US2789503A - Mooring device for a submarine mine - Google Patents

Description

April 23, 1957 Filed Nov. 17, 1942 J. B. GLENNON ET AL MOORING DEVICE FOR A SUBMARINE MINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 arwcw l'ou l1. s. GLENNON .c. NI. VAN ATTA .J. o. TURLAY A ril 23, 1957 J. B. GLENNON ET AL 2,789,503

MOORING DEVICE FOR A SUBMARINE MINE Filed Nov. 17, 1942 e Sheets-Sheet 2 J. B. GLENNON C. M. VAN ATTA J; D. TURLAY April 57 J. B. GLV'ENNON ET AL 2,789,503

MOORING DEVICE FOR A SUBMARINE. MINE Filed Nov. 17, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 B GLENNON J. C. M. VAN ATTA J. D. TURLAY A r-i123, 1957 K J. B. GLENNON ETAL 9,

V MOORING DEVICE FOR A SUBMARINE MINE I I Filed Nov. 17, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 -J. B. GLENNON C. M. VAN ATTA J. D. TURLAY April '23, 1957 J. B. GLENNON EIAL MOORING DEVICE FOR A SUBMARINE MINE! 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov.

grwm vbw J. a. euaunou .c. M. VAN ATTA q. o. TURLAY Apnl 23, 1957 J. B. GLENNON EI'AL 2,789,503

MOORING DEVICE FOR A SUBMARINE MINE Filed Nov. 17, 1942 e Sheets-Sheet e J. B. GLE C. M. VAN A J. D. TURLAY VII/II/IIIIIIIIII/IIIII/III A 2,789,503 Ice Patented Apr. 23, 1957 MOORING DEVICE FGR A SUBMARINE MINE James B. Glennon, United States Navy, Washington, D. C., and Chester M. Van Attaand Joseph D. Turlay, Bethesda, Md.

Application November 17, 1942, Serial No. 465,930

9 Claims. (Cl. 102-13) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) This invention relates to new and improved means for mooring a submarine mine in an initial submerged position within a body of water in which the stability of the mine is increased and the oscillatory or rocking movement thereof as the result of tidal currents or other movements of the water is reduced. More specifically, the invention relates to a submarine mine adapted to be moored at a predetermined depth of submersion within the water such that the mine is maintained by the mooring cable in a substantially horizontal position within the water, the mine being provided with an arm projecting radially outward therefrom to which the mooring cable is secured whereby substantial rotative or v rocking movement of the mine is prevented, means also being provided for releasing the mooring arm from the cable in response to the approach of a vessel within the vicinity of the mine thereby to allow the mine to rise within the water and explode sufficiently close to the vessel to damage or destroy the same.

The devices heretofore proposed for mooring a cylindrical mine in a submerged horizontal position within a body of water in general employ an eye member secured to one end of the mine within the outline of the cylindrical casing to which the mooring cable is at tached whereby the mine is adapted to be launched from a torpedo tube or the like. Such mines possess the disadvantage of rolling or rocking through a considerable angle within the water by reason of the proximate relation of the end of the mooring cable at the point of attachment thereof with respect to the mine, and to the axis of the cylindrical casing of the mine.

According to the present invention the mooring cable is secured to the end of an arm projecting radially outward from the casing of the mine whereby the distance between the end of the mooring cable and the axis of the mine casing is greatly increased thereby providing an arrangement in which the restoring moment applied by the cable to the mine, as the mine is moved or rocked angularly by the action of tidal currents or the like from an initial moored position, increases rapidly in proportion to the degree of such angular movement and thus any angular movement of the mine from the predetermined initial moored position thereof is rapidly corrected by the restoring moment of the aforesaid arm and mooring cable such that substantial rocking or oscillatory movementof the mine is prevented at all times while the mine is moored. The aforesaid arm is pivotally secured to the end of the mine casing in such a manner that the arm may be revolved to an initial closed position prior to the launching of the mine such that the arm lies entirely within the cylindrical outline of the mine and the outline of the anchor secured thereto. The mine and anchor, therefore, are adapted to be launched from a torpedo tube either above the surface of the water or beneath thesurface of the water, as the case may be, without interfering inany way with the passage of the mine and anchor withinthe torpedo tube during the launching operatitm.v w

