United States Patent [191
`Owsley et al.
`
`US005443027A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,443,027
`Aug. 22, 1995
`
`[54] LATERAL FQRCE DEVICE FOR
`UNDERWATER TOWED ARRAY
`
`[75] Inventors: Norman L. Owsley, Gales Ferry;
`John F. Law’ Oakdale; Robert D.
`Vanasse’ Columbia, an of Conn;
`Stephen P_ Elmer’ Wheaton; Richard
`K. Knutson, Germantown, both of
`Md" Roger C‘ Noms’ Mystlc’ conn'
`[73] Assigne? The United States of America as
`l'epl'esented by the Secretary of the
`Navy’ Washington’ DC
`[21] APPL No_; 169,276
`_
`Dec‘ 20’ 1993
`[22] Flled:
`[51] Int. Cl.6 ............................................ .. B63B 21/00
`[52] US. Cl. ................................... .. 114/244; 405/158
`[58] Field of Search ...............
`405/ 158, 166, 171;
`ll4/242, 243, 244, 245, 246
`.
`References Clted
`U-S- PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`[56]
`
`4,027,616 6/1977 Guenther et a1. . ................ .. 114/244
`4,729,333 3/1988 Kirby et al. ................... .. 114/244
`4,798,156 1/1989 Langeland et a1. ........... .. 405/166 X
`_
`'
`_
`_
`Primary Examiner-David
`COI‘blIl
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—M1chael J. McGowan;
`Pnthvl C. Lall; James M. Kaslschke
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`A lateral force device for displacing a towed underwa
`ter acoustic cable providing displacement in the hori
`zontal and vertical directions having a spool and a rota
`tionally mounted winged fuselage. The hollow spool is
`mounted on a cable with cable elements passing there
`through. The winged fuselage is made with the top half
`relatively positively buoyant and the bottom half rela
`tively negatively buoyant. The winged fuselage is
`mounted about the hollow spool with clearance to
`allow rotation of the fuselage. The difference in buoy
`ancy between the upper and lower fuselage maintains
`the device in the correct operating osition. The win s
`are angled to provide lift in the desiri'ed direction as tie
`fuselage is towed through the water.
`
`3,375,800 4/1968 Cole et al. .............. ......... .. 114/245
`3,931,608 1/1976 Cole .............................. .. 114/245 X
`
`20 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`PGS v. WESTERNGECO (IPR2014-00689)
`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2059, pg. 1
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 22, 1995
`
`Sheet 1 of 3
`
`5,443,027
`
`FIG. 1
`
`PGS v. WESTERNGECO (IPR2014-00689)
`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2059, pg. 2
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 22, 1995
`
`Sheet 2 of 3
`
`5,443,027
`
`PGS v. WESTERNGECO (IPR2014-00689)
`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2059, pg. 3
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 22, 1995
`
`Sheet 3 0f 3
`
`5,443,027
`
`um .01 mmm
`
`on .01
`
`m .OE
`
`PGS v. WESTERNGECO (IPR2014-00689)
`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2059, pg. 4
`
`

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`1
`
`LATERAL FORCE DEVICE FOR UNDERWATER
`TOWED ARRAY
`'
`
`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.
`
`5
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`control depth. Neither of these devices provides for
`lateral displacement of a towed acoustic cable.
`These prior art devices suffer the same durability
`problems as the more complicated paravanes. Further
`more, none of the known prior art devices are light
`weight or simple enough to be wound onto a storage
`winch or reel with a towed acoustic cable.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`Accordingly, it is a general purpose and object of the
`present invention to provide an apparatus for control
`ling the lateral displacement of towed acoustic cables.
`It is a further object that such device displace the
`cable while creating a minimum of turbulence and
`noise.
`Another object is that such device be durable and
`small enough to be deployed and retrieved with the
`cable, without requiring attachment or removal during
`either deployment or retrieval.
