FR2462836A1 - SUPPORT DEVICE FOR HYDROPHONES - Google Patents

Abstract

THIS DEVICE INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE ARM THAT CAN BE DEPLOYABLE UNDER A SIGNIFICANT HEIGHT OF WATER FROM A HIGH SUSPENSION POINT, SUCH ARM INCLUDING A SERIES OF TUBULAR TRUNCONS FITTING ONE INTO THE OTHERS, HOUSED IN A CARTRIDGE MAIN BY MEANS OF TRUNKS IN THE CARTRIDGE UNTIL A PREDETERMINED IMMERSION DEPTH, THE SAID TRUNKS BEING PLACED SIDE BY SIDE IN THE SAID CARTRIDGE AND THREADED ON A FLEXIBLE TIE FIXED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS TO A TENSION DEVICE OF THE LAST LINK TO THE LAST LINK, CE OPPOSED AN ALIGNMENT BALLAST OF THE SAID TRUNKS AND COOPERATING WITH MEANS OF ELIMINATION OF THE BALLAST AT THE END OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE ARM AND, IS CHARACTERIZED IN THAT IT ALSO CONTAINS MEANS TO BRING THE ARM INTO HORIZONTAL POSITION AND MEANS OF HOLDING THE ARM IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION.

Description

The present invention relates to mounting

  automatic hydrophonic network at significant depths

aunts, from a compact set dropped either from a building or from an aircraft, using a parachute or any other device. To perform underwater listening operations,

it turned out to be necessary to carry arms carrying more

  meters long, capable of automatic deployment in a horizontal position, which is the best way to obtain good listening directivity at low frequency

  and therefore good sensitivity.

We have described in the French patent application filed today by the Applicant and entitled "Mast deployable under a significant height of water", a mast capable of deploying automatically but remaining in a vertical position. This mast therefore does not constitute a completely satisfactory hydrophone support. The invention therefore aims to create a support for hydrophones which can occupy a roughly horizontal position during the operating life of the hydrophonic assembly.

that it is intended to support.

  It therefore relates to a support device for hydrophones comprising at least one arm deployable under a significant height of water from a high point of suspension,

  said arm comprising a series of tubular sections fitted

tables in each other, housed in a cartridge, means for holding said sections in the cartridge to a predetermined immersion depth, said sections being placed side by side in said cartridge and threaded on a flexible link fixed to a from its ends to a device for tensioning said link, the latter carrying at its opposite end a ballast for aligning said sections and cooperating with means of eliminating ballast at the end of the mounting of the arm, characterized in that it further comprises means for bringing said arm to a horizontal position and means for holding said arm

in horizontal position.

Other characteristics of the invention will appear

during the description which follows.

  In the accompanying drawings, given solely by way of example

ple: - Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a mast carrying hydrophones as described in the aforementioned patent application; - Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the motor for tensioning the flexible link on which the sections of the mast of FIG are threaded. 1; - Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views of the device for controlling the position of the mast of FIG. 1 around the horizontal, respectively at rest, during the passage of the mast from the vertical position to the horizontal position and in the latter position; - Fig. 6 is a schematic sectional view of the lower section of the mast of FIG. 1 equipped with the same servo device as that of FIG. 3, n.ais provided with an air box arranged differently; - Fig. 7 is a schematic view of a support

  hydrophones according to the invention, kept in the horizontal position-

  tale; - Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a hydrophone support with three arms deployed in a horizontal position; - Fig. 9-is a sectional view of a support

hydrophones of the type shown in FIG. 8, before its deployment

  is lying; - Fig. 10 is a section along line 10-10 of FIG. 9; - Fig. 11 is a partial schematic view of the

support of FIG. 8 in an intermediate phase of its deployment

  is lying; - Fig. 12 is a partial, more detailed view of FIG. 11; Fig. 13 shows how the various parts of FIG. 12 fit into each other at the end of the assembly of the hydrophone support of FIG. 12; - Fig. 14 is a sectional view of a variant of the hydrophone support shown in FIG. 9 and

- Fig. 15 shows a detail of FIG. 14.

