Torpedo recovery device

The torpedo recovery unit of claimn 1 wherein said valve member includes an elongated, generally cylindrical valve body formed of non-ferrous material and threadably receiving at said first valve member end portion a threaded first plug with said inflation needle rigidly attached to an outward side thereof, said valve member interior gas passage including a gas passage in said first plug extending from a centrally positioned seat on an interior endwall communicating with an axially extending interior chamber of said valve body to a gas passage in said inflation needle, said valve member body threadably receiving at said second valve member end portion a threaded second plug with an outward side thereof positioned to operatively depress said bottle release valve to release the pressurized gas in said bottle when said bottle is attached to said body to pressurize said valve body interior chamber, said valve member interior gas passage further including a gas passage in said second plug extending from an off-center opening in an exterior end wall positioned to receive gas from said bottle to an opening in an interior end wall communicating with said valve body interior chamber, said valve member further including a plunger formed of ferrous material slidably mounted within said valve body interior chamber, said plunger having a ball mounted at an end toward said first plug to sealably engage said seat and prevent gas from passing into said first plug gas passage when said plunger is moved into position at said first plug, said plunger being biased toward said first plug to sealably engage said ball with said seat by a resilient member positioned within said valve body interior chamber between said plunger and second plug, said valve member further including a solenoid coil positioned exteriorly about said valve body for selectively applying an electromagnetic force to said plunger for moving said plunger away from said first plug to unseat said ball and permit gas to pass into said first plug gas passage.

A torpedo recovery unit positionable within a torpedo casing having an opening for receiving the unit, comprising:

• a body with an interior cavity having an open end mountable within the torpedo casing, said body being insertable into the opening in the torpedo casing with said body open end at the casing opening and being rigidly supportable within the torpedo casing;
• a non-rigid, gas inflatable airfoil foldable within said interior body cavity for deployment therefrom upon inflation;
• a bottle containing pressurized gas rigidly and removably attached to said body with the torpedo casing, said bottle having a release valve for release of the pressurized gas in said bottle upon depression of said release valve;
• a valve member rigidly attached to said body, said valve member having a first end portion extending through an aperture in said body and projecting into said interior body cavity, said first end portion having an inflation needle for inflation of said airfoil, said valve member further having a second end portion positioned outside of said body and operatively and sealably engaging said release valve when said bottle is attached to said body, said valve member having an interior gas passage extending between said second end portion and said inflation needle at said first end portion with gas flow through said passage being controlled by a solenoid operated valve, said passage to the bottle side being charged with pressurized gas from said bottle upon attachment of said bottle to said body, said solenoid valve being selectively operable to open said passage to allow flow of pressurized gas to said inflation needle for inflation of said airfoil, said valve member including an elongated, generally cylindrical valve body formed of non-ferrous material and having at said first valve member end portion a first plug with said inflation needle rigidly attached to an outward side thereof, said valve member interior gas passage including a gas passage in said first plug extending from a centrally positioned seat on an interior endwall communicating with an axially extending interior chamber of said valve body to a gas passage in said inflation needle, said valve member body having at said second valve member end portion a second plug with an outward side thereof positioned to operatively depress said bottle release valve to release the pressurized gas in said bottle when said bottle is attached to said body to pressurize said valve body interior chamber, said valve member interior gas passage further including a gas passage in said second plug extending from an opening in an exterior end wall positioned to receive gas from said bottle to an opening in an interior end wall communicating with said valve body interior chamber, said valve member further including a plunger formed of ferrous material slidably mounted within said valve body interior chamber, said plunger having a ball mounted at an end toward said first plug to sealably engage said seat and prevent gas from passing into said first plug gas passage when said plunger is moved into position at said first plug, said piston being biased toward said first plug to sealably engage said ball with said seat, said valve member further including a solenoid coil for selectively applying an electromagnetic force to said plunger for moving said plunger away from said first plug to unseat said ball and permit gas to pass into said first plug gas passage,
• a reel positioned within said interior body cavity and coaxially and rotatably mounted on said valve member first end portion, said reel having a tether line wrapped thereabout with one end attached to said airfoil, said reel being substantially free to play out said tether line upon deployment of said airfoil from said interior body cavity under the pulling force applied to said tether line by said airfoil when inflated;
• and
• a lid positioned at said body open end and releasably engaging said body, said lid being outwardly opening under the force applied to an inward side thereof by said airfoil during inflation.