Retrievable buoy

Claim 2

A retrievable, submersible buoy for marking underwater locations comprising, in combination: a buoy body; mooring means adapted to be connected to a sub-sea anchor for anchoring said buoy at an underwater location; buoy release means releasably connecting said body to said mooring means and including an explosive charge release mechanism operable in response to receipt of an electrical signal for releasing said buoy from said mooring means; buoy recall command receiving means connected to said release mechanism to conduct an electrical signal to said explosive charge in response to receipt of a remotely generated buoy recall command; a tag line stored on said body and connected between said body and said mooring means, said tag line passing from said body to said mooring means through an annulus formed with said body; and means responding to the release of said body from said mooring means for clearing said annulus to permit said tag line to pass relatively unobstructed about said annulus.

Claim 3

A retrievable, submersible buoy for marking underwater locations comprising, in combination: a buoy body; mooring means adapted to be connected to a sub-sea anchor for anchoring said buoy at an underwater location; buoy release means releasably connecting said body to said mooring means and including an explosive charge release mechanism operable in response to receipt of an electrical signal for releasing said buoy from said mooring means; buoy recall command receiving means connected to said release mechanism to conduct an electrical signal to said explosive charge in response to receipt of a remotely generated buoy recall command; said mooring means including a lanyard line having a breakable connector at one end and said releasing means including a release squib for interconnection with said buoy body, said squib including a connector for interconnection with said breakable connector and said explosive charge release mechanism for causing said breakable connector to be disconnected from said release squib upon actuation of an explosive charge.

Claim 4

A retrievable, submersible buoy for marking underwater locations comprising, in combination: a buoy body; mooring means adapted to be connected to a sub-sea anchor for anchoring said buoy at an underwater location; buoy release means releasably connecting said body to said mooring means and including an explosive charge release mechanism operable in response to receipt of an electrical signal for releasing said buoy from said mooring means; buoy recall command receiving means connected to said release mechanism to conduct an electrical signal to said explosive charge in response to receipt of a remotely generated buoy recall command; said mooring means including a lanyard line having a breakable connector at one end and said releasing means including a release squib for interconnection with said buoy body, said squib including a connector for interconnection with said breakable connector and said explosive charge release mechanism for causing said breakable connector to be disconnected from said release squib upon actuation of an explosive charge.

Claim 5

A retrievable, submersible buoy for marking underwater locations comprIsing, in combination: a buoy body; mooring means adapted to be connected to a sub-sea anchor for anchoring said buoy at an underwater location; buoy release means releasably connecting said body to said mooring means and including an explosive charge release mechanism operable in response to receipt of an electrical signal for releasing said buoy from said mooring means; buoy recall command receiving means connected to said release mechanism to conduct an electrical signal to said explosive charge in response to receipt of a remotely generated buoy recall command; said recall receiving means including means for receiving a series of distinct signals comprising a buoy recall command, first timing means responding to the first of said series of received signals to generate a first timing pulse after a predetermined first interval after receipt of the first of said series of received signals; and permit pulse generating means for generating a first permit pulse in response to generation of said first timing pulse and receipt of the second of said series of received signals.

Claim 6

A retrievable, submersible buoy for marking underwater locations comprIsing, in combination: a buoy body; mooring means adapted to be connected to a sub-sea anchor for anchoring said buoy at an underwater location; buoy release means releasably connecting said body to said mooring means and including an explosive charge release mechanism operable in response to receipt of an electrical signal for releasing said buoy from said mooring means; buoy recall command receiving means connected to said release mechanism to conduct an electrical signal to said explosive charge in response to receipt of a remotely generated buoy recall command; said recall receiving means including means for receiving a series of distinct signals comprising a buoy recall command, first timing means responding to the first of said series of received signals to generate a first timing pulse after a predetermined first interval after receipt of the first of said series of received signals; and permit pulse generating means for generating a first permit pulse in response to generation of said first timing pulse and receipt of the second of said series of received signals.

