Non-rotating depth controller paravane for seismic cables

Claim 2

A paravane for a seismic cable adapted to be towed substantially horizontally through water, comprising an elongated paravane body having a longitudinal axial bore along the length thereof a size to receive the seismic cable therethrough, means for linking the paravane body to the seismic cable in nonrotatable relation to the cable, a plurality of more than two movable diving planes carried by the paravane body and capable of collectively producing both vertical and horizontal thrusts to cause the paravane to climb to shallower depths or dive to deeper depths regardless of the roll axis orientation of the paravane on the seismic cable, servo means for moving said diving planes to selected attitudes, pressure responsive means disposed in said paravane for producing a depth-indicating signal in response to ambient water pressure, means for producing a depth control signal responsive to command signals transmitted to the paravane, and servo control circuit means for producing activating signals responsive to differences between said depth-indicating signal and depth control signal to activate said servo means to move the diving planes in selected relation to the roll axis orientation of the paravane to cause the paravane to climb or dive to levels producing selected correspondence between said signals without turning of the paravane relative to the yaw axis, said servo control circuit means including gravity actuated potentiometers for varying said activating signals applied to said servo means in selected relation to the vertical gravitational axis to produce movement of said diving planes in correlated relation to the vertical gravitational axis and effect only vertical climbing or diving movement of the paravane in a vertical plane without driving the paravane in lateral directions regardless of the angular orientation of the paravane about the roll axis.

Claim 3

A paravane as defined in claim 1, wherein said potentiometers each include a movable slider contact rotatable about the roll axis paralleling the cable axis and having an eccentric mass connected thereto to maintain the slider contact in a fixed selected position relative to the gravitational axis, and said potentiometers having resistance windings extending in a circular path which are held fixed relative to the paravane body.

Claim 4

A paravane as defined in claim 1, wherein said diving planes include pivot shafts for rotatably supporting the diving planes at opposite sides of the paravane body for angular movement about pivot axes which extend radially perpendicularly from the center axis of the paravane body, and means providing a driving connection between said servo means and said pivot shafts.

Claim 5

A paravane as defined in claim 3, wherein said diving planes include pivot shafts for rotatably supporting the diving planes at opposite sides of the paravane body for angular movement about pivot axes which extend radially perpendicularly from the center axis of the paravane body, and means providing a driving connection between said servo means and said pivot shafts.

Claim 6

A paravane for a seismic cable adapted to be towed substantially horizontally through water, comprising an elongated paravane body having a longitudinal axial bore along the length thereof of a size to receive the seismic cable therethrough, means for linking the paravane body to the seismic cable in non-rotatable relation to the cable, a plurality of movable diving planes carried by the paravane body and capable of collectively producing both vertical and horizontal thrusts to cause the paravane to climb to shallower depths or dive to deeper depths regardless of the roll axis orientation of the paravane on the seismic cable, servo means for moving said diving planes to selected attitudes, pressure responsive means disposed in said paravane for producing a depth-indicating signal in response to ambient water pressure, means for producing a depth control signal responsive to command signals transmitted to the paravane, and servo control circuit means for producing activating signals responsive to difference between said depth-indicating signal and depth control signal to activate said servo means to move the diving planes in selected relation to the roll axis orientation of the paravane to cause the paravane to climb or dive to levels producing selected correspondence between said signals without turning of the paravane relative to the yaw axis, said servo control circuit means including a first amplifier means responsive to differences between said signals for producing a first output signal, inverter means connected to said first output signal to produce a second output signal which is an inverted version of said first output signal, a pair of vertical sensing potentiometers, means applying said first and second output signals to diametrically opposite portions of said potentiomers along a circular path and at connection points which are in respective planes perpendicular to each other to generate a pair of said activating signals representing a function of both the deviation of the angular orientation of said paravane from a vertical plane relative the roll axis and of the differences between said depth-indicating signal and said depth control signal, and means for applying said activating signals to said servo means to effect diving or climbing of the paravane without lateral direction change of the paravane course in yaw.

