 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
[ LAUNCH AND RECOVERY ] • [ WINCHES ] • [ SUB-SEA TOOLS & COMPONENTS ] [ SHIPBOARD A-FRAMES ] • [ AUV SYSTEMS ] • [ PRESSURE VESSELS ] • [ LASER TECHNOLOGY ] • [ OFFSHORE CONTAINERS ] LAUNCH AND RECOVERY SYSTEMS HBOI has designed and built over 10 Launch And Recovery Systems for manned submersibles, ROVs, towed systems, oceanographic instrumentation and AUVs. The following describes a few of the systems completed, all of which are in service today. The following are examples of the type of handling systems that have been designed and built at HBOI. These examples show the depth of experience available to our customers for special handling system requirements. A-FRAMES FOR UNDERWATER VEHICLES 
HBOI designed and built an aluminum, ABS 30 ton rated, A-frame handling systems for the
26,000 lb. Johnson-Sea-Link manned submersibles and installed on the R/V Seward Johnson.
This system was built with the capability to launch and recover the U.S. Navy's 24.5 ton
manned submersible SEA CLIFF. A similar steel version is installed on the R/V Edwin Link.
These systems incorporate passive compensation and a unique, pneumatic lock and release
mechanism developed at HBOI.
These A-frames have been used to launch numerous other types of vehicles and systems, such as Ocean Voyager AUV and the U.S. Navy's Sea Lion vehicles. These systems are equipped with both active and passive control devices to ensure safe and sympathetic handling of the manned subs during latching and hoisting. Two constant tension winches with synthetic line are employed to minimize both heave and yaw motions. Pitch and roll are mitigated via passive hydraulic damping cylinders. Another ship mounted, aluminum A-frame is available aboard smaller vessels and is used for deploying large ROVs, buoys and other equipment. The frame was designed for a 10,000 lb. tethered system. HBOI also designed and built a submersible launch and recovery system that was installed aboard a private yacht for the purpose of handling a submersible. The handling system not only launches and recovers the sub, but it also provides the platform on which the sub sits when it is fully retracted. The system also allowed the sub to be recovered to the lower or upper deck. 
HBOI has designed and built two aluminum, articulated cranes, capable of launching and
recovering both manned and unmanned vehicles. The primary advantages in this type of LARS
are, they require a minimum of deck space and can be designed to operate over-the-stern or
over-the-side. The crane is shown mounted on a small vessel (114 ft), launching HBOI's 26,000 lb.
and 16,000 lb. vessels.
The reach of the crane is shown. Pendulation of the vehicle is controlled by way of our
orthoganally placed disc brake and caliper systems.
STERN RAMP 
HBOI has built a ramp type LARS for the Navy High Area Rate Hunter Program (towed vehicle) and the
Minehunter/Killer Program (AUV). The ramp is designed to launch and recover a 30 foot long, 21
inch diameter vehicle. The ramp consists of a base structure (mounted to the deck), a tilt bed
and a sliding bed which supports the vehicle. The ramp is mounted at the stern, the tilting bed
raised and the sliding bed lowered into the water. The vehicle then is released or recovered.
The ramp design is easily scaled up or down for different size vehicles.
The primary advantage of the ramp system is that it supports the weight of the vehicle in a cradle. The vehicle then does not have to be designed for lifting loads due to the forces exerted on it while in the air (during launch and recovery). SKID WINCH A-FRAMES 
HBOI has designed and built numerous skid winch A-frames for the deployment of large ROVs. The
one pictured below is a steel handling system developed for a 4,000 foot operating depth ROV,
operated by HBOI for many years. The system was designed to be truck transportable and in fact,
made numerous trips cross-country. The A-frame incorporated a special hydraulic yaw control
device that allowed the operator to align the vehicle to come straight in during recovery,
regardless if its orientation when latched in the water. Also, custom designed hydraulic pancake
cylinders ensure both a "soft" latch-up as well as a controlled positive force holding against
the latched-in vehicle.
A similar, fly-away system was built for a new ROV system designed for submersible rescue. This system is made from steel and occupies a minimum of deck space. 
HBOI also designed and built a unique ROV A-frame and winch system for use on a Diving Support Vessel being operated by Single Buoy Moorings off West Africa. The requirements dictated the most compact arrangement possible, due to space restrictions aboard ship, resulting in some new approaches to ROV handling. The most significant was the unconventional swing-frame that HBOI designed in a very "wagon wheel" style. The swing-frame allows the ROV to stay parallel to the water during launch and recovery and is also hydraulically powered so that the ROV can be rotated while docked for alignment during recovery. The system also has air cushioned pancake cylinders to take up shock during recovery. OCEANOGRAPHIC HANDLING SYSTEMS Numerous deployment systems have been developed at HBOI for launching and recovering instrumentation at sea. One such system is the gallows frame used on our research vessels. These small, aluminum frames are designed to accommodate most common instruments (CTDs, current meters, etc.) and smaller ROVs that are launched over the side of ships for data collection, inspection and research. MOTION COMPENSATED TOWED ARRAY CRANE HBOI designed and built a motion compensated crane for towing an optical array for the Naval Research Laboratory. The crane and winch system was fabricated out of aluminum and featured a closed loop winch hydraulic system that maintains the vertical array and clump weight at a constant depth by following the motion of the vehicle. FABRICATION CAPABILITY HBOI has the capability to build the LARS in-house, allowing us complete control over the project. All of the systems shown were fabricated at HBOI. Our qualified machinists and welders can produce a quality product at a lower cost than vendors who must use outside machine shops and fabricators. HBOI has the equipment and the machines to start building the system today, without delay and can greatly reduce schedule risk. Existing designs and drawings may be incorporated to further reduce schedule and cost .
The Articulating Secure Deployment System (ASDS) is an articulating, positive locking,
mechanical interface that is fitted to commercial off-the-shelf articulating cranes.
The system was developed by the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution's Engineering
division to satisfy current industry and military requirements for an compact and effective
means of launching and recovering both tethered and autonomous vehicles. The ASDS is
unparalleled in its operational capability, versatility, and cost effectiveness. The notable
unique features of the ASDS are:
|
• Launch and Recovery Systems Brochure- 100k download
