EP4098968A1 - Device for the safe recovery and transport of ordinance, in particular of ordinance found in water - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a salvage device for salvaging ordnance 60, the salvage device being designed in two parts, the salvage device having a support device 140 and a gripping and fixing device 10, 110, the gripping and fixing device 10, 110 being used for the non-positive, detachable connection is formed with the support device 140, characterized in that the gripping and fixing device 10, 110 has a first plurality of fixing elements 70, 170, the fixing elements 70, 170 being vertically movable and lockable.

Description

The invention relates to a device and a method for safely salvaging ordnance under water and for transport on board.

In the coastal seas, especially in the North and Baltic Seas, there are large amounts of ordnance in the broadest sense. Some of these are objects that have been deployed in a targeted manner, such as sea mines, for example anchor rope mines. Furthermore, it is also about duds, which were used in combat operations. Furthermore, just after the end of the war, very large quantities of ordnance were simply dumped in the course of the disarmament of the Wehrmacht. Especially the latter also includes weapons with chemical warfare agents. These objects range in size from rifle or machine gun ammunition to mines, naval artillery shells, bombs, mines and torpedo heads. It is suspected that there are at least 5 million suspected objects or 1.6 million t in the North Sea and Baltic Sea that could be such ammunition or ammunition parts.

Some of this ammunition has now been lying in saline water for over 75 years. As a result, this ammunition has a completely undefined state of decay and in particular with regard to the tightness, the chemical stability of the explosives contained and the transport safety.

Due to the large number of different ordnance and also due to the long time under water, the ordnance have very different sizes and shapes. Processing that is as efficient as possible must therefore work with different shapes and sizes.

On the one hand, the ammunition poses a major threat to the environment. For example, the explosives and war gases can escape over time due to corrosion, which poses a major threat to the ecosystem. Ships can also come into contact with the ammunition and trigger it. With anchor rope mines there is a risk that the chain connecting the mine to the ground will be separated and the mine will become one Floating mine is and so can get into safe areas, such as a fairway. Ordnance can also be relocated and carried to safe areas by currents and movement of the seabed. Leaked and washed up white phosphorus regularly causes injuries. Therefore, it would be desirable to remove all objects.

On the other hand, however, the clearance is very critical, since the ordnance has to be touched, moved or dismantled due to its size. With all these actions there is of course an increased risk that the explosives will react. It is therefore advantageous to minimize the number of movements.

If a suspicious object is found, a decision must be made after identification as to whether the object is transportable or temporarily transportable or can be made. For example, duds can be rendered transportable by removing the detonator or by using a slicing charge. Most of the objects, however, which were dumped after the end of hostilities, have no detonators.

Transportable objects must then be transported for further processing, for example for delaboration. However, many objects are too large to be burned directly, for example, because the quantity of explosives that are burned at the same time would then be too high to still safely control the process.

From the WO 2007/068020 A1 a transportable system for defusing ammunition containing fluid warfare agents is known.

From the DE 10 2018 119 339 A1 a method and a device for defusing a dud lying under water is known.

From the DE 39 13 479 C1 a method and a system for dismantling toxic and/or explosive objects, in particular chemical weapons, is known.

From the post-published DE 10 2020 212 443 a device for the safe delaboration of salvaged ordnance is known.

From JP H10-7 374 A there is known a gripping device for gripping a cargo handling object from both sides by moving it by a crane or the like, comprising: a first frame extending in a horizontal direction; a pair of second frames provided movably along the first frame and extending in a horizontal direction intersecting the first frame; a pair of leg frames provided movably along the second frame, a rotary member provided at the lower end of the leg frame and rotatable about an axis along the longitudinal direction of the leg frame, a first claw provided on the rotary member and toward the center side in of the longitudinal direction of the first frame, and a second claw that is provided on the rotary member and protrudes toward the center side in the longitudinal direction of the second frame.

From the DE 28 26 519 A1 discloses a device for picking up workpieces of any or irregular shape while the workpiece is being machined or subjected to some other action.

From the U.S. Patent No. 5,515,977 discloses a recyclable protective cradle and edge protection packaging and distribution system for preventing rolling and facilitating distribution and shipping of rolls of laminar material aligned to be rolled on a pallet. The protective frame is formed from an interlocking pallet cover and a series of wedge elements which act as wedges to prevent the roll from rotating. A wedge removal system allows one or more wedge elements to be selectively removed to allow unobstructed removal of the roll from the protective frame.

