US1358360A

US1358360A - Towed body

Info

Publication number: US1358360A
Application number: US312592A
Authority: US
Inventors: Burney Charles Denniston
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1917-09-18
Filing date: 1919-07-22
Publication date: 1920-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 1937-11-09
Also published as: US1358359A

Description

C. D. BURNEY.

TOWED BODY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22.1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Inventor.

C. D. BURNEY.

TOWED BODY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22.1919.

1,358,360. Patent ed Nov. 9, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I III/afar.

C. D. BURNEY.

TOWED BODY. APPLICATION FlLiD JULY 22,1919.

m. E m m P enemas nnnms'ron BURNEY, or Amansroan, astman.

TOWED 'BOIDY.

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Original application filed September 18, 1917, Serial No. 192,019.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. i e rs 5. a

r i as 22, 1919. Serial No. 312,592.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES DENNISTON BURNEY, a subject; of the King of Great Brita'm, residing at Dean Holme, Kilmeston, Alresford, in the county of Hants, Eng land, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Towed Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

0 This invention relates to towed-bodies more especially intended as a defense against submarine mines and also available for purposes of attack, such bodies being now known under the term paravanes,

5 the chief object of the invention being to provide a simple construction of such bodies adapted when-towed to descend to apredetermined depth. 7 1 V According to this invention the towed 0 body comprises a transverse depressor plane or plate, which may be fiat or cambered,

to which plate is attached by a suitable frame a rearwardly extending float, preferably of stream line form, whi h float may carry an explosive charge. The depresser plane or plate, which is'set at an angle to the paravane axis, is preferably provided with a rudder at each end under the control of a gravityand hydrostaticdevice 9 which varies the angle "of the. rudders in order to maintain'substantially the same depth or to take out any tilt. For this purpose a channel filled with mercury extending along the 7 plate and communicating withdiaphragm chambers may be provided, the diaphragms differentially operating the rudders through levers. A second member subject to the pressure of the water also controls the lever connection so that the 0 rudders are under the joint control of the water pressure and of the mercury device.

In order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will now. be described 5 more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan of a paravane embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same appara- 0 tus. and

' Fig. 3 is a part elevation and part section of the depresser plane and the controlling rudders.

1 is the depresser plane. 2 is the buoyant 5 body or float, which may carry an explosive charge and is provided with horizontal and H around the float, by the-tie rods 7. A mem her 8 projects from thecenter ofthe plate 1n an upward direction and is connected to the bandfiby the tie rod .9 and to the depresser plate 1 by the stays 10. The member 8 carriesat its upper end a towing eye 11 to which the towing cable is attached, so that the paravane is towed from a point situated vsome distance above the depresser plane 1, whichas shown in Fig. 2 is set at an angle to the axis of the float so that when towed from the eye 11 the plate or plane 1 causes the paravane to tow down: ward. 7

This construction of paravane is espe. cially intended to betowed from the stern of .a ship and keepsdirectly asternand low down so that any mines which may be' missed by mine sweeping paravanes Which are deflected outwardly from the stem of the ship,vas described in the specifications of my co-pendingapplications Nos. 192018 and 192019, may be caught bythe dep-resser paravane which may, as in the other forms of paravane, be associated with cutting mechanism for the mine cable.

At each side or end of the depressor plane 1 is fitted a small rudder 12 pivoted at 13 to the brackets 14 secured on the plane and provided with a lever arm 15 connected to a control. rod 16 which is attached to the diaphragm 17 of a mercury control valve. The diaphragm 17 is secured at its edges as shown in'Fig. 3 and closes the upper side of the mercury chamber 18, the two chambers 18 being connected by the mercury channel 19 extending along the depressor plate. Should the paravane be tilted the mercury exercises a pressure against the diaphragm 17 which is at the lower side and the corresponding rudder 12 is so ar-' ranged as immediately to set itself to give a re-action which brings the paravane level,

the reduction of pressure at the opposite i this is subject to the hydrostatic pressure-of the water which thereforeis adapted independently of the mercury device to cause simultaneous operation of the two rudders 12. The control device is set to a predetermined depth and the rudders automatically correct for any variation from that depth so as to maintain theparavane, Within com-- paratively small limits of oscillation, at the set depth for any given speed of tow. The rudders 12 may also if desired be given an initial setting in which they are secured.

F or purposes of attack, especially against submarines, the buoyant body or float 2 may, as already described, be provided with an explosive charge" adapted to be fired electrically or otherwise as described in connection with theparavane of my two copending applications Nos. 192018 and 192019 already referred to;

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A towed body or paravane comprising a depresser plate extending transversely of the paravane and provided with adjustable rudders and a buoyant body or float con nected tothe said plate at its rear.

2. A towed body or paravane comprising a buoyant body, a transverse depresser plate situated in front of the said body, a frame! work connecting the depresser plate and buoyant body so that the plate is held at an angle to theaxis of the paravane, a towing connection situatedv above the depresser plate and an adjustable rudder provided at each end of the. said plate.

3. A towed body or paravane comprising a buoyant body, a depresser plate'connected V to the said buoyant body and extending transversely and a rudder at each end of the said plate provided with gravity controlled mechanism by which the rudders operate to take out any tilt of the paravane during the tow.

4. A towed body or paravane comprising a buoyant body, a depresser plate connected to the said buoyant body and extending.

transversely and a rudder at each-end of the i said plate provided with a hydrostatic device adapted to operate the rudder on any variation from a predetermined depth of immersion.

5. A towed body or paravane comprising; I

6. A towed body or paravane comprisitlg a buoyant body, a depresser plate connec to the said buoyantbody and extendin transversely and a rudder at each end of the said plate provided with control diaphra mechanism supplied with mercury, the (ha phragm mechanisms for the two rudders being connected by'a mercury channel which permits the mercury to act by gravity so as to operate the rudders differentially, on tilting of the paravane, inorder to take out the tilt.

7 A towed body or paravane comprising v a depressor plate extending transversely of the paravane and provided with adjustable rudders and a buoyant body or float con- 7 nected to the said plate 'at, its rear, and carrying an explosive charge. 7 CHARLES DENNlS TON BURKE?