Title of Invention	"SYSTEM FOR POSITIONING A VESSEL, MAINLY A SUBMARINE SHIP"
Abstract	The invention relates to shipbuilding, in particular to means for guiding and docking floating objects, mainly submarine ships. The inventive system is used for guiding a submarine ship (1) on shallow water and consists of adjust buoyancy pontoons (2) and a vessel lifting device (3) comprising load-bearing elements which are embodied in the form of curved box beams (4) and provided with means for fixing to the pontoons on the ends thereof. Said system comprises at least two beams (4) which are mounted in such a way that at least one beam is disposed symmetrically to the vessel (1) centreline plane and fixed to supports (6) based on foundations (7) by means of quick-coupling elements (5) embodied in the form of a bayonet connection. Said foundation (7) is rigidly fixable to the main body (9) of the submarine ship (1). The beams can be also fixed by means of the standard devices of the submarine ship (1). During the adjustment of the normal surface draft of the submarine ship (1), the pontoons (2) are displaced and dried in such a way that it is possible to connect and fix said beams thereto. Afterwards, the buoyancy of the pontoons (2) is adjusted in a specified manner. Said invention makes it possible to prevent the damages of the body of the submarine ship and to simplify the guidance threof to a dock.

Title of Invention

"SYSTEM FOR POSITIONING A VESSEL, MAINLY A SUBMARINE SHIP"

Abstract

The invention relates to shipbuilding, in particular to means for guiding and docking floating objects, mainly submarine ships. The inventive system is used for guiding a submarine ship (1) on shallow water and consists of adjust buoyancy pontoons (2) and a vessel lifting device (3) comprising load-bearing elements which are embodied in the form of curved box beams (4) and provided with means for fixing to the pontoons on the ends thereof. Said system comprises at least two beams (4) which are mounted in such a way that at least one beam is disposed symmetrically to the vessel (1) centreline plane and fixed to supports (6) based on foundations (7) by means of quick-coupling elements (5) embodied in the form of a bayonet connection. Said foundation (7) is rigidly fixable to the main body (9) of the submarine ship (1). The beams can be also fixed by means of the standard devices of the submarine ship (1). During the adjustment of the normal surface draft of the submarine ship (1), the pontoons (2) are displaced and dried in such a way that it is possible to connect and fix said beams thereto. Afterwards, the buoyancy of the pontoons (2) is adjusted in a specified manner. Said invention makes it possible to prevent the damages of the body of the submarine ship and to simplify the guidance threof to a dock.

