USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Neil J Dubois

Robert J Obara

William S Wilkinson

John J Vaillancourt

Antonio M Amaral

Stephen J Plunkett

Bruce E Sandman

Francis C Spicola

Stanley J Polhemus, Jr

Stacy J Hills

An apparatus having an array plate and an isolation section joined to the perimetrical edge of the plate. The isolation section has a plurality of isolation layers and a plurality of intermediate layers alternately arranged wherein an intermediate layer is positioned between consecutive isolation layers. An innermost isolation layer is joined to the perimetrical edge of the array plate and an outermost isolation layer is adapted to be joined to a hull structure of an underwater vehicle. Each isolation layer is made from energy absorbing material and each intermediate layer is made from generally rigid material. The isolation section substantially reduces vehicle self-noise from traveling to the array plate. Interchangeable depth stop members having various geometries are used to adjust the stiffness of the isolation section so as to maximize the isolation characteristics of the isolation section at particular water depths at which the underwater vehicle operates.

Array plate apparatus having tunable isolation characteristics

A winglet for mounting on a trailing end of a flexible line to be towed by an underwater vehicle includes an internal collar member for connection to an inside surface of the line at the trailing end thereof, an outer collar member for connection to an outside surface of the line outboard of the internal collar, and connection means for fixing the internal and outer collar members to the line trailing end. A plurality of fins are mounted on an outside surface of the outer collar member and extend outwardly from the outer collar member.

Winglet for the trailing end of towed flexible underwater lines

An underwater self adjusting displacement device includes a sealed housing having an exterior wall and an inner component area, the exterior wall having an opening formed therein. A sealing plug is slidably seated in the opening of the exterior wall, and an actuator mechanism selectively adjusts the sealing plug within the opening, thereby adjusting a total displacement of the sealed housing. The displacement device is incorporated into any substantially neutrally buoyant underwater deployable device such as an acoustic countermeasure device or an oceanographic sensor device. Further, the deployable devices may be deployed individually or as a field due. The displacement device requires less weight and weight within an overall deployed device, enabling large deployments and performance enhancements.

Self adjusting neutral buoyancy countermeasure and system

A test fixture for testing hovering performance of a tailcone of a countermeasure device is disclosed. The tailcone includes a motor and a propeller which is driven by the motor. The test fixture includes an upper support device, a lower support device, at least one cable connected between the upper and lower support devices and a connection device which slidably attaches the tailcone to the at least one cable, thereby restricting movement of the tailcone along the at least one cable. The upper support device is supported above a water-filled tank, the lower support is disposed in the water-filled tank and the hovering capability of the tailcone is tested by operating the tailcone in the tank. The connection device includes a number of extensions affixed to the tailcone. The extensions each include a clasp spaced from the tailcone. The clasps, are slidably joined along the cables, thereby attaching the tailcone to the cables. The fixture further includes a winch attached to the upper support device, wherein one of the cables is wound onto the winch. The winch retracts the attached cable, thereby pulling the lower support device from the tank.

Countermeasure hovering test fixture

A marine countermeasures launch assembly includes a cylindrical body including first and second members having, respectively, first and second surfaces engageable with each other to form the body, the first surface having first and second recesses therein, the second surface having first and second recesses therein opposed to the recesses of the first member when the members are engaged, to form a first chamber for retaining a first countermeasure and a second chamber for retaining a second countermeasure. The first and second surfaces have opposed bores therein. A spring is disposed in each pair of the opposed bores and urges the members to separate from each other to release the countermeasures after the assembly is launched.

Marine countermeasures launch assembly

A system is provided for testing a propulsor having a first end that can attach to a payload and a second end at which thrust is generated. A bulkhead is sealed to the first end of the propulsor. The bulkhead with the propulsor coupled thereto is suspended vertically by a support that is placed in tension when thrust is generated at the second end of the propulsor. A load cell coupled to the support measures tension therein as a measure of thrust.

Propulsion thrust test system

A marine propulsion assembly comprises a drive shaft, a first propeller fixed to the drive shaft and turnable therewith in a first direction, an annular array of gear teeth disposed on the first propeller and turnable therewith, a second propeller aligned with the first propeller, and an annular array of gear teeth disposed on the second propeller. Bevel gears are disposed between the first and second propellers and engaged with the first and second annular arrays of gear teeth. The bevel gears transmit rotation of the first propeller to the second propeller, such that the second propeller turns in an opposite direction relative to the first propeller.

