US3724374A

US3724374A - Underwater sound source

Info

Publication number: US3724374A
Application number: US00190836A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Somerville; D Smith; J Yaccarino
Original assignee: US Department of Navy
Current assignee: US Department of Navy
Priority date: 1962-04-27
Filing date: 1962-04-27
Publication date: 1973-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 1990-04-03

Abstract

1. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source, comprising in combination: AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL CASING, A CIRCULAR PLATE RIGIDLY FIXED AT ONE END OF SAID CASING, A PRESSURE PLATE DISPOSED AT THE OTHER END OF SAID CASING, CHARGE MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID PRESSURE PLATE MEANS WITHIN SAID CASING, INFLATABLE BAG MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID CIRCULAR PLATE AND SAID CHARGE MEANS, MEANS FOR INFLATING SAID BAG MEANS TO EJECT SAID CHARGE MEANS FROM SAID CASING WHEN SAID PRESSURE PLATE IS RELEASED FROM SAID CASING, DOME MEANS, CLAMP MEANS SECURED TO SAID DOME MEANS AND EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF SAID CASING RELEASABLY SECURING SAID PRESSURE PLATE AT SAID OTHER END OF SAID CASING, ROTOCHUTE MEANS SECURED TO SAID DOME MEANS FOR RETARDING THE BUOY AS IT FALLS THROUGH THE AIR, SAID DOME MEANS INCLUDING SPRING MEANS BIASED BETWEEN SAID DOME MEANS AND SAID CIRCULAR PLATE FOR EJECTING SAID DOME MEANS AND SAID CLAMP MEANS FROM SAID CASING WHEN SAID CLAMP MEANS RELEASE SAID PRESSURE PLATE, RELEASE MEANS RELEASING SAID CLAMP MEANS FROM SAID PRESSURE PLATE IN RESPONSE TO A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE ON SAID PRESSURE PLATE.

Description

Sates Somerville et a1.

[541 UNDERWATER SOUND SOURCE [75] Inventors: James Somervllle, Chalfont; Donald F. Smith; Joseph N. Yaccarino, both of Norristown, all of Pa.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as 1 represented by the Secretary of the Navy 22 2 Filed: Apr. 27, 1962 2'11 Appl. No.: 190,836

[52] US. Cl ..102/7, 102/10, 340/5 R [51] Int. Cl. F42b 22/44 [58] Field oi Search ........181/.53; 340/2, 3, 5; 102/4,

[56] 1 Reierences Cited Primary Examiner-Samuel W. Engle Attorney-Q. Baxter Warner and Henry Hansen [451 Apr. 3, 1973 EXEMPLARY CLAIM 1. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source, comprising in combination:

an elongated cylindrical casing,

a circular plate rigidly fixed at one end of said casa pressure plate disposed at the other end of said casing,

charge means disposed adjacent said pressure plate means within said casing,

inflatable bag means disposed between said circular plate and said charge means,

means for inflating said bag means to eject said charge means from said casing when said pressure plate is released from said casing,

dome means,

clamp means secured to said dome means and extending the length of said casing releasably securing said pressure plate at said other end of said casing, v

rotochute means secured to said dome means for retarding the buoy as it falls through the air,

said dome means including spring means biased between said dome means and said circular plate for ejecting said dome means and said clamp 'means from said casing when said clamp means release said pressure plate, release means releasing said clamp means from said pressure plate in response to a predetermined pressure on said pressure plate.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures is 1111111111111 s PNEP-JTEDf-HB I975 SHEET 1 [1F 2 INVENTORS JAMES SOMERVILLE GENT DONALD F. SMITH JOSEPH N. YACCARINO PATENTEDAPR 3 19m SHEET 2 [IF 2 XMITTER RECEIVER fl k SWITCH STEPPING I N VENTORS JAMES SOMERVILLE DONALD F. SMITH JOSEPH N. YACCARINO UNDERWATER SOUND SOURCE The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor. v