Full Text	FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to shipbuilding, namely to means for guiding and docking buoyant objects, and may be used for maintaining afloat and adjusting the draught of submersible vehicles, namely submarines, when guiding on shallow water and drydocking thereof under conditions where the draught of submersible vehicles exceeds the maximum possible water level at the dock sill. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There has been known a problem of enabling the pilotage of submersible vehicles at small depths, in particular when docking submarines, said problem being associated with the necessity to decrease the draught of submersible vehicles. There have been also known means for solving such problem based on the adjustment of buoyancy, for example using systems on the basis of lifting pontoons and devices or appliances to be established under the ship's bottom, such as underkeel cables or towels (see, A.I. Figichev et al., Salvaging and Ship-Lifting Means. L., Sudostroenie, 1979). Common drawbacks of such means reside in the necessity to reinforce the structures of an outer casing in the area of its contact with cables, the complexity of fastening cables and attaching pontoons and also the possibility of damaging the coating (special coating) of the ship's hull. There has been known a system for lifting buoyant objects, namely half-submerged drilling rigs fitted with pontoons, comprising two barges with ballast linked lengthwise and transversely with the casing of adjustable buoyancy, for example a floating dock, and also stabilizing devices (European Patent No. 862,299). When using such a system, the barges are loaded with the ballast, lowered with their one ends, the hulls and other ends of the barges are immersed, a buoyant object (a drilling rig) is handled to the barge followed by removal of the ballast from the barges and the hull, thus enabling the lifting of a submersed object until attainment of a required draught and its possible subsequent transportation. The drawback to the known system resides in high working hours of its use when docking such submersed objects as submarines as well as inevitability of mechanical contact of a submarine hull with the barge (floating dock) capable of damaging the hull coating. There has been known an apparatus for lifting a vessel from water comprising two pairs of levers operating in a caliper-like fashion (see, Japanese Application No. 63-44595, IPC B63C 7/08,1988). The pairs of levers pivotably rest on pontoons and, when the pontoons approach each other, the pontoons straddle the ship's hull or move apart while releasing the hull. The known device is only working above water; it has no external power drives and other equipment. The drawback to the device consists in insufficient reliability of attaining a required submarine orientation when moving the pontoons and also a possibility to damage a submarine hull with the levers. There has been known a system for positioning a vessel during its lifting, comprising at least two pontoons of varied buoyancy and a ships lift that comprises a power member mounted on each said pontoon in the form of an arm, all of said arms carrying either gripping or scooping means, said arms being connected by means of a pivot and provided with a means for locking them with respect to each other and being so arranged as to oppose their respective gripping or scooping means such that on release of the locking means, when the apparatus is in use, the pivot tends to move downwardly under the influence of gravity thereby causing the gripping or scooping means to tend to come together in a caliper-like action. Pressure sensing means provided in the gripping or scooping means are capable of feeding back information to the locking means to cause the latter to lock and prevent further increase in pressure once a predetermined pressure is attained. In a particular case, the pontoons may rotate about their respective axes (see, UK Application No. 1,497,533, published January 12, 1978). The known system makes it possible for the apparatus to hold an article at the liquid surface, position the vessel, vary a ship draught and move the ship by providing an adjustable rigid coupling. The drawback to the known apparatus resides in unpredictability of a power action when positioning at small depths of such objects as submarines for which it is necessary to ensure the spatial arrangement with due regard for allowable values of list and trim. Furthermore, application of the gripping means directly to submarine hulls is undesirable in view of the possible damage of a special hull coating. The known system for positioning a vessel comprising pontoons of varied buoyancy and a ships lift that comprises power members provided with means for mounting thereof on said pontoons has been selected as the closest prior art with respect to the claimed invention. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to expand the stores of means for guiding vessels on shallow water that afford decrease in their draught, and to improve operating characteristics of such means as applied to a submarine in the floating position on shallow water, in particular when drydocking the submarine. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above object has been achieved by the fact that in a system for positioning a vessel, mainly a submarine, comprising adjustable buoyancy pontoons and a vessel lifting device that comprises load-bearing members provided with means for fixing thereof to the pontoons, in accordance with the present invention the vessel lifting device comprises at least two load-bearing members, each being embodied in the form of a curved beam, wherein at least one curved beam is made to mount on supports by means of a quick-disconnect gripping means of a bayonet connection type, said supports are made demountable and each provided with a foundation, said foundation being rigidly coupled with a main hull of the vessel. Furthermore, each curved beam has a box-like cross-section. Moreover, at least one curved beam is mounted on two supports symmetrically about the centerline plane of the vessel. In addition, the curved beam is embodied to fix on standard devices on the main hull of the submarine. Besides, each support is made cylindrical and provided with radial rests on said foundation. Furthermore, the foundation is made to be welded-jointed to the main hull of the vessel. Moreover, means for fixing each beam to a pontoon are selected from turnbuckles with fixing means. In addition, a quick-disconnect gripping means of a bayonet connection type is made in the form of a rod with a rest and a gripping means on the ends thereof, said rod is made to rotate in the support, said rest of the rod is embodied in the form of a ball head, said gripping means of the rod is embodied in the form of at least one element to the shape of a truncated spherical segment, each support being fitted with a cylindrical hollow cover made to rigidly couple with the support, at least in one of the curved beams and on the end of said hollow cover of each of its supports through holes are made to pass the rod with the gripping means, the support is provided with a profiled channel to accommodate the rod with the gripping means, said channel having a locking cavity reciprocal to the surface of revolution with its generatrix being a circumference of the greatest diameter in the truncated spherical segment. Furthermore, said ball head is made to locate on the surface of said beam to allow for overlapping of the through hole for passing the rod with the gripping means. Moreover, each support is provided with radial rests for said hollow cover. In addition, said gripping means is embodied in the form of two identical elements fixed on the rod oppositely. Besides, each element of said gripping means in the form of a truncated spherical segment is connected to the rod through its base. What is more, each element of said gripping means is embodied in the form of a ball layer. Furthermore, the height of said hollow cover having a cylindrical shape exceeds the greatest diameter of said truncated spherical segment. Moreover, the diameter of said hollow cover having a cylindrical shape corresponds to the greatest diameter of said truncated spherical segment. In addition, the width of the through hole for passing the rod with the gripping means corresponds to the greatest length of a chord connecting bases of said truncated spherical segment. The technical effect of the present invention consists in a submarine draught adjustment in accordance with the change in pontoon buoyancy at the expense of association of each curved beam of the vessel lifting device both with adjustable buoyancy pontoons and a submarine hull. