LAUNCH AND RECOVERY SYSTEM

Abstract

Launch and recovery system (1) comprising a base (2) mounted or mountable on a deck (4) of a ship, and two booms (3) pivotably mounted on the base (2), wherein the two booms (3) are connected at their extremities (12) distant from the base (2) with an upper beam (11), and wherein a load (13) is suspendable from the upper beam (11), wherein the upper beam (11) is separable in two independent parts without interconnection, and that with the upper beam (11) separated in two parts the two booms (3) are operable independent from each other, wherein each boom (3) is equipped to handle a load independent from the other boom (3).

Claims

1. A Launch and recovery system comprising: a base configured to be mountable on a deck of a ship; and two booms pivotably mounted on the base, the two booms connected at their extremities distant from the base with an upper beam, and a load is suspendable from the upper beam, wherein the upper beam is removable and that with the upper beam removed, each boom is equipped to handle a load independent from the other boom.

2. The Launch and recovery system according to claim 1, wherein the booms can be provided with two independent and disconnected upper beam parts.

3. The Launch and recovery system according to claim 2, wherein the two independent and disconnected upper beam parts are connectable to each other so as to provide an upper beam that connects the extremities of the two booms.

4. The Launch and recovery system according to claim 1, wherein the upper beam is rotatable along its longitudinal axis perpendicular to the booms.

5. The Launch and recovery system according to claim 1, wherein the two booms are extendable.

6. The Launch and recovery system according to claim 1, wherein the base supports one or more frames that is or are pivotably mounted on the base, and in that the one or more frames pivotably support one or more of the booms.

7. The Launch and recovery system according to claim 6, wherein the base supports a plurality of frames, each frame is supported by an individual base.

8. A ship having a deck, the deck having mounted thereon a launch and recovery system in accordance with claim 1.

9. The Launch and recovery system according to claim 2, wherein each upper beam part is rotatable along its longitudinal axis perpendicular to the booms.

Description

[0015] The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention that is not limiting as to the appended claims.

[0016] In the drawing:

[0017] FIG. 1 shows in side view a launch and recovery system according to the invention;

[0018] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view at the launch and recovery system of FIG. 1;

[0019] FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show further perspective views of the launch and recovery system of FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 6 shows the launch and recovery system of FIG. 1 with two separately operable booms;

[0021] FIGS. 7 and 8 show the launch and recovery system of FIG. 1 with different suspended loads;

[0022] FIG. 9 shows the launch and recovery system of FIG. 1 highlighting the option to extend the two booms.

[0023] Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

[0024] Making reference first to FIG. 1 it shows in side view a launch and recovery system 1 of the invention comprising a base 2 mounted on a deck 4 of a ship (not further shown), and a boom 3 directly or indirectly and pivotably mounted on the base 2. As will be shown and discussed further in this description a load is suspendable from said boom 3.

[0025] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the boom 3 is pivotably mounted on a frame 5, wherein in turn said frame 5 is pivotably mounted on the base 2. Arrows a indicate that the frame 5 can swivel back-and-forth around a pivot 6 that pivotably connects the frame 5 with the base 2. Pivoting of the frame 5 is done by actuating a hydraulic cylinder 7. Likewise a pivot 8 connects the boom 3 to the frame 5, and actuation of a hydraulic cylinder 9 causes that the boom 3 may pivot back-and-forth according to arrows 13 around the pivot 8.

[0026] FIG. 1 further shows that the boom 3 is extendable and is embodied with a first part 3 that connects with the pivot 8 to the frame 5, and a second part 3 that is telescopically extendable from the first part 3 by actuation of a hydraulic cylinder 10.

[0027] FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 show the launch and recovery system 1 in a perspective view which reveals that the system 1 comprises two similar or identical booms 3. FIGS. 2-5 all show that there is an individual base 2 for each frame 5 that is pivotably mounted on the base 2, and that each frame 5 pivotably supports a boom 3. The operation of each boom 3, frame 5, and base 2 is consistent with what has been discussed above with reference to FIG. 1. In accordance with the invention the booms 3 are preferably jointly operable wherein a removable upper beam 11 connects or is connectable to the two booms 3 at extremities 12 of the booms 3 distant from the base 2 and distant from the deck 4 of the ship.

[0028] Desirably the two booms 3 are concertedly operable which makes handling a load 13 as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 easy. It shows in FIGS. 7 and 8 that the load 13 is suspended from the upper beam 11. FIGS. 7 and 8 show the load 13 at slightly different altitudes from which it will nevertheless be clear that the two booms 3 are movable as each other's mirror image. At the same time the upper beam 11 is rotatable along its longitudinal axis between the two booms 3 to accommodate for the change of angular position that the load 13 assumes with reference to the booms 3.

[0029] Turning now to FIG. 6 the feature of the launch and recovery system 1 of the invention is shown that the upper beam 11 is removed and replaced by two independent upper beam parts without interconnection, and that with the upper beam 11 removed, each boom 3 is equipped to handle a load independent from the other boom 3. The load can then be suspended from the upper beam part that has been connected to the concerning boom 3.

[0030] Although not shown in the figures it is also possible that instead of replacing the upper beam 11 for reconnecting the extremities 12 of the booms 3, the two independent and disconnected upper beam parts are made to be connectable to each other so as to provide in this way the upper beam that connects the extremities 12 of the two booms 3.

[0031] Finally FIG. 9 shows the launch and recovery system 1 of the invention, wherein the booms 3 are shown in both solid lines and broken lines to depict that the booms 3 are extendible.

[0032] Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the launch and recovery system of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.