  The hydrophone support shown in FIG. 1 consists of a mast 1 formed of a series of hollow sections 2

  with conical fitting, nested one inside the other.

At one end of the mast 1 is mounted a device 4 for tensioning a flexible link 5 on which are

threaded sections 2.

The device 4, one embodiment of which is

shown in Fig. 5, is also intended to ensure the tension of the shrouds 6 fixed at the two ends of the mast as well as the

  deployment of yards 7 supporting the shrouds 6 at their ends

  mites opposite the ends of the mast.

  Mast 1 is supported at its end equipped with

device 4 for tensioning by a cable 8 which is advantageously

suitably constituted by an electro-carrying cable.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the device 4 for energizing is constituted by a winch 9 driven by an electric motor 10 powered by a battery which can be started with sea water (not shown). A pawl 11, cooperating with a toothed wheel -12 fixed on the winch 9 prevents any movement of the winch in the opposite direction to the direction in

which is the power up of the link 5.

  At its end opposite to the device 4 for tensioning the flexible link 5, the mast 1 comprises a device 13

  control of the mast position around the horizontal.

This device, shown in more detail in FIG. 3, comprises a housing 14 fixed to the lower end of the section

2 mast end 1.

  The housing 14 is provided with orifices 15 for the passage of the flexible link 5, a ballast 16 being fixed to the end of the link 5 by means of a ball 17 engaged in a cell 18 formed in the ballast, said cell being provided of a flange 19 deformable by the ball 17 when the latter is stressed by a traction

  of a determined value of the winch 9.

  In the housing, there is further provided a box 20 filled with gas acting as a float. The gas pocket can

  be generated by calcium hydride or the like.

The box 20 can also contain an incompressible material, lighter than water, a liquid such as

* petroleum, a material formed from amalgamated glass bubbles.

A pendulum 21 is mounted oscillating in the housing 14. This pendulum is formed by a bent flat rod 22 carrying a weight 23 at its end opposite its point of articulation. The bent rod 22 is intended to cooperate with a stop 24 integral with the housing 14 to temporarily prohibit the unwinding of a wire 25 wound on a spool 26 and driven by a ballast 27 formed by a weight equipped with a plate forming

  water parachute whose function will be explained later.

The ballast 27 is held against the side wall of the housing 14 by a lock 28 releasable during disposal

  ballast 16 for aligning the sections of the mast.

  In the variant shown in FIG. 6, every

  elements constituting the servo device are identical

  ticks to those of the LaFig device. 3 with the exception of the box which in this embodiment consists of an air reserve between the outer wall of the section and an additional tube 29, the ends of this reserve being closed

by welded washers 30.

  The device shown in FIG. 8 is a support for hydrophones with three deployable arms similar to the mat

shown in Fig. 1.

  The support of FIG. 8 will now be described

with reference to Figs. 9 to 15.

  In Fig. 9, the support is shown folded and - packaged in a packaging formed by two shells 34, at least one of which is pierced with orifices 35 to allow entry

the water.

  The shells 34 are held in place by two end boxes 36 and 37 provided with respective grooves 38 and 39 in which the ends of the shells 34 are engaged. The two boxes 36 and 37 are joined by a central telescopic tube 40 formed by a first element 41 secured to the housing 36 and a second element 42 secured to the housing 37 and slidably mounted in the first element 41. A spring

  43 tends to cause the housings 36 and 37 to move away.

In the folded position, the elements 41 and 42 of the tube

  telescopic 40 are immobilized by a pin 44 whose end

  free mite is linked to the carrying cable 45 of the device, said cable being fixed to the bottom of the element 42 by means of a ring 46 loosely mounted on said element and held in position

axial by a stop 47.

  The upper housing 36 includes the device 48 for tensioning the type described with reference to FIG. 2 and above which is provided a housing 49 in which is coiled

cable 45.

  The housing 37 contains a magnetic compass and a

  electronic circuit compartment.