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The essence of the invention is explained by the following drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of the claimed system for positioning a vessel (a submarine); FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the same system in the projection onto a submarine hull; FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a quick-disconnect gripping means; FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of possible extreme positions of a gripper of a quick-disconnect gripping means. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a simple form of embodying the gripper, that is, as one element in the form of a ball layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A system for positioning a vessel, namely a submarine 1, comprises pontoons 2 arranged along boards of the submarine 1 and a vessel lifting device 3 that comprises load-bearing members embodied in the form of curved beams 4 (FIG. 1). Each or at least one curved beam 4 (hereinafter referred to as a "beam 4") is associated, through quick-disconnect gripping means 5, with supports 6, which are made demountable and provided with foundations 7, at least one beam 4 having no less than two such supports on which it is mounted symmetrically about the centerline plane of the vessel 1 (FIG. 2). The supports 6 are made cylindrical and provided with radial rests 8 on the vessel foundation 7, thereby, ensuring the transmission of force loads to a vessel hull in the area of mounting the supports and increasing the reliability of mounting the beams 4 on the supports 6. The foundations 7 are made to rigidly couple with a main hull 9 of the submarine 1, mainly with a welded seam. In so doing, the supports 6 turn out to be arranged in the interboard space 10. On the end of each beam 4, there is mounted a means for fixing thereof on the pontoon 2 in the form of a fixing means 11, for example a pin, and additionally turnbuckles 12 (presented in FIG. 2) for strengthening the linkage between the pontoon 2 and the beam 4. Since the positioning of the submarine 1 contemplates the maintenance of a certain value of a vessel list and trim, the system for positioning must be stocked with no less than two beams 4, which should be spaced apart along a submarine hull. The distance at which the beams 4 are spaced apart is determined by calculating the required characteristics of a submarine position and buoyancy of pontoons 2. In accordance with the amount of distance between the beams 4, there is determined an efficient length of pontoons 2 interacting said beams 4 (FIG. 2); in particular a system of pontoons may be used. Moreover, to fix another beam 4 (in the system comprising two beams 4), use may be made of standard devices arranged on a main hull 9 of the submarine 1, if they are provided in the design. To ensure bending strength in the operation and decrease materials consumption of the proposed system, the curved beams 4 has a box-like cross-section. Quick-disconnect gripping means 5 connecting the beams 4 with the supports 6 are made in the form of a bayonet connection and comprise a rod 13 with a rest 14 and a gripper 15 on the ends thereof (FIG. 3). The rod 13 is embodied in the form of a cylindrical bar and mounted to rotate about the axis, the rest 14 of the rod 13 is embodied in the form of a ball head, the gripper 15 of the rod 13 is embodied in the form of an element to the shape of a truncated spherical segment of the known geometry, said segment representing a part of a ball, for example identical to the ball head 14, which is included between two sectional planes (bases). In the simplest case, when sectional planes are parallel, a truncated spherical segment is turned to a ball layer with its bases being parallel, a constant height and a lateral surface (spherical zone) having the greatest diameter not exceeding a ball diameter. The gripper 15 may be embodied in the form of one member (FIGS. 3, 4) fixed with its basis on the rod 13 such that the axis of symmetry of the ball layer is orthogonal to the axis of the rod 13. The gripper 15 may also be embodied in the form of two identical members, for example in the form of a ball layer, which are fixed with their bases on the rod 13 oppositely, on different sides from its axis (not shown in FIGS. 3, 4). In this case the length of the gripper 15 along the rod 13 is equal to the greatest diameter of the ball layer and its width - to the greatest distance between outer bases (with the availability of two constituents) or to the ball layer height only (with the availability of one constituent). More complex geometry of the gripper 15 -a member in the form of a truncated spherical segment (common case) - also permits its embodiment in the form of one or two identical opposite members, which are fixed on the rod with one of their bases. In so doing, the length of the gripper 15 along the rod 13 is not in excess of the spherical segment greatest diameter and the width of the gripper 15 in the direction being orthogonal to the axis of the rod 13 corresponds to the greatest length of the section connecting opposite bases and being orthogonal to the axis of the rod 13 (a chord), if the gripper is made in the form of one member, or to the greatest length of the same section connecting subtending outer bases, if the gripper is made in the form of two members. '.! To ensure the coupling of the beam 4fwith the support 6, the beam 6 is provided with through holes 16 for passing the rod 13 with the gripper 15. In so doing, a cross-section shape and width of such a hole correspond to the greatest cross-section of the gripper 15 in the plane being orthogonal to the axis of the rod 13 (in particular, to a ball layer height, as shown in FIG. 4). To couple the beam 4 with the support 6, a rod rest, namely a ball head 14, must afford overlapping of the hole 16 in the beam 4, whereas the rod 13 must be turned about the axis in such a way as to enable simultaneous rotation of the gripper 15 and fixation of the beam 4 in position. Referring to FIG. 4, the gripper 15 in the form of one member to the shape of a ball layer is turned by 90 degrees (shown by hatching) from the initial position to the position of coupling the beam 4 with the support 6. To accomplish this, the support 6 is provided with a profiled channel 17 to accommodate the rod 13 with the gripper 15. In doing so, the cross-section of said channel in its upper part 18 is identical to that of the through hole 16, said channel having a locking cavity 19 (FIG. 3) with its cross-section, at least in some part thereof, being reciprocal to the spherical zone of the ball layer of the gripper 15 (in a special case) or to the surface of revolution with its generatrix being a circumference of the greatest diameter in the truncated spherical segment. The turn of the gripper 15 in the cavity 19 about 90 degrees results in overlap of the area 18 of the profiled channel 17 (FIG. 4) and fixation of the beam 4 in the support 6. To ensure coaxiality of the rod 13 with the support 6 and rule out unbalance of the beam 4 with respect to the axis of