It would therefore be desirable to minimize the transportation distance of an object found underwater and to dismantle the object safely and with minimal movement. Here, however, the problem arises that it is essential at sea it is more difficult to implement appropriate protective devices, such as bunkers or earthen walls. The weight that would have to be carried by a floating platform is very high and would make the platform unnecessarily complex and expensive. It is also desirable to minimize the number of direct movements on the ordnance, ie not having to touch the ordnance again for each rearrangement.

This is also desirable because, for legal reasons, ammunition can be difficult or impossible to transport ashore. A shipment of ammunition and especially chemical weapons from outside this area into the sovereign territory of a state can already be legally problematic or impossible, for example on the basis of the Chemical Weapons Convention and national laws.

The object of the invention is to create a device that allows a safe relocation of the ordnance found at sea.

This object is achieved by the rescue device having the features specified in claim 1 and by the method having the features specified in claim 10 . Advantageous developments result from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings.

The salvage device according to the invention is used to salvage ordnance. In particular, the salvage device according to the invention serves to salvage munitions under water, in particular munitions found on or in the seabed, in particular on or in the seabed. Weapons are to be understood broadly within the meaning of the invention and can therefore also include suspected objects that later turn out not to be weapons. Furthermore, some ordnance has rusted so far over time that in some cases only the explosives are left after the metallic shell has completely corroded. Likewise, once the explosives have been discharged over time, only the shell may be left. Such residues are also understood as munitions within the meaning of the invention, even if these can no longer be used as munitions today, of course. The term also includes components of ordnance, for example just the head of a torpedo or detonator. Many of these components were after the end of the Second World War also simply dumped as components for disposal in the Baltic Sea and North Sea. Likewise, many ordnance were also dumped without detonators, i.e. not "lively". You can also find duds. All these warfare agents, warfare agents, components of warfare agents, residues of warfare agents and the like are to be understood as warfare agents within the meaning of the invention. This diversity also ensures that the ordnance has a wide range of shapes and sizes, so that the recovery device should have a high degree of variability and flexibility in order to be able to accommodate the largest possible proportion of this ordnance. In this case, the recovery device is preferably designed in particular to be able to accommodate a large part of the known ordnance, for example to accommodate ordnance up to 300 kg or up to 500 kg. There are also larger ordnance, for example up to 2 t, but these are comparatively rare, so that manual clearance for these large ordnance is expedient, since the majority consists of dumped small ammunition.

It is thus essential to the invention that the rescue device according to the invention must be suitable for receiving a weapon. In particular, this means that a person who deals with the clearance and transport of ordnance would also use a salvage device for the salvage of a means of transport. While it would appear theoretically possible, for example, to place and transport a found aircraft bomb on a simple wooden pallet, it would roll off this simple wooden pallet very easily due to its usually cylindrical shape and such transport would therefore pose an enormous risk that the bomb explodes uncontrollably. The rescue device according to the invention is suitable for the safe reception and safe transport of a weapon, in particular a weapon in an unknown state, due to its features presented below.

The recovery device is designed in two parts. The recovery device has a support device and a gripping and fixing device. The supporting device can, for example and preferably, be designed as a standard pallet, for example a wooden pallet according to EN13698-1, optionally adapted, for example by means of fixing elements. Alternatively and also preferably, the support device as Standard lattice box, for example according to UIC standard 435-3. The advantages of these embodiments are, on the one hand, that they are available at low cost, in particular given the number of ordnance lying on the seabed and if these are destroyed in the further processing process, for example during dismantling. On the other hand, these standard devices already have ideal interfaces in order to be able to connect them with a gripping and fixing device in a non-positive manner.

The gripping and fixing device is designed for a non-positive, detachable connection to the support device. Frictionally releasable connections are widely known, for example also from standard containers that are loaded onto ships, trains or trucks by being lifted over a bridge by connecting the four upper corners of the container. The advantage of such standardized connecting elements is, on the one hand, their high level of reliability. On the other hand, this also makes it very easy to use inexpensive and also differently designed support devices.

The gripping and fixing device can preferably be connected to a lifting device, ie it can be attached to a crane hook, for example, or it can be connected to the boom of an excavator (instead of the excavator shovel) via a coupling element, for example. Preferably, the gripping and fixing device can also be actuated hydraulically, pneumatically or electrically via this connection in order to establish a non-positively releasable connection with the support device and/or to move and/or fix the fixing elements.

