USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

William H Nedderman

Charles H Beauchamp

Robert Meunier

Laurent C Bissonnette

Thomas J Gieseke

James L Dick

William M Serth

An apparatus for changing the angle of attack of a cavitator on a supercavitating underwater research model. The apparatus has a nose assembly that has a pivotable cavitator tilt plate, an actuator member and a drive system engaged with the actuator member to drive the actuator member so as to tilt the cavitator tilt plate to a desired angle. Power components are remotely located and accessible to an operator so as to enable an operator to vary the angle of the cavitator tilt plate while the supercavitating underwater research model is underwater and in motion.

Apparatus for changing the attack angle of a cavitator on a supercavatating underwater research model

A muzzle break for a gun comprising a baffle, a series of slots in the housing of the muzzle break in which the slots exhaust gas of a pressure wave deflected by the baffle during firing of the gun. A membrane seals the slots for underwater use and is separable by the deflected exhaust gas. Another membrane seals a sabot separation chamber of the muzzle break adjacent to the baffle and in a projectile path from the baffle. The membrane for the separation chamber is detachable by a projectile fired from the gun.

Muzzle break with gas relief membrane for an underwater gun

To accurately and reproducibly set the angle of a hinge, especially a very small hinge, a precision hinge and angled mounting stops are provided. The device comprises a hinge joint having a fastener, such as a screw, connecting two bodies. A flat C-shaped mounting stop fits over the fastener and has two straight outer edges that contact each of the two bodies, respectively. The relative angle between the outer edges determines the set angle of the hinge.

Precision hinge mounting stops

A water tight shell joint for a super cavitating underwater vehicle is described. The shell joint includes a female member defining a first part of at least one slot for ejecting gas, a male member defining a second part of the at least one gas ejection slot, and at least one shim for adjusting the width of the at least one slot to obtain a volume of ejected gas sufficient to obtain a uniform cavity about the vehicle.

Shell joint with an adjustable gas ejection slot

The present invention relates to a windmill power generation system which includes at least two variable camber blades fastened to a rotatable hub, which blades are driven by a fluid such as wind. Each of the variable camber blades has embedded shape memory alloy members. The system also includes a source of electrical power connected to the shape memory alloy members for varying the shape of the blades in response to changes in the speed of the fluid driving the blades. The power generating system further includes a power regulator connected to the electrical power source for regulating the electrical power being supplied to the shape memory alloy members and a controller for transmitting a power command signal to the power regulator. The controller preferably comprises a preprogrammed computer having an algorithm for generating the optimum blade shape for a particular wind speed or condition.

Controllable camber windmill blades

The present invention relates to an improved steering system for a water craft and an improved method of steering. The steering system includes at least two variable camber plates or rudders mounted to a hull of the water craft for imparting a steering force to the water craft. Each of the variable camber plates is preferably formed from a flexible material and has a leading edge affixed to the hull. A linkage mechanism is attached to a steering device on the water craft and causes at least one of the plates to move relative to the hull and thereby vary the camber of the at least one plate.

Side plate rudder system

A lift assembly includes first and second elevator structures, each including a first scissors section, a second scissors section pivotally connected to the first scissors section and supporting a lift shaft which extends between the first and second structures, at least one intermediate scissors section pivotally connected to the second scissors section, and an upper scissors section pivotally connected to an uppermost of the intermediate scissors sections and supporting a top bar. First and second side plates upstand adjacent the first and second structures, each having therein an elongated slot, the lift shaft being disposed in the slots. A lower pulley is mounted proximate each of the base bars on a common drive shaft. An upper pulley is mounted proximate an upper end of each of the side plates. A strand extends from each of the lower pulleys to each of the upper pulleys, and thence to the lift shaft. A motor is operable to rotate the drive shaft and thereby the lower pulleys to draw in the strand to draw the lift shaft upwardly in the side plate slots, to draw the second scissors section, and thereby remaining scissors sections, upwardly, to raise the top bar.

Lift assembly

A system is provided for detecting movement of an object underwater. A housing positioned underwater defines a gas-filled cavity receiving an optical reflector that is fixedly coupled to an object underwater. At least one optical sensor is adjustably positioned with its optical sensing portion located in the cavity a desired distance from the optical reflector. Movement of the object underwater causes movement of the optical reflector that is detected by the optical sensing portion.

Underwater optical load cell system

A rudder assembly is attached to the nozzle of a jet-powered watercraft by a spring-loaded pivot so as to turn with the nozzle when the craft is steered. The rudder assembly has two flat plate rudders with a baffle plate attached perpendicularly between the rudders. The baffle plate partially covers the nozzle when the watercraft is at rest and is held in position by the spring-loaded pivot. At slow speeds the rudders are parallel to the water jet flow from the nozzle to aid in steering the watercraft. At higher speeds, the force of the water jet against the baffle plate overcomes the spring force to pivot the rudder assembly up and away from the nozzle such that steering is provided by directing the nozzle. In an imminent high-speed collision situation, the panic reaction is to shut off the throttle, which abruptly ends the jet flow from the nozzle. The spring-loaded pivot forces the baffle plate back over the nozzle and the rudders are again positioned parallel with the nozzle to provide steering without any flow from the nozzle.

