Attachabel stabilization bracket for the versatile mine system

Abstract

A stabilizer system for a cylindrical-shaped undersea package orients the package in an upright attitude and eliminates, or reduces motion or rocking due to wave action and/or sea currents. An outrigger base assembly has a flat base surface to rest on the sea floor and is provided with upper surfaces having semi-circular cross-sectional configurations to contiguously fit adjacent to round outer contours of an undersea package. The outrigger base assembly also has laterally extending outrigger portions extending the flat base surface for increased stability. First and second case clamps have curved surfaces with semi-circular cross-sectional configurations that extend above the outrigger base assembly. The first and second clamps clamp the curved surfaces and upper surfaces onto the round contours and secure the undersea package in an upright orientation.

We claim:  
     
         1 - A stabilizer system for an undersea package comprising: 
 means for providing a flat base surface to rest on the sea floor, said flat base surface providing means having laterally extending outrigger portions and upper surfaces shaped to fit adjacent to outer contours of an undersea package; and    first and second means extending above said flat base surface providing means between said laterally extending outrigger portions for clamping said undersea package on curved surfaces to said flat base surface providing means, said first and second clamping means securing said undersea package in a fixed orientation.    
     
     
         2 - The stabilizer system of  claim 1  wherein said first and second clamping means are parallel with one another, said undersea package is elongate and cylindrically-shaped, and said first and second clamping means are longitudinally spaced apart from one another on said cylindrically-shaped undersea package.  
     
     
         3 - The stabilizer system of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 means extending through said first and second clamping means for engaging said flat base surface providing means to hold said undersea package in said fixed orientation.  
 
     
     
         4 - The stabilizer system of  claim 3  further comprising: 
 means on said upper surfaces and said curved surfaces for resiliently engaging said undersea package therebetween.  
 
     
     
         5 - The stabilizer system of  claim 4  wherein said upper surfaces have essentially semi-circular cross-sectional shapes, said curved surfaces have essentially semi-circular cross-sectional shapes, and said outer contours of said undersea package form an essentially circular cross-sectional shape.  
     
     
         6 - A stabilizer for a cylindrical-shaped undersea package comprising: 
 an outrigger base assembly having a flat base surface to rest on the sea floor, said outrigger base assembly being provided with upper surfaces having a semi-circular cross-sectional configuration to contiguously fit adjacent to round outer contours of an undersea package and said outrigger base assembly having outrigger portions laterally extending said flat base surface therefrom; and    first and second case clamps provided with curved surfaces having semi-circular cross-sectional configurations and extending above said outrigger base assembly, said first and second clamps being shaped to clamp said curved surfaces onto said round contours of said undersea package and said upper surfaces of said outrigger base assembly onto said round contours of said undersea package, said first and second case clamps securing said undersea package in a fixed orientation.    
     
     
         7 - The stabilizer of  claim 6  wherein said first and second clamps are parallel with one another, said undersea package is an elongate, cylindrically-shaped emulator of mines, and said first and second clamps are longitudinally spaced apart from one another on said cylindrically-shaped emulator.  
     
     
         8 - The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said first and second clamps include a plurality of threaded bolts extending through holes to engage mating threaded bores in said outrigger base assembly to hold said cylindrically-shaped emulator in said fixed orientation.  
     
     
         9 - The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said upper surfaces of said outrigger base assembly and said curved surfaces of said first and second clamps are provided with resilient pads to engage said cylindrically-shaped emulator.  
     
     
         10 - The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said outrigger portions of said outrigger base assembly laterally extend beyond said cylindrically-shaped emulator to increase stability.