USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Robert C Thibodeau

David A Abdow

Michael M Canaday

Ronald E Waclawik

Kenneth M LaPointe

Scott E Hassan

George M Kotas

The present invention is a dispenser mounted on the aft section of a torpedo for deploying an elongated, flexible article along a deployment axis. There is a molded elastomeric encasement over the exterior perimeter of the outer weldment of the dispenser for providing shock, impact, and force protection to the dispenser. A metal stiffener plate is secured to the top portion of the encasement for distributing localized compressive loads on weak sections of the dispenser. The encasement together with the stiffener plate enlarges the dispenser to approximately the same outer diameter as the torpedo to which it is attached. The encasement incorporates a fore and aft groove at a lower position with small notches for positioning and anchoring a torpedo power cable. The encasement further incorporates a pivoting retention door assembly for restraining the torpedo power cable within the groove in the encasement.

Torpedo mounted dispenser

A combination optical and iron sight system for a rocket launcher is provd. The combination sight system has a mounting bracket for attachment to a spotter rifle of a typical rocket launcher. A sight mounting bracket having an elevation adjustment and a windage adjustment is adapted for attachment to the spotter rifle mounting bracket. The adjustable sight mounting bracket has a mounting structure for an iron sight and a mounting bracket structure for an optical sight. Each sight, the optical sight and iron sights may be adjusted individually with respect to the adjustable bracket. Thereafter, adjustments to both sights can be made simultaneously by adjustment of the bracket itself in both windage and elevation.

Combination optical and iron sight system for rocket launcher

An apparatus for measuring the loads, moments and torque at a constrained d of a cable created by the action of the cable in a fluid medium in which the cable is suspended. The cable is suspended in the medium by means of a strut. The apparatus connects the cable to the strut. The apparatus includes two flexure members, one rigidly connected to the strut, the other to the cable. A universal joint couples the two flexure members so that the flexure member connected to the strut can be fitted with strain gages to measure bending while the other flexure member has strain gages to measure axial force and torque. The universal joint enables the isolation of axial and torsional strains at the flexure member connected to the cable. The torsional loads are absorbed by the joint and the axial loads are transferred to bending loads at the flexure member attached to the strut. In operation, an object for which cable load vectors are being studied may be attached to the free end of the cable. The cable and object may then be towed through a fluid such as water by movement of the strut. Cable load vectors resulting from the action of the cable and the object in the fluid are then quantified by the apparatus.

Cable load transducer

Submarines are provided with underwater self-propelled vehicles that are nched from the submarines and guided by trailing fiber optic cables. Each underwater vehicle has a hull that is separable, and that defines a socket for mating with one end of the separable forward hull portion of another identical vehicle. The separable hull portions of one vehicle, when separated remain connected by a fiber optic line so that a homing device on this line can be used to link up with the transponder aboard the other vehicle. Wings on the latter vehicle guide the line toward a socket that accepts or mates with the end of the one vehicle hull portion.

Communication system for submarines

A shipping container for fiber optic coils includes a pair of semicircular ody elements forming a generally circular body providing a circular chamber and having axially and outwardly extending flanges abutting along their mating edges thereof and radially extending projections at their axial ends. A pair of end caps have a cylindrical sidewall portion abutting the axial ends of the circular body, an end wall spaced therefrom, and radially extending projections aligned with those of the body. Fastening elements secure the flanges and projections in assembly. The container may be assembled about a coil supported on a winding mandrel by placing the two elements thereabout and securing the flanges to retain the coil therewithin. The body and coil may be removed from the winding mandrel and the end caps placed thereon. To remove the coil, one end cap is removed and the container aligned with the coil mounting fixture; the other cap is then removed and the coil moved outwardly of the body.

Growing community of inventors

Wakefield, RI, United States of America

Robert C Thibodeau