`These objects are accomplished with the present
`invention by providing a lateral force device having a
`spool and a rotationally mounted winged fuselage. The
`hollow spool is mounted on a cable with cable elements
`passing therethrough. The winged fuselage is made in
`two halves with the top half relatively positively buoy
`ant and the bottom half relatively negatively buoyant.
`The two halves are mounted about the hollow spool
`with clearance to allow rotation of the winged fuselage.
`The wings are angled to provide lift as the fuselage is
`towed through the water. The device can be manufac
`tured with a given buoyancy to allow it to maintain the
`desired depth. The wings have winglets at their tips.
`The difference in buoyancy between the upper and
`lower winged fuselage halves and the winglets maintain
`the device in the correct operating position.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`(1). Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to a device to provide
`lateral and vertical displacement of a towed underwater
`cable and more particularly to a durable lightweight
`device for displacing an underwater cable which will
`not create excessive noise as the cable is towed through
`the water.
`(2). Description of the Prior Art
`The inventive device has characteristics in common
`with two other classes of devices, paravanes and depth
`control systems. Paravanes displace towed cables in a
`lateral direction away from the path of the towing craft.
`Depth control systems provide displacement in a verti
`cal direction above or below the towing craft.
`It is well known in the art that paravanes are used to
`provide displacement for towed cables lateral to the
`motion of the towing craft. Paravanes are towed bodies
`affixed at the end or along the length of a towed cable
`to position the cable away from the path of the towing
`craft. A tin or vane on the paravane causes a lateral
`displacement of the cable by producing lift in a lateral
`direction. Prior art paravane systems depend on compo
`nents other than the vane itself to set and stabilize the
`direction of the hydrodynamic force. The stabilizing
`components used in prior art devices include attach
`ment bridles, surface ?oats on tethers, net ?oats and
`trawl chains. These components increase size, weight,
`drag and noise thereby limiting use of these paravanes
`to low speeds in sonic operations.
`Because many prior art paravanes are large or me
`chanically complicated devices, they must be removed
`from the water separately as the tow cable is retracted.
`Larger paravanes require the use of a hoist to remove
`45
`them from the water. More complicated paravanes are
`less sturdy and must be treated with care to avoid dam
`aging their inner workings.
`Depth control devices are also well known in the art.
`Many mechanisms exist for controlling the depth of a
`towed underwater cable. These methods include diving
`planes, retractable vanes, air diaphragms, and movable
`horizontal plates. Adjustable diving planes are often
`used in the prior art to control the depth of the cable.
`Vertical displacement is achieved in some prior art
`devices by changing the buoyancy of the depth control
`device to maintain the desired depth.
`Two prior art patents, Cole U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,800
`and Cole U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,608, disclose depth control
`device that are rotatably mounted on towed acoustic
`cables. Cole ’8OO discloses a device mounted around the
`towed cable that utilizes ballast to maintain the depth
`control device in its preferred orientation and to pre
`vent spirming. Cole ’608 discloses a device mounted to
`the cable by rotatable brackets in such a way that the
`65
`device hangs below the cable thus allowing the weight
`of the device to act as ballast. Both of these devices use
`pressure sensing means and adjustable diving planes to
`
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`A more complete understanding of the invention and
`many of the attendant advantages thereto will be
`readily appreciated as the invention becomes better
`understood by reference to the following detailed de
`scription when considered in conjunction with the ac
`companying drawings wherein:
`FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a
`lateral force device mounted on a towed cable;
`FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a lateral force
`device as assembled on a towed cable;
`FIG. 3 shows a vessel towing a cable with a lateral
`force device disposed thereon;
`FIG. 3a shows a detail view of the towed lateral
`force device of FIG. 3; and
`FIG. 4 shows an alternate embodiment of the inven
`tive device having a bi-wing con?guration.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`In the following text, all references to lateral mean in
`the direction orthogonal to the direction of tow. Refer
`ring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an exploded per
`spective view of the inventive device. A lateral force
`device 10 is shown mounted on a towed underwater
`cable 12. Lateral force device 10 comprises a spool 14,
`two cylindrical fuselage halves 16, and two wings 18.