As the mine and anchor sink within the water, the anchor is unlocked from the mine thereby bringing into operation a cable reel arranged within the anchor and adapted to pay out a length of mooring cable therefrom. During the paying out operation the cable is connected to the casing of the mine releasably by any suitable means such, for example, as by the Depth Regulating Device for a Moored Mine, disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Joseph D. Turlay, Serial No. 465,931, filed November 17, 1942, now Patent No. 2,706,948, in which a bight of cable is released when the depth regulating and cable releasing device has been moved upwardly within the water by the mine to a predetermined depth of submergence therein. The release of the bight of cable causes the tension of the mooring cable to be reduced suddenly thereby preventing further paying out of the cable from the mine anchor and bringing the mine to rest in an initial moored position within the body of water at a predetermined depth of submergence controlled by the aforesaid depth regulating device.

As the anchor is separated from the mine during the downward movement thereof within the water, the mooring arm is revolved by a resilient spring from a closed position within the casing of the mine to an open position such that the arm extends radially outward from the mine casing. When this occurs, a latch device is caused to operate thereby locking the arm in the outwardly extending open or moved position. As the released bight of cable becomes taut in response to the operation of the aforesaid depth regulating and cable releasing device, the pull of the cable on the mooring arm causes the mine to be moved rotatably during the arresting movement thereof until the mine assumes a position such that the arm projects downwardly in substantial alinement with the mooring cable and is brought to rest in this position by reason of the positive buoyancy of the mine and the pull of the cable on the mooring arm. The mine is provided with a flotation chamber arranged therein in predetermined space relation with respect to the center of gravity of the mine such that the mine assumes a horizontal position when moored within the water by reason of the positive buoyancy of the mine imparted thereto by the flotation chamber. The connection between the bight of cable and the end of the mooring arm is established by means of a firing pistol arrangement, as is well known in the art, the firing pistol including an electroresponsive detonating device adapted to tire a priming charge within the pistol and release the cable in response to the closure of a firing circuit connected thereto 'by means of an electrical cable passing through the end of the mine casing, the cable being maintained in Watertight relation with respect to the mine casing by any suitable means such, for example, as by the packing gland illustrated on the drawings. The mine is provided with firing control mechanism of any suitable type such, for example, as the Firing Mechanism for a Submarine Mine, disclosed in the copending application of James B. Glennon and Chester M. Van A-tta, Serial No. 395,230, tiled May 26, 194i, adapted to close the aforesaid firing circuit and release the mine from its mooring cable in response to the movement or passage of a vessel within the vicinity of the mine, the mine firing mechanism also setting in operation .a time delay device adapted to tire the mine in predetermined time delayed relation with respect to the release of the mine from the mooring cable during the movement of the mine upward therefrom through the Water.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of new and improved means for maintaining a marine mine in an initial moored position at a predetermined depth of submersionwithin a body of water.

means for mooring a marine mine within a body of water in which the dip of the mine beneath the surface of the water as the result of tidal currents is reduced.

Another of the objects is to provide a mooring device fora marine mine adapted to be moved from a retracted position within the mine casing to an extended position during the downward movement of the mine anchor within a body of water in which the mooring device is locked in the extended position in .fixed space relation with respect to the mine casing whereby the pull of a mooring cable secured thereto is employed to apply to the mine a restoring force of rapidly increasing intensity when the mine is rocked or rotated axially thereby to prevent substantial oscillatory or rotative movement of the mine within the water.

Still another object is to provide a mooring support cxtending downwardly from the casing of a cylindrical mine having a cable detachably secured thereto for mooring the mine in a predetermined initialhorizontal position within the water in which the cable is released from the support selectively under control of the mine firing mechanism.

A still further object is to provide a new and improved mooring device adapted to be moved to an extended position during the downward movement of the mine and anchor through the water which would be economical to manufacture, reliable in operation and which possesses all of the qualities of ruggedness and durability.

