Projectile Launcher Assembly

Abstract

A projectile launcher assembly includes a housing mounted to the deck of a maritime vessel. The housing has a plurality of launching wells each extending into the housing. A plurality of projectiles is positioned within a respective one of the launching wells. A launching unit is positioned in the housing to launch each of the projectiles outwardly from the respective launching wells thereby facilitating the plurality of projectiles to be dispersed into a body of water in which the maritime vessel is traveling. A plurality of buoyancy vests is each positioned within a respective one of the projectiles. Each of the buoyancy vests is inflatable when the projectiles are launched from the housing to facilitate the individual that has fallen overboard to wear one of the buoyancy vests to inhibit the individual from drowning.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A projectile launcher assembly for launching a plurality of projectiles each containing life jackets to people that have fallen overboard from a maritime vessel, said assembly comprising:
 a housing being mounted to the deck of a maritime vessel, said housing being positioned adjacent to a stern of the maritime vessel, said housing having a plurality of launching wells each extending into said housing, said housing being oriented such that said plurality of launching wells is directed toward the stern of the maritime vessel;   a plurality of projectiles, each of said projectiles being positioned within a respective one of said launching wells;   a launching unit being positioned in said housing, said launching unit being in communication with each of said projectiles, said launching unit being actuatable into a launching condition to launch each of said projectiles outwardly from said respective launching wells thereby facilitating said plurality of projectiles to be dispersed into a body of water in which the maritime vessel is traveling;   a plurality of buoyancy vests, each of said buoyancy vests being positioned within a respective one of said projectiles, each of said buoyancy vests being in a deflated condition thereby facilitating said buoyancy vests to be stored within said respective projectile, each of said buoyancy vest being inflatable when said projectiles are launched from said housing wherein said buoyancy vests are configured to facilitate the individual that has fallen overboard to wear one of said buoyancy vests to inhibit the individual from drowning; and   a communication unit being integrated into said housing, said communication unit being in remote communication with the control room of the maritime vessel, said communication unit being in communication with said launching unit, said communication unit actuating said launching unit into said launching condition when said communication unit receives a launch command from the control room.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said housing has a bottom wall and a rear wall, said rear wall having a first portion lying on a plane being perpendicularly oriented with said bottom wall, said rear wall having a second portion angling forwardly from said first portion, each of said launching wells extending into said second portion, each of said launching wells having a lower bounding surface; and   said assembly includes a plurality of mounts, each of said mounts being coupled to and extending downwardly from said bottom wall, each of said mounts having a leg extending downwardly from said bottom wall and a foot extending laterally away from said leg thereby facilitating said foot of each of said mounts to lie on a deck of the maritime vessel, each of said mounts having a hole extending through said foot thereby facilitating a plurality of fasteners to be extended through said hole in said foot of a respective one of said mounts and engage the deck to fasten said housing to the deck.   
     
     
         3 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 each of said projectiles has a front end, a back end and an outer wall extending between said front end and said back end, said front end of each of said projectiles being open, said outer wall of each of said projectiles being continuously arcuate about an axis extending between said front end and said back end such that each of said projectiles has a cylindrical shape, said back end of each of said projectiles resting against said lower bounding surface of said respective launching well;   each of said projectiles has a cone being attached to said front end for closing said front end;   each of said projectiles has a plurality of fins being hingedly attached to said outer wall, each of said fins being biased into a deployed position having each of said fins extending away from said outer wall of a respective projectile, each of said fins being urged into a collapsed position having said fins lying against said outer wall of said respective projectile thereby facilitating said respective projectile to be inserted into said respective well; and   said outer wall of each of said projectiles has a perforation extending between said front end and said back end.   
     
