US3708812A

US3708812A - Equipment housing for submarine suspension

Info

Publication number: US3708812A
Application number: US00157832A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Yapoudjian
Original assignee: Alcatel CIT SA
Current assignee: Alcatel CIT SA
Priority date: 1970-06-29
Filing date: 1971-06-29
Publication date: 1973-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-09
Also published as: DE2132128C2; GB1298438A; BE768624A; DE2132128A1; FR2094667A5; NL7108770A

Abstract

An equipment housing for submarine suspension from a buoy designed to be dropped vertically into water with the housing mounted therein so that the impact with the water frees the housing to hang below the buoy on a cable at a predetermined depth selected by one of a plurality of cords connecting the housing to respective spaced points on the cable, a selector being provided for initially cutting all but one cord to select said predetermined depth.

Description

Ullitfid States Patent [191 Yapoudjian et a1.

EQUIPMENT HOUSING FOR SUBMARINE SUSPENSION Inventors: Claude Yapoudjian, Chilly-Mazarin;

Max Henelle, Cachan, both of France Compagnie lndustrielle des Telecommunications Cit-Alcatel, Paris, France June 29, 1971 Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.: 157,832

Foreign Application Priority Data June 29, 1970 France ..7024008 11.8. CI ..9/8 R, 83/639,114/221 A Int. Cl. ..B63b 21/52 Field of Search ..9/8 R; 340/2; 244/138, 151; 102/7,10,l3,l4, 15, 21.2; 114/221 A;

[ 51 Jan. 9, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,262,090 7/1966 Farmer ..9/8 R 3,275,976 9/1966 Farmer ..9/8 R 3,606,812 9/1971 Riordan ..114/221 A Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Jesus D. Sotelo Att0rneyCraig, Antonelli & Hill [57] ABSTRACT An equipment housing for submarine suspension from a buoy designed to be dropped vertically into water with the housing mounted therein so that the impact with the water frees the housing to hang below the buoy on a cable at a predetermined depth selected by one of a plurality of cords connecting the housing to respective spaced points on the cable, a selector being provided for initially cutting all but one cord to select said predetermined depth.

10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 9 197a SHEEI 1 BF 5 FIG/1 INVENTORS CLA DE YAP U DIIAN and MAX HENELLE am flmtwifli H4212 ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJAN 9 I973 SHEET 2 [IF 5 FIG.2

iNVENTOR$ CLAUDE YAPOUDIIAN ATTORNEYS PAIENIEDJAH 9 I975 SHEET 3 OF 5 FIG.3

INVENTORS CLAUDE YAPOUDS'IAN Qvd MAX HENELLE ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJAH 9l975 3,708,812

SHEET l 0F 5 4 I'll INVENTORS CLAUDE YAPOU IIAN a MAx HENELLE BY chap/tow 4 HM ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJAH 9 I975 3,708,812

SHEET 5 BF 5 INVENTORs CLAUDE YAPOUDTIAN a MAX HENELLE cvaia am owafltl 9 we AT ORNEY5 EQUIPMENT HOUSING FOR SUBMARINE SUSPENSION The present invention concerns an equipment housing for submarine suspension from a buoy designed to be dropped vertically into water so that the impact with the water frees the housing to hang below the buoy on a cable and at a predetermined depth.

For example, such a housing may be used for suspending a hydrophone from a buoy to pick up underwater accoustic signals, the buoy being dropped into the ocean from an aircraft. The depth at which a hydrophone is to be submerged depends on the particular application, and obviously on the depth of water involved. The depth at which the hydrophone will be suspended must be capable of being set in advance, before the 'buoy is released from the aircraft. Generally, the buoy should provide a number of predetermined depths of submersion, four for example, one of which is chosen before the buoy is dropped.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an equipment housing for submarine suspension from a buoy designed to be dropped vertically into water so that the impact with the water frees the housing to hang below the buoy on a cable and at a predetermined depth, the housing including a stowage space for the cable, a set of n-cords, each fastened at one end to a respective point on the cable and having their opposite ends attached at equiangularly spaced positions around a circular portion of the housing, a cutter of part-circular outline subtending at its center an angle of 360 (n-l )/n, rotatable about that center between n predetermined positions, and mounted for movement in response to the impact with the water to cut all the cords save one, whereby the housing may sink to a predetermined depth determined by the point of attachment of the uncut cord to the cable.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a transverse section through a buoy designed to be dropped vertically into water;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an equipment housing of the buoy;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of part of the equipment housing;

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C show successive stages in the release of the housing from the buoy on impact with water; and

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D respectively show the housing suspended at four different depths below the buoy.