Below the housing 37 is fixed a ballast 50 of profiled shape, for example hemispherical, which gives the assembly

negative buoyancy.

  The hemispherical profiled form, for example, of the ballast 50 pelrs the whole, when it is dropped from an aircraft, to touch the water with greater speed without being damaged, so that

  the dimensions of the drop parachutes can be reduced.

  In Fig. 10 which is a sectional view along line 10-10 of FIG. 9, we see the three folded arms, each of them consisting of two sections of larger diameter 51 and 52 hinged together by means of hinges 53 and seven sections 54 of smaller diameter, the last of which

includes an alignment ballast 55 fixed as described above

previously with reference to FIG. 3, at the end of a link

flexible 56 on which said sections are threaded. The last section

  lesson can also include a float- (not shown), intended

  born to facilitate the horizontal deployment of the arm.

As shown in Fig. 11, the section 51 is also articulated on the housing 37 which acts as a stop for the

maintain perpendicular to the rod 40.

The sections 51, 52 and 54 are mounted head to tail and re.intpnlus together by means of a strip of paper 57 which

disintegrates with sea water.

  The other two arms of the device are identical to the one just described and the delivery device

6 2462836

  tension is common to these arms, the winch ensuring the drive

  three flexible links 56 to ensure simultaneous deployment

  born from said masts 31, 32, 33 (Fig. 8). It also ensures

tension of the shrouds of these arms.

  In Fig. 12, there is shown in detail the sections of larger diameter 51 and 52 of one of the arms of the device

  of Fig. 8, at an intermediate stage of their deployment.

  The section 51 which is partially shown, comprises a female conical portion 58 in which is intended to adapt a male element 59 formed of a tube provided with a frustoconical end, and mounted to slide in the section 52. The hinges 53 of articulation of the sections 51 and 52 are constituted by springs which, when the arms are in the position shown in FIG. 12, maintain the sections 52 so that they make an angle of 120 with

the corresponding sections 51.

The end of the element 59 opposite its frusto-conical end is provided with a bottom 70 in which is formed an orifice for the passage of the flexible link 56, a sleeve 71 of elastic material which extends in the elements 51 and 52 being

attached to said bottom 70.

  At the height of the opening in the element 59 for the passage of the link 56, it has a node 72

element 59.

  At its end opposite to element 59, the section

  52 comprises a female frustoconical portion 73 intended to re-

receive a corresponding male portion 74 of the first section 54

of smaller diameter.

In order to facilitate the engagement of this section 54 in the section 52, the latter has a spout 75 which, when the section 52 makes an angle of 120 with the section 51, has a wall parallel to the direction of alignment of the sections

54 from the mast.

  A variant of the device of FIG. 9 is shown

felt in FIG. 14.

  The device shown in this figure is similar

  to that described above except for the fact that its dis-

  positive tensioning is constituted by a piston 76 slidably mounted in a cylinder formed by the element 42

of the telescopic rod 40.

  This cylinder is closed at its upper part by a wall 77 and open at its lower end so as to communicate with the outside. To this end, the lower housing 37 and the ballast 50 are provided with a channel 78 for placing

cylinder 42 communication with the outside.

  The piston 76 is held in place by a device

  the details of which are shown in FIG. 15.

The piston 76 is provided with a groove 79 of curvilinear section, open, in which is engaged a finger 80 which

crosses the wall of the cylinder 42.

  The finger 80 is engaged in a transverse sleeve 81 fixed to the cylinder 42 in alignment with the hole through which the

finger 80 crosses the cylinder 42.

  The finger 80 is held in said sleeve 81 by a key 82, the free end of which is provided with a

  eyelet 83 crossed by the flexible link 56 of the corresponding mast.

  The end of the link 56 is engaged in the cylinder

  42 by an orifice 84 and fixed to the piston 76.

  The piston 76 is held in place by as many

  fingers 80 that the device comprises masts to be deployed.

  In boot 36, the space freed up by the device

positive power-up can be occupied by electronic circuits. The device shown in Figs. 1 to 7 works

as follows.