     
         4 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said launching unit comprises:
 a launch canister storing a compressed gas, said launch canister being positioned within said housing, said launch canister having an outlet;   a pressure regulator having an input and an output, said input being fluidly attached to said outlet of said launch canister, said pressure regulator releasing said compressed gas outwardly through said output at a pre-determined pressure;   a plurality of valves, each of said valves having an inlet and an outlet;   a supply hose, said supply hose being fluidly coupled between said output of said pressure regulator and said inlet of each of said valves thereby facilitating said inlet of each of said valves to receive said pressurized gas, each of said valves being in a normally closed condition to inhibit said compressed gas from being released fro said outlet of each of said valves, each of said valves being actuatable into an open condition to facilitate said compressed gas to be released from said outlet of each of said valves; and   a plurality of outlet hoses, each of said outlet hoses being fluidly coupled to said outlet of a respective one of said valves thereby facilitating each of said outlet hoses to receive said compressed gas when said valves are actuated into said open condition, each of said outlet hoses having an output nozzle being coupled to said lower bounding surface of a respective one of said launching wells such that said output nozzle on each of said output hoses releases said compressed gas into said respective launching well when said valves are actuated into said open condition thereby facilitating said compressed gas to launch said plurality of projectiles outwardly from said housing.   
     
     
         5 . The assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein each of said launching wells in said housing extends along an axis being oriented at a unique angle with said second portion of said rear wall with respect to each other thereby facilitating each of said projectiles to launched in a different direction with respect to each other wherein said plurality of projectiles is configured to land in the water in a laterally spread pattern with respect to the maritime vessel thereby ensuring at least one of said projectiles lands near an individual that has fallen overboard from the maritime vessel. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein each of said valves releases a pre-determined pressure of said pressurized gas which varies from valve to valve into said respective launching well thereby facilitating each of said projectiles to be launched a unique distance from the maritime vessel with respect to each other wherein said plurality of projectiles is configured to land in the water in a distally spread pattern with respect to the maritime vessel thereby ensuring at least one of said projectiles lands near the individual that has fallen overboard from the maritime vessel. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 said assembly includes a plurality of inflation canisters, each of said inflation canisters being integrated into a respective one of said buoyancy vests, each of said inflation canisters storing a compressed gas, each of said inflation canisters being in fluid communication with said respective buoyancy vest, each of said inflation canisters releasing said compressed gas into said respective buoyancy vest when said inflation canisters receives an inflate command for inflating said respective buoyancy vest;   each of said projectiles splits open along said perforation in said outer wall of said projectiles when said buoyancy vest in each of said projectiles is inflated thereby facilitating said buoyancy vest to be released from said projectiles wherein said buoyancy vests are configured to be accessible to the individual that has fallen overboard.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly according to  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of water sensors, each of said water sensors being integrated into a respective one of said projectiles, each of said water sensors being electrically coupled to said inflation canister that is integrated into said buoyancy vest which is stored in said respective projectile, each of said water sensors communicating said inflate command to said inflation canister when said water sensor is placed into contact with water such that said buoyancy vest in said respective projectile is inflated when said respective projectile lands in the water. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a plurality of projectile transceivers, each of said projectile transceivers being integrated into a respective one of said projectiles, each of said projectile transceivers being in wireless communication with a global positioning system thereby facilitating said projectile transceivers to establish the physical location of said respective projectile, each of said projectile transceivers being in wireless communication with a control room in the maritime vessel thereby facilitating a captain of the maritime vessel to track the physical location of each of said projectiles; and   a plurality of projectile power supplies, each of said projectile power supplies being integrated into a respective one of said projectiles, each of said projectile power supplies being electrically coupled to said projectile transceiver and said water sensor in said respective projectile, each of said projectile power supplies comprising a battery.   
     
     
         10 . The assembly according to  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of radio beacons, each of said radio beacons being attached to a respective one of said buoyancy vests, each of said radio beacons being electrically coupled to said water sensor attached to said projectile in which said respective buoyancy vest is positioned, each of said radio beacons being actuated when said water sensor in said projectile in which said respective buoyancy vest is positioned senses water, each of said radio beacons transmitting a location signal when said radio beacons are turned on thereby facilitating a rescue team to receive said location signal to locate said radio beacons. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly according to  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of strobe lights, each of said strobe lights being attached to a respective one of said buoyancy vests, each of said strobe lights being electrically coupled to said water sensor attached to said projectile in which said respective buoyancy vest is positioned, each of said strobe lights being actuated when said water sensor in said projectile in which said respective buoyancy vest is positioned senses water, each of said strobe lights emitting flashing light when said strobe lights are turned on thereby facilitating each of said buoyancy vests to be visually located at night. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein said communication unit comprises:
 a control circuit being integrated into said housing, said control circuit receiving a launch input, said control circuit being electrically coupled to each of said valves, each of said valves being actuated into said open condition when said control circuit receives said launch input, said control circuit being electrically coupled to a power source comprising an electrical system of the maritime vessel; and   a launch transceiver being integrated into said housing, said launch transceiver being electrically coupled to said control circuit, said launch transceiver being in wireless communication with the control room of the maritime vessel, said control circuit receiving said launch input when said launch transceiver receives a launch command from the control room.   
     