Still other objects, advantages and improvements will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of which:

Fig. 1 shows in diagrammatic form the launching and mooring of a submarine mine employing the device of the present invention, and themine rising within the water after being released from the mooring cable;

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged view in elevation showing the device of the present invention in a released position operatively connected to a bight of cable maintained in a slack condition by a depth regulating device secured thereto and to the mine;

Fig. 3 is a view of the mine in a moored position after the bight of cable has been released;

Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged end view of the mine showing the mooring arm in an initial closed position;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the anchor and the mine, partly broken away, with the arming pin in position'before the anchor is secured to the mining casing;

Fig. 6 is a view, partly broken away, showing the mine and anchor in a locked position and the locking means therefor;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the anchor, greatly enlarged, showing the depth regulating device detachably secured thereto and means for releasably locking the anchor to the mine casing;

Fig. 8 is a greatly enlarged view, partly broken away, of the mooring arm in an open position and the locking means therefor taken along the line 88 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a view of the mooring arm similar to Fig. 8 taken along the line 9 of Fig. 3; and,

Fig. 10 is a sectional view, partly broken away, taken along the line 10-10 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings on which like numerals of reference are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, there is shown thereon in diagrammatic form a submarine mine indicated generally by the numeral 12 having an anchor 13 dctachably secured thereto at the moment of being released from the torpedo tube 14 of a submarine 15 in which the instant position of the mine and anchor within the water is illustrated at 1 and relative positions of the mine and anchor during the subsequent movement thereof through thewater until the mine is moored at a predetermined depth of sub mersion withinit-hc wateriare indicated generally :by' the numerals 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 respectively. The numeral 11 is employed to indicate the position which the mine assumes after the cable has been released from the mooring arm as the mine rises upwardly within the water.

The mine and anchor are preferably cylindricl in shape and releasably connected together thereby to facilitate the planting'of the mine from the aforesaid torpedo tube. After leaving the torpedo tube the mine sinks within the water with the rounded end 16 thereof uppermost, the mine moving to a substantially vertical position within the water illustrated at 4 during the movement of the mine from positions 2 and 3 by reason of the anchor 13 connected thereto. The mine is provided with a flotation chamber 30 adapted to give the mine a positive buoyancy sufficient to cause the mine to rise within the water but insufficient to overcome the weight of the anchor 13 and thus the mine and anchor now sink within the water.

As the anchor and mine move downward within the water from position 2 to position 3 of Fig. l of the drawings, the anchor is unlocked from the flotation chamber of the mine thereby withdrawing the bight of cable 17 from recessed portion within the end of the flotation chamber and causing the release device to be withdrawn from a recessed portion of the anchor to the position indicated at 4.

As the-anchor i3 continues to move downward through the water a mooring cable 19 is payed out therefrom, there being sufficient tension in the cable to maintain the maine in a substantially vertical position until the anchor comes to rest on the bed of the body of water at 5. As the anchor moves away from the casing of the mine 12 the rotatable arm 21 is caused to be moved outward from an initial position within the casing of the mine to an extended position and locked in the extended position to the mine casing.

As the anchor 13 is arrested by engaging the bed of the body of water the downward pull on the mooring cable 19 is decreased thereby allowing the mine to rise within the Water and concurrently therewith be moved angularly to the positions shown at 7, 8 and 9. The mooring cable 19 is payed out from the anchor until the mine rises to a depth of submerision within the water such that the hydrostat device 13 releases the bight of cable 17 at 9 whereupon the hydrostat falls to the bed of the body of -,water and a sudden pull vor tug is applied to the end of the mooring arm 21 by the bight of cable thereby causing the mine to be rotated axially until the mooring arm 21 secured thereto extends downwardly from the mine casing in substantial .alinement with the mooring cable and the mine is brought to rest in the initial moored position illustrated at 10.

By arranging the mooring arm in such a manner that the bight of cable imparts a rotary movement to the mine as the slack in the bight is taken up by the rising mine, an arrangement is provided in which the blow or shock :applied to the cable and mine anchor in arresting the upward movement of the mine within the water is reduced and thus there is no possibility of damage or injury to the mine or the mooring mechanism as the mine is brought to rest in the initial moored position. The mine, it will be noted, assumes a substantially horizontal position within the water when the mine is moored by reason of the spacial arrangement of the buoyancy chamber therein with respect to the relatively heavy end 16 of themine. As the bight 17 of the cable is released, the tension on the cable 19 is momentarily removed thereby causing the anchor mechanism to lock the cable drum and thus prevent further paying out of the mooring cable from the mine anchor.

