US1514264A

US1514264A - Dropping lead for determining the depth of sea by sound waves

Info

Publication number: US1514264A
Application number: US670019A
Authority: US
Inventors: Settegast Bernhard; Rudolph Wilhelm
Original assignee: Signal GmbH
Current assignee: Signal GmbH
Priority date: 1923-10-22
Filing date: 1923-10-22
Publication date: 1924-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1941-11-04

Description

Nov. 4 1-924. 1,514,264

B. SETTEGAST ET AL DROI PING LEAD FOR DETERMINING THE DEPTH OF.SEA BY SOUND WAVES Filed 00?.- 22, 1923 Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

ST'EES PATENT OFFICE.

IBERNHARD SETTEGAST AND WILHELM RUDOLPH, OIE KIEL, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS TO SIGNAL GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRANKTER HAFTUNG, OF K IEL, GERMANY.

DROPPING LEAD FOR DETERMINING THE DEPTH OF SEA BY SOUND WAVES.

Application filed October 22, 1923. Serial No. 670,019.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BERNHARD SETTneAsr and WILHELM RUDOLPH, citizens of the German Republic, and residing at Kiel, Province of Schleswig-Holstein, State of Prussia, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dropping Lead for Determining the Depth of Sea. by Sound Waves, of which the following is a specification.

Sounding bodies or leads are known in which by a relative movement of a constructional part of the lead with reference to another constructional part of it, as for instance to its main body, a sound signal is produced when the movable part strikes the bottom of the sea.

The invention relates to sounding bodies of this kind in which the sound producing mechanism is held in cocked position by a trigger mechanism which is released by the movement of the said movable part. In such arrangements heretofore used, because of the considerable force necessary for the production of the signal, and the counter force necessary in the trigger mechanism, a great resistance in form of friction prevents the trigger mechanism from being easily released while, on the other hand, it is of the greatest importance that the sounding body be put in action by very small forces such as are available, for instance, if the bottom of the sea consists of very soft material.

This problem is solved, according to the invention, by a lever like trigger mechanism being so inserted between the said movable part and the sound producing mechanism that the movable part acts through a longer leverage than at the point where the lever mechanism acts on the sound producing mechanism itself. Thus less force is required to cause the movable part to move, but this force is magnified at the sound producing mechanism. For practical purposes a ratio of transformation in the lever system of about 1 to 10 or more has been found useful. For a higher ratio of transformation it is advantageous to arrange two or more levers in series.

But in consequence of this lever-connection another problem arises in so far as provision must be made that the signal producing mechanism cannot be put in action unintentionally. In this case the danger exists, especially if the signal is produced by the ignition of an explosive charge, that people may be injured.

Therefore the invention consists further in the fact that a protective body or constructional part is provided in connection with the movable parts of the sounding body preventing these parts from being moved earlier than after being submerged in the sea.

As means for releasing protective bodies of this kind, after submergence in the water bodies or materials have been tested which are adapted, under the influence of the water, to change or vary their volume, their position, their physical condition, or their elastic properties. As especially adapted for the said purpose we have found a body of fibrous substance, or such a substance mixed with a material soluble in water as, for instance, with salt. Releasing bodies such as of the last mentioned have the advantage that in manufacturing the time of dissolution easily can be adjusted by adjusting the quantity of soluble material suspended within the fibrous substance.

The invention may bemore clearly elucidated with reference to the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 shows a sectional elevation of asounding body according to the invention,

Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same body in which the operation of the stopping mechanism for preventing accidental operation of the sound producing mechanism may be seen,

Figs. 3 and 4 the stopping mechanism itself with the stopping spring,

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line a-b of Fig. 4.

Corresponding reference numerals in the figures represent corresponding constructional parts.

In Fig. 1 the numeral 1 designates the outer wall, or main body, 2 the movable part of the sounding body. The member 3, made of metal, within the outer wall 1, carries a striker 4 and a device 5 containing a cartridge 6. The striker or hammer mechanism 4. is held in its cocked position against the elastic force of a spring 18 by the shorter arm of a lever 7 the fulcrum of which is 8. The lower end of 7 is bent and is clenched into the bent end of another lever 10 with fulcrum in 19. The lever 10, and thus the trigger mechanism consisting of 120 and 7, is held in cocked position by a bridle 11 engaging lever and attached to the movable part or head 2. The other end of the bridle 11 is pivotally attached at 13 to memher 3. A spring 12 presses the head or cap 2 away from the upper part or main body of the lead. Any movement of the head 2 is about pivot 13.

The stopping or security mechanism comprises a spring 14 wound round the lower part of the device 5, and a plate of fibrous material 15, the free ends of the spring 14 being drawn toward each other and put through

holes

14, 14 in the plate 15 and eX- tending between the margin of the cap or head 2 and the main body 1.

The operation of the sounding body is the following: If it is out of water the cap 2 is prevented from being moved towards 1 by the free ends of 14. If submerged in water the plate 15 is dissolved or weakened so that the ends of the spring 14 which were under tension spread out in opposite directions into a

position

16, 16 where they face the notches 17, 17 in 2. Then the cap 2 is free to be moved by pressure against the elastic force of the spring 12 until the margin of 2 and 1 are close together. The elastic force of the spring 12 is so adjusted that the resistance of the water during the dropping of the lead in water is not sufl icient to balance the pressure of 12, but that a very small additional force effects the movement of 2. If 2 touches the bottom of the sea this additional force exists, 2 is pressed towards 1, the levers 7 and 10 become free and the striker 4 ignites the cartridge 6 producing in this way the sound signal tobe received on board ship.

