Apparatus and method for recovering floating objects

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING A FLOATING OBJECT, SUCH AS A CIRCULAR ELONGATED TORPEDO OR LIKE TEST VEHICLE, FROM THE SURFACE OF THE SEA TO THE DECK OF A RECOVERY VESSEL COMPRISING: (A) A PAIR OF CAPTURING POLES, EACH HAVING A VACUUM CUP ON ONE END OF SAME ADAPTED TO BE TEMPORARILY SECURED TO THE OBJECT BY OPERATORS ON THE DECK OF THE VESSEL TO THEREBY MAINTAIN THE OBJECT AT A DESIRED SPACING FROM THE VESSEL, (B) A PAIR OD SECURING POLES, EACH HAVING A SNARE LOOP ON ONE END OF THE SAME, ADAPTED TO BE MANIPULATED BY OTHER OPERATORS ON THE DECK OF THE VESSEL, (C) A CORD OR THE LIKE EXTENDING FROM A SNARE LOOP TO THE REMOTE END OF A SECURING POLE ADAPTED TO BE TENSIONED BY AN OPERATOR TO CLOSE AND INITIALLY TIGHTEN A SNARE LOOP, AND (D) A CABLE OR THE LIKE CONNECTED TO THE SNARE ADAPTED TO FURHAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO A CRANE ADAPTED TO FURTHER TIGHTEN THE SNARE LOOP AND LIFT THE OBJECT FROM THE WATER AND ONTO THE DECK OF THE VESSEL.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF TRANSFERRING A FLOATING OBJECT, SUCH AS A CIRCULAR ELONGATED TORPEDO OR LIKE TEST VEHICLE, FROM THE SURFACE OF THE SEA TO THE DECK OF A RECOVERY VESSEL, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: (A) MANEUVERING THE VESSEL TO A POSITION SPACVED FROM THE OBJECT, (B) TEMPORARILY SECURING AN END OF A POLE TO THE OBJECT BY AN OPERATOR ON THE DECK OF THE VESSEL TO THEREBY MAINTAIN THE OBJECT AT A DESIRED SPACING FROM THE VESSEL, (C) PLACING A SNARE LOOP, DISPOSED ON THE END OF A POLE, AROUND THE OBJECT, BY AN OPERATOR ON THE DECK OF THE VESSEL, (D) TIGHTENING THE SNARE LOOP BY THE OPERATOR, AFORESAID TO INITIALLY CAPTURE THE OBJECT, (E) AND LIFTING THE SNARE LOOP AND OBJECT BY A CRANE AND TRANSFERRING SAME TO THE DECK OF THE VESSEL.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF TRANSFERRING A FLOATING OBJECT, SUCH AS A CIRCULAR ELONGATED TORPEDO OR LIKE TEST VEHICLE, FROM THE SURFACE OF THE SEA TO THE DECK OF A RECOVERY VESSEL, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: (A) MANEUVERING THE VESSEL TO A POSITION SPACVED FROM THE OBJECT, (B) TEMPORARILY SECURING AN END OF A POLE TO THE OBJECT BY AN OPERATOR ON THE DECK OF THE VESSEL TO THEREBY MAINTAIN THE OBJECT AT A DESIRED SPACING FROM THE VESSEL, (C) PLACING A SNARE LOOP, DISPOSED ON THE END OF A POLE, AROUND THE OBJECT, BY AN OPERATOR ON THE DECK OF THE VESSEL, (D) TIGHTENING THE SNARE LOOP BY THE OPERATOR, AFORESAID TO INITIALLY CAPTURE THE OBJECT, (E) AND LIFTING THE SNARE LOOP AND OBJECT BY A CRANE AND TRANSFERRING SAME TO THE DECK OF THE VESSEL.