Acoustic locator with array of microphones

Claim 2

An assembly comprising a support having an upper central portion and a plurality of legs distributed about the central portion and extending downwardly and radially outwardly therefrom, a housing rotatably mounted on the central portion of the support, a plurality of arms distributed about the housing and extending radially outwardly therefrom, means connecting a region of each arm adjacent its inner end with the housing for pivoting of the arm about a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the arm, a plurality of microphones equal in number to the arms and mounted on the outer ends thereof, one microphone to an arm, the housing, arms, and microphones being capable of up to 360* of movement with respect to the support without interference from electrical leads extending from the microphones along the arms to amplifiers in the housing and electrical leads extending from the amplifiers in the housing downwardly through the bottom of the housing, a sighting device, and a carrier therefor having a plurality of feet engaging sides of the arms adjacent their inner ends for enabling the sighting device to orient the microphones.

Claim 3

An assembly comprising a support having an upper central portion and a plurality of legs distributed about the central portion and extending downwardly and radially outwardly therefrom, a housing rotatably mounted on the central portion of the support, a plurality of arms distributed about the housing and extending radially outwardly therefrom, means connecting a region of each arm adjacent its inner end with the housing for pivoting of the arm about a horizonTal axis transverse to the length of the arm, and the inner ends of the arms narrowing to points so as to fit closely together in a horizontal position of the arms, the assembly further comprising a screw having a shank extending into the housing in threaded engagement therewith, the screw having a head overlapping the inner ends of the points of the arms so as to hold the arms in a horizontal position, a plurality of microphones equal in number to the arms and mounted on the outer ends thereof, one microphone to an arm, the housing, arms, and microphones being capable of up to 360* of movement with respect to the support without interference from electrical leads extending from the microphones along the arms to amplifiers in the housing and electrical leads extending from the amplifiers downwardly through the bottom of the housing.

Claim 4

An assembly comprising a support having an upper central portion and a plurality of legs distributed about the central portion and extending downwardly and radially outwardly therefrom, a housing rotatably mounted on the central portion of the support, a plurality of arms distributed about the housing and extending radially outwardly therefrom, means connecting a region of each arm adjacent its inner end with the housing for pivoting of the arm about a horizonTal axis transverse to the length of the arm, and the inner ends of the arms narrowing to points so as to fit closely together in a horizontal position of the arms, the assembly further comprising a screw having a shank extending into the housing in threaded engagement therewith, the screw having a head overlapping the inner ends of the points of the arms so as to hold the arms in a horizontal position, a plurality of microphones equal in number to the arms and mounted on the outer ends thereof, one microphone to an arm, the housing, arms, and microphones being capable of up to 360* of movement with respect to the support without interference from electrical leads extending from the microphones along the arms to amplifiers in the housing and electrical leads extending from the amplifiers downwardly through the bottom of the housing.

Claim 5

The assembly specified in claim 2 and further comprising a plurality of posts, one to an arm, and a plurality of clamps, one to an arm, mounted adjacent the outer ends of the arms, each clamp holding a post and being releasably fixable with respect to the arm so as in one position to cause the post when inoperative to extend along the arm and when operative to extend transversely of the arm into engagement with the ground, the post being longitudinally adjustable with respect to the clamp.

Claim 6

An assembly comprising a multilegged support, a plurality of arms distributed about the support and extending radially outwardly of the support, means connecting the inner end of each arm with the support for pivoting of the arm about a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the arm, a plurality of microphones equal in number to the arms and mounted on the outer ends thereof, one microphone to an arm, and a plurality of clamps, one to an arm, mounted adjacent the outer ends of the arms, each clamp holding a post and being releasably fixable with respect to the arm so as in one position to cause the post when inoperative to extend along the arm and when operative to extend transversely of the arm into engagement with the ground, the post being longitudinally adjustable with respect to the clamp.

Claim 7

An assembly comprising a multilegged support, a plurality of arms distributed about the support and extending radially outwardly of the support, means connecting the inner end of each arm with the support for pivoting of the arm about a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the arm, a plurality of microphones equal in number to the arms and mounted on the outer ends thereof, one microphone to an arm, and a plurality of clamps, one to an arm, mounted adjacent the outer ends of the arms, each clamp holding a post and being releasably fixable with respect to the arm so as in one position to cause the post when inoperative to extend along the arm and when operative to extend transversely of the arm into engagement with the ground, the post being longitudinally adjustable with respect to the clamp.

Claim 8

The assembly specified in claim 4, each arm comprising spaced side portions between which the associated clamp is positioned, each clamp having a split, the assembly further comprising a plurality of bolts, one to an arm, each bolt having a head at the outside of one side portion and extending through said one side portion, the associated clamp at the split, and the other side portion, and a plurality of nuts, one to a bolt, each nut being threaded on the associated bolt at the outside of the other side portion.

Claim 9

An assembly comprising a multilegged support, a plurality of arms distributed about the support and extending radially outwardly of the support, means connecting the inner end of each arm with the support for pivoting of the arm about a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the arm, a plurality of microphones equal in number to the arms and mounted on the outer ends thereof, one microphone to an arm, a sighting device, and a removable carrier therefor having a plurality of feet, each foot engaging the sides of two adjacent arms adjacent their inner ends and fitting the space between said two adjacent arms for enabling the sighting device to orient the microphones.

Claim 10

An assembly comprising a multilegged support, a plurality of arms distributed about the support and extending radially outwardly of the support, means connecting the inner end of each arm with the support for pivoting of the arm about a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the arm, a plurality of microphones equal in number to the arms and mounted on the outer ends thereof, one microphone to an arm, a sighting device, and a removable carrier therefor having a plurality of feet, each foot engaging the sides of two adjacent arms adjacent their inner ends and fitting the space between said two adjacent arms for enabling the sighting device to orient the microphones.

Claim 11

The assembly specified in claim 6, the arms being four in number, two arms being aligned and extending in opposite directions from their inner ends, the remaining two arms being aligned, extending in opposite directions from their inner ends and being spaced 90* from the first-mentioned two arms, the feet on the carrier being four in number, the sighting device being aligned with two oppositely extending arms.