Apparatus for underwater seismic operations

Claim 1

IN A SYSTEM FOR UNDERWATER SEISMIC EXPLORATION IN WHICH A SERIES OF SEISMIC WAVE RECEIVERS ARE SPACEDLY ARRANGED LINEARLY, REARWARDLY OF A VESSEL PROVIDED WITH RECORDING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH EACH OF THE RECEIVERS THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF A CONDUCTOR DRAG CABLE, THE COMBINATION OF MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY LOCATING A PLURALITY OF EXPLOSIVE CHARGES LATERALLY OF THE LINE OF RECEIVERS AND FOR SUCCESSIVELY INDIVIDUALLY EXPLODING THE EXPLOSIVE CHARGES AT WILL, COMPRISING A PARAVANE, AND INSULATED CONDUCTOR CABLE SECURED TO THE VESSEL, BRIDLE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING THE PARAVANE IN TWO TO THE CONDUCTOR CABLE IN A MANNER SUCH THAT DURING MOVEMENT OF THE VESSEL, THE PARAVANE WILL BE CAUSED TO TRAVEL IN A LINE PARALLEL TO AND LATERALLY A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM THE LINE OF THE RECEIVERS, A PORTION OF THE CONDUCTOR CABLE ADJACENT THE PARAVANE BEING BARE OF INSULATION, EACH EXPLOSIVE CHARGE HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ACTUATING CONDUCTORS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED THERETO, SAID FIRST ACTUATING CONDUCTOR BEING ADAPTED TO MAKE ELECTRICAL CONTACT WITH THE WATER, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID SECOND ACTUATING CONDUCTOR IN CONTACT WITH AND FOR FREE MOVEMENT ALONG THE CONDUCTOR CABLE WHEREBY DURING FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE VESSEL THE EXPLOSIVE CHARGE WILL BE CAUSED TO MOVE REARWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID VESSEL TO BRING SAID SECOND ACTUATING CONDUCTOR INTO CONTACT WITH THE BARE PORTION OF THE CONDUCTOR CABLE ADJACENT THE PARAVANE, THE PRESENCE OF SAID PARAVANES ERVING TO KEEP SAID SECOND CONDUCTOR FROM PASSING BEYOND SAID BARE PORTION, AND MEANS INCLUDING A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL AND SWITCH MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH THE CABLE TO SELECTIVELY FLOW CURRENT THERETHROUGH AND TO EXPLODE THE EXPLOSIVE CHANGE.