Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
69 words
An in-situ acoustic sediment probe comprising: a barrel assembly having a bottom cutting edge; a transducer mounted on the barrel assembly outside the inner surface thereof; means mounted within the barrel assembly for removing sediment adjacent the inside cutting edge and discharging the sediment through the barrel assembly as the barrel penetrates the sediment, whereby sediment adjacent the exterior of the barrel assembly is substantially undisturbed for acoustic transmission.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
69 words
An in-situ acoustic sediment probe comprising: a barrel assembly having a bottom cutting edge; a transducer mounted on the barrel assembly outside the inner surface thereof; means mounted within the barrel assembly for removing sediment adjacent the inside cutting edge and discharging the sediment through the barrel assembly as the barrel penetrates the sediment, whereby sediment adjacent the exterior of the barrel assembly is substantially undisturbed for acoustic transmission.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
86 words
A probe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sediment removing means includes: an open ended tube concentrically mounted within the barrel assembly so as to provide an annular water passage between the barrel assembly and the tube; and said tube having a bottom end which is spaced above the bottom cutting edge of the barrel assembly whereby upon forcing water through the water passage the water will jet into the barrel space below the tube, remove sediment, and displace the sediment upwardly through said tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A probe as claimed in claim 2 including: the bottom end of the tube being flared so that water leaving the water passage will jet outwardly in the barrel space below the tube.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A probe as claimed in claim 3 including: the inside surface of the barrel assembly below the tube first rapidly diverging and then gradually diverging to the bottom cutting edge of the barrel assembly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
A probe as claimed in claim 2 including: said barrel assembly comprising: a tube; a cutting head concentrically mounted to the barrel tube and having a top end which radially extends from the barrel tube; an elastomeric jacket mounted about the barrel tube and substantially coextensive with the exterior surface of the cutting head; and said transducer being imbedded in the elastomeric jacket.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A probe as claimed in claim 2 including: means closing the top end of the barrel assembly; and the closing means having a water inlet which opens into the water passage between the barrel assembly and the tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A probe as claimed in claim 6 including: said tube extending through the top closed end of the barrel assembly.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A probe as claimed in claim 7 including: the bottom end of the tube being flared so that water leaving the water passage will jet outwardly in the barrel space below the tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A probe as claimed in claim 8 including: the inside surface of the barrel assembly below the tube first rapidly diverging and then gradually diverging to the bottom cutting edge of the barrel assembly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
A probe as claimed in claim 9 wherein: said barrel assembly comprises: a tube; a cutting head concentrically mounted to the barrel tube and having a top end which radially extends from the tube; an elastomeric jacket mounted about the barrel tube and substantially coextensive with the interior surface of the cutting head; and said transducer being imbedded in the elastomeric jacket.