Appeal No. 2003-0209
Application No. 394,390
water for measuring near-sound noise generation of the submarine
which may then by analyzed in an attempt to provide a more quiet
ship. Of importance to appellants is to provide a towed device
(12, 30, or 60) that is positionable in the water with respect to
the towing vehicle and which allows the towed array to be
positioned in a spaced manner from the submarine and
substantially parallel to the line of submarine travel. A
portion of the mechanism for changing positioning of the towed
device is contained within the housing of the device and includes
means (Figs. 3-5 or Figs. 6-8) for varying the relative position
between the center of buoyancy and the center of gravity of the
housing to dispose the wing (33 or 65) in a given position.
Claim 11 reads as follows:
11. A towed vehicle for positioning a hydrophone array about a
submarine, comprising:
(a) towing means connecting said submarine and vehicle;
(b) means on said vehicle for generating hydrodynamic forces
as the vehicle is pulled through water; and
(c) means for selectively controlling the attitude of said
vehicle whereby the hydrophone array may be positioned
substantially parallel to the axis of the submarine at any radial
position of the vehicle about the submarine.
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