GB627250A - Improvements in devices for testing and measuring the hardness of the beds of oceans - Google Patents

Abstract

627,250. Testing hardness of ocean &c. beds. SUBMARINE SIGNAL CO. April 25, 1946, No. 12474. Convention date, May 2, 1945. [Class 106 (ii)] A soil hardness measuring device for determining from a ship &c. the hardness of an ocean bed comprises a tubular body 10, Fig. 2, with guide vanes 11 thereon and a plunger 12 urged outwardly thereof by a spring 16. When the device is lowered into the water by a free-running line, the base 17 of the plunger 12 strikes the bed and the plunger is pressed into the body 10 to an extent depending upon the hardness of the bed. The upper end of the plunger carries a flange 18a which raises an indicator sleeve 20 slidable on a rod 21, this sleeve being retained by friction in the raised position and having an indicator 22 protruding through a slot in the body 10. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 comprises also the modification shown in Fig. 6 (Cancelled), the device comprising a casing 25 secured to a heavy base 24 recessed to receive the end 38 of a plunger 26 which is normally held in the raised position, against the action of a spring 28, by the engagement of a pawl 30 on a pivoted lever 31 in a notch in the plunger. The device is lowered to rest on the ocean bed by a cable 34 secured to the top end of the plunger, and then a weighted messenger 35 is released to slide down the cable to release the pawl from the plunger, whereupon the end 38 of the plunger is pressed into the bed. A flange 27 secured to the plunger carries downwardly an indicator sleeve 32 slidable on a rod 33 to indicate the depression in the bed. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.