The deployment of the mast shown in FIG. 1 having been described in the aforementioned patent application, we will consider that the device is in the state shown in FIG. 1, that is to say at the end of assembly, in a vertical position, the ballast 16 being still applied against the housing 14 of the device

servo 13 (Fig. 3).

  The winch 9 exerts additional traction on the flexible link 5 and the ball 17 deforms the rim 19 of the cell.

8 2462836

  18 so that the ballast 16 is released and falls.

  So, under the effect of the gas in the box

, the lower end of the mast begins to rise.

When the ballast 16 is released, the movement of the link 5 has caused the latch 28 to open so that the device is in the state shown in FIG. 4. We see in this figure that the parachute 27 begins to descend and unwind the wire 25 from the reel 26. It descends quite slowly so that the initial expenditure of the wire 25 is essentially

due to the movement of the mast.

  When the mast reaches the horizontal position, the various elements of the servo device occupy the

  positions shown in Fig. 5.

We see that the pendulum 22, 23 clamps the wire 25 against the stop 24 so that the unwinding of the wire 25 from the coil 26

  is interrupted and the weight of the parachute inter-

comes in the balance of the mast.

This then tends to oscillate downward until the pendulum disengages from the stop 24 and releases

wire 25.

  Then, the parachute 27 starts to unwind the wire and no longer intervenes in the balance of the mast which starts to go up, then the operations are repeated so that

the mast oscillates between two very close positions and remains pra-

  tick horizontally as long as there is wire 25 on the spool

26 (Fig. 7).

  Hydrophobes are normally mounted concentri-

  only on the mast. They can be supplemented by other hydrophones 85 mounted using flexible wires fixed at intervals

regular on the mast.

The operation of the device shown in FIG. 9 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13. When the device, after its release, reaches a desired depth and the entire cable 45 is dislodged from the housing 49, the cable 45 pulls on the pin 44 which

  releases the elements 41 and 42 from the telescopic rod 40.

  The housing 36 is pushed back by the spring 43 so that the ends of the shells 34 are no longer engaged in the corresponding grooves 38, 39 of the housings 36 and 37, el

detach from the rest of the device as shown in Fig. 11.

  The bundles of sections 54 held by the strip of paper 57 leave the place they occupy when the device is folded, then the paper disintegrates and the sections take up gradually, under the effect of the corresponding weights 55, vertically aligned positions, as shown in Fig. 11 The fall of the packets of sections 54 also causes the deployment of the two sections 51 and 52 which come

  occupy the respective positions shown in FIG. 11.

  The section 51 occupies a horizontal position, in abutment against the upper part of the housing 37, while the section 52 makes an angle of 1200 with the section 51, under

spring action 53.

When the three series of sections 51 to 54 occupy positions such as that shown in FIG.

  the tensioning device can be started.

  To this end, the traction exerted by each of the links 56 is used to trigger a switch (not shown) connected to the power supply circuit of the motor 10 of the device.

power up.

  In the present example, the device comprises three

  switches in series corresponding to the three arms to be deployed.

  When the motor 10 is powered, it drives the winch 9 which simultaneously winds the three links 56 and causes

  fitting the sections 54 into each other, the application

  cation of each upper section 54 against the section 52 and the elimination of the ballast 55 as described above in

reference to Fig. 3.

Then, since the ballast 55 is eliminated from the end of the lower section 54, the arms thus produced have a slightly positive buoyancy in their part

lower.

  The combined action of this buoyancy and of the tensioning device 48 has the effect of causing

2462836

  the engagement of the upper section 54 in the section 52 by pressing on the spout 75 and aligning it: ent of the assembly constituted by the sections 54 and the section 52 with the section 51 by rotation

around the joints 53.

This rotation is accompanied by the sliding of the tube - 59 in the section 52 which brings with it the

flexible sleeve 71.

  At the end of the deployment operation, the various

  above-mentioned elements occupy the respective positions represented

shown in Fig. 13.