symmetry (a vessel centerline plane), each support 6 is fitted with a cylindrical hollow cover 21 on the end 22 of which there is made a through hole 23 for the gripper 15. It is appropriate to make a hole 23 identical to the said through hole 16 (FIG. 3). The diameter of an inner cavity 24 of the hollow cover 21 must correspond to the greatest diameter of the gripper 15 (such diameter may correspond to the diameter of one of bases of the ball layer, if the bases are not equal, or the diameter of the ball, if the bases are equal). In so doing, the cover 21 is made to rigidly fix on a respective support 6 at the expense of providing these elements, round their peripheries, with flanges 25, 26 with holes for connection by means of, for example, bolts 27. All these measures allow the rod 13 of the quick-disconnect gripping means 5 to be aligned in the support 6 to ensure a reliable operation of the gripper 15, which may occupy two extreme positions, namely longwise or crosswise of the profiled channel 17 (FIG. 4). The cover 21 also makes it possible to transfer the quick-disconnect gripping means 5 into intermediate position when the gripper 15 is removed from the support but may be kept in the cavity 24 under the cover end 22, for example, when re-assembling the system for positioning. To ensure transfer of the gripper 15 into intermediate position, it is essential that the height of the hollow cover 21 should be in excess of the greatest diameter of the truncated spherical segment (or the spherical zone) of the gripper 15. To strengthen the connection of the cover 21 with the support 6 to be loaded with the beam 4 and improve the overall rigidity of the quick-disconnect gripping means 5, there are also provided radial rests 28 for the hollow cover 21 on which the flange 26 of the support 6 rests. In the positioning of a vessel such as a submarine, for the purposes of adjusting the draught when guiding thereof to a dry dock, interaction between a main hull 9 and adjustable buoyancy pontoons 2 is ensured through a vessel lifting device 3. To accomplish this, foundations 7 each embodied in the form of cylinders with a flange are mounted on the submarine main hull 9 while ensuring their rigid connection with the main hull 9 by means of welding, and cylindrical supports 6 are mounted on the foundations 7, at least underneath one of curved beams 4, to ensure a symmetrical position of each of them with respect to the centerline plane of the vessel 1. A rod 13 with a gripper 15 o£ the quick-disconnect gripping means 5 is passed through through holes 16 in the beam 4, the rod is aligned in the support 6 by introducing the gripper 15 into a locking cavity 19, the gripper 15 is turned into the extreme (working) position while overlapping a profiled channel 17, thereby fixing the position of elements of each quick-disconnect gripping means 5 to connect the beam 4 with the supports 6. The pontoons 2 are mounted in a prescribed manner with respect to the submarine 1 while ensuring interaction with the beams 4, for which purpose each of the latter is connected to a pontoon 2 through a fixing means (a pin) 11 and turnbuckles 12, following which the pontoons 2 are dewatered to change their buoyancy and lifting (subfloating), said lifting being controlled in such a way that as to ensure a predetermined mode of interaction with the beams 4, wherein a particular submarine position may be attained. Thereupon ballasted pontoons 2 are dewatered, during which the submarine lifting is carried out to the point of the attainment of a predetermined draught of the pontoon 2. According to computations, a system consisting of two load-bearing members is capable of affording lift of a submarine stern, thereby making it possible to guide a submarine to a dry dock with the greatest possible draught. In so doing, the possibility of damaging the coating of the submarine hull is ruled out completely under conditions of a rigid coupling of load-bearing members (the beams 4) with a submarine hull and with buoyancy pontoons. We claim: 1. A system for positioning a vessel, mainly a submarine (1), comprising adjustable buoyancy pontoons (2) and a vessel lifting device (3) that comprises load-bearing members provided with means for fixing thereof to the pontoons, wherein the vessel lifting device (3) comprises at least two load-bearing members, each being embodied in the form of a curved beam (4), characterized in that at least one curved beam (4) is made to mount on supports (6) by means of a quick-disconnect gripping means (5) of a ayonet connection type, said supports (6) are made demountable and each provided with a foundation (7), said foundation (7) being rigidly coupled with a main hull (9) of the vessel (1). 2. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each curved beam (4) has a box-like cross-section. 3. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least one curved beam (4) is mounted on two supports (6) symmetrically about the center line plane of the vessel (1). 4. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each support (6) is made cylindrical and provided with radial rests (8) on said foundation (7). 5. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein rigid coupling of the foundation (7) to the main hull (9) is a welded joint. 6. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the means for fixing each beam (4) to a pontoon (2) are selected from turnbuckles (12) with fixing means (11). 7. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the quick- disconnect gripping means (5) of a bayonet connection type is made in the form of a rod (13) with a rest (14) and a gripper (15) on the ends thereof, said rod (13) is made to rotate in the support (6), said rest (14) of the rod (13) is embodied in the form of a ball head, said gripper (15) of the rod (13) is embodied in the form of at least one element to the shape of a truncated spherical segment, each support (6) being fitted with a cylindrical hollow cover (21) made to rigidly couple with the support, at least in one of the curved beams (4) and on the end (22) of said hollow cover (21) of each of its supports (6) through holes (16; 23) are made to pass the rod (13) with the gripper (15), the support (6) is provided with a profiled channel (17) to accommodate the rod (13) with the gripper (15), said channel having a locking cavity (19) reciprocal to the surface of revolution with its generatrix being a circumference of the greatest diameter in the truncated spherical segment. 8. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said ball head (14) is made to locate on the surface of said beam (4) to allow for overlapping of the through hole (16) for passing the rod (13) with the gripper (15). 9. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein each support (6) is provided with radial rests (28) for said hollow cover (21). 10. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said gripper (15) is embodied in the form of two identical elements fixed on the rod (13) oppositely. 11. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein each element of said gripper (15) in the form of a truncated spherical segment is connected to the rod (13) through its base. 12. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein each element of said gripper (15) is embodied in the form of a ball layer. 13. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein height of said hollow cover (21) having a cylindrical shape exceeds the greatest diameter of said truncated spherical segment. 14. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein diameter of said hollow cover (21) having a cylindrical shape corresponds to the greatest diameter of said truncated spherical segment. 15. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein width of the through hole (16) for passing the rod (13) with the gripper (15) corresponds to the greatest length of a section connecting bases of said truncated spherical segment.