The operation of the mine firing mechanism 20, Pig. 6, in response to the approach of a vessel within the vicinity of the mine causes the firing pistol secured to the end of the arm 21 to operate thereby disconnecting the mine from the bight of cable 17. When this occurs, the mine rises within the water as illustrated at 11 and is exploded by the mine firing mechanism at a predetermined depth of submersion therein by reason of the provision of a time delay device controlled by the firing mechanism, the released cable falling to the bed of the body of water as the mine -is released therefrom.

The mine casing comprises a head or cover 22 secured in watertight relation thereto as by the bolts 23 and provided preferably with a gasket therebetween to insure a watertight connection between the head and the cylindrical portion of the casing. .Secured to the head as by the bolts 24 is a bracket 25 to which is secured a U bolt or shackle 26 having a plurality of links of chain 27 connected thereto to which is releasably attached the depth regulating device 18. The opposite side of the depth regulating device is releasably locked to a ring 28 having a U bolt or shackle 29 connected thereto to which the cable 19 is secured. The bight of cable 17 is connected to the shackle 29 and to a shackle 31 releasably attached to the electroresponsive firing pistol 32 secured to the arm 21 in any suitable manner as by the bolts 33. The firing pistol is provided with a flexible insulated conductor or cable 34 passing through the head 22 and connected at the opposite end thereof to a source of electrical energy as the aforesaid mine firing mechanism operates thereby to operate the firing pistoland release the shackle 31, as is well known in the art to which the present invention pertains. cable 34 is insulated from the head 22 and maintained in watertight connection with respect thereto as by the packing gland 35 within which the conductor is arranged.

The arm 21 is rotatably supported by the bearing member 36 and bearing support 37, a pair of cotter pins 38 being arranged within the ends of the bearing member 36 to prevent endwise movement thereof. The bearing support 37 issecured to the head 22 by the bolts 39 extending into webbed portions 41, Fig. 10, arranged on the inner side of the head 22. The arm 21 is provided with a recessed portion 42 within which is arranged a sleeve member 43 disposed about the bearing member 36 and having a coiled spring 44 wrapped around the sleeve member throughout substantially the entire width of the recessed portion 42 of the arm. One end of the spring 44 is disposed within a complementary recessed portion 45 of the support 37 and the other end of the spring isin engagement with the arm 21 at the recessed portion 46 thereof whereby the spring is adapted to urge the arm forcibly to an extended position such as the position shown on Figs. 2, 3, 8 and 9. i v

The arm is arrested in the extended position by a projecting portion 47 of the support 37 which is engaged by a complementary stop portion 48 of the arm 21 when the arm is in the open or extended position. The arm is also provided with a pair of cam surfaces 49 recessed therein adapted to be engaged by the lockmembers or latches 51 slideably arranged within complementary recessed portions of the support 37 and retained therein. as by the plates and screws 60, the latches being continuously urged toward the arm 21 by a pair of resilient springs 52 respectively associated with each of the lock members 51 and having one end thereof in engagement with a plate 53 secured to the support 37 as by the screws 54 and washers 55. A pin 56 ispreferably provided in fixed engagement with the plate 53 thereby to maintain the spring 52 in substantial alinement with the recessed portion of the support 37 within which the lock member 51 is adapted to slide.

The arm 21 is maintained in the initial or closed position by a pin 57 during the assembly of the mine and the anchor, the pin passing through a U shaped member 58 secured to the head 22 in any suitable manner as by the screws 59 and washers 61. An arrangement is thus provided in which the arm may be actuated to the initial The conductor or greases closed position shown on Fig. 4 of the drawings whereby the spring 44 is additionally stressed and the arm may be brought into the assembled position with respect to the mine casing whereby the arm 21 is prevented by the anchor casing from being rotated outward by the spring 44 to the final extended locked position thereof.

The lock members 51 are each provided with a pin 62 extending therefrom and adapted to slide within a pair of slots 63 arranged on opposite sides of the bearing support 37 associated with each of the pins respectively whereby, if desired, the lock members 51 may be withdrawn from the locked position thereof and the arm 21 may be reset at will during the assembly and testing of the device.

The mine is provided with a pair of coupling or link devices 64 pivotally secured to the head 22 as by the pins 65 passing through the link devices and through the lugs or supports 66, suitable cotter pins 67 being preferably provided to prevent endwise movement of the pins. The lugs 66 may be formed integrally with the head 22 or secured thereto in any suitable manner. The link devices 64 are provided with suitable apertures whereby each of the link devices is adapted to be engaged by one of a pair of hook members 68, Fig. 6, pivotally secured to the mine anchor 13 as by the pin 69 and rod 71. The anchor, it will be understood, is adapted to rotate the hooks 68 about the bearing support or pin 69 after the mine and anchor have been expelled from the torpedo tube thereby unlocking the mine from the anchor, as is well known in the art.