  The energizing device 48 causes

also the tension of the shrouds of the masts 31, 32 and 33.

  The stability of the deployed device shown in FIG. 8 is ensured by the positive buoyancy of the housing 36 which cooperates with the weight 50 provided at the bottom of the

housing 37.

The cable 45 is fixed to the rod 40 in the vicinity of the housing 37, by means of the ring 46 rotating freely so that one. excess cable length allows the free rotation of the ring relative to the rest of the device, which prevents it from tilting undesirably, for example under the effect of different forces exerted on the three masts 31 In addition, the boxes 36 and 37 ensure the horizontal stability of the assembly. In the device shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the

  tensioning of the links 56 is ensured by the piston 76.

When the series of sections 51 to 54 are all aligned, the traction exerted on each link 56 causes the withdrawal of the corresponding pin 82 and the release

finger 80.

  When the three pins are thus removed, the corresponding fingers are released and the pressure exerted on the face of the piston 76 facing out pushes the fingers 80 which disappear in the wall of the cylinder 42 due to the shape rounded off their ends and the

complementary shape of the throat 79.

The piston 76 then progresses in the cylinder 42 and drives the links 56 with it, causing the arms 31, 32, 33 to deploy horizontally in the manner described in it - 2462836

reference to Figs. 11 to 13.

  The device described with reference to Figs. 8 to] 5 is a device comprising three horizontal arms arranged at 120, but it is of course possible to design such a device with a larger number of arms.

Claims (15)

