USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Michael R Williams

Kimberly M Cipolla

Robert F Cutler, Iii

Brian K Amaral

Todd E Whitaker

David A Hurdis

An-Keun Peter Lee

William L Keith

Michael J Kroger

William H Slater

Michael A Bergeron

Jason R Bernier

Kathryn A Best

Charles A Holicker

Eric A Lee

Stephan J Diodato

A tension sensor includes a planar tab having a first and second side, first and second end sections and an aperture through each of the end sections. A first strain gage is attached to the first side of the tab. The first strain gage has a tension grid aligned to a longitudinal axis of the tab and a cross-tension grid perpendicular to the tension grid. A second strain gage is attached to the second side of the tab. The second strain gage has a tension grid aligned to the longitudinal axis of the tab and a cross-tension grid perpendicular to the tension grid. The first strain gage and second strain gage are wired in a Wheatstone bridge in which the tension grid and the cross-tension grid of the first strain gage form one side and the tension grid and the cross-tension grid of the second strain gage form another side.

Thinline towed array tension sensor

A strength member sewing machine is provided which comprises upper and lower feeder spools, a collection spool and idlers positioned on a support structure. A cord supply, a fabric shaper, a speed control and a pressure foot lift are positioned on the structure. Fabric from the spools is kept in tension with the idlers while moving toward the fabric shaper. The fabric from the upper spool is crimped while the fabric from the lower spool remains flat underneath the shaper. Between the fabric layers, pull cords are pulled through from the cord supply thru the fabric shaper. The fabric with crimps and with the pull cords inside the crimps is sewn to the fabric from the lower spool to create casings with a pull cord in the internal space of each casing. The joined fabrics with the pull cords are collected by the collection spool as a finished product.

Sewing machine for continuous strength members

A system and method are provided for detecting an acoustic signal in the presence of flow noise produced by the turbulent flow field that develops about a hosewall of a towed array. Pressure is sensed with pressure sensors at two diametrically-opposed locations at the surface of the hosewall over a period of time. The sensed pressure signals are used to generate an ensemble-averaged cross-spectra which effectively cancels out the flow noise while retaining the acoustic signal associated with a possible target of interest.

System and method for detecting an acoustic signal in the presence of flow noise

A spreader arm aperture generation system for use with a towed array is provided. The spreader arm aperture generation system broadly comprises a plurality of lines and a plurality of hydraulically activated, inflatable tubes for generating horizontal and vertical separation among the lines. Each of the tubes is filled with seawater to a desired pressure to achieve the desired horizontal and vertical line separation. Preferably, each of the tubes is formed from a high strength woven fabric.

Hydraulic activated spreader arm aperture generation system

A distributed fiber strength member tow cable termination assembly (DTCTA) having a strength member termination area which is spaced from a signal conductor termination area, and which includes a seal area having a plurality of sealing members is disclosed. The strength member termination area preferably includes a strength member termination wedge having a curved outer face which allows for higher termination efficiency. The strength member termination area and signal conductor termination area are distributed, or separated, a predetermined distance by an interface section, for example a length of hose. The separation of the strength member termination area from the signal conductor termination area allows for several improvements in the DTCTA not possible in the prior art due to the previous need to terminate the signal conductors co-located with the strength termination member.

Tow cable termination assembly

A hydraulically activated device for spacing plural towed lines includes a toroidal and inflatable tube member defining an aperture in an opening of the toroid shape. A plurality of connectors each secure a corresponding one of the plural towed lines to the toroidal and inflatable tube member. The toroidal and inflatable tube member is inflated with sea water to a predetermined volumetric configuration suitable to an operating speed range of the towed lines and upon inflation will space the towed lines in a three-dimensional arrangement therearound. A sheath may also be formed around the toroidal and inflatable tube member, the sheath being formed in cross section as a tear drop or similar streamlined shape.