The anchor is provided with a tapered portion 72 adapted to be inserted within the end of the casing of the mine 12 in abutting relation with the head 22 whereby the mine and anchor may be transported and inserted within the torpedo tube as a unit, the mine and anchor being releasably maintained in locked engagement with each other by the link devices 64 and hook members 68 aforesaid. The mine and anchor are assembled in a predetermined position with respect to each other by reason of the provision of a projecting dowel or block 73 secured to the mine as by the screws 74 and adapted to be slideably engaged by a complementary recessed portion 75 arranged within the tapered end of the mine anchor.

The mooring cable 19 is adapted to slide freely within a f airlead 7 6 secured to the mine anchor and is payed out from a cable reel arranged within the anchor and having suitable retarding mechanism associated therewith for controlling the rate of paying out of the cable such that the mine is drawn downward within the water by the anchor until the anchor comes to rest on the bed of the body of water and the mine is thereafter caused to rise within the water as additional cable is payed out from the anchor. The anchor is also adapted to check the further paying out of the cable in response to a sudden reduction of tension in the cable as the bight of cable is released by the release hydrostatic device 18. The anchor may be of any type suitable for the purpose in which a predetermined reduction in the tension of the mooring cable causes the paying out movement to be arrested and in which means are employed to retard the paying out of the cable from the cable drum arranged therein such, for example, as the Difierential Drum for 2. Mine Anchor, disclosed and claimed in the copending application of James B. Glennon, Serial No. 635,117, filed September 27, 1932.

The depth control and cable release device 18 is releasably secured to the anchor 13 by a spring clip or clamp member 77 whereby the release device is forcibly withdrawn from engagement with the clamp member as the anchor falls away from the mine. "As the release device 18 moves away from'the mine anchor an arming pin 78 is withdrawn therefrom by an arming wir or cable 79 secured thereto and to a bracket 81 attached to the mine anchor.

The firing pistol 32, Fig. 4, comprises a releasing hook 82 which coacts with the shackle 31. The releasing hook is provided with a latch 83 held in locked position by means of a bolt 84 held in inward position by means of a shear pin 85. Within the casing 86 is a primer adapted to be electrically fired by current passing through the conductor 34 thereby to shoot out the bolt 84 which releases the latch 83 and disconnects the arm 21 from the bight of cable 17.

The mine firing mechanism employed with the mine 12 may be of any suitable type in which a firing circuit is closed from a source of electrical energy by means responsive to any of the phenomena accompanying a moving vessel such, for example, as electro-magnetic, sonic or supersonic signals, or changes in the force of attraction of gravity set up by a vessel within the vicinity of the device and in which the detonation of the mine is delayed by electro-responsive mechanism comprising electrical delay devices, dash pots and escapement mechanism or the like, as is well known in the art to which the present invention pertains, until the mine has risen a predetermined distance within thewater after being released from the bight of cable 17.

By providing a structure in which the mooring cable is attached to an arm adapted to be rotated to a closed position within the outline of the casing of the mine prior to launching of the same from the torpedo tube of a submarine or other craft and in which the arm is adapted to be moved to an extended position such that the end of the arm is fixed at a distance from the casing of the mine, applicants have provided a device suitable for launching from torpedo tubes now in general use and in which substantial oscillatory or rocking movement of the mine is prevented while the mine is moored in an initial horizontal position at a predetermined-depth of submersion beneath the surface of the water. Furthermore, by providing an arrangement in which the mooring arm is disconnected from the mooring cable in response to the approach of a vessel within the vicinity of the mine, the mine is caused to rise within the water into close proximity with respect to the vessel whereby the destructive etfect of the mine upon the vessel is greatly increased.

By providing an arrangement in which the mooring arm is locked in the extended position, applicants have produced a structure in which the mine is tilted slightly by the action of tidal currents such that the front end of the mine to which the mooring arm is attached is higher than the end 16 thereof and thus the tidal current flowing past the mine forces the mine upward within the water thereby increasing the vertical component of K the dip of the mine beneath the initial predetermined depth of submersion thereof within the water.