Marine propulsion assembly

A shock absorbing device includes a base portion interconnected with a top ortion and layered with a shock absorbing material. The base portion includes a base mount bracket having a planar support member and upstanding integral bottom mounting plates oriented in a perpendicular relationship with respect to the planar support member, and a planar interconnecting plate member removably connected to the upstanding bottom mounting plates of the base mount bracket. The top portion includes a planar top plate, and a U-shaped interconnecting plate removably connected to the planar top plate. A plurality of layers of shock absorption material are provided such that a first one of the plurality of layers is positioned between the base mount bracket and the U-shaped interconnecting plate, a second one of the plurality of layers is positioned between the U-shaped interconnecting plate and the planar interconnecting plate, and a third one of the plurality of layers is positioned between the planar interconnecting plate and the top mounting plate.

Captive soft foam shock base mount

A test fixture for the simultaneous evaluation of a plurality of seals inding an outer tubular shell having a first terminal end and a second terminal end. A first bulkhead has interior and exterior sides to cover the first terminal end of the tubular shell and a second bulkhead has interior and exterior sides to cover the second terminal end of the tubular shell. A sleeve has a first terminal end and a second terminal end and is positioned inside the exterior tube. The sleeve may be segmented into two sections connected end to end. One end of the sleeve is fixed to a simulated pipe flange and sealed by a coaxial overlapping seal. The other end of the flange is connected to an adapted ring by a similar seal. Another such seal is used to connect the two segments of the sleeve.

Test fixture for simultaneous evaluation of steam pipe hydrosealing

A deflection snubber assembly for preventing damage to a propeller which is subjected to instances of high force is disclosed. The propeller includes a hub for mounting the propeller on a shaft and a number of blades exteng radially outward from the hub. Outer tips of the number of blades are interconnected by a continuous, circular band. The propeller is constructed to accommodate a predetermined amount of deflection upon instances of high force before being permanently damaged. The deflection snubber assembly includes a housing circumferentially surrounding the propeller, the housing having a number of deflection limiting members, each of the deflection limiting members limiting deflection of the propeller to within the predetermined amount of deflection upon occurrences of the instances of high force.

Propeller deflection snubber

An acoustic test assembly for testing an underwater vehicle includes a high pressure source joined by a high pressure pipe which extends into a fluid filled testing structure. A vibration shielding flange is joined to the sting structure wall where the flange supports the high pressure pipe. At least one acoustic barrier is positioned around the pipe inside the testing structure to isolate vibrations from the high pressure pipe. In further detail, the high pressure pipe is a pipe surrounded by thermal insulation and a sleeve preventing fluid from affecting the insulation. The acoustic barrier has a barrier joined by spacer means to the sleeve member.

Isolation system for a high pressure steam pipe in a flooded structure

A shock mounting system for use in a housing is disclosed. The shock moung system includes a shock absorbing base mount member connectable to the housing, a shock absorbing stability mount connectable to the housing, and a mountable component interposed between and secured to each of the base mount member and the stability mount member. The interposition of the mountable component between the shock absorbing base mount member and the shock absorbing stability mount isolates the mountable component from shock due to an external force applied to the housing.

Captive soft foam shock mount system

An acoustically isolated structure for use on a high temperature pipe in a luid environment is disclosed. Thermal insulation is provided radially outward from and adjacent to the pipe, and a sleeve is located on the outer surface of the insulation preventing environmental fluid from damaging the thermal insulation. A spacer is joined to the sleeve to position an acoustical barrier away from the pipe. The spacer allows environmental fluid circulation between the sleeve and the acoustical barrier.

Apparatus for acoustically isolating a high pressure steam pipe in a

In an underwater device adapted to sink in water, the device having a proler disposed in a tail cone portion thereof and operable to rotate in a first direction to move the device toward a surface of the water, an assembly for preventing the propeller from rotating in a second direction during the sinking of the device in the water. The assembly includes a circular shroud fixed to outboard tips of blades of the propeller and encircling the propeller. A ramp is disposed on an outside surface of the shroud. A tail cone ring is fixed to the tail cone portion and surrounds the shroud. A pivotally movable flap is mounted on an inside surface of the tail cone ring. The ramp and the flap are engageable and configured to prevent rotation of the shroud, and thereby the propeller, in the second direction, and to permit rotation of the shroud, and thereby the propeller, in the first direction.

Propeller assembly for an underwater device

A nose cone for attachment to an underwater vehicle for shielding a sonar ray in a nose portion of the vehicle from acoustic pressures in a water environment, the nose cone comprising a tubular body for surrounding side wall portions of the vehicle nose portion, a cap fixed to one end of the nose cone body for overlying a forward-most portion of the vehicle nose portion, and bleed tubes extending through the body and/or cap for permitting air to escape from between the vehicle nose portion and the nose cone when the nose cone is placed on the vehicle nose portion. There is further contemplated a method for acoustically shielding sonar arrays in nose portions of underwater vehicles, which includes utilization of the aforementioned nose cone.

Growing community of inventors

Cranston, RI, United States of America

Neil J Dubois