According to the invention, the gripping and fixing device has a first plurality of fixing elements. The fixing elements can be moved vertically and can be locked in their position so that unwanted movement can be prevented after locking. For example, the fixing elements can be arranged next to one another in one plane.

The munitions are fixed by the fixing elements in that some fixing elements are arranged laterally as directly as possible next to the munitions and thus prevent movement, for example rolling of the munitions. Additionally Fixing elements preferably arranged above the ordnance ensure that the ordnance is also stabilized against vertical movements. In order to achieve this, the fixing elements are movable, so the fixing elements can be pressed upwards into the gripping and fixing device, for example against a spring force, which presses each fixing element downwards, in particular by the ordnance when lowering the gripping and fixing device. Alternatively, the fixing elements can also be lowered out of the gripping and fixing device after the force-locking, detachable connection of the support device and the gripping and fixing device has been established, with fixing elements that come into contact with the ordnance not being lowered any further, but fixing elements that come up next to the ordnance not encountering any resistance can be further lowered and thus take up a position next to the ordnance and thus stabilize the ordnance laterally.

Vertical in the sense of the invention is the direction in which the gripping and fixing device is lowered onto the support device and thus the weapon in order to connect the gripping and fixing device to the support device.

The fixing elements can preferably be moved parallel to one another. This allows good coverage to be achieved and thus good fixation regardless of the shape, size and position of the munitions.

This solves the problem that the ordnance has different and not necessarily predictable shapes and sizes and different positions on the support device. The aim is to lower the fixing elements from above, in particular with the gripping and fixing device, as a whole or separately onto the ordnance in a subsequent fixing step. Fixing elements that hit ordnance are correspondingly lowered less far. Fixing elements that do not hit the ordnance are thus guided past the ordnance next to it and thus lead to a lateral fixation of the ordnance. The fixing elements can thus be lowered from the side of the gripping and fixing device and touch the ordnance.

After the fixing elements have been locked, the munition is thus fixed in position, regardless of its shape, and can no longer move. For this purpose, in a preferred embodiment, the fixing elements are distributed over the gripping and fixing device in the form of a matrix, in particular in order to cover the surface of the support device. For practical reasons, for example, an area on the outside can remain free for technical reasons. For example, these can be arranged in a cubic, primitive or hexagonal manner. For example and preferably, in one embodiment, the fixing elements are pin-shaped or cylindrical. For example, the pin-shaped fixing elements have a diameter of 5 mm to 50 mm, preferably 10 mm to 25 mm. By way of example and preferably, the fixing elements are spaced apart by 1.2 to 2.5 times the diameter. In this case, the device is of course all the more complex the more, the smaller and the narrower the fixing elements are, but this also reduces the statistical distance between the ordnance and the adjacent fixing elements arranged next to the ordnance.

Within the meaning of the invention, fixing elements can also be moved vertically if they are designed to be telescopically extendable, for example. It is important that these can be arranged in particular to the side of the ordnance, or that they can be pulled back or yielded in the area of the ordnance.

In order to enable munitions to be salvaged under water, in particular munitions found on or in the seabed, in particular on or in the seabed, the salvage device according to the invention has water resistance and pressure resistance. All components in the environment are therefore suitable for use under water, especially in salt water. This means, for example, that electrical components are housed in pressure and water-resistant housings, protective coatings are applied to metals, sacrificial anodes are attached and/or corrosion-resistant materials such as stainless steel are used for metal elements and bearings.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the fixing elements consist of a non-metallic material, for example a ceramic or a plastic, or are coated with it. In particular, the surface of the fixing elements in this embodiment is not made of a metallic material, in order to avoid the formation of an electrochemical element through contact with metallic components of the munitions, in order to reduce the risk of the munitions igniting. Alternatively, the fixing element can be made of metal, but has a non-metallic section at the end that touches the weapon, which is preferably elastic. As a result, mechanical stress on the munitions can be reduced.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the fixing elements can be moved hydraulically. For example and preferably, the fixing elements are lowered hydraulically after the force-locking connection between the gripping and fixing device and the support device has been established, and the munition is thus fixed. In this embodiment, the fixing elements are fixed by locking the hydraulic system, which prevents a subsequent change in the position of the fixing elements.