`Spool 14 is a hollow cylinder with a shoulder portion
`20 at each end thereof. Spool 14 is disposed integral
`with towed underwater cable 12 to allow cable ele
`ments and wiring to pass through the hollow in spool
`14. Shoulder portions 20 are even with the outer surface
`
`PGS v. WESTERNGECO (IPR2014-00689)
`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2059, pg. 5
`
`

`
`3
`of cable 12 to minimize turbulence caused by water
`?ow over a discontinuity between cable 12 and spool
`14. Likewise, shoulder portions 20 are the proper depth
`and spool 14 is the proper length to accommodate
`mounted cylindrical fuselage halves 16 without having
`a discontinuity therebetween. Spool 14 can be made
`from any corrosion resistant material contributing to
`the desired overall buoyancy of lateral force device 10.
`Cylindrical fuselage halves 16 are hollow cylinder
`halves which may be fastened about spool 14 and re
`tained in a horizontal direction by shoulder portions 20.
`Cylindrical fuselage halves 16 have an inner diameter
`when joined which provides a clearance ?t between
`fuselage halves 16 and spool 14. The outer diameter of
`joined fuselage halves 16 is substantially the same as the
`diameter of cable 12 and shoulder portions 20 in order
`to prevent a turbulence causing discontinuity among
`these parts. Like spool 14, fuselage halves 16 can be
`made from any corrosion resistant material contributing
`to the desired overall buoyancy of device 10; however,
`unlike spool 14, fuselage halves 16 can also be made
`from two different materials with upper fuselage half 16
`made from a relatively buoyant material and lower
`fuselage half 16 made from a relatively dense material.
`One wing 18 is disposed upon each of fuselage halves
`16 with the plane of combined wings 18 and the center
`line of joined cylindrical fuselage halves 16 forming an
`angle 0. Angle 0 is chosen for its affect upon the desired
`towed cable 12 displacement angle. In this embodiment
`the chosen angle 0 is 12.4"; however, this angle can
`differ widely with other lateral force device con?gura
`tions and tow cables. Wings 18 have mounting apertures
`22 therein for joining cylindrical fuselage halves 16
`together. Mounting apertures 22 extend through each
`wing 18 along the portion of wing 18 joined to each
`cylindrical fuselage half 16.
`Disposed upon the extremity of each wing 18, away
`from fuselage halves 16 are a winglet 24 and ballast
`strips 26a and 26b. Winglet 24 extends horizontally
`away from the vertical plane of wings 18 toward the
`high pressure side of wing 18. Ballast strips 26a and 26b
`extend for a slight distance perpendicular to wing 18
`thereby channeling ?uid flow over the wing surface to
`increase the effective aspect ratio of wings 18 and pre
`vent vortex shedding off of wings 18. In addition to
`channeling ?uid ?ow, winglets 24 provide a dihedral
`force to prevent sagging of cable 12 and control the
`attitude of device 10. Like fuselage halves 16, wings 18
`and winglets 24 can be made from the same corrosion
`resistant material or two or more corrosion resistant
`materials with different buoyancies.
`In one embodiment, ballast strips 26a and 26b are
`disposed at the extremity of wings 18 to provide a buoy
`ant force differential to maintain the orientation of lat
`eral force device 10. Ballast strips 260 are mounted on
`upper wing 18 and have a positive buoyancy in water.
`Ballast strips 26b are mounted on lower wing 18 and
`have a negative buoyancy. Thus the differential in
`buoyancy between upper ballast strips 260 and lower
`ballast strips 26b provides a righting moment to main
`tain lateral force device 10 in the vertical position and
`prevent joined fuselage halves 16 and wings 18 from
`spinning on spool 14. As an alternative, lateral force
`device 10 can be manufactured with imbalanced buoy
`ant forces causing wings 18 to be angled with respect to
`the vertical in the normal operating position and result
`ing in displacement of towed acoustic cable 12 in both
`the lateral and vertical directions.