     
         13 . A projectile launcher assembly for launching a plurality of projectiles each containing life jackets to people that have fallen overboard from a maritime vessel, said assembly comprising:
 a housing being mounted to the deck of a maritime vessel, said housing being positioned adjacent to a stern of the maritime vessel, said housing having a plurality of launching wells each extending into said housing, said housing being oriented such that said plurality of launching wells is directed toward the stern of the maritime vessel, said housing having a bottom wall and a rear wall, said rear wall having a first portion lying on a plane being perpendicularly oriented with said bottom wall, said rear wall having a second portion angling forwardly from said first portion, each of said launching wells extending into said second portion, each of said launching wells having a lower bounding surface;   a plurality of mounts, each of said mounts being coupled to and extending downwardly from said bottom wall, each of said mounts having a leg extending downwardly from said bottom wall and a foot extending laterally away from said leg thereby facilitating said foot of each of said mounts to lie on a deck of the maritime vessel, each of said mounts having a hole extending through said foot thereby facilitating a plurality of fasteners to be extended through said hole in said foot of a respective one of said mounts and engage the deck to fasten said housing to the deck;   a plurality of projectiles, each of said projectiles being positioned within a respective one of said launching wells, each of said projectiles having a front end, a back end and an outer wall extending between said front end and said back end, said front end of each of said projectiles being open, said outer wall of each of said projectiles being continuously arcuate about an axis extending between said front end and said back end such that each of said projectiles has a cylindrical shape, said back end of each of said projectiles resting against said lower bounding surface of said respective launching well, each of said projectiles having a cone being attached to said front end for closing said front end, each of said projectiles having a plurality of fins being hingedly attached to said outer wall, each of said fins being biased into a deployed position having each of said fins extending away from said outer wall of a respective projectile, each of said fins being urged into a collapsed position having said fins lying against said outer wall of said respective projectile thereby facilitating said respective projectile to be inserted into said respective well, said outer wall of each of said projectiles having a perforation extending between said front end and said back end;   a launching unit being positioned in said housing, said launching unit being in communication with each of said projectiles, said launching unit being actuatable into a launching condition to launch each of said projectiles outwardly from said respective launching wells thereby facilitating said plurality of projectiles to be dispersed into a body of water in which the maritime vessel is traveling, said launching unit comprising:
 a launch canister storing a compressed gas, said launch canister being positioned within said housing, said launch canister having an outlet; 
 a pressure regulator having an input and an output, said input being fluidly attached to said outlet of said launch canister, said pressure regulator releasing said compressed gas outwardly through said output at a pre-determined pressure; 
 a plurality of valves, each of said valves having an inlet and an outlet; 
 a supply hose, said supply hose being fluidly coupled between said output of said pressure regulator and said inlet of each of said valves thereby facilitating said inlet of each of said valves to receive said pressurized gas, each of said valves being in a normally closed condition to inhibit said compressed gas from being released fro said outlet of each of said valves, each of said valves being actuatable into an open condition to facilitate said compressed gas to be released from said outlet of each of said valves; 
 a plurality of outlet hoses, each of said outlet hoses being fluidly coupled to said outlet of a respective one of said valves thereby facilitating each of said outlet hoses to receive said compressed gas when said valves are actuated into said open condition, each of said outlet hoses having an output nozzle being coupled to said lower bounding surface of a respective one of said launching wells such that said output nozzle on each of said output hoses releases said compressed gas into said respective launching well when said valves are actuated into said open condition thereby facilitating said compressed gas to launch said plurality of projectiles outwardly from said housing, each of said launching wells in said housing extending along an axis being oriented at a unique angle with said second portion of said rear wall with respect to each other thereby facilitating each of said projectiles to launched in a different direction with respect to each other wherein said plurality of projectiles is configured to land in the water in a laterally spread pattern with respect to the maritime vessel thereby ensuring at least one of said projectiles lands near an individual that has fallen overboard from the maritime vessel, each of said valves releasing a pre-determined pressure of said pressurized gas which varies from valve to valve into said respective launching well thereby facilitating each of said projectiles to be launched a unique distance from the maritime vessel with respect to each other wherein said plurality of projectiles is configured to land in the water in a distally spread pattern with respect to the maritime vessel thereby ensuring at least one of said projectiles lands near the individual that has fallen overboard from the maritime vessel; 
