Abstract: The method for the measurement of turbulence by using reciprocating ocean microstructure profiler includes the following procedures: 1) system startup; 2) detection of the profile data of ocean dynamic environment information: a. temperature detection; b. shear detection; c. depth detection; and d. current and temperature & conductivity detection; e. gesture sensing; 3) control of ascending and descending operations of the profiler: a. uprising control; b. redirection operation; and c. sinking control; and 4) sleep mode. The method doesn't consume labor several times and the equipment is capable of providing long-time continuous profile measurement at a fixed area along a steel cable; and the entire system can ascend and descend steadily after hydrodynamic optimized layout, eliminating the measurement errors contributable to water flow fluctuation during detection, thus obtaining accurate ocean microstructure observation in vertical with higher precision.

Abstract: A reciprocating ocean microstructure profiler includes a first profiler subunit, a second profiler subunit and a central stand. The first profiler subunit is provided with the first buoyancy drive part and the first observation part; and the second profiler subunit is provided with the second buoyancy drive part and the second observation part. Both the first and second buoyancy drive parts are installed with a floating compartment, a drive compartment and a pressure housing each. A top oil bladder is provided in the floating compartment and a bottom oil bladder in the pressure housing. A drive pump assembly and a solenoid valve are installed in the drive compartment. The first and second observation parts are electrically connected to a controller each and each controller is electrically connected to a drive pump assembly and a solenoid valve.

Abstract: A fixation releasing device by which a buoyant body and a weight may be securely fixed and the fixed state between the buoyant body and the weight may be readily released, using a simple structure. The fixation releasing device is made from a buoyant body, a weight, and a connection designed to connect the buoyant body and weight. The connection device has a connection structure made from a closed loop member, rotation arms, and connection members. A connection member is engaged with each rotation arm, and rotation of each rotation arm is restrained by the closed loop member, thereby fixing the buoyant body. To release the buoyant body, a trigger mechanism provided at the closed loop member is operated to fusion cut the closed loop member. Then, each rotation arm is rotated, and then the connection member comes out of each rotation arm, thereby releasing the buoyant body.

Abstract: A frame is for a remotely operated vehicle. Several frame elements provide a carcass formed of a buoyant material. The frame elements are provided by a curable material having been arranged on the surfaces of the carcass, forming a rigid shell around the carcass. A method of constructing a frame is for a remotely operated vehicle. Several frame elements provide a carcass formed of a buoyant material. The method comprises: forming several core elements of a buoyant material; forming a carcass by joining the core elements together; applying a curable material to the surface of the carcass; and forming several mounts integrated into the curable material, for vehicle components.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for marine deployment according to various aspects of the present invention may operate in conjunction with a floatable housing adapted to be deployed by a marine vehicle. The floatable housing may be adapted to be launched from a marine vehicle and rise to the surface. Assets, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle, may be deployed from the surfaced floatable housing.

Abstract: An articulating sonobuoy is provided. The articulating sonobuoy comprises a plurality of section, and a plurality of joints connecting each of the plurality of section to adjacent sections, wherein each of the plurality of sections self-aligns by rotating about one or more of said plurality of joints changing the shape of the buoy from a stowed configuration to a streamlined deployed configuration.

Abstract: An antenna linear extension and retraction apparatus and method of use for a submersible device is provided. The apparatus includes a body having a cavity formed at an external surface. A bladder containing a core material is arranged within the cavity. The core material contracts and expands the bladder depending upon a pressure that surrounds the bladder. An antenna is operatively connected with the bladder and moves between a retracted position and a deployed position as the bladder contracts and expands.

Abstract: A device for remotely decoupling coupled objects with a fusible link underwater using a replaceable fusible link of appropriate electrical resistance, a method to supply a high-power charge of electricity across the fusible link, a mechanism held by the fusible link to hold and release a secondary link between the coupled objects and to add mechanical advantage to the strength of the fusible link, and a command-signal delivery system that enables remote activation of the device.

Abstract: A deployable buoy having a nose cone and a tail section interconnected by a housing. The buoy comprises an outer shell and a canister with the outer shell axially moveable relative to the canister. An expansion chamber is provided between the outer shell and canister to produce and increase the axial length of the buoy and thereby increase the buoyancy of the buoy from a low buoyancy to a greater buoyancy and to orient and maintain the buoy in a substantially vertical orientation. The buoy is provided with a hot fluid generation source to melt a layer of ice and a nose cone ejection system to expose an antenna for the transmission of data to the central processing system.

Abstract: Sonar suspension apparatus comprising a flotation buoy and an underwater sonar array connected to the flotation buoy by a suspension cable, wherein the sonar array comprises a plurality of transducer-carrying elongate members including at least one rigid arm and at least one flexible line.

