Compact cylindrical sonobuoy
AssigneeSparton Corporation
InventorsCarl F. Baker, Theadore E. Upham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A small sonobuoy for dropping without a parachute and quickly deploying hydrophones is cylindrical and adapted to float with its axis parallel to the water. The hydrophone cable is wrapped around the housing so that the housing rotates as the cable is payed out. The antenna is also wrapped around the housing and is released after the cable is fully deployed. A retainer covering the coiled cable and the stored hydrophones is held in place by a releasable pin which is released by an electrical device activated by a sea water sensitive switch. The device heats a resistor which melts a lanyard which releases the pin.
Claims8
A sonobuoy comprising:
- a generally cylindrical housing defining an axis and including a cylindrical portion,
- an electronic circuit in said housing,
- an antenna supported on said housing in a retracted position,
- hydrophone means releasably retained in said housing,
- an electrical signal cable coiled around said cylindrical portion of the housing and electrically connected between said hydrophone means and said electronic circuit,
- said housing being buoyant in water and adapted to float with the axis of the housing parallel to the surface of the water,
- means for moving said antenna to an erected position,
- and means for releasing said hydrophone means from said housing while the sonobuoy is in a body of water whereby said hydrophone means sinks and said cable is uncoiled thereby causing rotation of the housing about said axis as the hydrophone means descends,
- the center of mass of said sonobuoy, after deployment of said hydrophone means, being located with respect to the center of rotation of the housing to provide a righting moment which, in conjunction with the pull of the cable, causes said sonobuoy to float with said antenna extending vertically after it is erected, the righting moment being small enough to allow rotation of the housing during descent of the hydrophone means.
A sonobuoy comprising,
- a generally cylindrical housing defining an axis and including first and second spaced cylindrical portions,
- an electronic circuit in said housing,
- hydrophone means releasably retained by said housing,
- an electrical signal cable coiled around said first cylindrical portion of the housing and electrically connected between said hydrophone means and said electronic circuit,
- said housing being buoyant in water and adapted to float with the axis of the housing parallel to the surface of the water,
- means for releasing said hydrophone means from said housing while the sonobuoy is in a body of water whereby said hydrophone means sinks and said cable is uncoiled thereby causing rotation of the housing about said axis as the hydrophone means descends,
- an antenna coiled around the second cylindrical portion, said antenna being connected to the electronic circuit and being made of spring material whereby it is self-erecting when released,
- a lever pivoted about a point near the second cylinder for holding the antenna in its coiled state when the lever is in latched position, the distal end of the lever extending to the first cylindrical portion and being bound to the housing by the coiled cable whereby the lever and the antenna are released when the cable is fully payed out.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.