In a second alternative embodiment of the invention, the fixing elements are spring-loaded and movable and are pushed upwards by the weaponry when the gripping and fixing device is lowered. After the force-locking connection between the gripping and fixing device and the support device has been established, the fixing elements are then, for example and preferably, hydraulically locked so that they can no longer be moved and the munition is thus securely fixed.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the support device also has fixing elements, which can be designed according to the embodiment of the fixing elements of the gripping and fixing device. In a preferred embodiment of this variant, the fixing elements of the support device are spring-loaded and can be moved downwards against the spring pressure, so that the corresponding fixing elements are pressed downwards when the munitions of war are laid down. The establishment of the non-positive connection between the gripping and fixing device and the supporting device then preferably results in a mechanical locking of the fixing elements of the supporting device. Alternatively, locking is done manually a diver after the placement of the ordnance. For this purpose, the support device preferably has a locking device on the side that can be triggered manually. Alternatively, the fixing elements of the supporting device can be moved and fixed hydraulically or pneumatically. For this purpose, a hydraulic or pneumatic connection is preferably established between the gripping and fixing device and the support device, for example by means of a quick coupling.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the support device has a trough-shaped depression. A trough-shaped indentation of the support device can also be formed in that, for example, a trough-shaped receiving body for an ordnance is mounted on a pallet, for example a standard wooden pallet. Since many munitions have a cylindrical or spherical shape in a very rough approximation, an initial rough fixation can be easily achieved. Rough fixation, at least in one direction in space, can also be achieved in this way for round ordnance, for example mines. For example and preferably, in one embodiment, the trough-shaped depression has recesses for dividing the munitions. For example, these recesses are formed equidistant to the longitudinal direction of the trough-shaped depression. These can then be used in a further process step to cut the ordnance into predefined slices with a cutting device. This can be done by a suitable cutting process, for example mechanically or abrasively, preferably by a non-contact cutting process such as water jet cutting.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the supporting device has a second plurality of fixing elements. The fixing elements can be moved and locked vertically. As a result, the support device can also be easily adapted to different weapons and additionally stabilize them. The fixing elements of the support device can preferably be locked by connecting the support device to the gripping and fixing device. As a result, the support device can do without an independent triggering for locking.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the gripping and fixing device has drive means. The drive means serve in particular to be able to move the gripping and fixing device, preferably horizontally. Thus, the gripping and fixing device can be more easily positioned precisely over the support device. Preferably, the drive means is also adapted to rotate the gripping and fixing device about a vertical axis so as to facilitate exact alignment with the support device. The drive means can be operated via an integrated accumulator, for example. Alternatively, the drive means can also be supplied electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically by the receiving recovery vehicle. The drive means can be a swiveling propeller, for example. The drive means can also consist of two or three propellers or pairs of propellers arranged at right angles to one another in order to achieve correct orientation of the gripping and fixing device with respect to the support device.

In a development of the invention, the gripping and fixing device has at least one sensor. The sensor can preferably be a camera, a sonar or a range finder. The camera can be connected to a screen in terms of data technology, so that the crane operator or another person entrusted with the rescue can monitor and control the alignment of the gripping and fixing device with respect to the support device. In this case, the sonar system can preferably also be an acoustic camera, in order to enable an alignment even in the case of poor optical visibility conditions. The distance sensor is preferably non-contact and measures, for example by means of a laser, magnetic sensor or sound, the distance between the support device and the gripping and fixing device or the distance between the weapon and the gripping and fixing device, so that the gripping and fixing device can be carefully put on on the weapon is made possible.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the gripping and fixing device can be connected to a crane of a watercraft. In this case, the connection can be made simply mechanically, for example via a crane cable. The crane cable can, for example, have an elastic area in at least one section. This ensures that abrupt movements, for example due to rough seas, are cushioned.

However, the connection can also include an electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic connection in order to be able to actively control the gripping and fixing device. The crane particularly preferably has a sea state tracking system in order to ensure that the explosive ordnance is positioned as calmly as possible during salvage. Corresponding crane systems are known to those skilled in the art from the prior art.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the support device has a barrier layer. The barrier layer serves to protect the supporting structure of the support device during the subsequent fragmentation of the ordnance lying on the support device. For example, the barrier layer can be in the form of a steel plate which, for example, prevents damage to a wooden pallet as the supporting structure by a saw cutting up the ordnance.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the support device has guide elements. The guide elements serve to guide the gripping and fixing device when approaching the support device and thus to guide it safely and quickly into the correct position in which the non-positive, detachable connection between the support device and the gripping and fixing device can be established.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the gripping and fixing device has at least one slight output. As a result, the gripping and fixing device can be lowered onto the receiving device more easily.