Referring to FIG. 1, the buoy is provided with an extendable parachute element 1 to reduce the speed at which it drops into the ocean when released from an aircraft. An upper portion 2 of the buoy holds radio transmission equipment and includes a well 3 in which a transmission antenna is housed until the buoy contacts the water. A partition 4 divides the upper portion 2 of the buoy from a lower portion 5 which holds various accessory units 6, for example a cylinder of carbon dioxide for deploying the antenna, batteries, colored markers and so on, and a centrally located cylindrical equipment housing 7.

The equipment housing 7 includes a hydrophone 8, associated electronic circuitry 9 and a battery 10. The

housing also includes a stowage space 11 for a cable linking the housing and the buoy and on which the housing hangs below the buoy at a predetermined depth after being released on impact with the water.

The housing 7 is retained in the buoy by an arrangement shown schematically at 12 which will be described in more detail with reference to the remaining figures of the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below of the housing 7 within the lower portion 5 of the buoy. The housing 7 is locked in the buoy by means of a set of pins 13 engaging cooperating recesses in the buoy. These pins 13 retract on impact with the water to release the housing 7.

The base of the housing 7 is formed as an annular surface 14, a pointer 15 being mounted in a recessl 6. The surface 14 carries markers indicating the four possible depths of immersion of the hydrophone, in the present example these depths are 20, 150, 250 and 500 meters. The depth of immersion is preselected by setting the pointer 15 to the required depth marker, using an appropriate tool locating in a socket 17.

A respective cord J J J and J, is associated with each possible depth of immersion. Only cords J J and J, are visible in the figure. Each cord is fastened at one end to a respective point on the hydrophone cable, and their opposite ends are attached at equiangularly spaced positions around a circular portion of the housing 7, as will now be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

Above the plane surface 14 at the lower end of the housing 7 are a cylindrical wall portion 20 and a frustoconical wall portion 21. Four equiangularly spaced holes 22 are arranged around the cylindrical wall portion 20 and extend radially of it. Concentrically disposed within the cylindrical wall portion 20 is an inner cylinder 23 with four equi-angularly spaced holes 24 each aligned with one of the holes 22. Vertically above each hole 24 is a further hole 25 through each of which passes one of the cords J to J.,. Each cord is retained inside the inner cylinder 23 by a respective knot or suitable fastener 26.

A locking element 30 is disposed inside the inner cylinder 23 for vertical sliding movement. It is of generally cylindrical form having a lower circular flange 31 and an upper flange 32 on which are out four flats 33, arranged at right-angles to one another. Above the flange 32 is a part-circular cutter 34 subtending an angle of 270.

The pins shown at 13 in FIG. 2 are indicated 35 in FIG. 3. Each locates in one pair of aligned

holes

22, 24 and is biased towards the center of the inner cylinder 23 by a respective spring 36 bearing on a cross-bar 37 embedded in the pin. A spiral spring 38 is mounted inside the locking element 30, and the inner cylinder 23 is closed by a cap 39.

FIG. 4A is a transverse section through the lower end of the housing and buoy, showing the disposition of the various elements before the buoy is dropped into the ocean.

The locking element 30 is retained in one of four possible orientations by the springs 36 pushing the pins 35 against the flats 33. At the same time, the flats 33 force the pins 35 against the springs 36 so that their outermost ends project through the holes 22 to engage in cooperating recesses in the lower portion 5 of the buoy. With locking element 30 in its lowest or first position, as shown in FIG. 4A, the housing 7 is held fast within the buoy. The element 30 is held in its first position by the coil spring 38 bearing against the cap 39 of the inner cylinder 23.

Referring to FIG. 4B, on impact with the water the locking element 30 is forced upwardly against the spring 38. It reaches a second position shown in FIG. 48 at which the flats 33 are raised above the pins 35 which are therefore retracted by their respective springs 36. The pins disengage the recesses 40 in the buoy, so that the housing 7 is free to fall vertically away from the buoy.

