USA as Represented by Secretary of the Navy

James M Walton

Robert L Wernli

Jimmy L Held

Donald L Endicott, Jr

Paul A Hanson

An expendable sound source provides a cost effective projection of acoustic nergies in the ocean. A tubular housing contains a d.c. motor that locates its shaft coaxial with the housing. Cylindrically-shaped camming blocks engage spurs in a pair of rigid pistons at both ends of the tubular housing to reciprocate them in accordance with the pattern of the camming surfaces and the motor speed. A flywheel on the shafts and journaling supports assure the projection of arbitrary waveforms and a key-and-keyway cooperation between the housing and prevents the pistons turning in the housings. A self-contained, high energy battery pack is actuated by magnetic reed switch to assure reliable long term projection after deployment. Pressure compensation can be included.

Expendable underwater acoustic projector

A lift line tension limiter is provided which includes a lift line and a tainer which is adapted to contain the lift line. The container has a lift end and a payload end, the payload end having an aperture for the passage of the lift line therethrough. A device is spring mounted to the container for pinching the lift line at the container aperture, and after the container aperture the lift line is in frictional engagement with the pinching device so that a force on the lift line will decrease the pinching action on the lift line. With this arrangement a predetermined loading of the lift line will spring bias the pinching device to relieve the pinching force and allow a portion of the lift line to be payed out of the container until the loading has been lessened below the predetermined amount.

Lift line tension limiter

A coupling which is readily attachable to a plate, panel or like structure ncludes a rotatable shaft for thrusting a bearing element through a circular hole in the structure when the bearing element and the hole are in concentric relationship. Thereafter, the shaft is rotated by less than a complete revolution to bring the bearing element and the hole into a selected eccentric relationship, and also to activate a locking mechanism to maintain the eccentric relationship. When the bearing element and hole are in the eccentric relationship, a bearing surface of the bearing element abutts the structure to impose substantial force thereupon.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

James M Walton