Angular rise flotation gear

Claim 2

A parachute for use with a submerged buoyant system comprising a center plate adapted to be secured to the submerged buoyant system, a first and a second foldable semi-circular piece each having a plurality of radial rods pivotally connected to said center plate, lock means on said center plate engageable with the rods on said first piece to lock said first piece in a horizontal position after an initial increase in depth of the submerged buoyant system from a predetermined depth opens it, and said second piece having means enabling it to open to a horizontal folded position or to a downwardly folded position whenever the submerged buoyant system deviates from said predetermined depth.

Claim 3

The invention as recited in claim 2, but further characterized in that said first piece has a third piece attached at right angles thereto thereby to prevent oscillatory motion of said system about a vertical axis.

Claim 4

In a submerged buoyant acoustic system a parachute, an impervious balloon connected to said parachute, a gas generator connected to said balloon, and a pressure responsive valve operatively attached to said balloon responsive to hydrostatic pressure to close at a predetermined water pressure, whereby to maintain said submerged buoyant acoustic system at a predetermined depth, said parachute comprising a first and a second semi-circular foldable piece, said foldable pieces being structurally and operationally independent of one another, lock means associated with said balloon and selectively engageable with said first piece, whereby said first piece is pivotally locked in a horizontal position or a downwardly folded position in response to movement of said buoyant system below and above said predetermined depth in response to the initial downward deviation of the buoyant acoustic system from the predetermined depth, and said second piece assuming a horizontal position.

Claim 5

In a submerged buoyant acoustic system a parachute, an impervious balloon connected to said parachute, a gas generator connected to said balloon, and a pressure responsive valve operatively attached to said balloon responsive to hydrostatic pressure to close at a predetermined water pressure, whereby to maintain said submerged buoyant acoustic system at a predetermined depth, said parachute comprising a first and a second semi-circular foldable piece, said foldable pieces being structurally and operationally independent of one another, lock means associated with said balloon and selectively engageable with said first piece, whereby said first piece is pivotally locked in a horizontal position or a downwardly folded position in response to movement of said buoyant system below and above said predetermined depth in response to the initial downward deviation of the buoyant acoustic system from the predetermined depth, and said second piece assuming a horizontal position.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 3 but further characterized in that said first piece has a vertical guiding rudder attached thereto.

Claim 7

An impervious parachute for use with a submerged buoyant system comprising a center plate adapted to be secured to the submerged buoyant system and having a circular wire ring secured to its underside in spaced relation therefrom, a first and a second overlapping semicircular piece, said first piece having a series of first radial rods, said second piece having a series of second radial rods, said first and second radial rods each being pivotally mounted on said circular wire ring, said wire ring having axially mounted thereon a plurality of compressive spring members biasing each of said first and second radial rods along the periphery of said wire ring, each of said first radial rods having an extension portion extending inwardly of said wire ring, each of said extensions being of a length greater than the space between said wire ring and the center plate, said center plate having an aperture formed therein adjacent each of said extensions, whereby each of said first radial rods may pivot on said wire ring against the bias of said spring means so that each of said extensions protrudes into one of said apertures.

Claim 8

An impervious parachute for use with a submerged buoyant system comprising a center plate adapted to be secured to the submerged buoyant system and having a circular wire ring secured to its underside in spaced relation therefrom, a first and a second overlapping semicircular piece, said first piece having a series of first radial rods, said second piece having a series of second radial rods, said first and second radial rods each being pivotally mounted on said circular wire ring, said wire ring having axially mounted thereon a plurality of compressive spring members biasing each of said first and second radial rods along the periphery of said wire ring, each of said first radial rods having an extension portion extending inwardly of said wire ring, each of said extensions being of a length greater than the space between said wire ring and the center plate, said center plate having an aperture formed therein adjacent each of said extensions, whereby each of said first radial rods may pivot on said wire ring against the bias of said spring means so that each of said extensions protrudes into one of said apertures.

Claim 9

The invention as defined in claim 5 but further characterized in that said second radial rods have non-extended ends, whereby said second radial rods freely pivot about said circular wire ring to a horizontal position incontact with the under side of said center plate.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 5, wherein said extended ends of said first radial rods are displaced laterally of said apertures by said springs after said first radial rods reach a horizontal position, whereby said first radiaL rods are locked after reaching said horizontal position.

Claim 11

In combination with a submerged buoyant system having an impervious balloon, a gas generator connected to said balloon, and a pressure responsive valve operatively attached to said balloon responsive to hydrostatic pressures adapted to close at a predetermined water pressure, whereby to maintain said system at a predetermined depth, the improvement comprising a parachute attached to said balloon, said parachute comprising a first semi-circular piece having means for locking it in a horizontal position after an initial downward deviation, and a second semi-circular piece having means enabling it to assume a horizontal position when said system is sinking whereby it acts together with said first piece to brake the downward movement of said system, said last named means enabling said second piece to assume a downwardly folded position when said system is rising, whereby said system will rise in a combination vertical and lateral direction away from said horizontally locked semicircular piece, said rising being further controlled by said pressure responsive valve, said gas generator and said balloon.

Claim 12

In combination with a submerged buoyant system having an impervious balloon, a gas generator connected to said balloon, and a pressure responsive valve operatively attached to said balloon responsive to hydrostatic pressures adapted to close at a predetermined water pressure, whereby to maintain said system at a predetermined depth, the improvement comprising a parachute attached to said balloon, said parachute comprising a first semi-circular piece having means for locking it in a horizontal position after an initial downward deviation, and a second semi-circular piece having means enabling it to assume a horizontal position when said system is sinking whereby it acts together with said first piece to brake the downward movement of said system, said last named means enabling said second piece to assume a downwardly folded position when said system is rising, whereby said system will rise in a combination vertical and lateral direction away from said horizontally locked semicircular piece, said rising being further controlled by said pressure responsive valve, said gas generator and said balloon.