US2524863A - Moored mine sweeping method and device - Google Patents

Description

0a. 10, 1950 'w. G. WHITE 2,

MOORED mm: SWEEPING METHOD AND DEVICE Filed Oct. 1, 1942 2 Sheets-$heet 1 INVENTOR BY NGRDON Ml/TE ma WM w. G. WHITE uoonsn um: SWEEPING METHOD AND DEVICE Oct'. 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1. 1942 5 Hz ,6; 50 4e 48 5/ 66' 43 '47 INVENTOR 200 Mrs Patented Oct. 10, 1950 MOORED MINE SWEEPING METHO AND DEVICE r I Wilfrid Gordon White, United States Navy Application October 1, 194.2, Serial No. 460,465 I *7 Claims. (01. 114-235) (Granted un'der the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 G. 757) This invention relates to mine sweeping and particularly to an improved method of and apparatus for sweeping moored mines.

Prior art methods of sweeping for mooredz mines consist of towing through the mined area a sweep wire containing suitable cutting apparatus for severing from its mooring the anchoring cables of the mines engaged by the said sweep wire, thereby allowing the mine to float clear of its anchoring means and to appear on the surface of the water to afford an opportunity.

for detonation by means of rifle shot from aboard the towing vessel. The primary disadvantage to the use of these prior art methods is that they can be executed only during hours of daylight;

It is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved ;method of mine sweeping which will permit continuous sweeping of a'presumptively mined rea.

The above object of my invention is obtained through the utilization of a novel apparatus which operates upon collision with an anchoring cable of the mine so as to pass the said anchoring cable through the search wire and into securing en-v gagement with a towing cable streamed from said towing vessel. The engaged mine may be'then safely towed at a distance from the mine sweeper or may be transferred to another ship for complete recovery. By utilizing such an apparatus,

mine sweeping operations may be executed with increased safety for vessels streaming in formation in tactical sweeping. v It is also an object of this invention to .provide apparatus suitable for carrying out the above method.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device by means of which the anchoring cable of the moored mine may be passed through the sweeping rigging to engage a hook secured to the end of a tow line.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention will become more apparent during the-f course of the following description of a single specific embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a single ship sweep embodying the method of my inven-'- tion; Fig. 2 is a plan viewjof the gate mechanism usedinFig.1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged depressor utilized in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged Otter utilized in Fig. 1;

perspective view of the perspective view of the I Fig. 5 is an enlarged. pe s'pective view of the.

float utilizedin Fig. 1 I

Fig.6 is an enlarged perspectivefviewof, the

traveler utilized in Fig. 1; v I

Fig. 'l is an enlarged elevational viewinjcross section of the vaned supporting plate for the hook illustrated in Fig. 9; Fig. 8 is an elevational view in' cross section of thegate mechanism shown in Fig. 2, the sec? tion being taken on'line 8+8; and 7 Fig: 9 is a planviews'howing, the-vaned sup porting plate'in'position on the stern gate.

Referring now to thedrawings andparticu-- larly to Fig. 1 which illustrates the preferred form of my invention, the reference number [0 designates the mine sweeping vessel of a single vessel sweep. Streamed from the stern of the 'vessel it] is a depressor tow rope H to which is s'e cured thedepressor 20. The details of the de-:v

pressor are shown enlarged in Fig. 3 and as illustratedinclude a plurality of parallel planing surfaces 2I secured to the side members 22 and-23; The depressor is towed at an angle to the'sur face of the water by means of a. three-legged bridle 24 which is secured to one of each of the side'members and to the middle brace 25 so-that thepressure of the water acting on the plane surfaces 2| drives" the depressor downwardlyfto hold at a desired depth that portion of the sweep Wire I2 which extends between the depressor bridle 24 and the traveler30.

rope I I. The travele'rasshowri enlarged inFig. 6 consists of a block 3| and a sheave 32 journaled therein. The sweep cable I2 is threaded through. theblock 3i and aboutthe sheave to engage the bridle 240i the depressorlll. The other end of the sweep Wire 12 is secured to the inboard segment 4| of the outer g'ate ifl. The outboard s'eg-' otter Bil by means of a pendant i5.- V.