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`Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspec~
`tive view of the inventive device as assembled on cable
`12. Cylindrical fuselage halves 16 are assembled to form
`a hollow cylinder about spool 14. Mounting bands 28
`are inserted through corresponding mounting apertures
`22 on upper and lower fuselage halves 16 and fastened
`thereabout to hold upper fuselage half 16 against lower
`fuselage half 16. Mounting bands 28 can be tie wraps or
`other strap type fasteners. A clearance ?t exists between
`spool 14 and fuselage halves 16. Fuselage halves 16 are
`prevented from sliding in a horizontal direction by
`shoulder portions 20. Combined fuselage halves 16 are
`thus free to rotate about spool 14.
`In operation, cable 12 is towed from a vessel causing
`water to flow by device 10. The hydrodynamic ?ow
`over angled wings 18 creates a pressure differential
`between one side of wings 18 and the other side result
`ing in a force being exerted on cable 12 in a direction
`away from its centerline, toward the low pressure side
`of wings 18. Winglets 24 provide a dihedral force to
`keep lateral force device 10 aligned with cable 12. The
`orientation of device 10 is maintained by the difference
`in buoyancy between upper ballast strip 26a and lower
`ballast strip 26b , upper and lower fuselage halves 16,
`upper and lower winglets 24, and also by the dihedral
`force generated by winglets 24.
`Referring now to FIG. 3 and FIG. 3a, there is shown
`a lateral force device 10 towed on a cable 12 behind a
`vessel 30. When vessel 30 tows lateral force device 310
`through the water, device 10 produces hydrodynamic
`lift port or starboard of the towing vessel depending on
`device 10 angle. Under steady tow, device 10 operates
`at an angle of attack, a,-which is somewhat less than the
`angle 0 between wing 18 and fuselage 16. The tow cable
`angle Ill depends primarily on the tension in tow cable
`12 and the lateral force generated by device 10. Tow
`cable angle 1,1; is always less than wing to fuselage angle
`0. Multiple lateral force devices 10 can be used on the
`same cable. For a given device 10 and cable 12, a spac
`ing of devices 10 can be determined to horizontally
`displace a cable in a substantially straight line at an
`angle 11!.
`FIG. 4 displays an alternate embodiment of lateral
`force device 10 having a bi-wing con?guration. As in
`the first embodiment, the alternate embodiment is con
`?gured on a cable 12 about a spool 20. Device 10 com
`prises a fuselage 16’, shown here manufactured in one
`piece, with a wing 18 disposed thereon at an angle to the
`centerline of fuselage 16’. Positively bouyant ballast
`strips 26a are disposed upon the upper distal edge of
`wing 18, and negatively bouyant ballast strips 26b are
`disposed on the lower distal edge of wing 18. Disposed
`upon the extremities of wing 18, away from fuselage 116'
`are two dihedral winglets 24 and ballast strips 260 and
`26b. Winglet 24 extends horizontally away from the
`vertical plane of wings 18 toward the high pressure side
`of wing 18. A bi-wing 32 is disposed at the between the
`distal ends of winglets 24. Bi-wing 32 increases the lift
`delivered by lateral force device 10 and prevents entan
`glement when cable 12 and device 10 is retracted.
`The advantages of the present invention over the
`prior art are that the present invention provides a me
`chanically simple, durable, small, lightweight device to
`horizontally displace a cable. This device can be coiled
`upon a reel with the towed array and stored without
`precautions to avoid damaging the device or harming
`its functionality. If any damage to the device occurs, the
`device can be removed from the towed array and re
`
`PGS v. WESTERNGECO (IPR2014-00689)
`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2059, pg. 6
`
`

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`5,443,027
`6
`5
`placed by removing the bands and separating the fuse
`an upper winglet disposed on the upper half of said
`wing/fuselage combination of said lateral force
`lage halves.
