U.S. patent number 3,872,819 [Application Number 05/443,646] was granted by the patent office on 1975-03-25 for wave-actuated horizontal array stretcher.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy. Invention is credited to George O. Pickens.
United States Patent |
3,872,819 |
Pickens |
March 25, 1975 |
Wave-actuated horizontal array stretcher
Abstract
A wave-actuated propulsion motor includes a surface float having
a support epending therefrom carrying a plurality of freely
pivotable fins. A weight suspended from the underside of said
support stabilizes the support in a horizontal plane and provides a
downward force counter to the buoyant force provided by the surface
float. Pivotal or flexible fins are moved between two limit
positions or flexed by water displaced by vertical movements of the
support in following wave-induced motions of the surface float. A
towing connection is made to the framework to transmit horizontal
forces caused by deflection of the fin-controlled water movements
in a horizontal plane.
Inventors: |
Pickens; George O. (San Diego,
CA) |
Assignee: |
The United States of America as
represented by the Secretary of the Navy (Washington,
DC)
|
Family
ID: |
23761635 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/443,646 |
Filed: |
February 19, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
440/9;
114/293 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63H
19/02 (20130101); Y02T 70/5236 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B63H
19/02 (20060101); B63H 19/00 (20060101); B63h
019/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;115/4,28A,28R
;114/235B,235F,230 ;60/497-506 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Blix; Trygve M.
Assistant Examiner: Goldstein; Stuart M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sciascia; Richard S. Johnston;
Ervin F. Skeer; William T.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wave-actuated tensioning device for applying a tensional force
to a submarine structure comprising:
a surface float;
a pendent line attached to said surface float and extending
downwardly therefrom;
a support attached to the distal end of said pendent line having a
substantially horizontal median plane;
a plurality of pivotable fins attached to said support in a manner
to permit pivoting between two limit positions where the fins are
inclined upwardly or downwardly from the median plane thereof;
attachment means connected to said support and extending outwardly
therefrom substantially in the median plane therof for providing a
tensioning connection to said submarine structure; and
stabilizing means attached to said support and extending downwardly
therefrom for providing a downward force thereon, whereby vertical
motions imparted to said support by virtue of the buoyant movement
of said surface float in following the action of surface waves and
the restorative downward force provided by said stabilizing means
cause the pivotable or flexible fins to move between their two
positions and divert the water displaced by said vertical motions
along directions at an angle to said vertical movement.
2. A wave-actuated tension device, according to claim 1, wherein
said support includes an open rectangular frame.
3. A wave-actuated tension device, according to claim 2, wherein
said plurality of pivotable fins extend transversely across the
opening of said open rectangular frame.
4. A wave-actuated tension device, according to claim 3, wherein
said plurality of pivotable fins include two or more layers of fins
positioned symmetrically with respect to the median plane of the
aforesaid support.
5. A wave-actuated tensioning device, according to claim 2, in
which said stabilizing means includes a weight attached to each
corner of said rectangle by means of a cable bridle.
6. A wave-actuated tension device, according to claim 1, wherein
said attachment means includes a cable towing bridle.
7. A wave-actuated tension device, according to claim 1, wherein
said attachment means comprises a pivoted towing bar, whereby said
support may assume a crab angle with respect to the submarine
structure about its center of effort.
8. A wave-actuated tension device, according to claim 1, wherein
said stabilizing means includes an anchor attached to the underside
of said support by means of a depending cable bridle to also
provide downward movement of said support.
9. A wave-actuated towing device, according to claim 1, further
including:
a sensing means attached to said support for sensing the compass
bearing thereof; and
a rudder ("beaver tail") pivotably attached to said support and
effectively connected to said sensing means for movement thereby to
effect a constant heading of said support means in response to the
vertical movements thereof.
10. A wave-actuated tensioning device, according to claim 9,
wherein said sensing means is a magnetometer compass.
11. A wave-actuated tensioning device, according to claim 10,
further including a motor means mounted on said support and
effectively connected to said rudder to provide a controlled
movement thereof.
12. A wave-actuated tensioning device for tensioning underwater
cables comprising:
a rectangular frame;
a yoke attached to said rectangular frame and extending thereabove
to support said frame;
a line attached to said yoke at one end;
a buoy attached to the other end of said line to support said
rectangular frame via said line and yoke at a fixed distance
beneath the surface of the water;
stabilizing means attached to said rectangular frame for
maintaining said rectangular frame in a desired spatial
orientation;
connection means attached to said frame for securing the underwater
cables thereto; and
pivotable fin means attached to said frame to pivot in response to
vertical motion thereof and positioned with respect to said
rectangular frame to produce a laterally directed propulsive force
which is transmitted via said connection means to the underwater
cable as a tensioning force.