The details of the paravane orotterifill are clearly shown inFig. 4. In construction the otter is similar to the depressor except'that a fourlegged bridle 61 is used and the middle brace memberis not provided. A float l0 is secured to the bridle 6| ofthe otter 6c by means of 9.

- ment'42 of this gate is secured to a paravanel or 7 line I 8 the length of'which controls :the".depth to which this'end of the sweep: wire is submerged. 1 The float I0 as shownin Fig; 5 consistsof a torpedo-shape buoyant chamber H designed to be towed by line I8 secured to the swivel 13 of the pivoted bale 72 which hangs beneath the The traveler 30 is shown secured-to the vessel ill-by means of the span pendant .l3 fixed to the sweep side o f the {vessel at a point forward of'the depressor tow rudder i7 serves the purpose of assisting the otter Gil to sheer the sweep outward and away from the towing vessel. The float as illustrated is also provided with a suitable flag it so that it may perform the dual function of maintaining the search wire l2 at a desired depth and visibly marking the extremity of said sweep.

A rearwardly extending sweep wire [G is utilized to connect the outboard segment 42 of the outer gate mechanism 60 with the outboard segment 92 of a stern gate 56. The stern gate is towed by means of a trailer wire it at a distance astern and inboard the outer gate mechanism 48. A tow wire it carrying. a snap hook I3 is fastened to a vane supporting plate 888 so as to bepassed down the trailer wire i5 into apo'sition of receiving engagement'with the anchoring cable of the moored mine which has been encountered by the search cable i2, passed through the outer gate mechanism as, swept astern and inboard along the sweeper wire it to the entrance of the stern gate 90. The anchoring cable '0 of the mine M on engagement with the snap hook it) shears thepins ltli to free the hook [S from the supporting plate IE3 so that the supporting plate and hook will be dropped clear or the stern gate 90; thus providing space for another supporting plate, hook, and tow line to be passed down the trailer wire l6 into a position of abutting engagement with the inboard segment SI of the stern gate 90 whereby to engage another anchoring cable of a mine on its passage through the stern gate 93. 7

Figs. 7 and 9 show in detail the structure of the vaned supporting plate I89 and the means for releasably securing the supporting plate to the trailer wire [5 so that it may be passed down the trailer wire into a position of abutting engagement with the segment 9! of the stern gate 80 and severed from the trailer wire IE. after the anchoring cable has completed its path through the stern gate 90. The hook i9 is removably secured to the supporting plate Hit by the shear pins "till so as to project into thepath of the anchoring cable of the mine M to engage the said anchoring cable. as it traverses the circuitous path formed b y the profile of thejl segments 9| and 92 of the stern gate 99. As illustrated in Fig. 7 the forward portion of the vaned supporting plate Hill is configured toprovide a recess 192 for the trailer wire [6. A cap I03 covers this recess to completely encompass the wire it thus securing the plate )9 to the wire but providing suflicient play between the cap, plate, and wire to permit the plate to move down the wire by that component of the resultant force of the water acting upon the vane Ht as it is towed through the water, which has a direction along the said wire. The cap IE3 has an opening [66 formed in its surface to receive the projecting lug, I05. The eyebolt 1&6 through which the tow line; lilis inserted ispassed through a drilled opening H3? formed in the lug N35 to hold the hook from its supporting plate the bight it! of the tow line it permits the hook engaged cable lto pass through the stern gate before the tow forces are transmitted to the eyebolt I05 shearing the pin H33 and withdrawing the eyebolt I06 from the-opening l0! releasing the cover I03 from securing engagement with the plate I00 so that the plate and cover will fall apart free" of the trailer wire it.