`device at the extremity of said wing portion, said
`What has thus been described is a simple, low cost
`upper winglet being oriented to maintain said de
`lateral displacement device that is mounted on a towed
`vice coaxially with said cable; and
`array cable to displace the cable in a desired direction
`when the cable is towed through the water. The device
`a lower winglet disposed on the lower half of said
`wing/ fuselage combination of said lateral force
`can be manufactured with greater or lesser buoyancy to
`maintain the towed cable at a preset depth. The buoy
`device at the extremity of said wing portion, said
`ancy of the device can be off center to hold the device
`lower winglet being oriented to maintain said de
`at an angle to the vertical thus causing displacement in
`vice coaxially with said cable and to balance unde
`both the lateral and vertical directions. The device
`sired forces acting on said upper winglet.
`displaces the cable by the action of the force generated
`5. The device of claim 4 wherein said positively buoy
`when water passes over the wing of the device while
`ant member and said negatively buoyant member are
`creating a minimum of noise.
`disposed on said lateral force device offset from the
`Obviously many modi?cations and variations of the
`vertical centerline of said lateral force device to provide
`present invention will become apparent in light of the
`a nonvertical orientation of said lateral force device.
`above teachings. For example: the winglets can be elim
`6. The device of claim 5 further comprising bearings
`inated or moved; the wing portions, bi-wing and wing
`disposed on said shoulders of said spool for allowing
`lets can have airfoil-shaped cross sections; the wing
`said wing/fuselage combination to rotate more freely
`portions can be made with camber; the wings can have
`about said spool.
`a dihedral angle between them; the leading and trailing
`7. The device of claim 5 further comprising bearings
`edges of the wings can be swept to provide better ?ow
`disposed at the ends of said fuselage for allowing said
`characteristics; the fuselage can be made in one piece
`wing/fuselage combination to rotate more freely about
`about the spool; the bearing surfaces between the spool
`said spool.
`and fuselage can incorporate low friction bushings or
`8. The device of claim 4 further comprising a bi-wing
`dynamic bearings; and the ballast can be located within
`disposed at the extremity of said upper winglet and the
`the winglets, wings or spool engagement portion of the
`extremity of said lower winglet away from said wing,
`fuselage.
`said bi-wing being oriented substantially parallel to said
`In light of the above, it is therefore understood that
`wing.
`within the scope of the appended claims, the invention
`9. The device of claim 3 further comprising:
`can be practiced otherwise than as speci?cally de
`a ?rst winglet disposed on one side of said fuselage of
`scribed.
`said lateral force device, said ?rst winglet being
`What is claimed is:
`oriented to maintain said device in the correct op
`1. A lateral force device for controlling lateral dis
`erating position; and
`placement of an underwater towed cable comprising:
`a second winglet disposed on the other side of said
`a hollow spool having forward and rear annular
`fuselage of said lateral force device, said second
`shoulders and a cylindrical body disposed along
`winglet being oriented to maintain said device in
`said towed cable with said towed cable extending
`the correct operating position.
`through the hollow portion thereof;
`10. The device of claim 9 wherein said positively
`a fuselage having a cylindrical inner surface disposed
`buoyant member and said negatively buoyant member
`rotatably about said cylindrical body of said spool
`are disposed on said lateral force device offset from the
`and retained horizontally on said spool by said
`vertical centerline of said lateral force device to provide
`forward and rear annular shoulders of said spool;
`a nonvertical orientation of said lateral force device.
`a wing ?xed to said fuselage, said wing being oriented
`11. The device of claim 10 further comprising bear
`substantially vertically and angled with respect to
`ings disposed on said shoulders of said spool for allow
`the centerline of said fuselage and said spool;
`ing said wing/fuselage combination to rotate more
`a positively buoyant member disposed on the upper
`freely about said spool.
