Proximity fuze

A proximity fuze system comprising in combination:

• a sealed float chamber adapted for floating on the surface of sea water;
• a first receiving transducer, having a downwardly extending hollow conical response pattern, suspended a predetermined distance below said sealed float chamber and supported thereby;
• a shockwave transducer, having a substantially omnidirectional response pattern, suspended a predetermined distance below said first receiving transducer and supported thereby;
• a second receiving transducer, having an upwardly extending hollow conical response pattern which intersects with the downwardly extending hollow conical response pattern of said first receiving transducer, suspended a predetermined distance below said shockwave transducer and supported thereby;
• a first adjustable thresholder connected to the output of said first receiving transducer;
• a second adjustable thresholder connected to the output of said second receiving transducer;
• an OR circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof effectively connected to the output of said first adjustable thresholder, and the other input thereof effectively connected to the output of said second adjustable thresholder;
• a first delay means, having a predetermined signal delay period, coupled to the output of said OR circuit;
• a first memory means, having a predetermined signal prolonging period, coupled to the output of said first adjustable thresholder;
• a second memory means, having a signal prolonging period equal to that of said first memory means, coupled to the output of said second adjustable thresholder;
• a first AND gate having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said first memory means, and the other input thereof connected to the output of said second memory means,
• a second delay means, having a signal delay period less than that of said first delay means, connected to the output of said first AND gate;
• a normally open gate having an input, an output, and a control element, with the input thereof connected to the outputs of said first and second delay means, and the control element adapted for the closing thereof in response to a predetermined signal;
• an explosive charge disposed within said sea water effectively connected to the output of said gate adapted for being detonated in response to a signal passing therethrough;
• a third adjustable thresholder connected to the output of said shockwave transducer;
• a second AND gate having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof effectively coupled to the output of said third adjustable thresholder;
• a third delay means, having a delay period less than the delay periods of said first and second delay means, connected to the output of the aforesaid OR circuit;
• a third memory means, having a signal prolonging period equal to those of said first and second memory means, connected between the output of said third delay means and the other input of said second AND gate;
• and
• a fourth memory means, having a signal prolonging period less than those of said first, second, and third memory means, effectively connected between the output of said third thresholder and the control element of the aforesaid normally open gate.

A proximity fuze-explosive charge array adapted for timely providing an explosive fence between a ship to be protected and an attacking torpedo comprising in combination:

• a plurality of proximity fuze-explosive charge units disposed in such predetermined spatial configuration within the water along the side of said ship as to effect interacting torpedo detection and destruction patterns in the probable trajectory path thereof, with each of said units comprising:
• a sealed float chamber adapted for floating on the surface of sea water;
• a first receiving transducer, having a downwardly extending hollow conical response pattern, suspended a predetermined distance below said sealed float chamber and supported thereby;
• a shockwave transducer, having a substantially omnidirectional response pattern, suspended a predetermined distance below said first receiving transducer and supported thereby;
• a second receiving transducer, having an upwardly extending hollow conical response pattern which intersects with the downwardly extending hollow conical response pattern of said first receiving transducer, suspended a predetermined distance below said shockwave transducer and supported thereby;
• a first adjustable thresholder connected to the output of said first receiving transducer;
• a second adjustable thresholder connected to the output of said second receiving transducer;
• an OR circuit having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof effectively connected to the output of said first adjustable thresholder, and the other input thereof effectively connected to the output of said second adjustable thresholder;
• a first delay means, having a predetermined signal delay period, coupled to the output of said OR circuit;
• a first memory means, having a predetermined signal prolonging period, coupled to the output of said first adjustable thresholder;
• a second memory means, having a signal prolonging period equal to that of said first memory means, coupled to the output of said second adjustable thresholder;
• a first AND gate having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said first memory means, and the other input thereof connected to the output of said second memory means;
• a second delay means, having a signal delay period less than that of said first delay means, connected to the output of said first AND gate;
• a normally open gate having an input, an output, and a control element, with the input thereof connected to the outputs of said first and second delay means, and the control element adapted for the closing thereof in response to a predetermined signal;
• an explosive charge disposed within said sea water effectively connected to the output of said gate adapted for being detonated in response to a signal passing therethrough;
• a third adjustable thresholder connected to the output of said shockwave transducer;
• a second AND gate having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof effectively coupled to the output of said third adjustable thresholder;
• a third delay means, having a delay period less than the delay periods of said first and second delay means, connected to the output of the aforesaid OR circuit;
• a third memory means, having a signal prolonging period equal to those of said first and second memory means, connected between the output of said third delay means and the other input of said second AND gate;
• and
• a fourth memory means, having a signal prolonging period less than those of said first, second, and third memory means, effectively connected between the output of said third thresholder and the control element of the aforesaid normally open gate.