In the field of anti-submarine warfare one of the chief ways of locating target submarines is by the use of sound emanating devices such as exploding charges in conjunction with underwater acoustical pulse receivers such as sonobuoys. A sonobuoy functions chiefly as a sound or acoustical pulse pickup device which converts the acoustical pulse to an electrical signal for'transmission to the search craft. When two of these sonobuoys are deployed in the water, explosive charges are dropped and detonated in the water .near the sonobuoys at various intervals and 'by comparison of the times between receipt of the acoustical pulses and receipt of the acoustical pulse echoes from a target submarine the target submarine can be accurately located and tracked.

Using a present day technique an aircraft on an antisubmarine warfare mission normally must bomb a sonobuoy, that is, drop a charge near the sonobuoy. Once the position of the submarine is located, the target submarine in normal operation changes its position so that ananti-submarine warfare aircraft must'continually bomb the sonouboy or other subsequently dropped sonobuoys to precisely track the submarine in order to pinpoint its position for an effective attack. This necessity to bomb and rebomb a sonobuoy requires the airplane to come back and fly over the sonobuoy to drop a charge every so often. This significantly retards progress of the aircraft toward the submarine. In other words, if the aircraft is closing in on the submarine, it is very desirable for the aircraft not to have to interrupt its course and go back to the sonobuoy and drop another charge to find the next position of the submarine.

A device is disclosed in the present invention whereby an anti-submarine aircraft engaged in a submarine hunt may, after it has released its sonobuoys at prescribed locations, release one device containing a plurality of charges which can be set off at various intervals of time by radio signals from a transmitter in the anti-submarine warfare aircraft. Thus, an anti-submarine warfare aircraft using the present invention may without interruption continue its progress toward an enemy submarine while at the same time detonating individually a plurality of charges contained in the device of the present invention. Therefore, the search aircraft may continuously find the new position of the enemy submarine whether the submarine is on a straight course or on a course designed to escape from the aircraft by detonating one charge at a time while it progresses toward the submarine.

The present invention contemplates a charge carrying buoy capable of being dropped from an aircraft at a high altitude into the sea at which time it is automatically made ready for immediate use. The invention employs an elongated cylindrical casing designed to carry a plurality of charges which on entering the water string out at such a length from one another that the explosion of one will not affect or detonate the other. The buoy of the present invention on making contact with water automatically ejects a retardation device which was used to slow its descent through the air and at the same time causes a flotation device to be inflated and float the buoy. Also on making contact with the water a radio receiver is activated to receive coded radio pulses from the anti-submarine aircraft which permits the pilot sequentially to fire each of the charges.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a buoy capable of being dropped from an aircraft into water which on impact with the water automatically dispenses a string of charges, activates a radio signal receiver, inflates a flotation chamber and otherwise prepares the buoy to float in the water supporting a string of charges which may be individually exploded by a pilot on radio command from the aircraft.

A further object of the present invention is to provide. an underwater sound source for use with sonobuoys by an aircraft on a search and track mission of an enemy submarine wherein the aircraft may continually progress toward the target while the pilot fires the charges in a submarine tracking situation.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description.

FIG. 1 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

'FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 depicts the buoy of the present invention in its operational environment; and

FIG. 4 illustrates the electrical charge detonating arrangement of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown a buoy 10 comprising an elongated cylindrical tubular casing 11. FIG. 1 illustrates the arrangement of the internal elements within the casing 11 in a loaded condition, that is, in the condition before the buoy is dropped into the water. A circular base plate 12 is secured within the casing 11 at one end thereof. Integral .with plate 12 is a projection 13 having a slightly smaller diameter than that of plate 12 about which is looped the end ring of spring 14. The end of spring 14 fits into a boss (not shown) of plate 12 to prevent slippage thereof. The other end of spring 14 is securedly fastened toone side of inflatable bag 15.