The locking element 30 continues to move upwardly through the second position into a third position shown in FIG. 4C at which three of the four cords J, to J, are cut. The cord which is not cut is that lying over the gap in the part-circular cutter 34.

Referring briefly back to FIG. 2, setting the pointer to oneof the four depth markings is done by rotating the locking element 30 about its axis, so rotating the cutter 34 about its center. In each of the four possible orientations of the element 30, corresponding respectively to the four possible depths of immersion, the gap in the cutter 34 lies below a respective one of the cords .I, to J,.

The released housing 7 sinks, a length of the hydrophone cable unwinding from the space ll as it does so. The cable unwinds until the uncut cord prevents further unwinding. The housing 7 is then suspended at a predetermined depth corresponding to this length of cable, as defined by the uncut cord.

FIG. 5 shows each of the four possible situations after deployment of the antenna, as shown at 42, and release of the housing 7. In FIG. 5A, cord J, is uncut and the housing 7 hangs at a shortest distance L, below the buoy 2, suspended on the cable 43. The unreleased part of the cable is indicated at 44, with the cut cords J J and J, attached to it. In the present example, the depth of immersion of the housing 7 is meters.

FIG. 5B shows the housing 7 submerged to a depth of 150 meters, J being the uncut cord. Cut cords J and J, are attached to the portion of the cable which has not been unwound. Cut cord J, is attached to the unwound cable portion.

FIGS. 5C and 5D show the housing 7 submerged to depths of respectively 250 and 500 meters, the uncut cords being respectively I, and 1,. In FIG. 5C cut cords J, and J, are attached to the deployed cable while uncut cord J remains attached to that portion of the cable which has not been uncoiled. In FIG. 5D the three out cords J,, J and .1 are all attached to the unwound cable.

It will be appreciated that the housing may include more or less than four cords, the number of cords in the set being equal to the number of predetermined depths required. More generally, the housing will have a set of n-cords each fastened at one end to a respective point on the cable and having their opposite ends attached at equiangularly spaced positions around the inner cylinder 23. The part-circular cutter will subtend at its center an angle of 360. (n-l )/n, and will be rotatable about its center between it predetermined positions.

We claim:

I. An equipment housing for submarine suspension from a buoy designed to be dropped vertically into water with the housing mounted therein so that the impact with the water frees the housing to hang below the buoy on a cable at a predetermined depth, comprising a housing element including a stowage space for a cable secured at one end to said buoy, a set of n cords each fastened at one end thereof to respective spaced points on the cable and having their opposite ends attached at respective equiangularly spaced positions around a transverse circular portion of the housing, a cutter of part-circular outline subtending at its center an angle of 360 (n-l)/n mounted on said housing element adjacent said equiangularly spaced positions so as to be rotatable about a center between the n positions at which said cords are fastened to said housing element and axially movable in response to impact with the water to cut all the cords save one, whereby the housing may sink to a predetermined depth determined by the point of attachment of the uncut cord to the cable.

2. A housing as claimed in claim 1, in which the cutter is mounted on a locking element arranged in said housing element to move in response to the impact with the water from a first position at which it holds the housing locked in the buoy, through a second position at which the housing is freed, to a third position at which the (n-l cords are cut.

3. A housing as claimed in claim I, in which said housing element is provided with a set of pins extending radially of the cutter and means for resiliently biasing said pins inwards towards a retracted position, the locking element including an annular shoulder which in a first position thereof forces the pins against their resilient bias to an extended position for engaging cooperating recesses in the buoy to lock the housing in the buoy and recesses which after movement of the element to its second position release the pins which are retracted by their resilient bias to free the housing.

4. A housing as claimed in claim 3, in which the locking element is resiliently biased towards its first position.

5. A housing as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cords have their ends fastened in equiangularly spaced apertures in a cylindrical portion of one end of said housing element and said cutter includes a cylindrical cutter portion slideable inside said housing element along the inner surface thereof so as to slide across said spaced apertures during displacement through impact with the water.

