underside portion of the vehicle 1. The rounded bottom plate 15 may further comprise a bottom bolt-lip member 16 which may be configured to receive the bottom surface of the alignment plates 32 of the alignment fixture 30, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The bottom bolt-lip member 16 may be also configured to receive the top bolt-lip member 26 of the top member 20, as illustrated in FIG. 9b.

[0041] Referring back to FIG. 3b, the bottom member 10 may comprise an aft bottom end 11 and fore bottom end 12. In embodiment, the bottom member 10 may comprise a support bar 17 or athwartship i-beam 17 which may be adapted to be mounted on the aft weldments 50. Longitudinal rails 13 may traverse the length of the bottom member 10. The longitudinal rails 13 may comprise two sets of a linear plurality of rail members, each linear set lined up end to end. The longitudinal rails 13 may be mounted on rail-support tubes 18. The aft bottom end 11 and the fore bottom end 12 of the bottom member 10 may comprise an aft-end plate 11′ and a fore-end plate 12′, respectively. Curved rail sections 19 may project from the aft bottom end 11 of the bottom member 10. In certain embodiments, the rail sections 19 may be downwardly curved and adapted for the vehicle 1 to slide off and away from the launcher 100. The fore bottom end 12 of the bottom member 10 may be adapted to receive an A-cable extension pipe 40. The A-cable extension pipe 40 may comprise an A-cable stop plate 41 and an A-cable clamp 42, which may be secured by a nut and bolt. An A-cable 43 (now shown) may traverse the A-cable extension pipe 40. As the vehicle 1 launches and slides away from the launcher 100, the A-cable 43 may snape off, shear away or break away such that this safety mechanism disengages enabling the vehicle 1 to be started.

[0042] Referring back to FIG. 10, in accordance with certain embodiments, the slide top 20 or top member 20 may comprise an ejection release member or mechanism (ERM) 27 which may be adapted to unlock and / or launch the vehicle 1. In an embodiment, as shown in the enlarged view corresponding to the circular reference denoted as Z in the prospective view, the release member 27 may be coupled to a ERM plate 28 which may be adapted to trigger the ejection release mechanism 27. The release member 27 may be mounted on an outer side of a top tube member 21, which may traverse the length of the top member 20. A top rail 23 may be mounted on the opposite side of the top tube member 21, which may be adapted to engage an exterior surface 5 of the vehicle 1 and enable the vehicle 1 to smoothly slide down and away from the launcher 100 upon release. The top member 20 may comprise a top mid-section 24 including a rounded top plate 25, which may be configured to wrap around a portion of the exterior surface 5 of the vehicle 1, that may have a top bolt-lip member 26. The top bolt-lip member 26 may be configured to be mounted on the bottom bolt-lip member 16 of the bottom member 10, as illustrated in FIG. 9b. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10, the ends of the top tube member 21 may be coupled to a top-tube end plate 22. Top padeyes 29 may be mounted on the outer side of a top tube member 21. The padeyes 29 may be adapted to be engaged by a sling or straps 81, which may be connected to a crane or loading device 80, such that the top member 20 may be lifted and removed from the launcher 100. The loading device 80 may also be used to lower the top member 20 unto the bottom member 10 over the aligned vehicle 1″ prior to launch. Once secured by the top member 20, the aligned vehicle 1″ may be tilted into launch-ready orientation 90″ with the fore vehicle end or nose 2 pointing slightly downward and the aft vehicle end 3 pointing slightly upward, in accordance with certain embodiments. The sling 81 attached to one of the top padeyes 29 may be lifted by the loading device 80 to raise an end of the launcher 100 to a predetermined angle 91 for launching the aligned vehicle 1″.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the aft weldments 50 may be adapted to support the launcher 100 and adjust its orientation 90. The aft weldments 50 may comprise an aft base plate 51 adapted to be mounted on the top surface 9 of a hull 8 for a ship 7, in accordance with certain embodiments. An aft first beam 52 may be mounted on the aft base plate 51. In some embodiments, the aft base plate 51 may comprise an aft lower beam 53 having an aft lower padeye 54 adapted to connect to an aft upper padeye 56 of an aft upper beam 55. An aft pivot plate 57 may be positioned between the aft lower beam 53 and the aft upper beam 55. The aft first beam 52 may be attached to the aft upper beam 55. A top end of the aft upper beam 55 may include an aft mounting plate 58 adapted to support an aft alignment plate 59 configured to reinforce the athwartship i-beam 17 as the aft weldments 50 support the bottom member 10.