Abstract: A submarine deployed sea-state sensor includes an elongated housing having nose cone and an aft end. The housing having a forward buoyant chamber for receiving an accelerometer and for causing the sensor to be buoyed up to the surface, where it will thereafter float in a spar buoy fashion. The housing has, aft of the buoyant chamber, a damping assembly including a longitudinally extending motion damping body, a communication link deployment subassembly and a lifting body, with both the damping assembly and the lifting body attached to a communication link interconnecting the accelerometer and a submerged platform so that, when the subassembly deploys a portion of the communication link between the lifting body and a submerged submarine and this portion of the communication line becomes taught, the lifting body is pulled from the housing and the motion damping body is pulled by the lifting buoy into a distended position from the main portion of the spar buoy.

Abstract: An underwater sound source with a remote controlled actuator comprising a oy having a buoyant portion, a plurality of launch tubes storing acoustic charges, a radio transceiver, control circuitry, hinged doors at the bottom of the tubes, and a safety release circuit. The hinged doors are secured by pneumatic actuators to allow a selected door to open on a radio signal from a remote location. The charges are pressure sensitive and will explode at a preselected depth. A launch platform can deploy the device and remove itself from the general vicinity of the test site. The device releases the charges on command from a transmitter aboard a vessel and reports on the status of the launch tube doors to a receiver aboard a vessel. A safety valve can be opened automatically or on power failure to insure that all acoustic charges have been discharged.

Abstract: An underwater acoustic release system includes a buoyed member with an attached line that is released from a preselected underwater location using an acoustic signal that activates a heating element to melt a volume of wax or like meltable substance. The wax expands, pushing a cylinder or like linkage to release the buoy and its attached line so that it rises to the surface identifying the location for a survey vessel.

Abstract: An autonomous underwater acoustic charge deployment buoy that can deploy ustic charges at preselected time periods. The device can operate away from any control vessels or structures. The device comprises a plurality of launch tubes disposed within a frame supported by an elastomeric floatation collar. An electrical control circuit is fastened to the upper surface of the frame to control acoustic charge release times. A hinged door that is held closed by a burn wire is disposed on lower end of each launch tube. Activation of the control circuit causes the burn wire to part, releasing the hinged door. When the hinged door opens, gravity causes the acoustic charge to drop from the launch tube. The device can deploy a plurality of acoustic charges at preselected times remote from control vessels or structures.

Abstract: An air deployable, volumetric hydrophone array uses three horizontal booms adiating from a central hub suspended at the array operating depth. Loose lines of hydrophones are hung from pairs of points on the boom structure and hang in arcs approximating catenaries.

Abstract: An improved underwater release apparatus, underwater release system and method of controlled release of an underwater object employing the underwater release apparatus. The underwater release apparatus comprises a housing release means mounted on a housing, a securing means for holding the housing at a defined position, the housing release means comprising a pair of load-balanced clamping jaws mounted for movement between a clamping position and a load releasing position, a coupling means attached to a water balanced shaft means slideably mounted on a nonexplosive drive means for driving the shaft between an engaged position and a disengaged position and for releasing the housing from the mooring.

Abstract: A sonobuoy suspension system is disclosed wherein a spring motor having a substantially constant output torque is mounted within an upper sonobouy unit secured to a buoyant flotation member. Formed from a coiled band, constant force extension spring wound in opposite directions about a pair of rotatable drums so that the spring is extended tangentially therebetween, the motor is coupled to a lower sensor unit by a non-compliant suspension cable for supporting the sensor unit at a predetermined underwater depth substantially isolated from the wave affecting the upper unit and flotation member.

Abstract: A sonobuoy is disclosed which has a linear array of hydrophones horizonta depolyable at sea by a metal hydride jet thruster. The thruster is powered by releasing hydrogen gas from iron-titanium hydride (FeTiH.sub.1.95) and igniting it in a mixture with oxygen generated by reacting sodium peroxide (Na.sub.2 O.sub.2) with the water. The hydride is activated by an electrical heater and the steam generated by the combustion of the hydrogen and oxygen mixture. The thrust is directionally controlled in azimuth and depth by a compass and depth sensor.

Abstract: A sonobuoy comprising: a container adapted to nest side-by-side and end-to-end with plural containers of the same configuration; and inflatable parafloat collapsed into an upper chamber of the container; compressed gas means in the container for inflating the parafloat; a hydrophone; a hydrophone suspending cable assembly; and release means for normally securing the hydrophone and the suspending cable assembly to the container and operable to release the hydrophone and suspending cable in response to deposition of the container in a body of water.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring profiles of ocean properties. The apparatus includes a stationary surface buoy to which a weight and cable are attached, the sensors traverse the cable by means of a hydrofoil the pitch of which is varied by a pressure activated sensing system. The apparatus is adapted for use under pack ice or ice bergs. The method is that of moving the sensors in a vertical direction along a guide cable beneath a surface buoy. The cable can hang from the pack ice or be buoyed upward from an anchor on the sea floor.