Claim 7

A paravane for a seismic cable adapted to be towed substantially horizontally through water, comprising an elongated paravane body having a longitudinal axial bore along the length thereof of a size to receive the seismic cable therethrough, means for linking the paravane body to the seismic cable in non-rotatable relation to the cable, a plurality of movable diving planes carried by the paravane body and capable of collectively producing both vertical and horizontal thrusts to cause the paravane to climb to shallower depths or dive to deeper depths regardless of the roll axis orientation of the paravane on the seismic cable, servo means for moving said diving planes to selected attitudes, pressure responsive means disposed in said paravane for producing a depth-indicating signal in response to ambient water pressure, means for producing a depth control signal responsive to command signals transmitted to the paravane, and servo control circuit means for producing activating signals responsive to difference between said depth-indicating signal and depth control signal to activate said servo means to move the diving planes in selected relation to the roll axis orientation of the paravane to cause the paravane to climb or dive to levels producing selected correspondence between said signals without turning of the paravane relative to the yaw axis, said servo control circuit means including a first amplifier means responsive to differences between said signals for producing a first output signal, inverter means connected to said first output signal to produce a second output signal which is an inverted version of said first output signal, a pair of vertical sensing potentiometers, means applying said first and second output signals to diametrically opposite portions of said potentiomers along a circular path and at connection points which are in respective planes perpendicular to each other to generate a pair of said activating signals representing a function of both the deviation of the angular orientation of said paravane from a vertical plane relative the roll axis and of the differences between said depth-indicating signal and said depth control signal, and means for applying said activating signals to said servo means to effect diving or climbing of the paravane without lateral direction change of the paravane course in yaw.

Claim 8

A paravane as defined in claim 5, wherein said potentiometers each include a movable slider contact rotatable about the roll axis paralleling the cable axis and having an eccentric mass connected thereto to maintain the slider contact in a fixed selected position relative to the gravitational axis, and said potentiometers having resistance windings extending in a circular path which are held fixed relative to the paravane body.

Claim 9

A paravane for a seismic cable adapted to be towed substantially horizontally through water, comprising an elongated paravane body having a longitudinal axial bore along the length thereof a size to receive the seismic cable therethrough, means for linking the paravane body to the seismic cable in non-rotatable relation to the cable, first and second pairs of movable diving planes extending from opposite sides of the paravane body and supported for pivotal movement about first and second transverse diameteric axes disposed at right angles to each other, said diving planes being capable of collectively producing both vertical and horizontal thrusts to cause the paravane to climb to shallower depths or dive to deeper depths regardless of the roll axis orientation of the paravaNe on the seismic cable, servo means for moving said diving planes about their pivot axes to selected attitudes, pressure responsive means disposed in said paravane for producing a depth-indicating signal in response to ambient water pressure, means for producing a depth control signal responsive to command signals transmitted to the paravane, and servo control circuit means for producing activating signals responsive to differences between said depth-indicating signal and depth control signal to activate said servo means to move the diving planes in selected relation to the roll axis orientation of the paravane to cause the paravane to climb or dive to levels producing selected correspondence between said signals without turning of the paravane relative to the yaw axis, said servo control circuit means including first and second gravity actuated potentiometers respectively associated with said first and second pairs of diving planes for varying said activating signals applied to said servo means in selected relation to the vertical gravitational axis to produce movement of said diving planes in correlated relation to the vertical gravitational axis and effect only vertical climbing or diving movement of the paravane regardless of the angular orientation of the paravane about the roll axis.

Claim 10

A paravane for a seismic cable adapted to be towed substantially horizontally through water, comprising an elongated paravane body having a longitudinal axial bore along the length thereof a size to receive the seismic cable therethrough, means for linking the paravane body to the seismic cable in non-rotatable relation to the cable, first and second pairs of movable diving planes extending from opposite sides of the paravane body and supported for pivotal movement about first and second transverse diameteric axes disposed at right angles to each other, said diving planes being capable of collectively producing both vertical and horizontal thrusts to cause the paravane to climb to shallower depths or dive to deeper depths regardless of the roll axis orientation of the paravaNe on the seismic cable, servo means for moving said diving planes about their pivot axes to selected attitudes, pressure responsive means disposed in said paravane for producing a depth-indicating signal in response to ambient water pressure, means for producing a depth control signal responsive to command signals transmitted to the paravane, and servo control circuit means for producing activating signals responsive to differences between said depth-indicating signal and depth control signal to activate said servo means to move the diving planes in selected relation to the roll axis orientation of the paravane to cause the paravane to climb or dive to levels producing selected correspondence between said signals without turning of the paravane relative to the yaw axis, said servo control circuit means including first and second gravity actuated potentiometers respectively associated with said first and second pairs of diving planes for varying said activating signals applied to said servo means in selected relation to the vertical gravitational axis to produce movement of said diving planes in correlated relation to the vertical gravitational axis and effect only vertical climbing or diving movement of the paravane regardless of the angular orientation of the paravane about the roll axis.

Claim 11

A paravane as defined in claim 8, wherein said potentiometers each include a movable slider contact rotatable about the roll axis paralleling the cable axis and having an eccentric mass connected thereto to maintain the slider contact in a fixed selected position relative to the gravitational axis, and said potentiometers having resistance windings extending in a circular path which are held fixed relative to the paravane body.

