Oceanographic release hook

Claim 2

A release means for use with oceanographic equipment comprising: an elongate hollow housing adapted to receive therein a piston having a large diameter at one end and a smaller diameter at the other end; an arcuate release hook pivotally attached at one end exteriorly to said housing and having an outwardly turned portion at its other free end, said release hook mounted on said housing with its arc concave with respect to said housing; a piston axially slidable in said housing, resilient means in said housing disposed at the large diameter end of said piston maintaining contact between said housing and the smaller diameter end of said piston, said housing and said piston having openings in the walls thereof to accommodate the free end of said release hook, said release hook in the inoperative condition having its free end blocked by said piston and in the operative condition having its free end released upon movement of said piston against said resilient means; means connected to said housing at said smaller diameter end for effecting axial movement of said piston under selected conditions to release the free end of said release hook; and means secured to said housing opposite said release hook for suspending said release means from an object.

Claim 3

The release means as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for suspending the release means is a shackle block and the release hook is mounted on a hook block secured to the outer surface of said housing, said means for effecting axial movement including detonating means disposed in said housing opposite said smaller diameter end of said piston; a firing pin positioned in said housing opposite said detonating means, said firing pin mounted in a firing pin guide secured to said housing opposite said detonating means; a striker guide receiving said firing pin guide and coaxially secured to said housing; and a hammer and hammer actuating means mounted in said striker guide for initiating detonation of said detonating means.

Claim 4

The release means as defined in claim 2 and further including a trigger lever pivotally mounted on said shackle block, said trigger lever extending parallel to the axis of said housing and terminating at a point substantially beyond said hammer and said striker guide; a trip weight rotatably suspended from the end of said trigger lever remote from said housing; said trigger lever having hammer restraining means removably inserted in said hammer for preventing release of said hammer until selected conditions exist; and trigger lever resilient means disposed between said striker guide and said trigger lever, said trigger lever resilient means compressed while the weight of said trip weight is carried by said trigger lever and freeing said hammer when the tension caused by said weight is removed from said trigger lever.

Claim 5

The release means as defined in claim 3 and further including a manual safety pin and a hydrostatic safety means, said manual safety pin removably inserted in said hammer and abutting against said striker guide in the operative condition, preventing actuation of said hammer until removed; and said hydrostatic safety means including a pin which prevents release of said hammer when inserted therein, said hydrostatic safety pin restrained by a shearable retaining means adapted to shear at a selected pressure, causing said hydrostatic safety pin to be removed from said hammer.

Claim 6

A release device for controlling the release of oceanographic equipment at various depths comprising a hollow cylinder adapted to carry the weight of oceanographic equipment, said cylinder including means on its upper side for attachment to an equipment lowering device and means on its lower side for releasably suspending equipment, said release means including an appendage on said cylinder aNd an arm pivoted at one end about said appendage, said arm formed to provide a supporting surface at the other end; a movable means accommodated in said cylinder and adapted to receive the supporting surface of said other end of said arm; and means in said cylinder mounted in juxtaposition with said movable means for displacing the movable means under the occurrence of selected conditions, said arm arcuate with the curve thereof concave with respect to said housing to facilitate release and out-turned at said other end to form the supporting surface, said housing having an opening in the undersurface thereof positioned to admit a substantial portion of the free end of said arm, whereby at release the means supporting the other end of said arm is removed, permitting the arm to pivot and the equipment to descend in free fall said supporting means is a piston having an opening in the sidewall thereof to admit the free end of said arm, and said displacing means is a detonating means positioned in said housing for effecting displacement of said piston upon the occurrence of said selected conditions, said out-turned end of said arm in the unactuated condition supported by the sidewall of said piston.

Claim 7

A release device for controlling the release of oceanographic equipment at various depths comprising a hollow cylinder adapted to carry the weight of oceanographic equipment, said cylinder including means on its upper side for attachment to an equipment lowering device and means on its lower side for releasably suspending equipment, said release means including an appendage on said cylinder aNd an arm pivoted at one end about said appendage, said arm formed to provide a supporting surface at the other end; a movable means accommodated in said cylinder and adapted to receive the supporting surface of said other end of said arm; and means in said cylinder mounted in juxtaposition with said movable means for displacing the movable means under the occurrence of selected conditions, said arm arcuate with the curve thereof concave with respect to said housing to facilitate release and out-turned at said other end to form the supporting surface, said housing having an opening in the undersurface thereof positioned to admit a substantial portion of the free end of said arm, whereby at release the means supporting the other end of said arm is removed, permitting the arm to pivot and the equipment to descend in free fall said supporting means is a piston having an opening in the sidewall thereof to admit the free end of said arm, and said displacing means is a detonating means positioned in said housing for effecting displacement of said piston upon the occurrence of said selected conditions, said out-turned end of said arm in the unactuated condition supported by the sidewall of said piston.

Claim 8

The release device as defined in claim 5 and further including a pawl extending outward from said means for attachment; a firing pin mounted in said housing in axial alignment with said detonating means; a hammer mounted in spring-loaded relationship in said housing axially aligned with and spaced from said firing pin; a tripping means suspended from the remote end of said pawl, said pawl having a tab depending therefrom and removably engaged in said hammer; and safety means removably engaged in said hammer for preventing release of said hammer until the occurrence of selected conditions.

Claim 9

The release device as defined in claim 6 wherein said safety means include a removable manual safety pin abutting said housing in the ready condition; a hydrostatic safety removably received at one end in said hammer in the armed condition; a mechanical safety integral with said pawl and removably received in said housing opposite said hydrostatic safety in the armed condition; and resilient means compressed between said pawl and said housing in the armed condition, whereby after removal of said manual safety pin the release device is armed and then actuated upon release of said hydrostatic safety at a selected depth and release of said mechanical safety upon removal of the weight of said tripping means from the end of said pawl.