As may be noted from Fig. '7 the vane H0 projects downward so that the plate H39 will ride down the wire 16 at an angle with the surface of the'water to prevent the edge of the plate from fouling against the edge surface of the inboard segment 9| of the stern gate 99 assuring that the supporting plate will pass down the trailer wire I6 into its proper position of abutting engagement with the lug to which the wire I6 is secured. The pins and bolts which project above the surface of the segment Ql are preferably covered with a smooth surface plate H2. Such a cover plate is illustrated in Fig. 8 although in actual practice this plate would be used only on the stern gate 90.

The outer gate and stern gate are substantially identical in construction and are illustrated in detail in Figs. 2 and 8. In Figs. 2 and 8 the outboard gate 48 is shown as made up of two segments 4! and 42. Each of these segments consist specifically of an upper and lower plate 434& and t3':i4l, respectively. Each pair of-plates are maintained-in a'spaced'apart assembled relation by means of a plurality of throughbolts 5 defining a void therebetween. These two segments 4! and 42 form the gate mechanism it permitting passage therethrough of the mine cable 0 upon collision therewith. The inner edge segments 4| and 42, respectively.

To provide the minimum geometrical constrain-t necessary to maintain the two segments in fixed position relative to each other with their internal edges laterally displaced; a portion of the flanged Wheel 4465 which is rotatably supported in the top and bottom plate 33 and M of the segment 4! projects into the space provided between the spaced apart plates 43 and 44' of the segment 42. Likewise a portion of the flange wheel 41 which is re tatably supported in the top and bottom plates 43 and 25 of the segment 42 projects into the space provided between the space plates 43 and 4 of the segment ll'. These flange wheels are retained in" the segmentsinto which they pr0-' trude by two pair of rollers for each flanged wheel, journaled in the plates into which the wheel projects so as to engage the inner peripheral surface of the rim of each wheel to retain the two segments in a fixed spaced relation, so that the spaced inner edges of each segment forms a circuitous passageway 49 extending longitudinally of said segments. The rollers ta -52' are se-' cured respectively to the, top and bottom plates 43'-M' of the segment iz to engage the inner surface of the axially and peripherally extending rim of the wheel 56.. The pair of rollers 5l'-53 are also supported to rotate about a shaftsecured respectively in the top and bottom plates 43' and r 44. These rollersalso engage; the inner surfaces of the axially and peripherally extending rim of the wheel lfi. Y

Similarly thepairs of and 59: 4.53

flanged wheel 41. since 'the centerof 'the fianged wheel 41 and the axes; of rollers Ely- 52- and 5l-53 are fixed in spaced relation to each other, and since the center of the wheel 46 and the axes' 'of the ro1lers-5052 and5l -53' are also fixed and spaced relative to each other: the two segments are geometrically constrained since they cannot be forced outwardly because of engagement between the rollers and the inner periphery of the wheels 464! and cannot be forced inwardly any substantial distance because of the engagement of wheels46 and 41 with bolts 45 and their associated structure as ShoWnby' F-igure2.

As illustrated, the axes of the rollers 56+52, 51-53, 56'-52' and 5l-'53' are respectively offset so -that each pair of rollers engage different spaced points on the inner peripheral surfaces of: the upper and lower axially extending fiangesof their respective wheels. The rollers'a're offsetgso that they will not fall into the radial s'lots 55 and 56 formed in each wheel after the rollers ride over the flange surface of the said Wheel. If both rollers were in axial alignment both could'fall into the slot 5556 or 55-56' of the wheels 46 or 41',- respectively, to destroy the geometrical constraint set up by the rollers and Wheels. The bracket arms 48 are added to strengthen the plates 'to which the rollers are rotatably secured to maintain the roller axes in their fixed spaced apart position. l i

