Patent ID: 6352389
Filing Date: 2002-03-05
Classification: B63C,G01S

Abstract:
A method of providing and deploying one or more submersible and re-floatable underwater platforms, for supporting one or more underwater light, camera and underwater target or other sensing equipments, that comprises, interconnecting hollow sections of buoyant pipes in a geometric structure to form each platform, and with each structure having water-floodable sections and intermediate baffle sections symmetrically positioned in the structure; providing for each platform structure water inlets at the bottom of the structure for admitting water into the floodable sections as the platform is placed on the surface of the water, thereby to cause the structure to become heavier than the water and to submerge at a desired underwater region, steadied during submerging by flow control by the baffle sections; providing for each structure a compressed air or other gas inlet near the top of the structure for enabling the connection thereto of a compressed air or other gas hose; and, when it is desired to recover the submerged platform(s), as for servicing and re-deploying of the equipments, introducing the compressed air or other gas through the hose inlet and into the flooded sections to force the water therein out of said water inlets, gradually restoring the buoyancy of the structure and permitting its re-floating to the surface.