PEVENDICATIONS 1. Support device for hydrophones comprising at least one arm deployable under a significant height of water-   from a high point of suspension, said arm comprising a series of tubular sections nestable one inside the other, housed in a cartridge, means for holding the   said sections in the cartridge to a depth of immersion   predetermined sion, said sections being placed side by side in said cartridge and threaded on a flexible link fixed at one of its ends to a tensioning device of said link, the latter carrying at its opposite end a ballast of alignment of said sections and cooperating with means of eliminating   ballast at the end of the arm assembly, characterized in that it   further carries means (20; 48, 51, 52, 53) for bringing said arm (1; 31, 32, 33) into a horizontal position and means (13; 36, 37) for holding said arm (1; 31 , 32, 33) in horizontal position. 2. Device according to claim 1, character-   laughed in that said means for bringing said arm (1) into a horizontal position are constituted by a float (20; 2, 29, 30) constituted by a volume of gas or by a mass of incompressible material, lighter than water, said float being fixed to the section (2) of said arm furthest from its point of suspension if we.   3. Device according to any one of the claims.   cations 1 and 2, characterized in that said means for holding said arm (1) in a horizontal position consist of a servo (13) mounted at the end of the arm opposite to its point of suspension, said servo comprising a-- pendulum (22, 23) mounted oscillating in a housing (14) fixed to the end of said section (2) opposite to the point of attachment of the arm, a weight - (27) carried by a wire (25) wound on a reel (26 ) mounted Near the pendulum, said wire (25) passing between the bent rod (22) of the pendulum and a stop (24) -with which said rod is intended to cooperate to interrupt the descent of the weight (27) when the arm ( 1) reaches horizontal under the effect of said float (20).   4. Device according to claim 3, character-   laughed in that said float (20) is contained in the housing (14)   said means for holding said arm horizontally. 5. Device according to claim 3, character- rised in that said float is constituted by a volume provided between the outer envelope of the section (2) of the arm (1), opposite its point of suspension and an inner tube (29) coaxial with the envelope, said volume being axially delimited by flanges (30).   6. Device according to claim 3, character-   laughed in that said weight (27) of the servo device   (13) consists of a plate forming an aquatic parachute. 7. Device according to any one of the claims. cations 3 to 7, characterized in that said alignment ballast (16) is fixed below said housing (14) of said servo (13) crossed by said flexible link (5) which carries a device (28)   for locking said weight (27) of the servo device. 8. Device according to claim 1, compre-   nant several deployable arms, characterized in that said arms (31, 32, 33) are articulated radially on a support (36, 37, 40) and kept in the folded position between an upper housing   laugher (36) and a lower case (37) of said support by shells (34) the ends of which are engaged in grooves (38, 39) arranged opposite one another in said cases which are joined together by a telescopic rod (40), a first tubular element (41) connected to the upper housing (36) and a second tubular element (42) connected to the lower housing (37), a spring (43) for spacing said housings being mounted in one of said elements (41) between the end of the other (42) of said elements and one of said housings (36), the support (36, 37, 40) and the shells (34 ) constituting said cartridge containing said arms (31, 32, 33).   9. Device according to claims 1 and 8 taken   assembly, characterized in that said momentary holding means of said sections in said cartridge consist of a pin (44) for axial locking of said elements (41, 42) of the telescopic rod (40) against the action of said spring (43), said pin being connected to the cable (45) carrying the device. positive in order to be pulled by it when the device reaches a predetermined depth. 10. Device according to any one of the res- dications 8 and 9, characterized in that each arm (31, 32, 33) -   is constituted by a first section (51) articulated on said lower housing (36), by a second section (52) connected to the first by articulations (53) and by a series of sections of smaller diameter (54). 11. Device according to any one of the res- dications 8 to 10, characterized in that the tensioning device (48) is common to all the arms (31, 32, 33) and housed in said upper case which further comprises a compartment for the carrying cable (45) of the device and in that it constitutes with said first and second sections (51, 52) articulated of each arm said means for bringing said arms (31, 32, 33) in horizontal position.   -15 12. Device according to claim 11, character- laughed in that said means for bringing said arms (31, 32, 33) into a horizontal position are supplemented by floats arranged   at the ends of each lower section of smaller diameter-54). 13. Device according to claims 8 to 12,   2Q characterized in that below said lower housing (37) is fixed a weight (50) which gives the assembly formed by said housings (36, 37) a negative buoyancy and which constitutes with the housings said holding means arms (31, 32, 33) in horizontal position. 14. Device according to any one of the claims.   cations 10 to 12, characterized in that said first section (51) comprises a female frustoconical portion (58) opposite its articulation on said lower housing (37) and in that said second section (52) comprises an element male frustoconical (59) mounted to slide in said section and intended to be engaged in said female frustoconical portion, said element (59) being provided with a bottom (70) by which it is driven by said flexible link (56) on which said sections are threaded, a flexible sleeve (71) for guiding and protecting said link   being mounted in said first and second sections (51, 52). 15. Device according to any one of the claims.   cations 8 to 10, 13 and 14, characterized in that the tensioning device is common to all the arms (31, 32, 33) and in that it consists of a piston (76) for driving flexible links (54) on which the sections of said arms are threaded, said piston being slidably mounted in a cylinder (42) one end of which is brought into communication with the outside, said piston being immobilized in said cylinder by means (79, 80 , 82) of locking triggerable by the vertical alignment of the sections of each arm, said tensioning device with said first and second sections (51, 52) articulated with each br, constituting said means for bringing said arms into the ho position. : zontaleo   16o Device according to claim 15, character-   risé in that said cylinder of the tensioning device is constituted by an element (42 of said telescopic rod (40) connecting between said upper housing (36) and said lower housing (37), the latter bearing a weight (50) on its face opposite to said element (42), and being traversed by a channel (78) which also passes through said weight (50) in order to put the cylinder _5 (42) in communication with the exterior   17o Device according to any one of the res-   dications 15 and 36, characterized in that the locking means of the piston (76). are made up of transverse fingers (80) crossing the wall of the cylinder -2) and engages in a Gorged.   0 (79) provided in the piston, the groove having a curvilinear section and the ends of the fingers (80) engaged in said groove having a complementary profile, said fingers (80) being held in place by pins (83) passing through sleeves (8C) fixed to the cylinder, said pins being attached to the   ? J corresponding flexible links (56) on which are threaded said. sections, said flexible links passing through an orifice (84) formed in the cylinder (42) on the outside and being fixed to said piston (76) o