These radially extending and diametrically disposed slots 55 and 56 of'the wheel 43 and the radially extending and diametrically disposed slots 55--56' of the wheel 41 are cut radially-inwardly of their respective wheels a distance suiificient to enable the cable 0 of an engaged mine to traverse the passageway 49. For example, a'cable entering the slot 55 Will traverse substantially half the circuitous passageway 49 by producing a counterclockwise rotation of the wheel 46 through substantially 180. The cable is then free to leave the slot 55 of the Wheel 46. and enter the slot 55 of the wheel 41 where the passageway 49 curves in an opposite direction thus producing rotation of the wheel 41 in a clockwise direction of substantially 180 to permit the cable to traverse the remaining portion of the circuitous passageway 49. After each wheel completes the 180 rotation the slots 56 and 56' are each brought into a position of alignment with the passageway 49 to receive the next cable to be passed by the gate mechanism.

To prevent the flanged wheels 46 and 41 from taking any position other than the positions illustrated wherein the slots 5556 or 55--56' remain in alignment with the straight entrance portion to each half of the circuitous passageway 49, two notched recesses 57 and 58 are provided at diametrically opposed points on the outer rim surface of the wheel 46, and two notched recesses 51 and 58 are likewise provided at diametrically opposed points on the outer rim surface of the wheel 41. The notched recesses 41 and 58 of the wheel 46 are adapted'to be successively engaged by a detent 63 formed integrally with the arm-65 for the bell crank lever 64. The arms 65-and 66 of the bell crank lever 64 are axially olfset so that the arm 65 to which the detent 63 is secured 1:

extends along the peripheral surface of the rim of the wheel 46 whereas the other arm 66 is positioned to extend between the rim of the Wheel and the plates 4444' and to project across the passagway 49. A spring 67 is provided to bias the bell crank lever 64 into a position maintaining arses,863

surfacelof the -wheel 4 6 ;so that the. said detent Will engage' the-recess formed thereinitonthereby stop the wheel in a position ,whereinitheislotz55 or:*56 willfbeainzalignmentawith theupassageway 49. when theicable'c begins-to traverseithe pas sagew'ay 49; between segments 4| -'and;42 lit-Twill strike: the end 66. of *thetbell cranki lever} 64 to cause the belllcrank lever to rotate on'i -itsiaxes therebyi'lifting the detent63 out ofits'ilposition of engagement with the notchedlrecessz5'l formed in theflanged wheel 46.4 The .wheel' will thus-be free to rotate and the'rdetentwill be retained in the elevated position freefrom contact withthe surface of the wheel 46 ;until the slot 55 has cleared the detent 63 thus assuring rotation of the wheel to a position displaced by 180;to bring theother, notched recess 58 into engagement with the detent 63 to stop furtherrotationof the wheel at a position wherein the passageway 49 and the slot:56are in alignment. 1-. i a

The wheel 41 is similarly provided witlna bell crank lever 64' which has'axia'll-y offset arnls' and 66'. The arm 66' extends into the passageway 49 so as to be engagedby the cable c to lift the other arm 65' to which'a detent63' is secured to a position free from'engagement with the sur-I The bell crank lever' 64' face of :the wheel, 41. is also provided with'a spring; 61 Which main tainsfthe arm 65 of the' lever into-a depressed position of engagement with the outer surface of the wheel 41, so asto stop the wheel-after each rotation by forcing the detent 63'intoeither of the notched recesses 5158.:

' V i In'the' invention asdisclosed, a single vessel sweep is provided, however, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may also be readily applied to a two vessel-sweep; It

should also be understood that the inventionin its broadestaspects isnot limited to the specific mechanism shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the subjoined claims without departure from'the 1. The method of sweeping formo'ored'mines,

which includes the steps of searching a presump tively mined areaLby towingva submerged sweep through said area to engagethe anchoring cables of moored mines contained therein, passing the engaged anchoring cable of said mine' through said sweep, and securing a tow line to said anchoring cable after said anchoring cable has passed through said sweep.

