Subbottom rock mapping probe
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorMelvin C. Hironaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A subbottom rock mapping probe for measuring the thickness of a sediment er located on the bottom of a body of water comprising an automatic, downwardly extending, telescoping probe that is gimbally connected to a support member. Water is forced through the probe to disperse the sediment impeding the probe's downward extension. Recording equipment and related measuring devices measure and record the depth of penetration of the probe into the sediment layer from an initial or reference position.
Claims8
A subbottom rock mapping probe for measuring the thickness of a sediment layer located on the bottom of a body of water as well as the depth of the surface of the bottom sediment layer below the water surface comprising:
- a. support means;
- b. a telescoping probe comprising an elongate outer tube gimbally attached to said support means at a first end, an elongate inner tube having first and second opposite ends, a plurality of successively smaller diameter elongate tubes between said inner tube and said outer tube, said plurality of tubes being nested together in such manner that they will automatically extend downward in telescoping fashion when the force of gravity is applied thereto, said inner tube having the smallest diameter and being the last tube in said telescoping configuration, said telescoping probe being capable of automatically extending downward from an initial position along the vertical as a result of the force of gravity being exerted thereon;
- c. a nozzle connected to said elongate inner tube at said second end;
- d. means for forcing water through said elongate inner tube and said nozzle whereby the sediment impeding the automatic downward movement of said telescoping probe is dispersed;
- and
- e. means for controlling the movement of said telescoping probe.
A method for measuring the thickness of a sediment layer located on the bottom of a body of water comprising the steps of:
- a. gimbally mounting a telescoping probe on a support member, said telescoping probe having a nozzle on the end of its smallest diameter section;
- b. securing said telescoping probe in an initial position, said initial position being a fully withdrawn position;
- c. lowering said probe and support member to the ocean bottom at the point the measurement is to be taken;
- d. releasing said telescoping probe from said initial position so that said telescoping probe can freely move downwardly under the force of gravity;
- e. forcing water through said telescoping probe's nozzle so that the sediment layer is dispersed in the vicinity of said nozzle, thereby removing the sediment layer as an impeding force to said probe's downward movement;
- f. measuring and recording the depth of penetration of said probe into the sediment layer when said probe is fully extended or when said probe encounters rock or other hard surface before said probe is fully extended;
- g. terminating the forcing of water through said telescoping probe and the measuring and recording of the depth of penetration of said probe;
- h. returning said probe from said sediment layer back to said probe's initial position;
- i. repeating steps labeled (b) through (h) above for each point to be measured on the ocean bottom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.