Description
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or
for the Government of the United States of America for governmental
purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or
therefor.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to the field of naval architecture. In
greater particularity, the invention pertains to marine propulsion
plants. In still greater particularity, but without limitation
thereto, this invention pertains to a wave-actuated propulsion
motor which converts the force of wave actions producing vertical
movements of a surface float to a propulsion force substantially at
right angles to said direction of movement. By way of
characterization and illustration, the invention will be described
as it pertains to positioning and stretching of underwater acoustic
arrays.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In general, underwater horizontal hydrophone arrays are held in
position by means of anchors and buoys or, alternatively, by means
of surface towing ships which may be underway or simply drifting
with the surface currents.
In cases where the array is positioned by the means of anchors, and
cooperating buoys, the various anchor lines are slanted and
connected to the array such that horizontal force components are
generated by the anchors and the anchor lines and upwards pull of
subsurface buoys. In such instances, depth is regulated by using
cables connecting surface buoys and the underwater arrays. The
systems, while satisfactory in some applications, require operation
in water shallow enough to position anchors on the bottom so as to
maintain a slanted anchor line. These conditions are not always
available and, furthermore, difficulties arise in transportation
and deployment of such large amounts of equipment. These
difficulties preclude short term deployment of these arrays.
The use of surface towing ships to stretch and position the array
requires the expenditure of considerable manpower and expense in
keeping the various ships on station and prohibits long term or
covert placement.
Therefore, a need in the oceanographic arts has long been felt for
a method of placement of horizontally disposed electroacoustic
arrays which may be maintained in place for relatively long periods
and do not require a plurality of station-keeping surface
vessels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention comprises a framework having pivotal or flexible
blades thereon which divert water displaced by vertical movements
of the framework and thereby produce a propulsive force in reaction
to this water deflection. The framework is maintained at the
desired depth by means of a vertically depending support line and
is stabilized in a horizontal position by a vertically depending
bridle and anchor or weight on the underside thereof. The framework
is caused to experience periodic vertical displacements by means of
buoying floats on the surface of the water and attached to the
framework by dependent lines and the restoring force produced by
the vertically depending anchor.
STATEMENT OF THE OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The primary purpose of this invention is to provide a wave-actuated
propulsion motor for marine environments.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a
wave-actuated marine propulsion device suitable for stretching and
positioning underwater electroacoustic arrays.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for
converting vertical wave motions to horizontal propulsive
force.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device for
tensioning an underwater cable in response to surface movements of
the body of water.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a marine
propulsion unit which derives propulsion force by deflection of
displacement of the currents.
These and other objects of the invention will become more readily
apparent from the ensuing specification when taken together with
the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the invention being
utilized to position and stretch a horizontally configured
electroacoustic array;
FIG. 2 is a lateral view of one of the array stretchers used in
FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a lateral perspective view of another configuration of
the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, a hydrophone array is indicated generally at
11. In the illustrated arrangement, hydrophone array 11 includes a
horizontal triangular portion 12 having vertically dependent
hydrophone arrays 13 extending downwardly from each corner
thereof.
The elements comprising hydrophone array 11 may be of any flexible
linear type. However, for purposes of completeness, it should be
noted that the array disclosed in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No.
391,198 filed the 24th of Aug. 1973, by Frank R. Abbott for
"Towable Sonar Array" has proven satisfactory in the developmental
models.
The corners of the triangular array 12 are held in a horizontal and
spaced-apart position by means of radially extending lines 14.
Lines 14 are tensioned by a wave-actuated propulsion motor,
indicated generally at 15, attached to the other end thereof.
As shown, wave-actuated motors 15 are supported by surface floats
16 via length of cable 17. Similarly, vertical portions 13 of the
hydrophone array 11 are maintained in a vertical position by means
of an anchor 18 attached to the lower end thereof in a float 19 on
the surface of the water connected to the upper end of hydrophone
array 13 by means of a cable 20.
Referring to FIG. 2, the structural details of wave-actuated motor
15 are better illustrated. As shown, cable 17 attaches to an eye 21
located on the under surface of float 16. It should be understood
that such an illustration is somewhat diagrammatic and that float
16 may be any of several well known oceanographic floats. For
example, that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,629 issued to William A.