Claim 7

The buoy of claim 3, further including second timing means responding to said first permit pulse to generate a second timing pulse after a predetermined second interval after generation of said first permit pulse, and wherein said permit pulse generating means responds to generation of said second timing pulse and receipt of the third of said series of received signals to provide a second permit signal indicating receipt of a proper buoy recall command, whereby said buoy release mechanism may be activated in response to said second permit signal.

Claim 8

The buoy of claim 4, wherein said permit pulse generating means generates a window pulse in response to receipt of the second and third of said series of received signals, and said first permit pulse is generated upon coincidence of said first timing pulse and such a window pulse, and said second permit pulse is generated upon coincidence of said second timing pulse and such a window pulse.

Claim 9

A retrievable, submersible buoy for marking underwater locations comprising, in combination: a buoy body; means for anchoring said buoy at an underwater location; said anchoring means including an inflatable air-tight member adapted to be buried at an underwater location; a source of pressurized gas and a normally closed valve means connected between said source and the interior of said member, an explosive charge release mechanism operable in response to receipt of an electrical signal for opening said valve means to permit passage of said gas into said inflatable member whereby said gas imparts sufficient buoyancy to said inflatable member to cause said buoy to rise from said underwater location; buoy recall signal receiving means mounted on said body and connected to said release means to conduct said electrical signal to said explosive charge in response to receipt of a remotely generated recall command, said buoy recall signal receiving means including means for receiving a series of distinct signals comprising a buoy recall command, first timing means responding to the first of said series of received signals to generate a first timing pulse after a predetermined first interval after receipt of the first of said series of received signals, and permit pulse generating means for generating a first permit pulse in response to generation of said first timing and receipt of the second of said series of received signals.

Claim 10

A retrievable, submersible buoy for marking underwater locations comprising, in combination: a buoy body; means for anchoring said buoy at an underwater location; said anchoring means including an inflatable air-tight member adapted to be buried at an underwater location; a source of pressurized gas and a normally closed valve means connected between said source and the interior of said member, an explosive charge release mechanism operable in response to receipt of an electrical signal for opening said valve means to permit passage of said gas into said inflatable member whereby said gas imparts sufficient buoyancy to said inflatable member to cause said buoy to rise from said underwater location; buoy recall signal receiving means mounted on said body and connected to said release means to conduct said electrical signal to said explosive charge in response to receipt of a remotely generated recall command, said buoy recall signal receiving means including means for receiving a series of distinct signals comprising a buoy recall command, first timing means responding to the first of said series of received signals to generate a first timing pulse after a predetermined first interval after receipt of the first of said series of received signals, and permit pulse generating means for generating a first permit pulse in response to generation of said first timing and receipt of the second of said series of received signals.

Claim 11

The buoy of claim 6, further including second timing means responding to said first permit pulse to generate a second timing pulse after a predetermined second interval after generation of said first permit pulse, and wherein said permit pulse generating means responds to generation of said second timing pulse and receipt of the third of said series of received signals to provide a second permit signal indicating receipt of a proper buoy recall command.

Claim 14

The system of claim 8, wherein said recall command generating means includes a source of periodic pulses of a known frequency; means responding to actuation of said source of periodic pulses to provide a first electrical output signal; first binary code means connected to said source and responding thereto to provide a second output electrical signal after a selected number of said periodic pulses have been generated; second binary code means connected to said source and responding thereto to provide a third output electrical signal after a second selected number of said periodic pulses have been generated; and means responding to said first electrical signal to actuate one of said explosive charges, to said second electrical signal to actuate a second explosive charge, and to said third output signal to actuate a third explosive charge.

Claim 19

The system of claim 11 further including second timing means responding to said first permit pulse to generate a second timing pulse after a predetermined second interval after generation of said first permit pulse, and wherein said permit pulse generating means responds to generation of said second timing pulse and receipt of the third of said series of received signals to provide a second permit signal indicating receipt of a proper buoy recall signal.