Buoyant cable towing system

Claim 2

An improved system for towing a buoyant cable along a predetermined watercourse comprising in combination: draft vehicle means for navigation of said predetermined watercourse; buoyant cable means effectively attached to said draft vehicle means for movement thereby and for establishing a conductive loop current path on the surface of said water; surface float means for buoying upwardly objects attached thereto; stabilization means attached to said surface float means for minimizing undesirable pitch, roll, and yaw movements thereof; diversion means for generating a lateral force in response to forward movement thereof; rigid mounting means connected between said surface float means and said diversion means for connecting said diversion means beneath and in fixed relation to said surface float means for facilitating the deployment of said towing system in relatively confined watercourses; and towing bridle means connected between said diversion means and said buoyant cable means for the towing thereof.

Claim 3

An improved towing system as recited in claim 1 in which said buoyant cable means further comprises in combination: an innermost metallic conductor means extending throughout the length of said buoyant cable means for transmission of electrical energy therethrough; a layer of insulation material surrounding said metallic conductor means and coextensive therewith for electrically insulating said conductor means from electrical contact with other objects; and buoyant means substantially surrounding said conductor means and said coextensive insulation material for the support thereof on the surface of a body of water while allowing water to contact said insulation for the cooling thereof.

Claim 4

An improved towing system as set forth in claim 2 in which said buoyant means comprises a plurality of discrete buoyant floats placed along the length of and surrounding the aforesaid insulation-surrounded conductor means for flexibly encasement thereof in a buoyant layer.

Claim 5

An improved towing system according to claim 1 in which said surface float means further comprises: outwardly protruding mounting stud means located on the sides of said surface float means for attachment of said mounting means thereto.

Claim 6

An improved towing system according to claim 1 further comprising: outwardly protruding mounting stud means located on the sides of said surface float means for attachment of said mounting means thereto; U-bolt means positioned over said mounting stud means for engagement therewith and extending downwardly therefrom to pass through and engage said mounting means for attachment thereof to said surface float means; and flange means extending downwardly from said mounting means and engaging the aforesaid diversion means for rigid support thereof.

Claim 7

An improved towing system as recited in claim 1 wherein said stabilization means further comprises: vertical stabilizer means connected to said surface float means at the rearward portion thereof and extending downwardly therefrom into said watercourse for reduction of yawing and rolling tendencies of said surface float means; curved stabilizer means connected to said vertical stabilizer means and extending laterally outwardly therefrom and having a generally cylindrically curved surface with straight forward and aft edges and mounted with its forward edge lower than its aft edge for reducing the rolling and pitching motions of said surface float means; and planAr horizontal stabilizer means connected to the lower edge of said vertical stabilizer means so as to extend laterally outwardly therefrom from cooperating with said curved stabilizer means for reducing the rolling and pitching motions of said surface float means.

Claim 8

An improved system for towing a buoyant cable along a predetermined watercourse comprising in combination: draft vehicle means for navigation of said predetermined watercourse; buoyant cable means effectively attached to said draft vehicle means for movement thereby and for establishing a conductive loop current path on the surface of said water; float unit means having a streamlined shape tapering from a generally spherically shaped forward portion to a pointed aft portion for buoyant support of streaming equipment attached thereto; vertical stabilizer means connected to said float unit means at the aft portion thereof and extending downwardly therefrom into said watercourse for reduction of yawing and rolling motions of said float unit; curved stabilizer means connected to said vertical stabilizer means and extending laterally outwardly therefrom and having a generally cylindrical curved surface between straight forward and aft edges and mounted with its forward edge lower than its aft edge for reducing the rolling and pitching motions of said float unit means; planar horizontal stabilizer means connected to said vertical stabilizer means and extending laterally outwardly therefrom for cooperating with said curved stabilizer means for reducing the rolling and pitching motions of said float unit means; outwardly extending stud means located on the side of said float unit means for providing mounting attachment means thereon; U-bolt means positioned over said stud means and extending downwardly therefrom for providing connection means therefor; float band means connected to said U-bolt means in such a manner as to lie against said float unit means; flange means connected to said float band means and extending downwardly therefrom for providing gripping support of objects placed in engagement therewith; diverter means, having vertical deflection vanes, gripped by said flange means for effective support by said float unit means, so as to produce a lateral diverting force in response to forward movement of said float unit means; and towing bridle means attached to said diverter means and to said buoyant cable means for transmission of towing force therebetween.

Claim 9

An improved system for towing a buoyant cable along a predetermined watercourse comprising in combination: draft vehicle means for navigation of said predetermined watercourse; buoyant cable means effectively attached to said draft vehicle means for movement thereby and for establishing a conductive loop current path on the surface of said water; float unit means having a streamlined shape tapering from a generally spherically shaped forward portion to a pointed aft portion for buoyant support of streaming equipment attached thereto; vertical stabilizer means connected to said float unit means at the aft portion thereof and extending downwardly therefrom into said watercourse for reduction of yawing and rolling motions of said float unit; curved stabilizer means connected to said vertical stabilizer means and extending laterally outwardly therefrom and having a generally cylindrical curved surface between straight forward and aft edges and mounted with its forward edge lower than its aft edge for reducing the rolling and pitching motions of said float unit means; planar horizontal stabilizer means connected to said vertical stabilizer means and extending laterally outwardly therefrom for cooperating with said curved stabilizer means for reducing the rolling and pitching motions of said float unit means; outwardly extending stud means located on the side of said float unit means for providing mounting attachment means thereon; U-bolt means positioned over said stud means and extending downwardly therefrom for providing connection means therefor; float band means connected to said U-bolt means in such a manner as to lie against said float unit means; flange means connected to said float band means and extending downwardly therefrom for providing gripping support of objects placed in engagement therewith; diverter means, having vertical deflection vanes, gripped by said flange means for effective support by said float unit means, so as to produce a lateral diverting force in response to forward movement of said float unit means; and towing bridle means attached to said diverter means and to said buoyant cable means for transmission of towing force therebetween.