Claim 12

A paravane as define in claim 10, wherein said servo control circuit means includes a first amplifier means responsive to differences between said signals for producing a first output signal, inverter means connected to said first output signal to produce a second output signal which is an inverted version of said first output signal, means applying said first and second output signals to the diameterically opposite connection points on said potentiometers to generate a pair of said activating signals representing a function to both the deviation of the angular orientation of said paravane from a vertical plane relative the roll axis and of the differences between said depth-indicating signal and said depth control signal, and means for applying activating signals from said first and second potentiometers to the servo means for said first and second pairs of diving planes in selected relation to effect diving or climbing of the paravane without lateral direction change of the paravane course in yaw.

Claim 13

A paravane for a seismic cable adapted to be towed substantially horizontally through water, comprising an elongated paravane body having a longitudinal axial bore along the length thereof of a size to receive the seismic cable therethrough, means for linking the paravane body to the seismic cable in non-rotatable relation to the cable, first and second pairs of movable diving planes extending from opposite sides of the paravane body and supported for pivotal movement about first and second transverse diametric axes disposed at right angles to each other, said diving planes being capable of collectively producing both vertical and horizontal thrusts to cause the paravane to climb to shallower depths or dive to deeper depths regardless of the roll axis orientation of the paravane on the seismic cable, servo means for moving said diving planes about their pivot axes to selected attitudes, pressure responsive means disposed in said paravane for producing a depth-indicating signal in response to ambient water pressure, means for producing a depth control signal responsive to command signals transmitted to the paravane, and servo control circuit means for producing activating signals responsive to differences between said depth-indicating signal and depth Control signal to activate said servo means to move the diving planes in selected relation to the roll axis orientation of the paravane to cause the paravane to climb or dive to levels producing selected correspondence between said signals without turning of the paravane relative to the yaw axis, said servo control circuit means including first and second gravity actuated potentiometers respectively associated with said first and second pairs of diving planes for varying said activating signals applied to said servo means in selected relation to the vertical gravitational axis to produce movement of said diving planes in correlated relation to the vertical gravitational axis and effect only vertical climbing or diving movement of the paravane regardless of the angular orientation of the paravane about the roll axis, said potentiometers each including a movable slider contact rotatable about the roll axis paralleling the cable axis and having an eccentric mass connected thereto to maintain the slider contact in a fixed selected position relative to the gravitational axis, and said potentiometers having resistance windings extending in a circular path which are held fixed relative to the paravane body, the servo control circuit means including means for applying signals representing differences between said depth indicating and depth control signals to diametrically opposite connection points on said resistance windings of said potentiometers, the connection points for said first potentiometer being in a diametric plane disposed at right angles to the diameteric plane of the connection points for said second potentiometer.

Claim 14

A paravane for a seismic cable adapted to be towed substantially horizontally through water, comprising an elongated paravane body having a longitudinal axial bore along the length thereof of a size to receive the seismic cable therethrough, means for linking the paravane body to the seismic cable in non-rotatable relation to the cable, first and second pairs of movable diving planes extending from opposite sides of the paravane body and supported for pivotal movement about first and second transverse diametric axes disposed at right angles to each other, said diving planes being capable of collectively producing both vertical and horizontal thrusts to cause the paravane to climb to shallower depths or dive to deeper depths regardless of the roll axis orientation of the paravane on the seismic cable, servo means for moving said diving planes about their pivot axes to selected attitudes, pressure responsive means disposed in said paravane for producing a depth-indicating signal in response to ambient water pressure, means for producing a depth control signal responsive to command signals transmitted to the paravane, and servo control circuit means for producing activating signals responsive to differences between said depth-indicating signal and depth Control signal to activate said servo means to move the diving planes in selected relation to the roll axis orientation of the paravane to cause the paravane to climb or dive to levels producing selected correspondence between said signals without turning of the paravane relative to the yaw axis, said servo control circuit means including first and second gravity actuated potentiometers respectively associated with said first and second pairs of diving planes for varying said activating signals applied to said servo means in selected relation to the vertical gravitational axis to produce movement of said diving planes in correlated relation to the vertical gravitational axis and effect only vertical climbing or diving movement of the paravane regardless of the angular orientation of the paravane about the roll axis, said potentiometers each including a movable slider contact rotatable about the roll axis paralleling the cable axis and having an eccentric mass connected thereto to maintain the slider contact in a fixed selected position relative to the gravitational axis, and said potentiometers having resistance windings extending in a circular path which are held fixed relative to the paravane body, the servo control circuit means including means for applying signals representing differences between said depth indicating and depth control signals to diametrically opposite connection points on said resistance windings of said potentiometers, the connection points for said first potentiometer being in a diametric plane disposed at right angles to the diameteric plane of the connection points for said second potentiometer.

