Hydronautics, Incorporated

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Tracor Hydronautics, Incorporated

Hydronautics Research, Inc.

Virgil E Johnson, Jr

Andrew F Conn

T R Sundaram

Robert J Etter

William T Lindenmuth

Horton W Lain

Peter Van Dyke

Larry K Stephens

The invention is a device and method for the non-invasive determination of the volume of an object which may be animate. The invention employs the principal of the Helmholtz resonator to simultaneously measure acoustic resonance signals which are characteristic of the container enclosing the object and a separate resonator disposed within the container, thereby permitting determination of the body volume independent of the influence of variations in temperature and humidity.

Device for determining the volume of objects using a chamber with two

An erosive fluid jet tool for underwater operation, comprising an erosive fluid jet nozzle connected to a fluid receiver receiving fluid under elevated pressure for providing hydraulic power to the tool, the nozzle providing the working output jet of the tool; and a counterthruster for providing a counterthrusting force for balancing the thrust on the tool produced by the erosive fluid jet, the counterthruster including (a) a counterthrusting fluid jet nozzle connected to the fluid receiver and facing oppositely to the erosive nozzle for providing a counterthrusting jet, and (b) an open ended shroud coaxially surrounding the counterthrusting nozzle, whereby water surrounding the submerged tool is entrained through the shroud for providing additional counterthrusting force during operation of the counterthrusting nozzle, the erosive fluid jet nozzle and the counterthruster being constructed so that in excess of 50% of the hydraulic power provided to the tool is provided to the erosive fluid jet nozzle.

Erosive-jet diver tool

Process and apparatus for enhancing the erosive intensity of a high velocity liquid jet when the jet is impacted against a surface for cutting, cleaning, drilling or otherwise acting on the surface. A preferred method comprises the steps of forming a high velocity liquid jet, oscillating the velocity of the jet at a preferred Strouhal number, and impinging the pulsed jet against a solid surface to be eroded. Typically the liquid jet is pulsed by oscillating the velocity of the jet mechanically or by hydrodynamic and acoustic interactions. The invention may be applied to enhance cavitation erosion in a cavitating liquid jet, or to modulate the velocity of a liquid jet exiting in a gas, causing it to form into discrete slugs, thereby producing an intermittent percussive effect.

Enhancing liquid jet erosion

A drill bit and a method for deep-hole drilling in which the drill bit has mechanical cutting means located on its lower cutting face for cutting a solid surface upon rotation of the bit and a plurality of cavitating liquid jet nozzles spaced around the face of the bit to assist in the drilling action, the nozzles being located so as to discharge a plurality of downwardly directed and concentric liquid jets that cavitate to fracture the surface to be drilled in a series of non-overlapping slots as the bit is rotated.

Cavitating liquid jet assisted drill bit and method for deep-hole

A movable ramp, forming part of the inlet flow channel of a water jet prosion system, is adjustable to provide variable inlet area for various speed and propulsion requirements. In this flush or semi-flush type inlet, the lower lip is stationary and an upper ramp, forming an extension of the base-line shell, directs the flow into the inlet. If the baseline shell is not suited to the inlet installation, (for example, if a high deadrise angle exists) a forebody fairing is provided to make the baseline shell geometry suitable. The ramp is flexible, has a smooth surface, and is backed up by bell cranks and pusher bars that can move the ramp position to change the inlet area. The ramp position or inlet area may be adjusted manually or automatically to meet the requirements of speed and propulsion. If the centerline of the lip leading edge radius falls below the normal baseline (semi-flush inlet) suitably shaped 'sideplates' are provided to avoid inlet cavitation or ventilation at yawed conditions. A 'pressure alleviation' system may be provided to reduce the static pressure differential across the ramp to alleviate the structural design loading and reduce the total force required of an actuator to move the ramp.

Growing community of inventors

Gaithersburg, MD, United States of America

Virgil E Johnson, Jr