Underwater vehicle launch performance test facility

• Main Authors: LEFEBVRE; PAUL J, SCHWEMIN; JOHN A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.04.1993
• Subjects: AIRCRAFT CARRIERS; AMMUNITION; BLASTING; EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION; HEATING; LIGHTING; MEASURING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; RELATED EQUIPMENT; SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; SUBMARINES; TESTING; TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES ORSTRUCTURES; TESTING STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

A facility for permitting launch performance tests to be conducted on an underwater vehicle, such as a torpedo, includes a housing having an opening therethrough defining a tubular chamber for receiving a vehicle therein. A piston is also positioned within the tubular chamber. A link disposed between the piston and the vehicle has a pair of opposing end portions connected with the piston and the vehicle, respectively. A channel is positioned adjacent to the housing and has water flowing therein at a predetermined velocity. The water within the channel communicates with the tubular chamber to allow water flowing within the channel to enter the tubular chamber and surround the vehicle with the vehicle at its rest position. A drive device is operable to move the piston through the tubular chamber a preselected distance sufficient to move the vehicle and the water surrounding the vehicle out of the tubular chamber and into the channel. The link is connected with the piston and the vehicle to permit the vehicle to move both laterally and in rotational fashion within the tubular chamber with the vehicle at its rest position and as the vehicle moves through the tubular chamber in response to hydrodynamic forces acting on the vehicle generated by the flowing channel water and also to stop the advancement of the vehicle after the piston has moved its preselected distance.