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AssigneeThe Commonwealth of Australia
InventorsPeter Ramsay, Brian W. Whiffen, Gerald M. Bushnell, Victor Nanut, Robert C. Czigledy, Robert J. Swinton, Maxwell J. Coxhead, Timothy R. Clarke
Estimating the term…
A flare (1) for submarine use. The flare (1) is caused to be deployed from a submarine location where it will rise to the surface of the water because of its buoyant casing. A hydrostatic valve means (147) is provided within the casing and it opens when the flare is at or near the surface of the water to render said flare ready to project a flare composition (5) into the air. The hydrostatic valve means (147) is held inoperative by a latch mechanism (51) which is tripped as the flare is deployed from a firing tube at the submarine location. The flare composition (5) cannot be projected into the air until the flare (1) is within a range of vertical attitude determined by inclination means (13). The flare composition (5) cannot be projected into the air until the nose is above water. The flare (1) thus has a sensor (23) at its forward nose to determine that the nose is above the water. A time delay means (87) is provided which is initiated by a pyrotechnic medium (85) used to project the flare composition (5) into the air, to delay ignition of the flare composition (5) until it has at least cleared the surface of the water.
A flare for underwater vessel use that can be launched from below the surface of a body of sea water comprising an elongated buoyant casing, a projectable tubular body located in the casing containing a flare composition which body can be projected from the casing into the air when the casing is at or near the surface of the water, propulsion means for projecting said tubular body from the casing, means for igniting the flare composition after the body is projected into the air to provide a visible display in the air, and control means for activating the propulsion means when the casing is at or near the surface of the water and for igniting the flare composition when the body is in the air, said control means including inclination means for sensing the vertical orientation of the casing that permit the propulsion means to be activated only when the vertical orientation of the casing is within a prescribed range of vertical attitude, said casing being deployable from a firing tube on the vessel from a location beneath the surface of the water, its buoyancy carrying it to the surface where the tubular body containing the flare composition can be projected therefrom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.