Furthermore, by arranging the parts in such a manner that the mooring arm is at an angle with respect to the direction of pull of the mooring cable until the bight of cable secured thereto is released, the pull of the cable against the mooring arm .at the aforesaid angle causes the mine to rotate until the arm is turned downward in substantial alinement with the mooring cable and the mine is thus arrested in an initial horizontal moored position without excessive strain on the mooring cable or the anchor mechanism.

While the invention has been described with respect to a particular example thereof whic gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, after undolistanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may. be employ d i h ut dep t ng f om h spirit and scope of; the invention and it is our intention, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such changes nd m difi ti s,

The invention herein described and claimed may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A positively buoyant submarine mine comprising a mine casing having a flotation chamber and a cylindrical contour, mine firing mechanism arranged within said casing, a mooring cable having a bight therein, an anchor adapted to payout a length of said mooring cable during submergence of the mine, a hydrostatic device releasably secured to one end of said casing and adapted to release said bight in the cable when the mine has risen to a predetermined depth of submersion within the water, means including an arm pivotally secured to said one end of the casing and projecting radially outward therefrom to which said bi ght of cable is secured for mooring the mine in a predetermined horizontal position in response to the release of said bight of cable, means for locking said arm in said outward projecting position, and means for disconnecting said bight of cable from said arm selectively under control of said firing mechanism.

2, In a device of the character disclosed for mooring a submarine rnine in an initial horizontal position at a predetermined depth of submersion within a body of water, a cylindrical mine casing, a cylindrical anchor releasably locked to said casing and adapted to pay out a length .of cable therefrom, means adapted to release the mine from the anchor as the mine and anchor are launched within a body of water, a buoyancy chamber within said casing adapted to cause the mine to rise within the water, a mooring arm connected to said length of cable, means for pivotally mounting said arm for rotation on said casing intermediate the casing and the anchor, means adapted to rotate said arm to an outwardly extending position as the anchor falls away from the mine within the water, means for locking said arm in said outwardly extending position, and means effective when the mine has risen to a predetermined depth of submersion within the water for causing the mine to be moored by the locked mooring arm in said initi l h riz nta p sit o 3. A submarine mine comprising a cylindrical casing having a flotation chamber therein and adapted to be moored in a horizontal position within a body of water, a lever arm pivotally secured to one end of the mine, means for locking said arm in position projecting radially outward from said end a greater distance from the ,axis thereof .than the radius of said cylindrical casing, and means including acable secured to the outer end of said arm for mooring the mine in said horizontal position whereby substantial rotative movement of the mine as the result vof movements of the surrounding water prevented.

4. In a device of the character disclosed for mooring ,a cylindrical mine in an initial horizontal submerged position within ,a body of water, in combination, a mine casing having a flotation chamber therein adapted to impart positive buoyancy to the mine, mine firing mechanism arranged within said casing, a rotatable arm, means for pivotally securing said arm to one end of said casing for rotation from an initial retracted position within the casing to an outwardly extending final position, a mine anchor detachably secured to said casing, means for releasing the mine from the anchor the n iinc :and anchor are launched within the water, means for causing said arm to be actuated to said final position ,as ,the anchor separates .from the mine during the downward movement thereof through the water, means for locking the arm in said final position, a length of cable secured to said anchor, means for releasably securing said cable to the arm whereby the mine is adapted to be moored in said initial horizontal position with the arm projecting downwardly, and means for disconnecting the cable from said arm selectively under control of said firing mechanism.

5. In a device of the character disclosed for mooring a cylindrical mine in an initial horizontal submerged position within a body of water, the combination of a mine casing having a flotation chamber arranged therein adapted to impart positive buoyancy to the mine, a bracket secured to one end of said casing near the periphery thereof and having a depth regulating device releasably secured thereto, a mine anchor detachably secured to said casing and adapted to pay out a length of mooring cable therefrom, means for securing said mooring cable to said depth regulating device, a mooring arm, means for pivotally supporting said arm on said end of the casing for rotation from an initial retracted position within the casing to an outwardly extending final position such that the arm is above the bracket while the anchor is at rest on the bed of the body of water and the cable is being payed out therefrom, means for detaching the mine from the anchor as the mine and anchor sink within the water, means for causing said arm to be actuated to said final position as the anchor separates from the mine, means for locking the arm in said final position, a bight of cable for connecting the mooring cable to the end of said mooring arm, and means included in said depth regulating device for disconnecting the mooring cable from said bracket when the mine has risen to a predetermined depth of submersion within the water thereby to cause the mine to rotate within the water and be brought to rest in said initial horizontal submerged position by said bight of cable and the mooring arm.