Full Text

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to shipbuilding, namely to means for guiding and docking buoyant objects, and may be used for maintaining afloat and adjusting the draught of submersible vehicles, namely submarines, when guiding on shallow water and drydocking thereof under conditions where the draught of submersible vehicles exceeds the maximum possible water level at the dock sill.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There has been known a problem of enabling the pilotage of submersible vehicles at small depths, in particular when docking submarines, said problem being associated with the necessity to decrease the draught of submersible vehicles. There have been also known means for solving such problem based on the adjustment of buoyancy, for example using systems on the basis of lifting pontoons and devices or appliances to be established under the ship's bottom, such as underkeel cables or towels (see, A.I. Figichev et al., Salvaging and Ship-Lifting Means. L., Sudostroenie, 1979). Common drawbacks of such means reside in the necessity to reinforce the structures of an outer casing in the area of its contact with cables, the complexity of fastening cables and attaching pontoons and also the possibility of damaging the coating (special coating) of the ship's hull.
There has been known a system for lifting buoyant objects, namely half-submerged drilling rigs fitted with pontoons, comprising two barges with ballast linked lengthwise and transversely with the casing of adjustable buoyancy, for example a floating dock, and also stabilizing devices (European Patent No. 862,299). When using such a system, the barges are loaded with the ballast, lowered with their one ends, the hulls and other

ends of the barges are immersed, a buoyant object (a drilling rig) is handled to the barge followed by removal of the ballast from the barges and the hull, thus enabling the lifting of a submersed object until attainment of a required draught and its possible subsequent transportation. The drawback to the known system resides in high working hours of its use when docking such submersed objects as submarines as well as inevitability of mechanical contact of a submarine hull with the barge (floating dock) capable of damaging the hull coating.
There has been known an apparatus for lifting a vessel from water comprising two pairs of levers operating in a caliper-like fashion (see, Japanese Application No. 63-44595, IPC B63C 7/08,1988). The pairs of levers pivotably rest on pontoons and, when the pontoons approach each other, the pontoons straddle the ship's hull or move apart while releasing the hull. The known device is only working above water; it has no external power drives and other equipment. The drawback to the device consists in insufficient reliability of attaining a required submarine orientation when moving the pontoons and also a possibility to damage a submarine hull with the levers.
There has been known a system for positioning a vessel during its lifting, comprising at least two pontoons of varied buoyancy and a ships lift that comprises a power member mounted on each said pontoon in the form of an arm, all of said arms carrying either gripping or scooping means, said arms being connected by means of a pivot and provided with a means for locking them with respect to each other and being so arranged as to oppose their respective gripping or scooping means such that on release of the locking means, when the apparatus is in use, the pivot tends to move downwardly under the influence of gravity thereby causing the gripping or scooping means to tend to come together in a caliper-like action. Pressure sensing means provided in the gripping or scooping means are capable of

feeding back information to the locking means to cause the latter to lock and prevent further increase in pressure once a predetermined pressure is attained. In a particular case, the pontoons may rotate about their respective axes (see, UK Application No. 1,497,533, published January 12, 1978). The known system makes it possible for the apparatus to hold an article at the liquid surface, position the vessel, vary a ship draught and move the ship by providing an adjustable rigid coupling.
The drawback to the known apparatus resides in unpredictability of a power action when positioning at small depths of such objects as submarines for which it is necessary to ensure the spatial arrangement with due regard for allowable values of list and trim. Furthermore, application of the gripping means directly to submarine hulls is undesirable in view of the possible damage of a special hull coating.
The known system for positioning a vessel comprising pontoons of varied buoyancy and a ships lift that comprises power members provided with means for mounting thereof on said pontoons has been selected as the closest prior art with respect to the claimed invention.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to expand the stores of means for guiding vessels on shallow water that afford decrease in their draught, and to improve operating characteristics of such means as applied to a submarine in the floating position on shallow water, in particular when drydocking the submarine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above object has been achieved by the fact that in a system for positioning a vessel, mainly a submarine, comprising adjustable buoyancy pontoons and a vessel lifting device that comprises load-bearing members provided with means for fixing thereof to the pontoons, in accordance with

the present invention the vessel lifting device comprises at least two load-bearing members, each being embodied in the form of a curved beam, wherein at least one curved beam is made to mount on supports by means of a quick-disconnect gripping means of a bayonet connection type, said supports are made demountable and each provided with a foundation, said foundation being rigidly coupled with a main hull of the vessel.
Furthermore, each curved beam has a box-like cross-section.
Moreover, at least one curved beam is mounted on two supports symmetrically about the centerline plane of the vessel.
In addition, the curved beam is embodied to fix on standard devices on the main hull of the submarine.
Besides, each support is made cylindrical and provided with radial rests on said foundation.
Furthermore, the foundation is made to be welded-jointed to the main hull of the vessel.
Moreover, means for fixing each beam to a pontoon are selected from turnbuckles with fixing means.
In addition, a quick-disconnect gripping means of a bayonet connection type is made in the form of a rod with a rest and a gripping means on the ends thereof, said rod is made to rotate in the support, said rest of the rod is embodied in the form of a ball head, said gripping means of the rod is embodied in the form of at least one element to the shape of a truncated spherical segment, each support being fitted with a cylindrical hollow cover made to rigidly couple with the support, at least in one of the curved beams and on the end of said hollow cover of each of its supports through holes are made to pass the rod with the gripping means, the support is provided with a profiled channel to accommodate the rod with the gripping means, said channel having a locking cavity reciprocal to the

