USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

William G Matthews

Edwin H Wood

Douglas E Brown

Todd E Whitaker

The drogue of the present invention induces drag for a plurality of underer tow lines. A tail section is axially movable within a nose section and extends partially therefrom. A tow line passes through the nose section and is coupled to the tail section. A rod is fixed to the nose section and extends through and axially away from the nose section into the tail section. A spring couples the nose section to the tail section such that the spring is placed in tension when the tail section and nose section are caused to move axially towards one another. In turn, the nose section and tail section are caused to move axially away from one another when the spring is allowed to relax. Drag wings mounted on the tail section are movable between a first minimal drag position and a second maximum position. Movement of an actuator mounted in the tail section causes corresponding movement of the drag wings between the first and second position. An engagement mechanism supported on the rod's aftmost end engages and moves the actuator in correspondence with movement of the spring. Clamping arms extend radially from the tail section and cooperate in pairs to clamp adjacent line drogues therebetween as the spring is placed in tension.

Drag inducing drogue for multiple towed arrays

A long, continuous, constant diameter, neutrally buoyant oil filled line array hose without couplings comprising a plastic inner hose having a layer of conducting and/or optical fibers wrapped helically around and bonded to the outer periphery along the neutral axis thereof. A strength member layer is encased within and bonded to an outer plastic sleeve which covers the conducting layer. Sensors are placed within the inner hose cavity through incisions formed at predetermined locations, attached to the conducting layer, and sensor-conductor junctions are sealed with a waterproof coating; the incisions are then chemically sealed. The hose cavity is filled with an insulating oil providing a continuous, oil filled constant diameter, line array hose devoid of coupling members.

Oil filled towed array hose without couplings

A machine for winding, in a selected and consistent manner, a fiber optic lament on a compliant elastomeric mandrel, which assembly responds to acoustic waves by producing variations in diameter and light transmission characteristics of the fiber optic means. A motor rotates the mandrel at a selectable speed. A timing belt couples the mandrel rotation to a traversing mechanism supporting an optical fiber carrying reel and is adjustable to variably convert the rotary to linear motion. The shaft supporting the reel has brake means for adjusting the tension on the fiber. The fiber feeds over an idler roll which operates to count the number of meters of fiber wound on the mandrel, and then passes under a tension sensing roll. By varying mandrel rotation speed, traversing speed and reel drag, compliant hydrophone mandrels can have optical fibers wrapped therearound having many different fiber lay angles and fiber tensions, thus permitting production of hydrophones of desired characteristics.

Growing community of inventors

Baltic, CT, United States of America

William G Matthews