6. In a system of the character disclosed for mooring a cylindrical submarine mine in an initial set position with the axis thereof horizontal at a predetermined depth of submersion within a body of water, a casing for said mine having a flotation chamber arranged therein adapted to maintain the mine in a horizontal moored position within the water, an anchor having a mooring cable secured thereto, a bracket arranged on one end of said casing, a mooring arm extending radially outward from said end of the casing at an angle with respect to said bracket, a releasable connection between said mooring cable and the bracket, means for releasing said releasable connection, and means including a bight of cable for transferring the connection between the mine and the mooring cable from said bracket to said arm as said releasable connection is released.

7. A cylindrical mine adapted to be launched from a torpedo tube and having a flotation chamber for imparting positive buoyancy thereto, an anchor detachably secured thereto, a pivoted arm having an initial position within said mine and a moved position exterior to said mine, means for rotatably securing said arm to the end of the mine adjacent said anchor, means for actuating the arm of said initial position to said moved position as the mine is detached from the anchor during the launching thereof from said torpedo tube, a pair of locking devices adapted to latch the arm in said moved position, means for paying out a length of cable from said anchor when the mine has been detached therefrom, a bight of cable secured to said cable and to the mine at one end thereof, electro-responsive means for releasably securing the other end of said bight of cable to said arm, means for releasing said one end of the bight of cable from the mine when the mine has risen to a predetermined depth of submersion within the water thereby to cause the mine to be moored in a horizontal position beneath the surface of the Water by said arm and said bight of cable, firing mechanism arranged within said mine, and a firing circuit interconnecting said electroresponsive means with said firing mechanism for causing said other end of the bight of cable to be released from said arm by said electroresponsive means in response to a firing operation of the firing mechanism.

8. A submarine mine of the character disclosed adapted to be moored in a predetermined horizontal position Within a body of water, a cylindrical casing for said mine having a recessed portion in one end thereof, a rotatable arm pivotally secured to said casing having an initial position within said recessed portion of the casing and adapted to be actuated to an extended position outside the casing, means for actuating said arm, a hy drostatically controlled cable releasing device detachably supported by said casing within said recessed portion thereof, means including a plurality of linked members for attaching the cable releasing device to said end of the casing, a bight of cable arranged within said recessed portion of the casing and secured to said rotatable arm and said cable releasing device respectively, a cylindrical anchor having means for paying out a length of mooring cable therefrom, means for securing the end of the mooring cable to said bight of cable and said cable releasing device, means for maintaining said anchor and casing in locked engagement with each other until the mine is launched within the water, means secured to the anchor for causing the cable releasing device to be detached from said casing as the anchor falls away from the mine within the water, means for actuating said arm to said extended position as the mine separates from the anchor, and means for disconnecting said cable releasing device from said linked members and from the mooring cable thereby to moor the mine by said arm and bight of cable in said predetermined horizontal position.

9. A buoyant submarine mine comprising a cylindrical casing having a flotation chamber therein and adapted to be moored in a horizontal position at a predetermined depth of submersion within a body of Water, an anchor in engagement with the bed of said body of water having a cable secured thereto, and a rigid mooring device secured to said cable and to one end of the mine in fixed relation thereto, said mooring device extending radially outward from the axis of the mine a distance greater than the radius of said cylindrical casing and adapted to cause the mine to be inclined from said horizontal position and urged upward within the water variably in accordance with the rate of flow of the water past the mine, and means for preventing relative movement between the mooring device and said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,151,902 Rey Aug. 31, 1915 1,296,273 Elia Mar. 4, 1919 1,465,232 Pape Aug. 14, 1923 1,506,784 Sperry Sept. 21, 1924 1,531,550 Glennon Mar. 31, 1925 1,588,932 Blair June 15, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS 478,342 France 1915 127,897 Great Britain June 19, 1919 39,186 Norway June 23, 1924 772,637 France Aug. 18, 1934,

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