[0044] The fore weldments 60, as illustrated in FIG. 17, may also support the launcher 100 and be further adapted to enable the launcher 100 to pivot in relation to the top surface 9 of the hull 8 of the ship 7. The fore weldments 60 may comprise a fore base plate 61 having fore gussets 63 and fore beams 62. The top ends of the fore beams 62 may include fore mounting plates 64, which may support fore padeyes 65 adapted to connect to a pair of bottom padeyes 66 mounted on a bottom portion of the bottom member 10 as shown in FIG. 3b.

[0045] FIG. 18 shows a stop lever 70, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure, which may be adapted to restrain vehicles 1 intended for launch via the stop bolt 6 or other exterior geometric members protruding beyond the diameter of the vehicle 1. The stop lever 70 may comprise a stop bolt rail 71, which may support chute walls 73 surrounding a front level 74 configured to engage the stop bolt 6 of the vehicles 1. As shown in FIG. 10, a portion of the top rail 23 of the top member 20 may comprise the stop lever 70. Referring back to FIG. 18, the stop lever 70 may be adapted to engage a rear flipper 72 to enable a stop-bolt restraint mechanism to secure the vehicle 1 until launch time when the ejection release member (ERM) 27 is triggered by an electrical impulse or command 209. Prior to receiving a launch command 209, the untriggered ERM 27 may restrain the stop level 70 to hold the vehicle 1 in place within the launcher 100.

[0046] While the present disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Although some of the drawings illustrate a number of operations in a particular order, operations that are not order-dependent may be reordered and other operations may be combined or broken out. While some reordering or other groupings are specifically mentioned, others will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and so do not present an exhaustive list of alternatives. The presently disclosed instructions and code are examples, which may vary as understood by those skilled in the art, that are listed in order to illustrate the nature of certain embodiments.

Claims

1. A device for retaining and launching vehicles from a ship, comprising:a bottom member adapted to receive a vehicle;weldments attached to the bottom member, wherein the weldments are adapted to raise and lower an end of the bottom member; and,a top member adapted to couple to the bottom member, wherein the top member is removably coupled to the bottom member, the top member adapted to secure the vehicle within the device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:an alignment fixture adapted to engage an alignment member located on an exterior surface of the vehicle, wherein the alignment fixture is removably coupled to the bottom member.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the weldments are welded to a top surface of a hull of the ship.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the ship comprises an unmanned ship.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a submergible vehicle selected from a group consisting of: an unmanned underwater vehicle, unmanned aerial vehicle, unmanned surface vehicle, unmanned autonomous vehicle, drone airplane, maneuverable projectile, glided projectiles, hybrid mobile vehicle / buoy, aqua-quad, multi-rotor mobile buoy, floating buoy, submerged buoy, sonobuoy, wave glider, sea glider, and combinations thereof.

6. A method for using a device of claim 1, comprising the steps of:receiving a submergible vehicle onto the bottom member, wherein the bottom member is in a horizontal orientation;aligning the received vehicle within the bottom member, wherein the received vehicle is rotated within the bottom member;securing the aligned vehicle within the bottom member;adjusting the bottom member from a horizontal orientation to a launch-ready orientation; and,releasing the secured vehicle, whereby the released vehicle is enabled to slide down the bottom member,wherein the launch-ready orientation comprises a 15-degree angle between the bottom member and a top surface of a hull of the ship, wherein the device is mounted on the top surface.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:adjusting the bottom member to the horizontal orientation by buckling a first set of weldments and pivoting a second set of weldments.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the aligning step comprises removably coupling an alignment fixture to the bottom member, wherein the alignment fixture is adapted to engage an alignment member located on an exterior surface of the received vehicle.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:uncoupling the alignment fixture from the bottom member.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the securing step comprises removably coupling the top member to the bottom member.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the adjusting step comprises buckling a first set of weldments and pivoting a second set of weldments.

12. A launcher kit, comprising:a bottom member adapted to receive a vehicle;weldments adapted to attach to the bottom member, wherein the weldments are further adapted to raise and lower an end of the bottom member;a top member adapted to couple to the bottom member, wherein the top member is further adapted to be removably coupled to the bottom member, the top member adapted to secure the vehicle within the device; and,an alignment fixture adapted to be removably coupled to the bottom member, wherein the alignment fixture is further adapted to engage an alignment member located on an exterior surface of the vehicle.

13. The launcher kit of claim 12, wherein the weldments are welded to a top surface of a hull of the ship, the kit adapted to be assembled on the ship.

14. The launcher kit of claim 12, further comprising:a loading device adapted to mount the vehicle onto the bottom member.

15. The launcher kit of claim 14, wherein the loading device comprises a sling for carrying the vehicle.

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