Inflatable bag 15 comprises an elongated cylinder of rubberized cloth. Disks 15a and 15b which are bonded at each'end to the inflatable bag 15 form an airtight chamber therewith. It is to disk 15a that the end of spring 14 is fastened as by a metal strap or some other convenient means.

Antenna wire 17 from radio receiver casing 18 which connects. to antenna 19 passes through inflatable bag 15 through holes in disks 15b and 15a. Airtight grommets 21 and 22 which pass through the wall of the disks 15b and 15a, respectively, provide an airtight connection and on inflation of bag 15 prevent the gas from escaping. In order to allow for the expansion of bag 15 when it is inflated antenna wire 17 within the bag 15 between

grommets

21 and 22 is provided with a length to allow for expansion of inflatable bag 15 when it is inflated.

Antenna 19 is mounted at one end of plate 12 in any convenient manner in a folded condition such that on contact with the 'water its length is increased at least by a factor of two. Qne method of accomplishing this would be to hold antenna 19 in a folded condition by a strap of highly water soluble paper.

A conventional radio receiver is contained within receiver casing 18. Integral with radio receiver casing 18 is a wire stowage form 23. Secured to one end of radio casing 18 as by a metal strap 24 is a C chamber 25. Disposed within CO chamber 25 and as seen by virtue of the broken away portion thereof is a CO, bottle 26 operative upon being punctured to inflate inflatable bag via valve arrangement 27.

A lanyard 28 is securedly fastened to the inside of casing 11 as by an eyebolt 30 to which the end of the lanyard 28 is securedly tied. The other end of lanyard 28 is secured to actuating lever 31. Thus, at the moment that inflatable bag 15 is shoved to the right by the expansion of spring 14, actuating lever 31 is pulled up and punctures the CO bottle within CO chamber 25 and bag 15 is inflated.

Wound in several layers around wire stowage form 23 is wire 32 which is the output wire cable from the radio receiver of radio receiver casing 18. A charge container which consists of nose portion 34 and bag portion 36 has disposed therein a plurality of charges 37 through 41. Each one of these charges is connected to wire cable 32 through which each charge has an individual electrical connection to the radio receiver schematically shown in FIG. 4 through a stepping switch 33. interconnecting lengths of wire may be stored in any convenient manner between the individual charges, as for example in a loop spiral, as at 43 through 47. Each charge is provided with a squib charge of a conventional type such that each charge may be exploded individually on being connected to a source of voltage by a stepping switch 33 in response to a particular type of transmitted radio signal. A conventional stepping switch 33 is disposed in circular space 44 within wire stowage means 23. Obviously wire cable 32 must be physically rugged and have a rugged connection to radio receiver casing 18 to support the charges when the buoy is in the water.

A dome 46 having a lip portion 47 fits over the outside of casing 11.

Straps

48, 49 and 51 as best seen in FIG. 3, which are securedly fastened to dome portion 46 as by rivets and extend along the outside length of casing 11 and are secured at the opposite end portion thereof in a manner to be more fully discussed hereinbelow. Straps or clamps 48, 49 and 51 have rivet like projections 48a, 49a and 51a which fit through holes 48b, 49b and 51b through lip portion 47 and the part of the casing 11 over which lip portion 47 fits. During assembly of the buoy the spring 14 is held in the loaded position of FIG. 1 and the projections 48a, 49a and 51 are caused to go through holes 48b, 49b and 51b to hold the dome 46 in place along with the other connection of

clamps

48, 49 and 51 at the other end of casing 11 to be more fully discussed hereinbelow.

As best seen in FIG. 1 dome portion has disposed therein a plate 52 against which one end of each of springs 53 and 54 abut. Springs 53 and 54 abut also against plate portion 12 such that, when the

clamps

48, 49 and 51 are released, springs 53 and 54 cause dome 46 to be ejected from the rest of the buoy.

