Probe and drogue mechanism facilitating linkup between two spacecraft, submarine vehicles, or industrial robot and capture load

摘要

A link system joins two preferably moving or movable pieces of equipment, e.g. two spacecraft, underwater vehicles or a terrestrial robot and a capture item. One e.g. vehicle has a probe (1) with arms which are splayed on command. The probe with folded arms is inserted into a drogue (5) forming part of the other vehicle. The probe arms are then splayed, and hold the two vehicles together. The slack is then taken up between the two vehicles by partial withdrawal of the probe using a spring mechanism (2).