Rhyne, et al., on Oct. 19, 1971 for "Buoyant Cabling System," has
proven satisfactory. The other end of cable 17 is attached to a
pivotable yoke 22 which extends upwardly from the support 25.
Support 25 is a hollow rectangular construction made of any
suitable material, such as steel or aluminum, for example.
Support 25 is stabilized in a horizontal position by a vertically
depending yoke made of flexible lines 23 which attach to the upper
end of the dependent weight or anchor 24. As shown, each of the
lines 23 is attached to a corner of rectangular support 25 to
provide uniform leveling force thereon as a result of the tension
imparted to the arrangement by weight 24.
A plurality of fins 26 are carried by rectangular support 25 and
are pivotally journaled thereon by means of an axle 27 extending
through each fin 26 and rotatably journaled in the side members of
support 25. Alternatively, fins 26 may be made of flexible material
such as rubber and axle 27 may be a rigidly held mounting
shaft.
As float 16 follows the wave actions on the surface of the body of
water and the downward pull exerted by anchor 24, the support frame
25 is caused to reciprocate vertically. This vertical reciprocation
displaces a volume of water which cause fins 26 to pivot or flex
between a position in which they slant upwards in response to
downward movements of frame 25 or downwards in response to upward
movements thereof. Of course, this water displaced by the vertical
motion is deflected by fins 26 and a resultant to this deflected
water movement is a propulsive force tending to move support frame
25 to the right in FIG. 2. This movement tensions line 14 which is
attached to horizontal frame 25 by a self-formed, flexible
bridle.
In normal seas and for short lengths of time, the aforedescribed
construction satisfactorily tensions horizontal array into the
desired configuration. However, as might be well understood,
prolonged deployment in the ocean causes the position of
wave-actuated motors 15 to be moved somewhat from the stations at
which they were originally deployed. By employing conventional
marine hardware, this variation in position may be corrected.
Referring to FIG. 3, a modified wave-actuated motor according to
the invention is illustrated. As shown rectangular support 25'
differs somewhat from support frame 25. Two layers of pivotable
fins 26' and 26" are carried in parallel planes on either side of
the median plane of rectangular support 25'. This arrangement
permits twice the deflection surface to generate increased
propulsive force and to better respond to the change in motion from
upward to downward directions.
It will also be observed that line 14, rather than attaching to
support 25' by means of a self-formed bridle as in the previous
configuration, is attached to a pivoted towing yoke 31 which may
comprise a single strut member. Yoke 31 is pivoted about the center
of effort of the propulsion force to permit support 25' to assume a
crab angle with respect to line 14.
A flexible rudder 32 is attached to a pillar 33 which is positioned
by means of a suitable electric motor 34. Rudder 32 is a
horizontal, flexible member known, for obvious reasons, as a
"beaver tail" in the marine engineering arts. Thus, the heading of
rectangular support frame 25' may be controlled in response to the
vertical oscillation thereof and maintain a given compass heading
which will enable the motor of FIG. 3 to maintain a desired array
configuration for a longer period of time. A magnetometer compass
35, or other magnetic compass, is supported from the other end of
rectangular frame 25 by means of a suitable mounting bracket 36.
Magnetometer compass 35 is used to produce an error signal to
control motor 34 to this end. The magnetometer compass detection
circuitry and interconnection to electric motor 34 are of a
conventional nature as indicated by broken line 37 and any of
several known arrangements may be employed for this purpose.
However, for purposes of completeness, that shown in U.S. Pat. No.
3,596,069, issued on July 27, 1971 to Wayne E. Burt for
"Computer-Stabilized Magnet Compass" has proven satisfactory.
Alternatively, compass 35 may be mounted on towing yoke 31 to
maintain the bearing of tensioning line 14 rather than the entire
propulsion unit 15' to assume a crab angle with respect to line
14.
The electric power source for motor 34 and compass 35 may be
conveniently provided by conventional battery arrangement carried
on support frame 25', or on anchor 24', which is suspended from
rectangular support 25' by means of a flexible cable unit 23'
similar to that described in connection with FIG. 2.
The aforegoing description taken together with the appended claims
constitutes a disclosure such as to enable a person skilled in the
marine engineering and naval architecture arts having the benefit
of the teachings contained therein to make and use the invention.
Further, the structure herein described meets the aforestated
objects of the invention, and generally constitutes a meritorious
advance in the art which is unobvious to such workers befret of the
benefits of these teachings.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present
invention are possible in the light of the above teachings, and, it
is therefore understood that within the scope of the disclosed
inventive concept, the invention may be practiced otherwise than
specifically described.
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