Hydraulic activated toroidal aperture generation system

A termination assembly for disposal between a marine tow cable and an acoustic receiver array includes a cable sleeve having a grip portion adapted to grip a cable outer jacket, and a collar portion for disposition on a strength member portion of the cable. The termination assembly further includes a coupling comprising an inner sleeve for mounting on a coax portion of the cable, an electrical connector for abutting a distal end of the coax portion, a coupling body interconnecting the inner sleeve and the electrical connector, the coupling body having a cylindrically-shaped wall disposed around the electrical connector to define therebetween an annular recess for receiving a connector of the acoustic receiver array, a coupling nut mounted on the coupling body and engageable with the acoustic receiver array connector to lock the acoustic receiver array connector onto the electrical connector, and an outer sleeve fixed to the coupling body. The termination assembly still further includes a stiffener rod interconnecting the outer sleeve and the cable sleeve.

Termination assembly for disposal between a marine tow cable and an acoustic receiver array

The present invention relates to a tether retraction device having particular utility with multi-line towed arrays. A system for retrieving and deploying a multi-line towed array having a plurality of array lines has at least one tether joinable between two of the plurality of array lines. A tether retraction device is incorporated into at least one of the array lines for retracting the tether. Each tether retraction device has a tether take-up spool, and a spring driven drive means which causes the tether to wind onto the take-up spool when the array is towed at slow speeds and allows deployment of the tether from the take-up spool when tension in the tether caused by tow forces exceeds the spring force applied by the spring driven drive means.

Tether retraction device

An apparatus for measuring tensile and bending forces applied to a fat-line towed-array. Tension sensors are configured within a modified fat-line towed-array bulkhead to measure axial tension applied to the front of the fat-line towed-array, while bending sensors mounted further downstream along the fat-line canister interior walls, measure the bending load. The sensor outputs are encoded and digitized before transmitted through a tow line for further data conditioning and processing. The tension and bending sensor data provide information to evaluate the force exerted on the towed-array, allowing a measure of the deployment capability. Measurements taken at various fluid flow rates provide data regarding deployment effectiveness.

Fat-line towed-array force measurement apparatus

An apparatus for measuring the force applied to a thin-line towed array having a towed array hose formed as part of a thin-line towed array. Coupling components divide the interior of the towed array hose into compartments. Axial tension measurement devices are located within one compartment, and bend measurement devices are located in another compartment. These measurement devices are electrically connected to a digitization and encoding module which is in turn connected to a processing device for providing measurements of the forces on the array.

Thin-line towed-array force measurement apparatus and method

A rotary joint between a towed array and its towing vessel is provided having a drive plate, shaft and rotor attached to the towed array payout and take-in stowage drum and rotating with the drum. A thrust washer and bearing provide a rotating mechanical connection between these rotating components and the stationary housing and connector portions of the joint. The housing is fixed within the vessel and has an internal stator surrounding, and in electrical communication with the rotor. Electrical feeds from the towed array are connected to contact rings within the rotor, and the stator includes spring loaded pins in radial electrical contact with the rings as the rings rotate with the rotor. Electrical leads from the pins pass through the housing to the connector which is connected to the vessel's signal processing systems. In addition, the housing contains a pressure compensator within a passageway between the interior and exterior of the joint. The compensator has a piston sealed in the passageway and springs are provided to either side of the piston, such that the opposed expansion and contraction of the springs maintain a pressure differential over the piston.

Towed array handling system rotary joint

A multiline tow cable assembly including swivel area components and slip g components. The swivel area components include a rotor member connected to an external housing, at least one contact member formed within the rotor member and rotatable with the rotor, and first electrical leads connected to the at least one contact member. The slip ring components include a multiline termination member, a stator connected to the multiline termination member, at least one contact pin formed in connection with the stator, and second electrical leads connected to the at least one contact pin. A substantially friction free member is interposed between the swivel area components and the slip ring components for enabling relative rotation of the swivel area components with respect to the slip ring components. By the described assemblies, continuous electrical connection is maintained between the first and second electrical leads upon rotation of the swivel area components with respect to the slip ring components.

Multiline tow cable assembly including swivel and slip ring

An interface module assembly for disposition between a marine tow cable and n array of acoustic receivers includes a plurality of bodies interconnected in series by flexible tethers. A proximal one of the bodies is adapted for connection to the tow cable and a distal one of the bodies is adapted for connection to the array. An external coaxial cable extends between each two of the bodies and is in communication with other external coaxial cables by way of internal coaxial cables within the bodies.

Growing community of inventors

West Kingstown, RI, United States of America

Michael R Williams