Diver operated retractable pad eye

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to devices adapted to be incorporated into the hull or housing of underwater apparatus for the purpose of providing attachment points for connection of lifting, hoisting, or tie down devices.

Present day submersibles or submarines are often fitted with external auxiliary equipment for a variety of scientific and military purposes. Such equipment may be only intermittently installed or may require periodic removal for upkeep or replacement. The provision of fixed and protruding or exposed pad-eyes leads to drag and turbulance that cannot be tolerated at relatively high speed operation.

It has been proposed in the past to provide recessed eyes for connection of hoisting gear, with a removable cover plate secured thereover during periods of non-use to provide a relatively smooth surface and reduced turbulance and drag. U.S. Pat. No. 1,826,959 provides an example of such a construction. The device of that patent is, however, limited to application at the location of a rib or bulkhead, includes a turbulence causing rim about the recess, and the cover plate must be completely removed and so is subject to being readily lost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the foregoing in mind, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a novel and particularly useful device that presents, in one operative position, a substantially flush cover plate, and in another operative position, a pad-eye that affords a strong and reliable point of connection.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a convertible pad-eye device that is self-storing when not in use and yet is easily and quickly brought to its operative position ready for connection thereto, for example by a hook, strap, or other attachment means.

Still another object is the provisions of a pad-eye or connection device of the foregoing character, that can conveniently be mounted beneath or behind a deck or hull wall at locations other than at ribs or bulkheads.

As another object, the invention aims to provide an improved self-storing pad-eye device that can be easily operated by a diver using a single wrench and which has no removable cover, screws, or other parts which may become fully disengaged or lost.

The invention may further be said to reside in certain novel constructions, combinations, and associations of parts by which the foregoing objects and advantages are achieved, together with others that will become apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a retractable pad-eye device embodying the invention, shown in association with supporting structure and in retracted condition;

FIG. 2 is a side view, partly in section, illustrating the device of FIG. 1, as viewed substantially along line 2--2 thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the device, on an enlarged scale, as viewed substantially along line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings and described hereinafter, there is provided a retractable pad-eye device, indicated generally at 10, that is particularly suited to use in association with underwater apparatus having a deck, hull, or housing wall 12 having outside and inside surfaces 12a and 12b, respectively. The wall 12 is provided with an aperture 14 which, in this example, is circular although other shapes, such as rectangular, can be used.

The device 10 comprises an aperture closure member 16 of a configuration corresponding to the aperture 14. As is best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the closure member 16 comprises an obturating portion 16a received in the aperture 14, and a flange portion 16b adapted to lie against the inside surface 12b of wall 12.

The closure member 16 is connected by means of a jack-screw 20, operable in a threaded bore 22 of the closure member, to a pivot-block, indicated generally at 24 and conveniently comprising pivot-block halves 24a and 24b secured together bolts 26. The pivot-block halves 24a, 24b are provided with cooperating recesses 28a, 28b that receive one end of the jack-screw 20 and define an annular rib 30 that is engaged in a groove 32 of the jack-screw and allows rotation thereof while preventing axial movement of the jack-screw relative to the pivot-block.

A pair of guide pins or rods 34,36 are fixed in the pivot-block 24 and extend outwardly therefrom parallel to the axis of the jack-screw 20. The guide rods 34 extend into parallel guide bores 38, 40, respectively, in the closure member 16 and serve to prevent rotation of that member when the jack-screw 20 is rotated. Rotation of the jack-screw 20 in one direction or the other, for example by means of a hexagonal wrench (not shown) fit into a corresponding hexagonal socket 42 in the head portion 20a of that screw, will cause the closure member 16 to move toward or away from the pivot-block 24 for purposes which will presently be made apparent. The head portion 20a of the screw 20 is preferably conical to seat flush in a corresponding recess in the member 16. Other shapes of flush screw heads may, of course, be used.

The pivot-block 24 is supported for revolving or rotating movement, about an axis parallel to the wall 12, by a trunnion shaft 44 that is received and clamped in semi-cyldrical grooves in the pivot-block halves 24a, 24b. The outer ends of the shaft 44 are journalled in axially aligned openings in parallel, spaced trunnion bearing plates 46,48 that are conveniently welded to the wall 12 and extend inwardly from the surface 12b on either side of the opening 14. Retainer rings 50,52 disposed in corresponding grooves in shaft 44 cooperate with the plates 46,48 to prevent lateral shifting of the device.

Disposed on the side of the pivot-block 24 opposite the closure member 16 is a pad-eye member 56 comprising an obturating portion 56a, a flange portion 56b, and an eye portion or bail 56c. The member 56 is connected to the pivot-block 24 by a jack-screw 60, similar to screw 20, having a groove 62 receiving an annular rib 64 defined in cooperating recesses 66a, 66b in the pivot-block halves 24a, 24b. A pair of guide pins or rods 68,70 are fixed in the pivot-block 24 and extend into cooperating guide bores 72,74 in the pad-eye member 60. The head portion 60a of the screw 60 has a wrench receiving socket 76 in allignment with an access opening 78 in the bail 56c.

MODE OF OPERATION

When it is desired to change the device 10 from its pad-eye stored condition illustrated in the drawings in full lines, a hexagonal wrench is inserted into the socket 42 of jack-screw 20 and rotated in a direction that causes the member 16 to travel toward its single dot and dash line position of FIG. 3. When the member 16 has reached that position, the wrench is removed and the device 10 can be rotated about its trunnion axis as shown by arrow 80 to bring the pad-eye member 56 into registration with the opening 14 in wall 12. Thereafter, the wrench may be inserted through opening 78 into the socket 76 of the jack-screw 60 and the latter rotated in a direction to cause the pad-eye member 56 to move into the double dot and dash position of FIG. 3. In that position, the obturator portion 56a fills the opening 14, while the flange portion 56b engages the inner surface 12b of wall 12 around that opening. The device 10 is then ready for use by engagement of the bail 56c to lift, hoist or secure the hull or housing of which the wall 12 forms a part.

When it is desired to return the pad-eye member 56 to its storage position, the jack-screw 60 is operated to retract that member to allow the device 10 to revolve or rotate as shown by arrow 82. With the closure member 16 aligned with the opening 14, the jack-screw 20 is operated to move the closure member away from the pivot-block 24 to again close the opening 14.

Obviously, other embodiments and modifications of the subject invention will readily come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the drawing. It is, therefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limited thereto and that said modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.