surface of revolution with its generatrix being a circumference of the greatest diameter in the truncated spherical segment.
Furthermore, said ball head is made to locate on the surface of said beam to allow for overlapping of the through hole for passing the rod with the gripping means.
Moreover, each support is provided with radial rests for said hollow cover.
In addition, said gripping means is embodied in the form of two identical elements fixed on the rod oppositely.
Besides, each element of said gripping means in the form of a truncated spherical segment is connected to the rod through its base.
What is more, each element of said gripping means is embodied in the form of a ball layer.
Furthermore, the height of said hollow cover having a cylindrical shape exceeds the greatest diameter of said truncated spherical segment.
Moreover, the diameter of said hollow cover having a cylindrical shape corresponds to the greatest diameter of said truncated spherical segment.
In addition, the width of the through hole for passing the rod with the gripping means corresponds to the greatest length of a chord connecting bases of said truncated spherical segment.
The technical effect of the present invention consists in a submarine draught adjustment in accordance with the change in pontoon buoyancy at the expense of association of each curved beam of the vessel lifting device both with adjustable buoyancy pontoons and a submarine hull. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The essence of the invention is explained by the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of the claimed system for positioning a vessel (a submarine);
FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the same system in the projection onto a submarine hull;
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a quick-disconnect gripping means;
FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of possible extreme positions of a gripper of a quick-disconnect gripping means.
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a simple form of embodying the gripper, that is, as one element in the form of a ball layer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A system for positioning a vessel, namely a submarine 1, comprises pontoons 2 arranged along boards of the submarine 1 and a vessel lifting device 3 that comprises load-bearing members embodied in the form of curved beams 4 (FIG. 1). Each or at least one curved beam 4 (hereinafter referred to as a "beam 4") is associated, through quick-disconnect gripping means 5, with supports 6, which are made demountable and provided with foundations 7, at least one beam 4 having no less than two such supports on which it is mounted symmetrically about the centerline plane of the vessel 1 (FIG. 2). The supports 6 are made cylindrical and provided with radial rests 8 on the vessel foundation 7, thereby, ensuring the transmission of force loads to a vessel hull in the area of mounting the supports and increasing the reliability of mounting the beams 4 on the supports 6. The foundations 7 are made to rigidly couple with a main hull 9 of the submarine 1, mainly with a welded seam. In so doing, the supports 6 turn out to be arranged in the interboard space 10. On the end of each beam 4, there is mounted a means for fixing thereof on the pontoon 2 in the form of a fixing means 11, for
example a pin, and additionally turnbuckles 12 (presented in FIG. 2) for strengthening the linkage between the pontoon 2 and the beam 4.
Since the positioning of the submarine 1 contemplates the maintenance of a certain value of a vessel list and trim, the system for positioning must be stocked with no less than two beams 4, which should be spaced apart along a submarine hull. The distance at which the beams 4 are spaced apart is determined by calculating the required characteristics of a submarine position and buoyancy of pontoons 2. In accordance with the amount of distance between the beams 4, there is determined an efficient length of pontoons 2 interacting said beams 4 (FIG. 2); in particular a system of pontoons may be used. Moreover, to fix another beam 4 (in the system comprising two beams 4), use may be made of standard devices arranged on a main hull 9 of the submarine 1, if they are provided in the design.
To ensure bending strength in the operation and decrease materials consumption of the proposed system, the curved beams 4 has a box-like cross-section.
Quick-disconnect gripping means 5 connecting the beams 4 with the supports 6 are made in the form of a bayonet connection and comprise a rod 13 with a rest 14 and a gripper 15 on the ends thereof (FIG. 3). The rod 13 is embodied in the form of a cylindrical bar and mounted to rotate about the axis, the rest 14 of the rod 13 is embodied in the form of a ball head, the gripper 15 of the rod 13 is embodied in the form of an element to the shape of a truncated spherical segment of the known geometry, said segment representing a part of a ball, for example identical to the ball head 14, which is included between two sectional planes (bases). In the simplest case, when sectional planes are parallel, a truncated spherical segment is turned to a ball layer with its bases being parallel, a constant height and a lateral surface (spherical zone) having the greatest diameter not exceeding a ball diameter.