Abstract: A buoy released from an aircraft for carrying out under water listening includes a balloon fixed to a body by way of a set of halyards extending from the top to the base of the balloon and fixed inside the neck of the body of the buoy. The inflation air penetrates into this neck then into the balloon through triangular openings formed in the neck. A textile sleeve fixed to the internal wall of the neck above the inflation openings turns inside out after impact on the water so as to close these openings, which avoids deflation of the balloon and loss of the buoy.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a large volumetric array of acoustic sensors in water is packaged in a standard configuration sonobuoy envelope and utilizes conventional sonobuoy deployment components. A housing within the envelope contains a plurality of tubular extendable members stored on drums and extendable to form array support booms upon deployment of the apparatus. A plurality of releasable array modules are releasably attached to the housing, each module containing an array cable and a plurality of acoustic sensors secured to and along the cable. As the apparatus enters and descends through the water, the tubular members extend to form array support booms. The array modules are synchronously released to the extension of the tubular members and as the modules descend, the array cables and acoustic sensors deploy, the array cables forming catenaries between points on array support boom pairs or between the housing and points on the various booms.

Abstract: An instrumentation package and float are releasably joined to an anchor by connector that holds the float and anchor together until the anchor impacts the ocean bottom. Upon impact, the inertia of the float and package cause a connector shaft to continue downward motion so that an inwardly biased ball is displaced from a lateral opening in a coaxially located connector housing. After the ball clears the retainer hole and is displaced into a lateral bore in the shaft and after the downward inertial travel of the float and package have stopped, the float pulls the shaft free from the connector housing to suspend the package a predetermined distance below the float via a supporting lanyard. An anchoring lanyard is provided to hold the instrumentation package a predetermined length above the anchor so that it is located a set distance above the ocean bottom.

Abstract: A system for deploying an array of sonar projector transducers includes a housing in which a plurality of disk shaped projectors are stacked, a pair of small diameter cables are reeled from a powered drum for tethering the projectors, the cables being anchored to the bottom projector, a pair of electrical conductors are connected to the projectors, each conductor constituting a series of sections interconnecting electrical connectors fastened to opposite sides of each projector, a centering ring attached to the bottom projector including a series of pressure responsive latches which serve to secure the array in the housing and to release the array upon its reaching a desired depth. Where the drum is actuated the stack is lowered with each projector being successively suspended by its pair of conductor sections, and each of the conductor sections is given a predetermined twist such that when the array is again returned to the housing the conductor sections are caused to form predetermined loops.

Abstract: A sonobuoy having a terminal weight and sensor for deployment beneath the surface of the water after the buoy has been launched from an aircraft and impacted the water. A circuit assembly and antenna for processing output from the sensor and for transmitting a signal is provided. A cable for connecting the sensor and circuit assembly is also included. A housing for the sonobuoy is a blow molded seamless thermoplastic shell which surrounds the circuit assembly.

Abstract: Sonobuoy parachute shroud line ends are retained by a cup mounted in and adjacent one end of the sonobuoy outer casing. A heavy ejection spring is beneath the cup for forcibly ejecting the cup outwardly from the one end of the casing. The cup is retained in the casing against the spring force by a pair of partially overlapping elongated plates each having one end releasably inserted in a circumferential slot in the outer casing, the slots being adjacent the casing one end and diametrically opposed. The upper plate is in retentive contact near the other of its ends by a first retainer rod pivoted at one of its ends to the cup bottom surface. The first rod contacts the upper plate near the pivoted rod end and is in retentive contact near its other end with a second retainer rod pivoted at one of its ends to the cup bottom surface. The second rod contacts near its pivoted end the first rod and is in retentive contact at its other end with a one shot spring motor driven pin.

Abstract: An Air Deployed Oceanographic Mooring when assembled for deployment has a multitude of components suitable for separation by explosive bolts upon deployment of the system. A parachute system is connected to a surface buoy. The components that separate from each other upon deployment comprise a parachute system, a surface float, a subsurface buoy, an anchor shell and a bottom finder. All components except for the parachute system have interconnecting flexible lines upon deployment. A novel locking mechanism for limiting the paying out of the line between the anchor shell and subsurface buoy is triggered by the slackening of the line between the bottom finder and anchor shell when the bottom finder hits the bottom of the ocean.

