GB557991A - Improvements in and relating to mooring cables and cable attachments for marine mines - Google Patents

Abstract

557,991. Anchored marine mines. POWER, R. F. July 4, 1942, No. 9275. [Class 9 (ii)] A device for use in mine-mooring cables to allow passage of a sweep wire therethrough without severing it, comprises two relatively sliding members 1a, lb, provided with interengaging portions 2, the member 1a being provided with a notch 9 to receive the sweep wire, while the edge 1c of the member 16 serves to guide the sweep wire :into the notch. The member 1a is pivoted at 5 to a fitting 6 depending from the mine, while the member lb is attached to the sinker rope 7; a stop 8 is provided to limit the relative movements of the member 1a and fitting 6 and stops 4a and 4 are provided on the member 1a to limit the relative movement between the members. As a sweep wire W<SP>1</SP> comes against the device it is guided into the notch 9 into the position W<SP>2</SP> and the members 1a, lb are then tilted about the pivot 5 and the upper member is drawn over the lower member until the notch projects beyond the end of the member lb and is released from the notch whereupon the parts resume their normal positions due to the buoyancy of the mine. In a modification, a closure may be provided for the notch opening so that when it is operated barnacles or deposit may be cleared from its entrance; alternatively a spring actuated sliding piece may be provided over the notch opening adapted to be moved aside by the drag of the sweep wire and to be spring retracted. A number of the devices may be incorporated in a mine cable as shown in Fig. 5, each device comprising upper and lower plates A, B hinged together at P so as to move relatively in the plane of the plates, and the lower plates of the series may be formed in two hinged parts at D in the plane of the plate, so that the plates can yield to lateral pressure.