The gripper 15 may be embodied in the form of one member (FIGS. 3, 4) fixed with its basis on the rod 13 such that the axis of symmetry of the ball layer is orthogonal to the axis of the rod 13. The gripper 15 may also be embodied in the form of two identical members, for example in the form of a ball layer, which are fixed with their bases on the rod 13 oppositely, on different sides from its axis (not shown in FIGS. 3, 4). In this case the length of the gripper 15 along the rod 13 is equal to the greatest diameter of the ball layer and its width - to the greatest distance between outer bases (with the availability of two constituents) or to the ball layer height only (with the availability of one constituent). More complex geometry of the gripper 15 -a member in the form of a truncated spherical segment (common case) - also permits its embodiment in the form of one or two identical opposite members, which are fixed on the rod with one of their bases. In so doing, the length of the gripper 15 along the rod 13 is not in excess of the spherical segment greatest diameter and the width of the gripper 15 in the direction being orthogonal to the axis of the rod 13 corresponds to the greatest length of the section connecting opposite bases and being orthogonal to the axis of the rod 13 (a chord), if the gripper is made in the form of one member, or to the greatest length of the same section connecting subtending outer bases, if the gripper is made in the form of two members.
'.! To ensure the coupling of the beam 4fwith the support 6, the beam 6 is provided with through holes 16 for passing the rod 13 with the gripper 15. In so doing, a cross-section shape and width of such a hole correspond to the greatest cross-section of the gripper 15 in the plane being orthogonal to the axis of the rod 13 (in particular, to a ball layer height, as shown in FIG. 4). To couple the beam 4 with the support 6, a rod rest, namely a ball head 14, must afford overlapping of the hole 16 in the beam 4, whereas the rod 13 must be turned about the axis in such a way as to enable simultaneous rotation of the

gripper 15 and fixation of the beam 4 in position. Referring to FIG. 4, the gripper 15 in the form of one member to the shape of a ball layer is turned by 90 degrees (shown by hatching) from the initial position to the position of coupling the beam 4 with the support 6. To accomplish this, the support 6 is provided with a profiled channel 17 to accommodate the rod 13 with the gripper 15. In doing so, the cross-section of said channel in its upper part 18 is identical to that of the through hole 16, said channel having a locking cavity 19 (FIG. 3) with its cross-section, at least in some part thereof, being reciprocal to the spherical zone of the ball layer of the gripper 15 (in a special case) or to the surface of revolution with its generatrix being a circumference of the greatest diameter in the truncated spherical segment. The turn of the gripper 15 in the cavity 19 about 90 degrees results in overlap of the area 18 of the profiled channel 17 (FIG. 4) and fixation of the beam 4 in the support 6. To ensure coaxiality of the rod 13 with the support 6 and rule out unbalance of the beam 4 with respect to the axis of symmetry (a vessel centerline plane), each support 6 is fitted with a cylindrical hollow cover 21 on the end 22 of which there is made a through hole 23 for the gripper 15. It is appropriate to make a hole 23 identical to the said through hole 16 (FIG. 3). The diameter of an inner cavity 24 of the hollow cover 21 must correspond to the greatest diameter of the gripper 15 (such diameter may correspond to the diameter of one of bases of the ball layer, if the bases are not equal, or the diameter of the ball, if the bases are equal). In so doing, the cover 21 is made to rigidly fix on a respective support 6 at the expense of providing these elements, round their peripheries, with flanges 25, 26 with holes for connection by means of, for example, bolts 27. All these measures allow the rod 13 of the quick-disconnect gripping means 5 to be aligned in the support 6 to ensure a reliable operation of the gripper 15, which may occupy two extreme positions, namely longwise or crosswise of the profiled channel 17

(FIG. 4). The cover 21 also makes it possible to transfer the quick-disconnect gripping means 5 into intermediate position when the gripper 15 is removed from the support but may be kept in the cavity 24 under the cover end 22, for example, when re-assembling the system for positioning. To ensure transfer of the gripper 15 into intermediate position, it is essential that the height of the hollow cover 21 should be in excess of the greatest diameter of the truncated spherical segment (or the spherical zone) of the gripper 15. To strengthen the connection of the cover 21 with the support 6 to be loaded with the beam 4 and improve the overall rigidity of the quick-disconnect gripping means 5, there are also provided radial rests 28 for the hollow cover 21 on which the flange 26 of the support 6 rests.
In the positioning of a vessel such as a submarine, for the purposes of adjusting the draught when guiding thereof to a dry dock, interaction between a main hull 9 and adjustable buoyancy pontoons 2 is ensured through a vessel lifting device 3. To accomplish this, foundations 7 each embodied in the form of cylinders with a flange are mounted on the submarine main hull 9 while ensuring their rigid connection with the main hull 9 by means of welding, and cylindrical supports 6 are mounted on the foundations 7, at least underneath one of curved beams 4, to ensure a symmetrical position of each of them with respect to the centerline plane of the vessel 1. A rod 13 with a gripper 15 o£ the quick-disconnect gripping means 5 is passed through through holes 16 in the beam 4, the rod is aligned in the support 6 by introducing the gripper 15 into a locking cavity 19, the gripper 15 is turned into the extreme (working) position while overlapping a profiled channel 17, thereby fixing the position of elements of each quick-disconnect gripping means 5 to connect the beam 4 with the supports 6. The pontoons 2 are mounted in a prescribed manner with respect to the submarine 1 while ensuring interaction with the beams 4, for which purpose

each of the latter is connected to a pontoon 2 through a fixing means (a pin) 11 and turnbuckles 12, following which the pontoons 2 are dewatered to change their buoyancy and lifting (subfloating), said lifting being controlled in such a way that as to ensure a predetermined mode of interaction with the beams 4, wherein a particular submarine position may be attained. Thereupon ballasted pontoons 2 are dewatered, during which the submarine lifting is carried out to the point of the attainment of a predetermined draught of the pontoon 2.
According to computations, a system consisting of two load-bearing members is capable of affording lift of a submarine stern, thereby making it possible to guide a submarine to a dry dock with the greatest possible draught. In so doing, the possibility of damaging the coating of the submarine hull is ruled out completely under conditions of a rigid coupling of load-bearing members (the beams 4) with a submarine hull and with buoyancy pontoons.

