Torpedo recovery device

• US 4,717,092 A
• Filed: 01/03/1986
• Issued: 01/05/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert W. Cameron
• Original Assignee: Robert W. Cameron
• Inventors: Cameron, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/815,915
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 244/37, 244/31, 244/24, 244/29, 244/30, 441/21, 441/23, 441/29, 441/33, 441/30, 441/7, 441/9, 441/2, 441/41, 441/90, 441/31, 116/210, 114/20.1, 114/333
• US Class Current: 244/33
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/50 Captive balloons
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 19/36 adapted to be used for exercise purposes, e.g. indicating position or course

Abstract

A torpedo recovery unit positionable within a torpedo casing having an opening for receiving the unit. The unit includes a body with an interior cavity having an open end mountable within the torpedo casing with the open end at the torpedo casing opening. The body is rigidly supported within the torpedo casing. A non-rigid, gas-inflatable airfoil is foldable within the body cavity for deployment therefrom upon inflation. A bottle containing pressurized helium is rigidly and removably attached to the body. A release valve on the bottle releases the pressurized gas on depression. A valve member is rigidly attached to the body. A first end portion extends through the body end wall and projects into the body cavity and has an inflation needle mounted thereof for inflation of the airfoil. A valve member has a second end portion positioned outside of the body and operatively engaging the release valve when the bottle is attached to the body. An interior gas passage between the second end portion and the inflation needle has gas flow control by a solenoid-operating valve. A reel is positioned within the body cavity and is coaxially and rotatably mountable upon a valve member first end portion. The reel has a tether line wrapped thereabout with one end attached to the airfoil. A lid is positioned at the body open and is outwardly opening under the force applied thereto by the airfoil during inflation.

Claims

1. A torpedo recovery unit positionable within a torpedo casing having a circular opening with an annular externally recessed lip for receiving the unit, comprising:

a substantially cylindrical body with an interior cavity substantially diametrically mountable within the torpedo casing, said body having an open end and a distal end closed by an end wall, said body being insertable into the circular opening in the torpedo casing with said body open end at the casing opening and attachable by a flange at said open end to the annular recessed lip of the casing opening to rigidly support the unit within the torpedo casing and to permit access to said interior body cavity, said flange being sized to provide a substantially nonprotruding exterior mounting;

a non-rigid, gas inflatable airfoil foldable within said interior body cavity for deployment therefrom upon inflation, said airfoil having an inflation block;

a substantially cylindrical bottle, containing pressurized gas, and positioned generally coaxial with said body and rigidly and removably attached to an exterior side of said body closed end wall, said bottle having a release valve at an end located toward said body closed end wall for release of the pressurized gas in said bottle upon depression of said release valve;

an elongated valve member positioned generally coaxial with said body and rigidly attached thereto, said valve member having a first end portion extending through a fluid sealed aperture in said body closed end wall and projecting into said interior body cavity, said first end portion having an inflation needle insertable into said inflation block of said airfoil for inflation thereof, said valve member further having a second end portion positioned outside of said body and extending toward said gas bottle and operatively and sealably engaging said release valve when said bottle is attached to said body, said valve member having an interior gas passage extending between said second end portion and said inflation needle at said first end portion with gas flow through said passage being controlled by a solenoid operated valve, said passage to the bottle side being charged with pressurized gas from said bottle upon attachment of said bottle to said body, said solenoid valve being selectively operable to open said passage to allow flow of pressurized gas to said inflation needle for inflation of said airfoil;

a reel positioned within said interior body cavity between said body closed end wall and said airfoil and coaxially mounted on said valve member first end portion, said reel having a tether line wrapped thereabout with one end attached to said airfoil, said reel being substantially free to play out said tether line upon deployment of said airfoil from said interior body cavity under the pulling force applied to said tether line by said airfoil when inflated;

a fully removable lid positioned at said body open end and releasably engaging said body with a substantially flush mounting with the torpedo casing exterior, said lid being outwardly releasable under the force applied to an inward side thereof by said airfoil during inflation, said lid having a water opening to allow exterior water to freely enter said interior body cavity; and

a selectively operable flood port valve in said body closed end wall for release of water in said interior body cavity into the interior of the torpedo casing for selective flooding of the torpedo casing.

2. The torpedo recovery unit of claim 1 wherein said valve member first end portion projecting into said interior body cavity has a threaded portion to threadably receive a retainer nut thereon to retain said reel coaxially on said valve member first end portion.

3. The torpedo recovery unit of claim 2 wherein said retainer nut is positioned away from said body closed end wall with a radially inward projecting flange of said reel positioned and rotatably retained therebetween.

4. The torpedo recovery unit of claim 3 further including an attachment nut threadably received on said threaded portion of said valve member first end portion for rigidly attaching said valve member to said body, said attachment nut being positioned between said retainer nut and said body closed end wall radially inward of said reel flange.

5. The torpedo recovery unit of claim 2 wherein said reel has a radially outward opening channel around which said tether line is wound, said channel being defined by a pair of spaced apart radially outward extending circumferential flanges, and wherein said reel further includes a collar circumferentially extending around said channel and attached to a first one of said flanges positioned toward said body closed end wall, said collar extending toward a second one of said flanges positioned away from said body end wall to define a circumferentially extending space between said collar and said second flange through which said tether line may pass as it is played out from said reel.

