Apparatus and methods for exploring the topography of the sea

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR EXPLORING THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SEA BED COMPRISING A PIPE-LIKE TEST ELEMENT, A MECHANICAL RECORDING EXTENSOMETER MOUNTED IN A PORTION OF SAID TEST ELEMENT, SAID EXTENSOMETER BEING ADAPTED TO DETECT AND RECORD DEFORMATIONS OF THE SAID ELEMENT PORTION ALONG THREE LINES DISPOSED AT EQUAL ANGLES ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE ELEMENT PORTION, SAID MECHANICAL RECORDING EXTENSOMETER INCLUDING TWO CIRCULAR PLATES FIXED IN SPACED RELATION IN SAID ELEMENT PORTION AND EACH HAVING A DIAMETER SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE INTERNAL DIAMETER OF SAID ELEMENT PORTION, THREE PAIRS OF TELESCOPIC ARMS ARTICULATELY MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID PLATES AND EQUIANGULARLY SPACED ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID ELEMENT PORTION, A RECORDING CYLINDER CENTRALLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID ARMS, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE CYLINDER MEANS FOR FEEDING PAPER TAPE ON TO THE CYLINDER AS IT ROTATES, AND SIX STYLI RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED ONE TO EACH TELESCOPIC ARM AND BEARING IN PAIRS ON SAID CYLINDER TO RECORD AS TRACKS ON SAID TAPE THE DISPLACEMENT OF EACH ARM.