We claim:
1. A system for positioning a vessel, mainly a submarine (1), comprising adjustable buoyancy pontoons (2) and a vessel lifting device (3) that comprises load-bearing members provided with means for fixing thereof to the pontoons, wherein the vessel lifting device (3) comprises at least two load-bearing members, each being embodied in the form of a curved beam (4), characterized in that at least one curved beam (4) is made to mount on supports (6) by means of a quick-disconnect gripping means (5) of a ayonet connection type, said supports (6) are made demountable and each provided with a foundation (7), said foundation (7) being rigidly coupled with a main hull (9) of the vessel (1).
2. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each curved beam (4) has a box-like cross-section.
3. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least one curved beam (4) is mounted on two supports (6) symmetrically about the center line plane of the vessel (1).
4. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each support (6) is made cylindrical and provided with radial rests (8) on said foundation (7).
5. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein rigid coupling of the foundation (7) to the main hull (9) is a welded joint.
6. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the means for fixing each beam (4) to a pontoon (2) are selected from turnbuckles (12) with fixing means (11).
7. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the quick-
disconnect gripping means (5) of a bayonet connection type is made in the
form of a rod (13) with a rest (14) and a gripper (15) on the ends thereof, said
rod (13) is made to rotate in the support (6), said rest (14) of the rod (13) is
embodied in the form of a ball head, said gripper (15) of the rod (13) is
embodied in the form of at least one element to the shape of a truncated
spherical segment, each support (6) being fitted with a cylindrical hollow cover
(21) made to rigidly couple with the support, at least in one of the curved
beams (4) and on the end (22) of said hollow cover (21) of each of its supports
(6) through holes (16; 23) are made to pass the rod (13) with the gripper (15),
the support (6) is provided with a profiled channel (17) to accommodate the rod
(13) with the gripper (15), said channel having a locking cavity (19) reciprocal
to the surface of revolution with its generatrix being a circumference of the
greatest diameter in the truncated spherical segment.
8. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said ball head
(14) is made to locate on the surface of said beam (4) to allow for overlapping
of the through hole (16) for passing the rod (13) with the gripper (15).
9. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein each support (6) is provided with radial rests (28) for said hollow cover (21).
10. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said gripper (15) is embodied in the form of two identical elements fixed on the rod (13) oppositely.
11. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein each element of said gripper (15) in the form of a truncated spherical segment is connected to the rod (13) through its base.
12. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein each element of said gripper (15) is embodied in the form of a ball layer.
13. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein height of said hollow cover (21) having a cylindrical shape exceeds the greatest diameter of said truncated spherical segment.
14. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein diameter of said hollow cover (21) having a cylindrical shape corresponds to the greatest diameter of said truncated spherical segment.
15. A system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein width of the through hole (16) for passing the rod (13) with the gripper (15) corresponds to the greatest length of a section connecting bases of said truncated spherical segment.

Documents:

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Patent Number

272020

Indian Patent Application Number

2916/DELNP/2006

PG Journal Number

12/2016

Publication Date

18-Mar-2016

Grant Date

14-Mar-2016

Date of Filing

22-May-2006

Name of Patentee

FEDERALNOE GOSUDARSTVENNOE BYUDZHETNOE UCHREZHDENIE “Federalnoe agentstvo po pravovoy zachite rezultatov intellektualnoy deyatelnosti voennogo, spetsialnogo i dvoinogo naznacheniya”

Applicant Address

Ulitsa Dobrolubova, d. 3, str. 1, Moscow, 127254, Russian Federation.

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	OZIMOV VIKTOR LEONIDOVICH	CHKALOVSKY PR,54-56,ST PETERSBURG 197022 RUSSIA.
2	KRYLOV VADIM VIKTOROVICH	UL VARSHAVSKAYA 27-1-80 ST PATERSBURG 196191 RUSSIA.
3	OSTAPENKO VITALY ALEKSEEVICH	LENINSKY PR, 118-28 ST PETERSBURG 198207 RUSSIA
4	FARAFONTOV YURY IVANOVICH	UL KHASANSKAYA 18-2-32 ST PETERSBURG 195298 RUSSIA
5	DOLGOPOLOV LEONID PAVLOVICH	PR,YURIYA GAGARINA 20-6-123,PETERSBURG 196211 RUSSIA
6	SAVENKOV MIKHAIL VASILIEVICH	UL POKLONNOGORDKAYA 41-1-ST PETERSBURG 197341 RUSSIA
7	ZAINULIN OLEG FLORIDOVICH	UL VASILEOZERSKAYA 2-3 VSEVOLOZHSK LENINGRADSKAYA OBL 188710,RUSSIA

PCT International Classification Number

B63C 1/12

PCT International Application Number

PCT/RU2004/000511

PCT International Filing date

2004-12-17

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	2004100600	2004-01-05	Russia