The rescue device according to the invention is preferably used as follows:
After finding a munition, the support device is set down on the seabed in the vicinity of the munition, preferably in an area where no other munitions are known to be present. The ordnance is then lifted onto the support device. The gripping and fixing device is, for example, on a crane on a floating delaboration platform according to DE 10 2020 212 443 connected. The gripping and fixing device is lowered onto the support device and, for example, hydraulically connected to it in a force-fitting manner and at the same time the fixing elements of the gripping and fixing device fixed. Now the ordnance can be safely fixed on board the buoyant delaboration platform for safe delaboration according to the DE 10 2020 212 443 are lifted and preferably the support device with the ordnance directly into a delaboration chamber according to the DE 10 2020 212 443 introduced and there the connection between gripping and fixing device and support device is separated. The gripping and fixing device is removed again, the support device remains in the delaboration chamber during the delaboration.

The invention thus relates in particular to the use of a salvage device according to the invention for salvaging ordnance found under water.

1. a) Verbringen einer Auflagevorrichtung im die Nähe eines zu bergenden Kampfmittels,
2. b) Absetzen der Auflagevorrichtung auf dem Boden,
3. c) Verbringen des Kampfmittels auf die Auflagevorrichtung,
4. d) Verbringen einer Greif- und Fixiervorrichtung über der Auflagevorrichtung,
5. e) Absenken der Greif- und Fixiervorrichtung, wobei die Fixierelemente durch das Kampfmittel bewegt werden,
6. f) Verbinden der Greif- und Fixiervorrichtung mit der einer Auflagevorrichtung und Arretieren der Fixierelemente,
7. g) Bergen des Kampfmittels durch Anheben der Greif- und Fixiervorrichtung und damit auch der Auflagevorrichtung und dem auf der Auflagevorrichtung angeordneten Kampfmittel.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a method for recovering a weapon. The procedure has the following steps:

1. a) Bringing a support device in the vicinity of an ordnance to be recovered,
2. b) placing the support device on the ground,
3. c) bringing the explosive ordnance to the support device,
4. d) bringing a gripping and fixing device over the support device,
5. e) lowering of the gripping and fixing device, with the fixing elements being moved by the ordnance,
6. f) connecting the gripping and fixing device to a support device and locking the fixing elements,
7. g) Recovery of the ordnance by lifting the gripping and fixing device and thus also the support device and the ordnance arranged on the support device.

With the method according to the invention, the rescue device can be used optimally, in particular in order to carry out the rescue while minimizing the use of people, in particular divers.

In steps a) and b), the support device is brought close to the ordnance to be recovered and then set down on the ground. This can be done, for example, with a means of transport. For example, the support device can be positioned there with the help of the gripping and fixing device.

For example, moving in step c) can be carried out using a gripper attached to a crane or another lifting means. Also, the transfer can be done manually, but this puts the person doing it at risk.

For example, the movement of the gripping and fixing device in step d) can be carried out at least partially by drive means of the gripping and fixing device. In this way, in particular under water, remote-controlled and precise positioning and orientation can be achieved in a simple and easy manner without the presence of a person.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the soil in step b) is a body of water, in particular a seabed or the bottom of a body of water. However, this step b) can also include placing the support device indirectly on a floor, for example on a prepared platform that is firmly anchored to the floor, so that the support device can also be set down on uneven or non-load-bearing floors.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the gripping and fixing device is connected to the support device and the fixing elements are locked in step f) at the same time. For example and in particular, the connection and locking can be done by the same hydraulic system. In this case, however, one process can be shorter in time than the other, in particular the locking can be shorter in time, since smaller movements are usually required for this, which can therefore be completed more quickly.

In a further embodiment of the invention, after the recovery in step g), the gripping and fixing device is released and removed, and then the ordnance is divided on the support device. This eliminates further movement of the munitions, which is always associated with the risk of unwanted detonation.

Fig. 1

erstes Ausführungsbeispiel

Fig. 2

zweites Ausführungsbeispiel

Fig. 3

rundes Kampfmittel

The rescue device according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings.

1

first embodiment

2

second embodiment

3

round weapon

In 1 a first embodiment is shown. The support device consists of a simple commercially available pallet 40 on which a trough-shaped depression 50 is attached. This has interruptions at regular intervals, so that a saw can saw the ordnance 60 lying on it into slices of equal thickness.