`half of said wing/fuselage combination of said lat
`12. The device of claim 10 further comprising bear
`eral force device; and
`ings disposed at the ends of said fuselage for allowing
`a negatively buoyant member disposed on the lower
`said wing/fuselage combination to rotate more freely
`half of said wing/fuselage combination of said lat
`about said spool.
`eral force device for producing a righting moment
`13. A lateral force device for controlling lateral dis
`in combination with said positively buoyant mem
`placement of an underwater towed cable comprising:
`ber when said fuselage rotates from the preselected
`a hollow spool having forward and rear annular
`position.
`shoulders and a cylindrical body disposed along
`2. The device of claim 1 wherein said positively buoy
`said towed cable with said towed cable extending
`ant member comprises at least one buoyant ballast strip
`through the hollow portion thereof;
`disposed on the upper half of said wing/ fuselage combi
`an upper fuselage half having an upper hollow half
`nation of said lateral force device at the extremity of
`cylindrical portion and a transverse wing portion
`said wing portion to provide positive buoyancy to said
`disposed on said cylindrical portion, said wing
`upper half of said wing/fuselage combination.
`portion being angled from the centerline of said
`3. The device of claim 2 wherein said negatively
`cylindrical portion;
`buoyant member comprises at least one dense ballast
`lower fuselage half having a lower hollow half
`strip disposed on the lower half of said wing/fuselage
`cylindrical portion and a transverse wing portion
`combination of said lateral force device at the extremity
`disposed on said cylindrical portion, said wing
`of said wing portion to provide negative buoyancy to
`portion being angled from the centerline of said
`said lower half of said wing/fuselage combination.
`cylindrical portion;
`4. The device of claim 3 further comprising:
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`PGS v. WESTERNGECO (IPR2014-00689)
`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2059, pg. 7
`
`

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`7
`a joining means for attaching said upper and lower
`fuselage halves about said spool with said cylindri
`cal body of said spool disposed between said cylin
`drical portions of said upper and lower fuselage
`halves;
`a positively buoyant member disposed on said upper
`fuselage half of said lateral force device; and
`a negatively buoyant member disposed on said lower
`fuselage half of said lateral force device for produc
`ing a righting moment in combination with said
`positively buoyant member when said combined
`fuselage halves rotate from the preselected posi
`tion.
`14. The device of claim 13 further comprising:
`an upper winglet disposed on said upper fuselage half 15
`at the extremity of said wing portion, said upper
`winglet being oriented to maintain said device co
`axially with said cable; and
`a lower winglet disposed on said lower fuselage half
`at the extremity of said wing portion, said lower
`winglet being oriented to maintain said device co
`axially with said cable and to balance undesired
`forces acting on said upper winglet.
`15. The device of claim 14 wherein said positively
`buoyant member comprises at least one buoyant ballast
`strip disposed on the extremity of said wing on said
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`upper fuselage half to provide positive buoyancy to said
`upper fuselage half.
`16. The device of claim 15 wherein said negatively
`buoyant member comprises at least one dense ballast
`strip disposed on the extremity of said wing on said
`lower fuselage half to provide negative buoyancy to
`said lower fuselage half.
`17. The device of claim 16 wherein said positively
`buoyant member and said negatively buoyant member
`are disposed on said lateral force device offset from the
`vertical centerline of said lateral force device to provide
`a nonvertical orientation of said lateral force device.
`18. The device of claim 17 further comprising bear
`ings disposed on said shoulders of said spool for allow
`ing said combined fuselage halves to rotate more freely
`about said spool.
`19. The device of claim 17 further comprising bear
`ings disposed at the ends of said fuselage for allowing
`said combined fuselage halves to rotate more freely
`about said spool.
`20. The device of claim 14 further comprising a bi
`wing disposed at the extremity of said upper winglet
`and the extremity of said lower winglet away from said
`wing, said bi-wing being oriented substantially parallel
`to said combined wing portions.
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`PGS v. WESTERNGECO (IPR2014-00689)
`WESTERNGECO Exhibit 2059, pg. 8