A circular plate 56 is disposed within casing 1 1. Each of

clamps

48, 49 and 51 have wedge-

like portions

57, 58 and 59 which are shown in FIG. 2. At the ends of wedge-like portion 57 are pin-like portions 570, 58a and 590. A pressure plate 61 has disposed between it and plate 56 a circular annular foam rubber disk 62.

Pressure plate 61 has end portions 63 as shown in FIG. 1 which are looped over pin-

like portions

57a, 58a and 59a. The wedge-like portions of each of the

clamps

48, 49 and 51 fit through slots 64 in casing 11 and abut against the casing wall at 65 as shown in FIG. 1. Thus, when a predetermined pressure or impact is applied to pressure plate 61, the loop portions 63 of pressure plate 61 are caused to disengage from

pin portions

57a, 58a, and 59a of

wedges

57, 58, 59, thus allowing clamps 48, 59, 51 to spring outwardly and away from buoy casing 11. When this occurs projections 48a, 49a, and 51a withdraw from holes of 48b, 49b, and 51b, and by virtue of the spring-like action of depressed springs 53 and 54 dome portion 46 is ejected.

Dome portion 46 may be equipped with rotochute assembly 66 which is caused to extend and rotate with respect to the buoy by the force of the wind resistance as the buoy falls through the air on being dropped from the aircraft. Such an action stabilized and decelerates the descent of the buoy as it falls through the air. The particular configuration of the rotochute assembly forms no part of this invention and is described only briefly.

The rotochute assembly consists of four

blades

662, 66b, 66c, and 66d which are spring biased in a folded condition to extend along the outside of casing 11 by springs not shown. A bolt and nut assembly 60 is used to secure rotochute assembly 66 to dome 46 such that the blades are rotatable with respect to the buoy 10.

Referring now to FIG. 3 there is shown the buoy 10 seconds before and after it has made contact with the water after being dropped from an aircraft.

The upper portion of FIG. 3 depicts in phantom the buoy 10 in a falling condition with the blades of the rotochute assembly 66 extended which stabilizes the buoy and retards its descent. The lower portion of FIG. 3 depicts the buoy in its operative condition.

After the buoy 10 enters the water clamps 48, 49 and 51 are released and are ejected along with dome 46 by the action of springs 53 and 54 as above described when pressure plate 61 is depressed. When this occurs spring 14 expands and pushes

plates

56 and 61 from the bottom of the buoy 10. By this same spring action lanyard 28 causes actuating lever 31 to puncture CO bottle 26 and bag 15 is inflated. Inflation of bag 15 floats the buoy 10 as well as aids in pushing the charge container 36 from the casing 1 1. By virtue of weight 42 and the cone-shaped container 36 the charges 37 through 41 string out as shown and container 36 which may be weighted drops away.

Referring now to-FIG. 4 there is shown in block and schematic form the electrical detonating arrangement of the present invention.

Reference numberal 71 indicates a radio signal transmitter of conventional design which is carried in the aircraft. Receiver 72 has its output connected to stepping switch 33 which as a separate connection to each of charges 37 through 41. Thus, on receipt of a signal of a particular frequency or band width as selected by the operator from transmitter 71 by receiver 72 stepping switch 33 connects a predetermined charge to detonating source of potential B which may also be the battery of receiver 72.

Different types of stepping switches may be used, i.e., a stepping switch which is actuated by coded radio pulses or modulated signals. Receiver 72 may be connected to its activating source of potential by a switch arrangement which is operated by actuating lever 31 and spring 14 at the same time bag 15 is inflated.

Obviously many modifications of the present inven tion may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of this invention wherein the description of the specific details of construction is not to be construed as limiting the invention solely thereto.

