Ships – Torpedoes – With external control
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-21
2003-01-07
Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3641)
Ships
Torpedoes
With external control
C244S003120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06502522
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a coil restraint device. More particularly, the invention relates to a coil restraint device which maintains coils of a tail mounted dispenser in place during shock to or transport of the tail mounted coils.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Heavy weight torpedoes such as the MK48, MK48/ADCAP, and MK48/ADCAP/TPU, contain wire payout communication systems. A complete ADCAP war-shot torpedo propulsion layout
10
is shown in FIG.
1
. This assembly
10
includes at least a torpedo body
12
having a propulsor shaft
14
longitudinally formed therein. The torpedo body
12
includes a forward end
16
and an aft end
18
to aid in the description of related components. Adjacent the aft end
18
of the torpedo body
12
is a bell mouth adapter
20
in connection with an aft end of the propulsor shaft
14
. A torpedo mounted dispenser
22
is attached to the aft
18
end of the torpedo body
12
with the bell mouth adapter
20
.
The torpedo mounted dispenser
22
contains a wire payout coil
24
, and a flex hose
26
is wrapped around the actual wire payout coil
24
. A wire torpedo payout coil (not shown) is contained in the forward end
16
of the torpedo body
12
in addition to the wire payout coil
24
in the torpedo mounted dispenser
22
. When the torpedo body
12
is launched from within a submarine's torpedo tube, the torpedo mounted dispenser
22
remains within the torpedo tube. The wire torpedo payout coil in the torpedo body
12
pays out when the vehicle is launched as does the wire payout coil
24
in the torpedo mounted dispenser
22
by feeding through the flex hose
26
extended out under the submarine. In other words, the torpedo mounted dispenser
22
contains the coiled weighted flexible tube
26
through which the wire torpedo payout coil
24
passes.
The torpedo mounted dispenser
22
includes a mounting face
28
in front of the wire payout coil
24
and an open face
30
annularly surrounding the mounting face
28
and in front of a flex hose cavity
32
such that the open face
30
does not in any way contain the flex hose coil
26
, since the flex hose coil
26
within the flex hose cavity
32
annularly surrounds the wire payout coil
24
of the tail mounted dispenser
22
. Also at the aft end
18
of the torpedo body
12
is a shroud
34
which defines a transition between the tail mounted dispenser and the aft end of the torpedo body
12
.
The inventors have, therefore, discovered a problem that during storage, transportation, and towage in the torpedo room with the torpedo mounted dispenser
22
attached to the torpedo body
12
, the flex hose coil
26
can be spilled out of open annular face
30
of the tail mounted dispenser
22
as a result of shock and vibration. This can also occur during shock and vibration testing in the laboratory. Currently, the forward surface of the flex hose coil
26
is restrained only by an O-ring (not shown) that ensures the flex hose pays out properly. Once the system is loaded into a torpedo tube, no restraint besides the O-ring system is needed or desired in any case. The torpedo mounted dispenser
22
remains attached to the tube door and the vehicle is free to be launched separately. Accordingly, a need in the art exists for securement of the forward surface of the flex hose, particularly during transportation, storage, and towing of the torpedo.
The following patents, for example, disclose caps and related securing devices in association with torpedoes, but do not disclose a coil restraint device as in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,975 to Nauschutz et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,158,124 to Chevillon;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,612 to Rochester et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,253 to LeCompte;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,014 to Sandham;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,785 to Porter; and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,825 to Glenning.
The patent to Nauschutz et al. discloses a removable cover for protecting a coil of line at the tail end of a missile. More specifically, Nauschutz et al. disclose a protective means for rocket-driven missiles, and particularly to protective means employable for missiles of the type which are guided to the target by operation of a person who remains on the launching site. The rear end of the fuselage for the missile is closed by means of a removable cover provided with locking elements to lock protective caps, which cover the trajectory control devices in their effective position. The cover has a moisture proof duct on the outwardly facing side, which serves as a multiple threaded pipe into which a connecting piece or handle is screwed. The inwardly facing side of the cover is in the form of a coil which receives the individual layers of the connecting lines and cables, combined into a compound line, for storage inside the missile. The caps protect all elements of the missile which are particularly sensitive to mechanical deformation or contamination.
The patent to Chevillon discloses a missile launching apparatus in which a sabot encircles or protects a coil of wire that is to be paid out at launch. In particular, the reel or spool of wire which was previously attached to the aft portion of the launching framework, is instead frangibly secured to the rear of the torpedo itself. The reel is enclosed within a sabot which, in effect, is merely a box or housing for the wire, and which rides along one of the longitudinal rails of the framework. When the missile is launched, the sabot containing the coil of wire follows the missile along the framework until the forward portion of the launching unit is reached. At this point, the sabot encounters a restraining member which terminates its forward movement and causes it to break away from the torpedo. The wire within the sabot then unwinds from its reel in the same manner as it would have done if the sabot had remained at the aft portion of the launching unit. However, since the sabot is now at the front portion of the launcher, the wire which unwinds therefrom is completely free of the launching framework and is in no danger of becoming entangled therein or of being abraded by contact therewith.
Rochester et al. disclose an optical fiber payout canister having a forwardly-disposed annular rounded surface that protects the fiber in its coiled orientation. The optical fiber payout canister comprises a bobbin upon which an optical fiber is wound. A shroud overlies the bobbin, and a layer of an ablative material is coated onto at least a portion of the inside wall of the shroud adjacent to the bobbin, so that the optical fiber may contact the ablative material during payout. Desirably, the ablative material has a hardness equal to or less than that of the buffer layer of the optical fiber. In one embodiment, the ablative material has a composition similar to that of the polymer buffer layer, such as an urethane acrylate. The ablative material removes energy from the optical fiber during payout, and in particular reduces the circumferential component of the energy, permitting the optical fiber to be dispensed through a dispensing opening in an end wall of the shroud.
LeCompte discloses a missile's filament dispenser. The forward portion of the filament coil is held in place by an annular flange. Specifically, a filament dispenser for a missile data link has a bobbin with end flanges fixedly mounted to the missile. A shroud is spaced opposite the filament pack for frictionally engaging a ballooning filament during dispensing to reduce ballooning amplitude. A second version passes the dispensed filament back through an opening in the bobbin for reverse dispensing. A third version is similar to the first version and, in addition, on leaving the bobbin filament passes through a relatively small diameter ring. In a fourth version, similar to the second version, the filament passes through a constraining ring located within the bobbin opening. In a final version the filament dispensed from a pack passes around a curved end flange then back over a curved surface and through an opening forming
Doleski Robert F.
Raffa Anthony V.
Buckley Denise J
Carone Michael J.
Gauthier Robert W.
Lall Prithvi C.
McGowan Michael J.
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