   a plurality of buoyancy vests, each of said buoyancy vests being positioned within a respective one of said projectiles, each of said buoyancy vests being in a deflated condition thereby facilitating said buoyancy vests to be stored within said respective projectile, each of said buoyancy vest being inflatable when said projectiles are launched from said housing wherein said buoyancy vests are configured to facilitate the individual that has fallen overboard to wear one of said buoyancy vests to inhibit the individual from drowning;   a plurality of inflation canisters, each of said inflation canisters being integrated into a respective one of said buoyancy vests, each of said inflation canisters storing a compressed gas, each of said inflation canisters being in fluid communication with said respective buoyancy vest, each of said inflation canisters releasing said compressed gas into said respective buoyancy vest when said inflation canisters receives an inflate command for inflating said respective buoyancy vest, each of said projectiles splitting open along said perforation in said outer wall of said projectiles when said buoyancy vest in each of said projectiles is inflated thereby facilitating said buoyancy vest to be released from said projectiles wherein said buoyancy vests are configured to be accessible to the individual that has fallen overboard;   a plurality of water sensors, each of said water sensors being integrated into a respective one of said projectiles, each of said water sensors being electrically coupled to said inflation canister that is integrated into said buoyancy vest which is stored in said respective projectile, each of said water sensors communicating said inflate command to said inflation canister when said water sensor is placed into contact with water such that said buoyancy vest in said respective projectile is inflated when said respective projectile lands in the water;   a plurality of projectile transceivers, each of said projectile transceivers being integrated into a respective one of said projectiles, each of said projectile transceivers being in wireless communication with a global positioning system thereby facilitating said projectile transceivers to establish the physical location of said respective projectile, each of said projectile transceivers being in wireless communication with a control room in the maritime vessel thereby facilitating a captain of the maritime vessel to track the physical location of each of said projectiles;   a plurality of projectile power supplies, each of said projectile power supplies being integrated into a respective one of said projectiles, each of said projectile power supplies being electrically coupled to said projectile transceiver and said water sensor in said respective projectile, each of said projectile power supplies comprising a battery;   a plurality of radio beacons, each of said radio beacons being attached to a respective one of said buoyancy vests, each of said radio beacons being electrically coupled to said water sensor attached to said projectile in which said respective buoyancy vest is positioned, each of said radio beacons being actuated when said water sensor in said projectile in which said respective buoyancy vest is positioned senses water, each of said radio beacons transmitting a location signal when said radio beacons are turned on thereby facilitating a rescue team to receive said location signal to locate said radio beacons;   a plurality of strobe lights, each of said strobe lights being attached to a respective one of said buoyancy vests, each of said strobe lights being electrically coupled to said water sensor attached to said projectile in which said respective buoyancy vest is positioned, each of said strobe lights being actuated when said water sensor in said projectile in which said respective buoyancy vest is positioned senses water, each of said strobe lights emitting flashing light when said strobe lights are turned on thereby facilitating each of said buoyancy vests to be visually located at night; and   a communication unit being integrated into said housing, said communication unit being in remote communication with the control room of the maritime vessel, said communication unit being in communication with said launching unit, said communication unit actuating said launching unit into said launching condition when said communication unit receives a launch command from the control room, said communication unit comprising:
 a control circuit being integrated into said housing, said control circuit receiving a launch input, said control circuit being electrically coupled to each of said valves, each of said valves being actuated into said open condition when said control circuit receives said launch input, said control circuit being electrically coupled to a power source comprising an electrical system of the maritime vessel; and 
 a launch transceiver being integrated into said housing, said launch transceiver being electrically coupled to said control circuit, said launch transceiver being in wireless communication with the control room of the maritime vessel, said control circuit receiving said launch input when said launch transceiver receives a launch command from the control room.