In order to recover the support device with the ordnance 60 on it from the water, a gripping and fixing device 10, which has connecting elements 20 compatible with a pallet 40, is lowered from above via a rope 30, which is arranged, for example, on a crane of a floating delaboration platform , in order to produce a non-positive, detachable connection between the support device and the gripping and fixing device 10 . The gripping and fixing device 10 also has fixing elements 70 . The fixing elements are, for example, cubically primitive, ie are arranged in a simple, rectangular, equidistant arrangement over the surface. The fixing elements 70 have, for example, a diameter of 10 mm and a spacing of 20 mm. After the connection between pallet 40 and gripping and fixing device 10 has been established, fixing elements 70 can preferably be lowered hydraulically and then locked in place in order to fix ordnance 60 in such a way that it can be safely lifted out of the water without getting on pallet 40 to move. The pallet 40 has cutting recesses 190 so that the ordnance 60 lying directly on the pallet 40 can be easily divided.

2 shows a slightly different embodiment. The support device 140 is designed in the form of a box or a basket and can have lattice walls, for example. The support device 140 preferably has standardized connecting elements at the four upper corners, into which the connecting elements 120 of the gripping and fixing device 110 can engage. In addition, the support device has a Matrix of fixing elements 150, which can be pressed spring-loaded by a weapon 60 down. When the support device 140 is positively connected to the gripping and fixing device 100, the fixing elements 150 are also locked. The gripping and fixing device 110 has fixing elements 170 which can be lowered onto the ordnance 60 from above, as in the first exemplary embodiment. By using fixing elements 150, 170 at the top and bottom, they can be shorter and the ordnance 60 can still be stored securely.

3 shows how a round ordnance 60, for example a mine, by means of a lifting device 180, for example a gripper attached to a crane, on a pallet 40 with a trough-shaped depression 50, which is round here. The pallet 40 has cutting recesses 190 so that the ordnance 60 lying directly on the pallet 40 can be easily divided.

Reference sign

10

Gripping and fixing device

20

fastener

30

Rope

40

palette

50

trough-shaped indentation

60

ordnance

70

fixing element

110

Gripping and fixing device

120

fastener

140

support device

150

fixing element

170

fixing element

180

lifting device

190

cutting recesses

Claims (13)

Salvage device for salvaging ordnance (60), the salvage device being designed in two parts, the salvage device having a support device (140) and a gripping and fixing device (10, 110), the gripping and fixing device (10, 110) for force-locking, detachable connection to the support device (140), characterized in that the gripping and fixing device (10, 110) has a first plurality of fixing elements (70, 170), the fixing elements (70, 170) being vertically movable and lockable are. Rescue device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fixing elements (70, 170) are distributed over the gripping and fixing device (10, 110) in the form of a matrix. Rescue device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing elements (70, 170) are pin-shaped. Rescue device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing elements (70, 170) can be moved hydraulically. Rescue device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the fixing elements (70, 170) can be locked in place hydraulically and moved under spring loading. Rescue device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support device (140) has a trough-shaped depression (50). Rescue device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support device (140) has a second plurality of fixing elements (70, 170), the fixing elements (70, 170) being vertically movable and lockable. Recovery device according to Claim 7, characterized in that the fixing elements (70, 170) of the support device (140) can be locked by connecting the support device (140) to the gripping and fixing device (10, 110). Rescue device according to one of Claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the trough-shaped depression (50) has recesses for dividing the ordnance (60). A method of recovering an ordnance (60), the method comprising the steps of: a) Bringing a support device (140) in the vicinity of an ordnance (60) to be recovered, b) placing the support device (140) on the ground, c) Spend the ordnance (60) on the support device (140), d) moving a gripping and fixing device (10, 110) over the support device (140), e) lowering the gripping and fixing device (10, 110), the fixing elements (70, 170) being moved by the weapon (60), f) connecting the gripping and fixing device (10, 110) to a support device (140) and locking the fixing elements (70, 170), g) recovery of the ordnance (60) by lifting the gripping and fixing device (10, 110) and thus also the support device (140) and the ordnance (60) arranged on the support device (140). Method according to Claim 9, characterized in that the bottom in step b) is a body of water, in particular a sea bottom. Method according to one of Claims 9 to 10, characterized in that the connection of the gripping and fixing device (10, 110) to a support device (140) and the locking of the fixing elements (70, 170) in step f) take place simultaneously. Method according to one of Claims 9 to 11, characterized in that after the recovery in step g) the gripping and fixing device (10, 110) is released and removed and then the ordnance (60) on the support device (140) is divided.

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