Self-deploying rudder for high speed maneuverability of jet-powered watercraft

A baffle system for mitigating thruster wake deficit is provided in the environment of an underwater vehicle. The baffle system includes at least one baffle member initially housed within a thruster housing of the underwater vehicle and an actuating member for selectively positioning the at least one baffle member into a fluid flow over an outer surface of the underwater vehicle. The baffle members deflect the fluid flow from the thruster into surface contact with the outer surface of the underwater vehicle aft of the thruster housing on a discharge side thereof and directs the fluid flow into the thruster housing on an intake side thereof. The baffles may be as few as two and as many as four, and are selectively introduced into the fluid flow passing over the outer surface of the vehicle to direct the fluid flow accordingly.

Baffle system for mitigation of thruster wake deficit

A valve for introducing polymer into a moving water stream prior to flowing he water stream, with the polymer therein, onto a hull surface of an underwater vehicle. The valve comprises a venturi block having therethrough a venturi passageway for flowing water therethrough, a polymer inlet tube extending through the venturi block and into the venturi passageway for introducing the polymer into the water flowing through the venturi passageway. A shut-off plunger extends through a bore in the venturi block and is axially aligned with the polymer inlet tube, the plunger being reciprocally movable in the bore between a first position in which a head portion of the plunger extends into and seals closed the polymer inlet tube, and a second position in which the head portion of the plunger is spaced from sealing engagement with said polymer inlet tube. A piston and cylinder assembly moves the plunger between the first and second positions.

Piston and cylinder actuated polymer mixing valve

A drag balance for measuring drag forces on a model is described which mos within a hollow region of a streamlined strut. The strut is attached to a carriage for towing the model through a medium. The drag balance has a ground frame attached inside the strut and a balance frame attached to the flat plate at the base of the strut. The ground frame and balance frame are connected by flexures which allow only a small amount of movement of the balance frame and model relative to the ground frame and strut in the towing direction. Strain gages are attached to one or more of the flexures to determine the amount of bending in the flexures and thus obtain a measure of the drag forces exerted on the model. Mounting the drag balance within the streamlined strut minimizes turbulence and allows the drag balance to be connected directly to the model at the base of the strut such that drag forces on the model are accurately determined.

Strut-mounted drag balance

An articulated fin of the present invention includes a nose section, a tail ection, an upper flexible control surface, and a lower flexible control surface. The upper and lower flexible control surfaces each span from the tail section to the nose section. The fin further includes a gear assembly for applying compressive and tensile forces on the upper and lower flexible control surfaces. The gear assembly bends the tail section upwardly upon applying a tensile force on the upper flexible control surface and a compression force on the lower flexible control surface, and bends the tail section downwardly upon applying a compression force on the upper flexible control surface and a tensile force on the lower flexible control surface.

Articulated fin

A self-sealing venturi type mixing valve for mixing a polymer with water as t is being dispensed. A hollow piston is slidably mounted in the valve body. Water flows through the piston and into a venturi tube causing the water flow to become turbulent. A circumferential slot connected to a polymer reservoir surrounds the downstream end of the piston. The piston is spring-loaded within the valve such that its downstream end seals against the portion of the valve body forming the throat of the venturi tube, also sealing the slot from the venturi tube. When polymer flow is started, the pressure of the polymer pushes the piston away from the throat, allowing polymer to flow into the tube and mix with the water. When the polymer flow is shut off, the spring-loaded piston closes off the slot. Any polymer remaining in the slot is sealed off from contact with water, thus preventing clogging of the valve. The travel of the piston, and thus the size of the slot opening, can be changed by adjusting the location of the piston stop.

Self-sealing mixing valve

A system of articulation units is inserted between sections of a standard lindrical underwater vehicle, such as a torpedo, to provide a highly maneuverable vehicle. Each articulation unit consists of two bulkheads connected by a spherical joint which allows rotation about the joint. The bulkheads are connected to adjacent torpedo sections by means of standard joint bands. A number of hydraulic actuators are spaced radially about the spherical joint between the bulkheads. By selectively activating the actuators, the joint bends the vehicle about its longitudinal axis. The pressure of the surrounding medium against the moving vehicle causes the vehicle to turn in the direction of the bend. Depending on the actuators activated, the vehicle can be made to bend, or turn, in any direction, making for a highly maneuverable vehicle. The articulation units have flexible cover membranes over the space between the bulkheads so as to present a smooth surface to the surrounding medium and hence not appreciably increase the drag on the torpedo.

Growing community of inventors

Middletown, RI, United States of America

William H Nedderman