Raytheon Company

Charles W Ouellette

David J Salisbury

John Cupolo

David Edson

A portable underwater mount for magnetic and electric field sensors. The mount has a gimbal-like structure comprising a ball member having a mounting flange for coupling to the magnetometer. The ball member is cast from polyurethane with Teflon powder suspended therein, providing a substantially frictionless surface. The ball member is disposed over a support platform having a spherical contour so that the weighted sensor positions itself to true vertical. A collar having a lock terminating in the support platform rests over the ball member so that once the sensor is oriented to magnetic north, the lock is engaged to secure the sensor in true vertical and magnetic north positions.

Portable assembly for supporting magnetic and electrical sensors

A sonobuoy depth selector utilizes the tension in the attaching cable between the suspended sonobuoy and the supporting float to select the length of the attaching cable. Bobbins are attached to the cable at predetermined distances from the float. The bobbins are also mounted on a solenoid actuated pin which is tapered to cause only the bobbin resisting the tension in the cable to slide along the pin to a release position near the end of the pin. Momentary electrical energization of the solenoid causes the pin to release only the bobbin under cable tension thereby allowing the cable to pay out from a cable reel until stopped by the bobbin attached to the next larger predetermined length of cable.

Multiple depth selector mechanism

A latching mechanism for retaining the cover of the compartment of a sonobuoy containing a parachute is described. The latching mechanism, when in a position which prevents the deployment of the parachute, extends beyond the periphery of the sonobuoy launching tube and thus prevents insertion of the sonobuoy into the launching tube. The latching mechanism must be moved to a position which releases the cover before it allows insertion of the sonobuoy into the launching tube thereby insuring deployment of the parachute after the sonobuoy has been ejected from the launching tube. The latching mechanism is a planar structure rotatably connected to the cover and rotates in a plane parallel to that of the plane of the cover. The resulting latching mechanism may be applied to sonobuoys without the necessity for modifying the launching tube structure used for prior art sonobuoys.

Parachute retainer latching mechanism

A suspension system for an air-dropped sonobuoy includes a transducer housing wherein the upper portion is emptied upon deployment of a float. The weight distribution of the transducer and housing provide for a center of mass and a center of buoyancy at a location beneath a pivot in the upper portion of the housing. A suspension line connects the pivot with the float, and a pair of opposed extensible fins at the top of the housing locate the center of hydrodynamic pressure at the pivot. Thereby, the housing is maintained in a stabilized vertical attitude during descent through the water and during deployment at a predetermined depth independently of a difference in velocity of fluid movement at the float and at the sonobuoy.

Stabilized suspension system

A suspension system for an air-dropped sonobuoy includes a transducer housing wherein the upper portion is emptied upon deployment of a float. The weight distribution of the transducer and housing provides for a center of mass and a center of buoyancy at a location beneath a pivot in the upper portion of the housing. A suspension line connects the pivot with the float, and a pair of opposed extensible fins at the top of the housing locate the center of hydrodynamic pressure at the pivot. Thereby, the housing is maintained in a stabilized vertical attitude during descent through the water and during deployment at a predetermined depth independently of a difference in velocity of fluid movement at the float and at the sonobuoy.

Stabilized sonobuoy suspension

A transducer housing for an air-dropped sonar transducer includes a smooth cylindrical case for stowage on board an aircraft. The case is formed with a separation device which permits ejection of the transducer from the case upon impact with the water of the ocean, the device being formed of tabs on the case and chamfers on a cover plate of the case. The impact of the water on the cover plate is directed by the chamfers against the tabs to spread them apart thereby releasing the cover plate and the transducer. Pins on the cover plate project through apertures in the tabs and press against the side of the apertures with a preset force to essentially lock the tabs to the plate until the preset force is overcome by the water impact.

Transducer housing with release mechanism

A launching tube accommodates sonobuoys of differing lengths for individually launching the sonobuoys. Compressed gas modules located between the sonobuoys are individually activated by electrical signals to expel respective sonobuoys from the launching tube. Electrical contacts on the modules engage electrically conducting guides on the inner surface of the launching tube whereby the electrical signals are communicated individually to respective ones of the modules.

Multiple buoy launcher

An array of sonar transducers enclosed within a flexible webbing and having spring members located between the transducers for urging the transducers against the webbing to provide a rigid structure which secures the transducers in their positions in the array. The webbing is stowed in spaces between the transducers with the array being in a compressed attitude and secured within an outer canister to permit air dropping of the array into the ocean.

Growing community of inventors

Portsmouth, RI, United States of America

Charles W Ouellette