Abstract: A sonobuoy float canister is releasably latched to a wound cable pack container. The cable is attached at its upper end to the canister and at its lower end to a lower sonobuoy component. A rotor latches the canister and container together in one rotative position so that the cable is not unwound or payed out to provide a first or shallow depth deployment of the lower component. In a second rotative position of the rotor the canister and container are unlatched from one another and the cable is positively restrained after a predetermined partial payout to provide a medium depth deployment of the lower component. In a third rotative position of the rotor the positive restraint of cable payout is removed and the canister and container are unlatched so that the cable is fully payed out to provide for full depth deployment of the underwater component.

Abstract: The compressed-gas device for the life-saving services which can be activated by water, more especially the automatic separating coupling for parachutes, comprises a channel (9) and two detector chambers (10, 11) which, via openings (12, 13), are connected to the channel (9) and, via openings (14, 15), are connected to one respective opposite outer surface (16, 17) of the device. The cross-section of the outwardly directed openings (14, 15) is larger than that of the connection openings (12, 13) to the channel (9). Only when the measuring block (2) is completely immersed in water are three pairs of electrodes (18, 19; 20, 21; 22, 23) bridged by water so that a fuel-gas charge is ignited via an electric circuit (7) with the aid of an igniter (8) (FIG. 2).

Abstract: An apparatus for use in a fluid medium which activates at a deeper depth and then releases at a lesser depth. A rod depresses a spring in a housing. The rod is prevented from being ejected from the housing by a ball bearing which engages between openings in the rod and the housing. When in use, the pressure exerted by the fluid medium forces the rod deeper into the housing. When the first depth is reached the ball bearing disengages from the rod and the device is activated. As the activated apparatus rises, the pressure on the rod decreases and the rod moves out of the housing. When the deployment depth is attained the housing floods and the rod is ejected.

Abstract: An inflatable buoy assembly includes a flotation receptacle (12), a propellant breech (14), and an equipment container (16). These three components are designed for telescoping engagement and packaging in a single housing (78). When deployed, the breech is suspended below the flotation receptacle. The equipment container, in turn, is suspended below the propellant breech. As propellant gases escape from the breech, they rise through the water in which the assembly is submersed and are captured in a cavity (26) at the bottom of the flotation receptacle. The gases then pass through apertures in the bottom of the receptacle and are captured within the gas bag (24) forming part of the flotation receptacle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus deploys a hydrophone array in a predetermined patt. A master buoy includes a float and an anchor which hold a central portion at a predetermined depth in the water. A number of hydrodynamically shaped glide vehicles are disengaged from the central portion and glide radially outwardly from it. When the glide vehicles come to rest, strings of hydrophones are released and buoyed along the bottom in a preestablished pattern. Acoustic energy impinging on the hydrophones, optionally is fed to a transmitting unit on the float or to a remote installation via a cable lying on the bottom.

Abstract: A shape-memory alloy initially configured to have engaging potential for a ance, guillotine or pin connected thereto is wrapped in a heating element powered by current from a water activated battery. When the alloy reaches a specific temperature it silently reverts to a predetermined shape. The reversion force is used to displace a lance to pierce a gas cylinder seal to allow inflation of a float and to cut a retaining loop or withdraw a pin to payout a preset length of hydrophone suspension cable.

Abstract: A shallow water environmental/oceanographic measurement system for real time monitoring of specific parameters at a particular location. A three point moored buoy is anchored over the particular location. Bottom mounted sensors to measure the specific parameters are situated generally within the area of the three point mooring area. Sensor data is transmitted via cable to the buoy from where it is telemetered to a shore station.

Abstract: A thermal release device made up of a heating element in contact with a thermally fusible connective link which upon supplying electric current to the heating element melts through the link and parts the linkage.

Abstract: An air launchable sonobuoy having two separate liquid chemicals which react pon mixing to form an expanded, rigid foam flotation device. Upon deployment in the air, windflaps release a preloaded plate within a submersible housing and urge the chemicals to mix and foam in an elastic envelope. After water impact, an orifice in the housing permits water to fill the voids at a rate sufficient to allow the housing to remain afloat until foaming and erection of an antenna within the envelope is complete. As the envelope expands, a latch releases it from the housing and permits the housing when flooded to sink to the desired depth determined by the payout length of a cable within the housing connected to the flotation device.

Abstract: A system for transferring cargo at sea by helicopter includes an automatily activated self inflatable apparatus for reducing the velocity of the cargo if jettisoned or inadvertently dropped into the sea and for keeping the cargo afloat until retrieval may be accomplished. The cargo is lifted by a support sling attachable to a helicopter suspension cargo hook and simultaneously connected to a second sling in parallel to the helicopter through the rapidly deployable retardation and floatation device. Release of the support sling causes the cargo to drop and initiate deployment and inflation of the ribs of the parachute thereby retarding the cargo's descend and providing buoyancy for its floatation.