6. A housing as claimed in claim I wherein the stowage space for said cable is provided in one end of said housing element and the other end of said housing element is formed of a pair of concentric annular wall portions interconnected by a transverse bottom wall portion, said concentric annular wall portions having radially directed aligned holes, and locking means mounted in said aligned holes for releasably locking said housing to said buoy.

7. A housing as claimed in claim 6 wherein said locking means includes at least one locking pin mounted in a pair of aligned holes so as to protrude radially outward from the outer wall portion into contact with said buoy and spring means for biasing said locking pin radially inward, and a cylindrical locking element slideably mounted inside the inner wall portion and having a shoulder aligned in a first position with the hole in the inner wall portion so as to block movement of said locking pin in response to said spring means, said locking element also having at least one recess for permitting inward movement of said locking pin in response to said spring means upon shifting of said locking element to a second position.

8. A housing as claimed in claim 7 wherein said cutter is mounted on said cylindrical locking element and said inner wall portion includes equiangularly spaced apertures into which said cords are inserted and secured, said recesses in said locking element being dimensioned to limit movement of said cutter so that all but one of said cords are severed when said locking element is shifted through impact with the water.

9. A housing as claimed in claim 6, in which the cutter is mounted on a locking element arranged in said housing element to move in response to the impact with the water from a first position at which it holds the housing locked in the buoy, through a second position at which the housing is freed, to athird position at which the (n-l cords are cut.

10. A housing as claimed in claim Q, wherein said locking means include a set of pins extending radially of the cutter and means for resiliently biasing said pins inwards towards a retracted position, the locking element including an annular shoulder which in a first position thereof forces the pins against their resilient bias to an extended position for engaging cooperating recesses in the buoy to lock the housing in the buoy and recesses which after movement of the element to its second position release the pins which are retracted by their resilient bias to free the housing.

Claims

1. An equipment housing for submarine suspension from a buoy designed to be dropped vertically into water with the housing mounted therein so that the impact with the water frees the housing to hang below the buoy on a cable at a predetermined depth, comprising a housing element including a stowage space for a cable secured at one end to said buoy, a set of n cords each fastened at one end thereof to respective spaced points on the cable and having their opposite ends attached at respective equiangularly spaced positions around a transverse circular portion of the housing, a cutter of part-circular outline subtending at its center an angle of 360* (n- 1)/n mounted on said housing element adjacent said equiangularly spaced positions so as to be rotatable about a center between the n positions at which said cords are fasteneD to said housing element and axially movable in response to impact with the water to cut all the cords save one, whereby the housing may sink to a predetermined depth determined by the point of attachment of the uncut cord to the cable.

2. A housing as claimed in claim 1, in which the cutter is mounted on a locking element arranged in said housing element to move in response to the impact with the water from a first position at which it holds the housing locked in the buoy, through a second position at which the housing is freed, to a third position at which the (n- 1) cords are cut.

3. A housing as claimed in claim 1, in which said housing element is provided with a set of pins extending radially of the cutter and means for resiliently biasing said pins inwards towards a retracted position, the locking element including an annular shoulder which in a first position thereof forces the pins against their resilient bias to an extended position for engaging cooperating recesses in the buoy to lock the housing in the buoy and recesses which after movement of the element to its second position release the pins which are retracted by their resilient bias to free the housing.

6. A housing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stowage space for said cable is provided in one end of said housing element and the other end of said housing element is formed of a pair of concentric annular wall portions interconnected by a transverse bottom wall portion, said concentric annular wall portions having radially directed aligned holes, and locking means mounted in said aligned holes for releasably locking said housing to said buoy.

9. A housing as claimed in claim 6, in which the cutter is mounted on a locking element arranged in said housing element to move in response to the impact with the water from a first position at which it holds the housing locked in the buoy, through a second position at which the housing is freed, to a third position at which the (n- 1) cords are cut.

10. A housing as claimed in claim 9, wherein said locking means include a set of pins extending radially of the cutter and means for resiliently biasing said pins inwards towards a retracted position, the locking element including an annular shoulder which in a first position thereof forces the pins against their resilient bias to an extended position For engaging cooperating recesses in the buoy to lock the housing in the buoy and recesses which after movement of the element to its second position release the pins which are retracted by their resilient bias to free the housing.