2. The method of sweepingfor. moored'mines' comprising the steps of searching a presumptively mined area by towing a submerged sweep through said area to engagethe anchoring cables of the moored mines contained within said area, passing the engaged anchoring cable of said minethrough 7 said sweep, and securing said anchoring cable to a tow line upon passing said anchoring cable through said sweep. f 3. In a device adapted to be used in a system for continuously swe'eping'moored'mines, the comfl bination which includes, .a first pair "of plates,

means securing said first pair of plates together J to define a space therebetween, a circular member having an axially flanged rim journaled for rotation within the space defined by saidplatea a:

7 that a portion thereof projettsiexteriorlypfysaid plates, asecond pair of plates, means securingsaid second pair of plates togethento definei'a space "therebetween, a second circular memberhaving an axially flanged rim'journaled for rotationwithin said space, so that a portion thereof projects exteriorly of said plates, a plurality, of rollers journaled in each of said pairs of iplates'for engaging at peripherally spaced. points the inner surface of the axially and peripherallyextending rim of the exteriorly projecting portions of said circular members when said portions are each inserted into the space enclosed by said other pair of plates to retain said pairs of plates in rigid spaced position with their surface edges defining a passageway therethrough, and means comprising radial slots in the circular members cooperable with the passageway adapted'to produce rotation of the said circular members as an anchoring cable of a moored mine travels freely through said device along the passageway defined by the spacededges of said pairs of plates.

4.. The invention defined in claim 3icharacterized further by the fact that the axes of the rollers journaled in one plate of one of said pairs of plates are out of alignment with the axis of the rollers journaled in the other plate of said one pair of plates, whereby to engage the periphery of the flanged rim at different points;

5. In a mine sweeping device, comprising. a towing vessel, a search line fixedly connected to said vessel for engaging the anchoring cable of moored mines when towed througha mined. area, means maintaining said search line in an.out-

wardly extending direction transverse .to the z-z,"

course of said vessel, a first and second gate means each having separate'inboard andoutboard segments, rotatable means maintaining the segments of each of said gate means in assembled relation without preventing passage between said segments of the anchoring cable-of, a mine engaged by said search line, means securing the inboard segment of said first gate to said search line, means securing the outboard segment of said first gate to said first named means, a sweep line securing said outboard segment of saidfirst gate to the outboard segment of said'second gate, a trailer wire connecting the inboard segment of said second gate to said towing vesselsoithat said second gate will be towed inboard andzastern of said first gate and in a position to engage the anchoring cable of said mine after it has passed through said first gate traveling inboard and astern along said sweep line to said second gate,

and means for passing down saidtrailer wire a separate towing means adapted to engage an an.-; choring cable of each mine as it passes said second gate. V i

6. In a minesweeping apparatus the combination of ,a search line adapted toengage the anchoring cable of a moored mine,'means for maintaining said search line in an outstretched position laterally of the forward direction of sweep, gate means positioned within said search line secured to said first named means and adapted to pass an engagedanchoring cable of a mine rearwardly of said search line, a second gate means secured to the first means positioned rearwardly thereof and adapted to pass an engaged anchoring cable of a mine previously passed by the first gate means, and a towing means secured to said second gate means adapted to engage said an-, shoring cable upon the passage of said cable through said second ate means whereby to pro-, vide a continuous sweeping of a mined area by securing to each mine encountered therein a separate towing means. I j

'7. In a device adapted to be used in a system for continuously sweeping moored mines, thecombination which includes a first member having a curved inner edge, a second member having a curved inner edge, rotatable means securing said members together and having a radially extending slot therein for initially receiving the anchor ing cable of a moored mine in a radial direction of the rotatable means, said inner edges cooperatively defining a curved passageway for guiding said cable during said initial movement in' a direc tion to impart rotation to said rotatable means, and detent means normally retaining the rotatable means against rotation, said detent means being releasable upon engagement therewith by the cable as it enters said, slot.

WILFRID GORDON WHITE.

.REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the -file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 219,153 Frazee Sept. 2, 1879 1,582,388 Elia Apr. 27, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 104,037 Great Britain Feb. 22, 1917

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