Claim 15

A paravane as defined in claim 10, wherein said diving planes include pivot shafts for rotatably supporting the diving planes at opposite sides of the paravane body for angular movement about diametric pivot axes disposed at right angles to each other which extend radially perpendicularly from the center axis of the paravane body, and means providing a first pair of driving connections between said servo means and the pivot shafts of said first pair of diving planes and providing a second pair of driving connections between said servo means and the pivot shafts of said second pair of diving planes.

Claim 16

A paravane as defined in claim 11, wherein said servo control circuit means includes a first amplifier means responsive to differences between said signals for producing a first output signal, inverter means connected to said first output signal to produce a second output signal which is an inverted version of said first output signal, means applying said first and second output signals to diametrically opposite connection points on said potentiometers to generate a pair of said activating signals representing a function of both the deviation of the angular orientation of said paravane from a vertical plane relative the roll axis and of the differences between said depth-indicating signal and said depth control signal, and means for applying activating signals from said first and second potentiometers to the servo means for said first and second pairs of diving planes in selected relation to effect diving or climbing of the paravane without lateral direction change of the paravane course in yaw.

Claim 17

A paravane for a seismic cable adapted to be towed substantially horizontally through water, comprising an elongated paravane body having a longitudinal axial bore along the length thereof of a size to receive the seismic cable therethrough, means for linking the paravane body to the seismic cable in non-rotatable relation to the cable, first and second pairs of movable diving planes extending from opposite sides of the paravane body and supported for pivotal movement about first and second transverse diameteric axes disposed at right angles to each other said diving planes being capable of collectively producing both vertical and horizontal thrusts to cause the paravane to climb to shallower depths or dive to deeper depths regardless of the roll axis orientaTion of the paravane on the seismic cable, servo means for moving said diving planes about their pivot axes to selected attitudes, pressure responsive means disposed in said paravane for producing a depth-indicating signal in response to ambient water pressure, means for producing a depth control signal responsive to command signals transmitted to the paravane, and servo control circuit means for producing activating signals responsive to differences between said depth-indicating signal and depth control signal to activate said servo means to move the diving planes in selected relation to the roll axis orientation of the paravane to cause the paravane to climb or dive to levels producing selected correspondence between said signals without turning of the paravane relative to the yaw axis, said servo control circuit means including a first amplifier means responsive to differences between said signals for producing a first output signal, inverter means connected to said first output signal to produce a second output signal which is an inverted version of said first output signal, a pair of vertical sensing potentiometers, means applying said first and second output signals to diametrically opposite connection points on said potentiometers along a circular path and at connection points which are in respective planes perpendicular to each other to generate a pair of said activating signals representing a function of both the deviation of the angular orientation of said paravane from a vertical plane relative the roll axis and of the differences between said depth-indicating signal and said depth control signal, and means for applying activating signals from said first and second potentiometers to the servo means for said first and second pairs of diving planes in selected relation to effect diving or climbing of the paravane without lateral direction change of the paravane course in yaw.

Claim 18

A paravane for a seismic cable adapted to be towed substantially horizontally through water, comprising an elongated paravane body having a longitudinal axial bore along the length thereof of a size to receive the seismic cable therethrough, means for linking the paravane body to the seismic cable in non-rotatable relation to the cable, first and second pairs of movable diving planes extending from opposite sides of the paravane body and supported for pivotal movement about first and second transverse diameteric axes disposed at right angles to each other said diving planes being capable of collectively producing both vertical and horizontal thrusts to cause the paravane to climb to shallower depths or dive to deeper depths regardless of the roll axis orientaTion of the paravane on the seismic cable, servo means for moving said diving planes about their pivot axes to selected attitudes, pressure responsive means disposed in said paravane for producing a depth-indicating signal in response to ambient water pressure, means for producing a depth control signal responsive to command signals transmitted to the paravane, and servo control circuit means for producing activating signals responsive to differences between said depth-indicating signal and depth control signal to activate said servo means to move the diving planes in selected relation to the roll axis orientation of the paravane to cause the paravane to climb or dive to levels producing selected correspondence between said signals without turning of the paravane relative to the yaw axis, said servo control circuit means including a first amplifier means responsive to differences between said signals for producing a first output signal, inverter means connected to said first output signal to produce a second output signal which is an inverted version of said first output signal, a pair of vertical sensing potentiometers, means applying said first and second output signals to diametrically opposite connection points on said potentiometers along a circular path and at connection points which are in respective planes perpendicular to each other to generate a pair of said activating signals representing a function of both the deviation of the angular orientation of said paravane from a vertical plane relative the roll axis and of the differences between said depth-indicating signal and said depth control signal, and means for applying activating signals from said first and second potentiometers to the servo means for said first and second pairs of diving planes in selected relation to effect diving or climbing of the paravane without lateral direction change of the paravane course in yaw.