6. The torpedo recovery unit of claim 1 wherein said body further includes an annular threaded body coupler rigidly attached to said exterior side of said body closed end wall and extending axially toward said bottle to threadably receive an annular threaded bottle coupler rigidly attached to said bottle at said end located toward said body closed end wall to rigidly and removably attach said bottle to said body.

7. The torpedo recovery unit of claim 6 wherein said valve member is positioned within said annular body and bottle couplers.

8. The torpedo recovery unit of claim 1 wherein said body includes a circumferentially extending groove on an interior sidewall at said open end, and said lid has a plurality of spring-loaded balls positioned about its perimeter edge biased outward to engage said groove and releasably retain said lid in place at said body open end.

9. The torpedo recovery unit of claim 8 wherein said body further includes a circumferentially extending stop on said interior sidewall at said open end to engage said lid and prevent inward travel thereof.

10. The torpedo recovery unit of claimn 1 wherein said valve member includes an elongated, generally cylindrical valve body formed of non-ferrous material and threadably receiving at said first valve member end portion a threaded first plug with said inflation needle rigidly attached to an outward side thereof, said valve member interior gas passage including a gas passage in said first plug extending from a centrally positioned seat on an interior endwall communicating with an axially extending interior chamber of said valve body to a gas passage in said inflation needle, said valve member body threadably receiving at said second valve member end portion a threaded second plug with an outward side thereof positioned to operatively depress said bottle release valve to release the pressurized gas in said bottle when said bottle is attached to said body to pressurize said valve body interior chamber, said valve member interior gas passage further including a gas passage in said second plug extending from an off-center opening in an exterior end wall positioned to receive gas from said bottle to an opening in an interior end wall communicating with said valve body interior chamber, said valve member further including a plunger formed of ferrous material slidably mounted within said valve body interior chamber, said plunger having a ball mounted at an end toward said first plug to sealably engage said seat and prevent gas from passing into said first plug gas passage when said plunger is moved into position at said first plug, said plunger being biased toward said first plug to sealably engage said ball with said seat by a resilient member positioned within said valve body interior chamber between said plunger and second plug, said valve member further including a solenoid coil positioned exteriorly about said valve body for selectively applying an electromagnetic force to said plunger for moving said plunger away from said first plug to unseat said ball and permit gas to pass into said first plug gas passage.

11. The torpedo recovery unit of claim 10 wherein said plunger is rised to define exterior passages between said plunger and said valve body interior chamber for the flow of gas around said plunger.

12. The torpedo recovery unit of claim 10 wherein said ball is fabricated of Teflon™

material.

13. A torpedo recovery unit positionable within a torpedo casing having an opening for receiving the unit, comprising:

a body with an interior cavity having an open end mountable within the torpedo casing, said body being insertable into the opening in the torpedo casing with said body open end at the casing opening and being rigidly supportable within the torpedo casing;

a non-rigid, gas inflatable airfoil foldable within said interior body cavity for deployment therefrom upon inflation;

a bottle containing pressurized gas rigidly and removably attached to said body with the torpedo casing, said bottle having a release valve for release of the pressurized gas in said bottle upon depression of said release valve;

a valve member rigidly attached to said body, said valve member having a first end portion extending through an aperture in said body and projecting into said interior body cavity, said first end portion having an inflation needle for inflation of said airfoil, said valve member further having a second end portion positioned outside of said body and operatively and sealably engaging said release valve when said bottle is attached to said body, said valve member having an interior gas passage extending between said second end portion and said inflation needle at said first end portion with gas flow through said passage being controlled by a solenoid operated valve, said passage to the bottle side being charged with pressurized gas from said bottle upon attachment of said bottle to said body, said solenoid valve being selectively operable to open said passage to allow flow of pressurized gas to said inflation needle for inflation of said airfoil, said valve member including an elongated, generally cylindrical valve body formed of non-ferrous material and having at said first valve member end portion a first plug with said inflation needle rigidly attached to an outward side thereof, said valve member interior gas passage including a gas passage in said first plug extending from a centrally positioned seat on an interior endwall communicating with an axially extending interior chamber of said valve body to a gas passage in said inflation needle, said valve member body having at said second valve member end portion a second plug with an outward side thereof positioned to operatively depress said bottle release valve to release the pressurized gas in said bottle when said bottle is attached to said body to pressurize said valve body interior chamber, said valve member interior gas passage further including a gas passage in said second plug extending from an opening in an exterior end wall positioned to receive gas from said bottle to an opening in an interior end wall communicating with said valve body interior chamber, said valve member further including a plunger formed of ferrous material slidably mounted within said valve body interior chamber, said plunger having a ball mounted at an end toward said first plug to sealably engage said seat and prevent gas from passing into said first plug gas passage when said plunger is moved into position at said first plug, said piston being biased toward said first plug to sealably engage said ball with said seat, said valve member further including a solenoid coil for selectively applying an electromagnetic force to said plunger for moving said plunger away from said first plug to unseat said ball and permit gas to pass into said first plug gas passage,

a reel positioned within said interior body cavity and coaxially and rotatably mounted on said valve member first end portion, said reel having a tether line wrapped thereabout with one end attached to said airfoil, said reel being substantially free to play out said tether line upon deployment of said airfoil from said interior body cavity under the pulling force applied to said tether line by said airfoil when inflated; and

a lid positioned at said body open end and releasably engaging said body, said lid being outwardly opening under the force applied to an inward side thereof by said airfoil during inflation.