Abstract: Wearable rubber parts for fluid handling systems include a four layer structure, wherein the inner most layer of the four layer structure is a polyurethane layer. The polyurethane can be millable polyurethane. The polyurethane used in the inner most layer can be produced by reacting diisolcyanate with a polyester and/or polyether polyols and a chain extender. The wearable rubber part can be an expansion joint, a pinch valve, or a hose.

Abstract: Wearable rubber parts for fluid handling systems include a four layer structure, wherein the inner most layer of the four layer structure is a polyurethane layer. The polyurethane can be millable polyurethane. The polyurethane used in the inner most layer can be produced by reacting diisolcyanate with a polyester and/or polyether polyols and a chain extender. The wearable rubber part can be an expansion joint, a pinch valve, or a hose.

Abstract: A sealing assembly has an expansion band having an arcuate band portion and a pair of threaded end portions formed at opposing ends of the arcuate band, in which the arcuate band and threaded end portions are monolithically formed as a single piece. Fixed within respective threaded end portions are a pair of oppositely threaded nuts adapted to receive a bolt having correspondingly oppositely threaded ends. Rotation of the bolt causes the threaded end portions to be simultaneously driven apart or drawn toward one another (depending on the rotation direction of the bolt) to thereby expand or contract the overall outer profile of the arcuate band portion. The monolithically formed expansion band may be made of an inexpensive, non-rusting material such as nylon 66, and glass fibers and/or additives may be employed to impart strength and flexibility.

Abstract: The invention relates to an attachment ring for attaching an object in a flow channel. The attachment ring has a first surface for contacting the object and a second surface for contacting a surface of a shoulder. An expansion member expands the attachment ring by pushing the ends away from each other when the expansion member is moved into the opening. At least one of the second surface of the attachment ring and the surface of the shoulder is inclined in order to wedge the attachment ring between the surface of the shoulder and the object when the attachment ring is expanded by the expansion member.

Abstract: An extensible torpedo has a body, a cavity within the body and a water reactive material in communication with the cavity. A mechanism selectively positions the cavity between a first volume and a second volume and also selectively positions the torpedo between a first length and a second length. The second volume and length are greater than the first volume and length. The mechanism introduces ambient water into the cavity in a volume that represents a stoichiometric balance with the amount of water reactive material.

Abstract: A removable protective nose cover for a submersible structure having a nose section is disclosed. The removable protective nose cover can include a plurality of shell members, each of the shell members having a forward end and an aft end. Each shell member can also be dimensioned to fit adjacent to and around the nose section of the submersible structure and thereby form a protective shell. A central nose member having a locking member can also be included, the locking member being operable to attach the central nose member to each of the forward ends of the shell members. The aft ends of the shell members can be attached to each other using a plurality of attachment clips such that the attachment of the central nose member to each of the forward ends of the shell members and the attachment of the adjacent aft ends of the shell members form the removable protective nose cover for the submersible structure.

Abstract: A high velocity acoustic signal producing underwater shotgun system for dispersing a plurality of relatively small supercavitating projectiles over a wide spatial field at long range using the dynamics of cavity collapse for better target localization in underwater mine clearance. A typical supercavitating projectile design is enhanced to produce a two-staged projectile in order to accomplish this innovation. The first stage of the two stage design allows for the long range firing underwater typical of a supercavitating projectile while the second stage permits the coverage of a wide area with a plurality of small supercavitating projectiles just as the first stage projectile reaches its fixed range. A distinctive feature of the radiated noise from a supercavitating projectile contacting a solid object is used in conjunction with the two stage projectile design to provide a system for underwater mine clearance verification.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for altering the course of a moving article and a method thereof comprising of a launching aircraft or surface craft to deploy said apparatus towards a moving article. The apparatus comprises of a driving mechanism (10), wherein said driving mechanism (10) further comprises of a plurality of sections such as a nose section (12), a propulsion section (14), a drag chute section (16) and a cutting section (18), and wherein said sections are integrally connected with one another in a tight and secure manner. The driving mechanism (10) is capable to be launched from an aircraft or a surface craft towards a target and wherein upon launch said driving mechanism (10) is capable of steering itself on its own towards its target and thereafter attaching itself to the target and wherein by using the drag chute section (16).

Abstract: A tailcone assembly for a submarine countermeasure includes a generally hemispherically shaped shell having a planar aft end and an annular open forward end. Fins are fixed to the shell equidistantly around the shell externally thereof, each of the fins having a planar outboard surface extending aft and inboard of the shell. Connector structure is on the forward end of the shell for connecting to an aft end of the countermeasure. A first aperture is disposed in a side of the shell and a cable extends from inside the shell therethrough. A second aperture extends through one of the fins and the cable extends therethrough. An opening is disposed centrally of the shell aft end, extends therethrough, and is adapted to retain a shaft assembly therein.