What is claimed is: g i 1. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source, comprising in combination:

an elongated cylindrical casing, a circular plate rigidly fixed at one end of said casing, a pressure plate disposed at the other end of said casing, charge means disposed adjacent said pressure plate means within said casing, inflatable bag means disposed between said circular plate and said charge means, means .for inflating said bag means to eject said charge means from said casing when said pressure 1 plate is released from said casing, dome means, clamp means secured to said dome means and extending the length of said casing releasably securing said pressureplate at said other end of said casing, rotochute means secured to said dome means for retarding the buoy as it falls through the air, said dome means including spring means biased between said dome means and said circular plate for ejecting said dome means and said clamp means from said casing when said clamp means release said pressure plate, release means releasing said clamp means from said pressure plate in response to a predetermined pressure on said pressure plate. 2. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source, comprising in combination:

an elongated cylindrical casing, a first circular plate rigidly fixed at one end of said casing, a second circular plate slidably disposed at the other end of said casing, a pressure plate disposed at said other end of said casing, a deformable annular disk disposed between said second plate and said pressure plate, inflatable bag means, spring means disposed in a loaded condition between said first circular plate and said inflatable bag means, valve assembly means, 1 said valve assembly means including a bottle of compressed gas, valve stem means connecting said valve assembly means to said inflatable bag, actuating lever means operative to puncture said bottle of compressed gas and to inflate said inflatable bag means through said valve stem means when said spring is unloaded, charge container means, a plurality of charges disposed in said charge container means,

detonating means connected to said plurality of charges for detonating selected ones of said charges, dome means at said one end of said casing, clamp means extending the length of said casing and securing said dome means and said pressure plate at respective ends of said casing maintaining said spring in a loaded condition, said dome means including second spring means in a loaded condition disposed between said first plate means and said dome means, whereby said dome means is ejected fro-m said casing with said first spring means assuming an unloaded condition when said clamp means disengages said pressure means. 3. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source, comprising in combination:

an elongated cylindrical casing, i 1 a first circular plate rigidly fixed at one end of said casing, a second circular plate slidably disposed at the other end of said casing, a pressure plate, releasably secured to said other end of said casing, a deformable annular disk disposed between said second plate and said pressure plate, inflatable bag means, first spring means disposed in a loaded condition between said first circular plate and'said inflatable bag means, radio receiver means, valve assembly means secured to said radio receiver means, said valve assembly means including a bottle of compressed gas, valve stem means connecting said valve assembly means to said inflatable bag, actuating lever means operative to puncture said bottle of compressed gas when said spring is unloaded and to inflate said inflatable bag means through said valve stem means when said first spring means is unloaded, charge container means, i a plurality of charges disposed in said charge container means, cable meansconnected between said radio receiver means and each of said charges and interconnecting each of said charges at predetermined lengths, stepping switch means connected in said cable means for electrically connecting individual ones of said charges to -a source of power at a predetermined signal from said radio receiver means, release means connected to said pressure plate for releasing said pressure plate from said other end of said casing to unload said spring means when said casing enters the water, whereby said inflatable bag is inflated and said charges are strung out on said cable means at one end of said casing. 4. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source, comprising in combination:

an elongated cylindrical casing, a first circular plate rigidly fixed at one end of said casing, a second circular plate slidably disposed at the other end of said casing,

a pressure plate disposed at said other end of said casing,

a deformable annular disk disposed between said second plate and said pressure plate,

inflatable bag means,

spring means disposed in a loaded condition between said first circular plate and said inflatable bag means,

radio receiver means,

valve assembly means secured to said radio receiver means,

said valve assembly means including a bottle of compressed gas,

valve stem means connecting said valve assembly means to said inflatable bag,

actuating lever means operative to puncture said bottle of compressed gas and to inflate said inflatable bag means through said valve stem means when said spring is unloaded,

cable stowage means integral with said radio receiver means,

, charge container means,

a plurality of charges disposed in said charge con tainer means,

cable means disposed on said cable stowage means and electrically connected between said radio receiver means and each of said charges,

stepping switch means connected in said cable means for electrically connecting individual ones of said charges to a source of power at a predetermined signal from said radio receiver means,

dome means at said one end of said casing,

clamp means extending the length of said casing and securing said dome means and said pressure plate at respective ends of said casing for maintaining said first spring means in a loaded condition,

said dome means including second spring means-in a loaded condition disposed between said first plate means and said dome means,

whereby said dome means is ejected from said casing with said first spring means assuming an unloaded condition when said clamp means disengages said pressure means.

5. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source,

comprising in combination:

an elongated cylindrical casing,

a first circular plate rigidly fixed at one end of said casing,

a second circular plate slidably disposed at the other end of said casing,

a pressure plate disposed at said other end of said casing,

a deformable annular disk of rubber disposed between said second plate and said pressure plate,

inflatable bag means,

first spring means disposed in a loaded condition between said first circular plate and said inflatable bag means,

radio receiver means,

valve assembly means secured to said radio receiver means,

said valve assembly means including a bottle of compressed gas, valve stem means connecting said valve assembly means to said inflatable bag, actuating lever means operative to puncture said bottle of compressed gas and to inflate said inflatable bag means through said valve stem means when said first spring means is unloaded,

charge container means,

a plurality of charges disposed in said charge container means,

cable means connected between said radio receiver means and each of said charges and interconnecting each of said charges at predetermined lengths,

dome means at said one end of said casing,

clamp means secured to said dome means extending the length of the outside of said casing and releasably securing said pressure plate at said other end of said casing,

said dome means including second spring means biased between said dome means and said first circular plate for ejecting said dome means and said clamp means from said casing means when said clamp means release said pressure plate,

release means releasing said pressure plate from said clamp means in response to a predetermined pressure on said pressure plate means,

whereby said inflatable bag is inflated and said charges are discharged to be strung out on said cable means at one end of said casing.

6. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source,

comprising in combination:

an elongated cylindrical casing,

plate means mounted in said casing at one end thereof,

rotochute means removably mounted on said one end of said casing adjacent to said plate means,

clamp means having straps secured at one end thereof to said rotochute and releasably secured at the other end thereof to the other end of said casing,

first spring means positioned between said plate

Claims

2. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source, comprising in combination: an elongated cylindrical casing, a first circular plate rigidly fixed at one end of said casing, a second circular plate slidably disposed at the other end of said casing, a pressure plate disposed at said other end of said casing, a deformable annular disk disposed between said second plate and said pressure plate, inflatable bag means, spring means disposed in a loaded condition between said first circular plate and said inflatable bag means, valve assembly means, said valve assembly means including a bottle of compressed gas, valve stem means connecting said valve assembly means to said inflatable bag, actuating lever means operative to puncture said bottle of compressed gas and to inflate said inflatable bag means through said valve stem means when said spring is unloaded, charge container means, a plurality of charges disposed in said charge container means, detonating means connected to said plurality of charges for detonating selected ones of said charges, dome means at said one end of said casing, clamp means extending the length of said casing and securing said dome means and said pressure plate at respective ends of said casing maintaining said spring in a loaded condition, said dome means including second spring means in a loaded condition disposed between said first plate means and said dome means, whereby said dome means is ejected from said casing with said first spring means assuming an unloaded condition when said clamp means disengages said pressure means.

3. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source, comprising in combination: an elongated cylindrical casing, a first circular plate rigidly fixed at one end of said casing, a second circular plate slidably disposed at the other end of said casing, a pressure plate, releasably secured to said other end of said casing, a deformable annular disk disposed between said second plate and said pressure plate, inflatable bag means, first spring means disposed in a loaded condition between said first circular plate and said inflatable bag means, radio receiver means, valve assembly means secured to said radio receiver means, said valve assembly means including a bottle of compressed gas, valve stem means connecting said valve assembly means to said inflatable bag, actuating lever means operative to puncture said bottle of compressed gas when said spring is unloaded and to inflate said inflatable bag means through said valve stem means when said first spring means is unloaded, charge container means, a plurality of charges disposed in said charge container means, cable means connected between said radio receiver means and each of said charges and interconnecting each of said charges at predetermined lengths, stepping switch means connected in said cable means for electrically connecting individual ones of said charges to a source of power at a predetermined signal from said radio receiver means, release means connected to said pressure plate for releasing said pressure plate from said other end of said casing to unload said spring means when said casing enters the water, whereby said inflatable bag is inflated and said charges are strung out on said cable means at one end of said casing.

4. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source, comprising in combination: an elongated cylindrical casing, a first circular plate rigidly fixed at one end of said casing, a second circular plate slidably disposed at the other end of said casing, a pressure plate disposed at said other end of said casing, a deformable annular disk disposed between said second plate and said pressure plate, inflatable bag means, spring means disposed in a loaded condition between said first circular plate and said inflatable bag means, radio receiver means, valve assembly means secured to said radio receiver means, said valve assembly means including a bottle of compressed gas, valve stem means connecting said valve assembly means to said inflatable bag, actuating lever means operative to puncture said bottle of compressed gas and to inflate said inflatable bag means through said valve stem means when said spring is unloaded, cable stowage means integral with said radio receiver means, charge container means, a plurality of charges disposed in said charge container means, cable means disposed on said cable stowage means and electrically connected between said radio receiver means and each of said charges, stepping switch means connected in said cable means for electrically connecting individual ones of said charges to a source of power at a predetermined signal from said radio receiver means, dome means at said one end of said casing, clamp means extending the length of said casing and securing said dome means and said pressure plate at respective ends of said casing for maintaining said first spring means in a loaded condition, said dome means including second spring means in a loaded condition disposed between said first plate means and said dome means, whereby said dome means is ejected from said casing with said first spring means assuming an unloaded condition when said clamp means disengages said pressure means.

5. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source, comprising in combination: an elongated cylindrical casing, a first circular plate rigidly fixed at one end of said casing, a second circular plate slidably disposed at the other end of said casing, a pressure plate disposed at said other end of said casing, a deformable annular disk of rubber disposed between said second plate and said pressure plate, inflatable bag means, first spring means disposed in a loaded condition between said first circular plate and said inflatable bag means, radio receiver means, valve assembly means secured to said radio receiver means, said valve assembly means including a bottle of compressed gas, valve stem means connecting said valve assembly means to said inflatable bag, actuating lever means operative to puncture said bottle of compressed gas and to inflate said inflatable bag means through said valve stem means when said first spring means is unloaded, charge container means, a plurality of charges disposed in saiD charge container means, cable means connected between said radio receiver means and each of said charges and interconnecting each of said charges at predetermined lengths, stepping switch means connected in said cable means for electrically connecting individual ones of said charges to a source of power at a predetermined signal from said radio receiver means, dome means at said one end of said casing, rotochute means secured to said dome means for retarding the buoy as it falls through the air, clamp means secured to said dome means extending the length of the outside of said casing and releasably securing said pressure plate at said other end of said casing, said dome means including second spring means biased between said dome means and said first circular plate for ejecting said dome means and said clamp means from said casing means when said clamp means release said pressure plate, release means releasing said pressure plate from said clamp means in response to a predetermined pressure on said pressure plate means, whereby said inflatable bag is inflated and said charges are discharged to be strung out on said cable means at one end of said casing.

6. A buoy for use as an underwater sound source, comprising in combination: an elongated cylindrical casing, plate means mounted in said casing at one end thereof, rotochute means removably mounted on said one end of said casing adjacent to said plate means, clamp means having straps secured at one end thereof to said rotochute and releasably secured at the other end thereof to the other end of said casing, first spring means positioned between said plate means and said rotochute means for urging separation therebetween, charge means releasably inserted in said casing at the other end of said casing, second spring means positioned between said plate means and said charge means for urging separation therebetween, and pressure responsive means removably inserted in said casing at the other end thereof and operatively connected to said clamp means for releasing said clamp means and unloading said first and second spring means; whereby rotochute means and said charge means are ejected from said casing means at a predetermined pressure.