USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Herbert L Mummery

Robert T Hoffman

James H Dombrowski

Roger W Buecher

Isao R Yumori

A system which limits the intensity of a snap load imposed in a tether or cable, used, for example, in the recovery of an object at sea, includes a floating plate for connection to the cable and a support housing for connection to the object being recovered. The system also includes an actuatable mechanism extending between and connected to the plate and housing. The actuatable mechanism is movable from an initial position toward a deflected position in response to the introduction of a snap load in the cable caused by the occurrence of the sudden removal of a slack condition in the cable. The system further includes a hydraulic or other fluid arrangement coupled to the actuatable mechanism for generating a shock load within the mechanism in response to the introduction of the snap load in the cable which permits movement of the mechanism toward the deflected position while limiting the tensile load imposed on the cable to a known value that the cable can withstand and reducing the separation velocity toward zero. The system also includes a restoring mechanism operable for causing extension of the actuatable mechanism from the deflected position back to the initial position in response upon reintroduction of another slack condition in the cable.

System for limiting snap load intensity

A submersible load cell for measuring gas buoyancy which includes a shell which has an open bottom so that gas can be introduced to make the shell positively buoyant. A framework may be provided for supporting the shell for vertical movement so that a change in buoyancy results in the shell exerting a corresponding upward force. At least one hydraulic actuator is mounted between the framework and the shell for registering a pressure which corresponds to the degree of upward force or positive buoyancy of the shell. An indicator device can be connected to the hydraulic actuator for indicating the change in buoyancy of the shell as gas is introduced therein.

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Kaneohe, HI, United States of America

Herbert L Mummery