Abstract: A propeller protector for a countermeasure vehicle having a propeller shaft, a propeller fixed to the shaft, radial fins fixed on the vehicle and extending outwardly from the shaft, and a shield fixed to the fins and surrounding the propeller. The propeller protector includes a sleeve having an end wall at a first end thereof, and an open second end engaged with the vehicle, the first end and side walls of the sleeve having perforations therein. The sleeve first end is provided with a central opening. A nut is fixed to the sleeve end wall, threadedly mounted on the shaft, and disposed around the central opening. Stop structure on the sleeve and the vehicle prevents rotation of the sleeve relative to the vehicle. Rotation of the propeller shaft unscrews the shaft from the nut, permitting the nut and the sleeve to move axially to disengage from the vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus for joining cylindrical sections, including a semi-cylindrical profile section or member adapted to be coupled to a cylindrical section on an outer circumferential portion of the profile section or member and including an outer circumferential groove and an inner circumferential ridge; a ring-shaped compression ring or member coupled to the profile section or member and including a circumferential groove on an outer portion thereof and attachment fixtures or members on opposite sides thereof; and a pair of semi-cylindrical tension bands or members forming a ring shape and each including a pair of inner circumferential ridges and attachment fixtures or members on end portions thereof. The circumferential ridge of the profile section or member couples to the circumferential groove of the compression ring or member. One of the circumferential ridges of one of the tension bands or members couples to respective of the circumferential groove of the profile section or member.

Abstract: A method is provided to process system test data to determine certification parameters of the system based on the test data. For a torpedo launch system, the velocity data is generated by a Pressure/Velocity/Displacement housing interfaced with a computer based data acquisition system and known launch system and test parameters, such as sample rate, muzzle exit length, time of acquisition, decimation factor and low pass cutoff frequency are provided as inputs. The method forces assigns a value of zero to any data less than a predetermined threshold in order to eliminate non-zero levels contributed by ambient noise. The method then passes the data through a filter chosen to agree with hand fit smoothing methods, so as to obtain a smoothed velocity profile. The smoothed data is processed to obtain and display an acceleration profile and a displacement profile, as well as data points for peak acceleration, time at peak, acceleration pulse width, muzzle exit velocity and time at exit.

Abstract: A marine countermeasures launch assembly includes a cylindrical body including first and second members having, respectively, first and second surfaces engageable with each other to form the body, the first surface having first and second recesses therein, the second surface having first and second recesses therein opposed to the recesses of the first member when the members are engaged, to form a first chamber for retaining a first countermeasure and a second chamber for retaining a second countermeasure. The first and second surfaces have opposed bores therein. A spring is disposed in each pair of the opposed bores and urges the members to separate from each other to release the countermeasures after the assembly is launched.

Abstract: A joint band assembly secures payload and drive sections of a torpedo together and subsequently separates them while the torpedo is making a run. A pair of essentially semicircular bands is arranged in a ring shape have radially inwardly extending lip portions that compressively engage circumferential rims radially outwardly extending from a separation section having first and second parts connected to the payload and drive sections. Adjacent ends of the semicircular bands are coupled together by electro-explosive devices (EEDs) that each has a tubular body portion containing an explosive charge adjacent an annular segment of the tubular body portion. The annular segment has reduced thickness as compared to thickness of the tubular body portion to assure its rupture and separation of the body portion and the interconnected bands.

Abstract: A deployable nose is used on an underwater vehicle to provide a shorter length when in a retracted position and to provide a reduced drag when in the deployed position. The deployable nose includes a plurality of nose sections and a deployment mechanism that moves the plurality of nose sections from the retracted position to the deployed position. The nose sections include a base nose section attached at the end of the underwater vehicle, an outer nose section having a rounded contour, and one or more intermediate nose sections between the base nose section and outer nose section. In the retracted position, the outer nose section and one or more intermediate nose sections are retracted generally within the base nose section. In the deployed position, the outer nose section and intermediate nose sections extend outwardly from the base nose section and interlock proximate the edges of the nose sections to form the deployed nose.

Abstract: A launch platform for a host vehicle. There is a cradle having a cylindrical shape with peripheral axial recesses formed therein and arranged around the cradle. A release mechanism is positioned within the cradle. The release mechanism releasably joins small cylindrical undersea vehicles positioned in said peripheral axial recesses.

Abstract: A bladder shaped to conform to the form of the sonar transducer housing of a torpedo in which it is located compensates for volume changes because of temperature changes of the oil which fills the transducer housing. The bladder also compensates for the change in water pressure produced by the depth at which the torpedo is operating. The bladder is sufficiently stiff so that it maintains a predetermined shape substantially midway between its fully extended and fully compressed position during the time that the housing is air evacuated and then filled with oil at near atmospheric pressure. The bladder is thus capable of expanding or contracting to accommodate changes in the volume of the contained oil as the temperature of the oil changes. The bladder is preferably made of a material without substantial spring force or stretch.

Abstract: In an acoustic homing torpedo having a transducer section mounted forward the nose shell, an elastomeric, acoustically transparent sleeve is installed over the torpedo nose section and extends aft of the discontinuity at the transducer/nose section interface, thereby reducing the torpedo self-noise generated by cavitation occurring at the discontinuity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for isolating one part of a body from mechanical rations from another part thereof by providing a flexible gasket between the two parts of the body. The flexible gasket includes a plurality of voids to permit adequate space for the deformed gasket when the body is subjected to varying dynamic conditions. One embodiment of the apparatus is a transducer nose section of a torpedo which includes a pliable gasket for isolating the acoustic transducers housed therein from extraneous shell-born and mechanical vibrations. It further includes two pieces or elements such as the aft piece and forward piece which are kept a certain distance apart to create a gap using a plurality of shims and polyurethene is poured in between the two elements so as to form the pliable gasket. The shims are then removed leaving voids in the polyurethene gasket. Alternatively, polyurethene poured in between the two elements is drilled at a plurality of spaces to create voids therein.