Fig. 5 shows a section of the body 15, which consists of a number of

plates

20, 21, 22. The granulated material indicated represents salt suspended between the fibrous substance of the plates. The suspension of the salt may be effected in manufacturing by snbmerging the said plates into a solution of a salt in liquid such as water. For bodies of this design there are the following'possibilities of adjusting, in manufacturing, the time of solution:

a. Variation of the fibrous material.

I). Variation of the salt.

0. Variation of the number of plates.

(Z. Variation of the per cent of salt in the liquid.

6. Variation of the time of submersion.

f. Variation of the temperature of the liquid.

The combination of a transforming systrm (lever system) between the movable part and the signal mechanism with a stopping member or mechanism, for this transforming system or the movable parts cooperating therewith, is very essential for a reliable and safe operating oi dropping leads of the "described kind.

What we claim is 1. In a lead adapted to produce a sound signal on striking the bottom of the sea, sound producing mechanism, a part adapted to be moved by striking the bottom of the sea, motion-transferring means interposed between said movable part and said sound producing mechanism, the latterbeing caused to operate by said motion, and a stopping device normally preventing said motion but adapted to be released by submergence in water.

2. In a lead adapted to produce a sound signal on striking the bottom of the sea, sound producing mechanism, a part adapted to be moved by striking the bottom of the sea, motion-transforming means interposed between said movable part and said sound producing mechanism, the latter being caused to operate by said motion, and a stopping device normally preventing said motion but adapted to be released by sub mergence in water.

3. In a lead adapted to produce a sound signal on striking the bottom of the sea, sound producing mechanism, a part adapted to be moved by striking the bottom of the sea, a motion-transforming lever-system comprising more than one lever interposed between said movable part and said sound producing mechanism, the latter be ing caused to operate by said motion, and a stopping device normally preventing said motion but adapted to be released by submergence in water.

4. In a lead of the character described, sound producing mechanism, means adapted to be moved by striking the bottom of the sea, motion-transforming means operatively arranged between said movable means and said sound producing mechanism, the movement of said movable means and said transforming means being adapted to cause the operation of the sound producing means, and means normally preventing the operation of the sound producing means but adapted to be released by submergence in water.

In a lead adapted to produce a sound signal on reaching the bottom of the sea,

sound producing mechanism, a part adapted to be moved by striking the bottom of the sea, motion-transforming means so inserted between said movable part and said sound producing mechanism that the motion is decreased before reaching the sound producing mechanism, the latter being caused to operate by said motion, and a stopping device normally preventing said motion but adapted to be released by submergence in water.

said hammer mechanism, a head on said main body adapted to be moved on striking the bottom of the sea for releasing said trigger mechanism and thereby exploding said charge, said trigger mechanism comprising a lever arranged to step-down the amplitude of movement imparted to it by the head, and a stopping device normally preventing said movement but adapted to be released by submergence in water.

7. In a lead of the character described, a main body, an explosive charge carried by said body, hammer mechanism for exploding said charge, trigger mechanism for said hammer mechanism, a head on said main body adapted to be moved on striking the bottom of the sea for releasing said trigger mechanism and thereby exploding said charge, said trigger mechanism comprising a lever arranged to step-down the amplitude of movement imparted to it by the head, and means interposed between said head and said main body to normally prevent movement of said head and held in H movement preventing position by means adapted to he released upon submergence in water;

8. A. device according to claim 1, in which the stopping device comprises a member placed in position to engage and prevent movement of said movable part, and held in this position by a body of fibrous material adapted to be acted upon by the water to cause the release of the member from such position.

9. A device according to claim 1, in which the stopping device comprises a spring member placed in position to engage and prevent movement of said movable part, and held in this position by a body of fibrous material adapted to be acted upon by the water to cause the release of the spring member from such position.

10. A device according to claim 1, in which the stopping device comprises a spring member placed in position to engage and prevent movement of said movable part, and held in this position by a body composed of a plurality of layers of fibrous material adapted to be acted upon by the water to cause the release of the spring member from such position.

11. A device according to claim 1, in which the stopping device comprises a spring member placed in position to engage and prevent movement of said movable part, and held in this position by a body of fibrous material mixed with a substance soluble in water, said body being adapted to be acted upon by the water to cause the releas of the spring member from such position.

12. A device according to claim 1, in which the stopping device comprises a spring member placed in position to engage and prevent movement of said movable part, and held in this position by a body composed of a plurality of layers of fibrous material mixed with a substance soluble in water, said body being adapted to be acted upon by the water to cause the release of the spring member from such position.

13. A device according to claim 1, in which the stopping device comprises a coiled spring having its two free ends held under tension inposition between the movable part and the main body of the lead to prevent movement of said movable part, said ends being held by a body of fibrous material adapted to be weakened when submerged in water so that the spring ends expand to a position permitting movement of said movable part.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses:

BERNHARD SETTEGAST. WILHELM RUDOLPH. Witnesses:

STEWART MARTEN, EMIL Lt'rrz.