High speed tow sonar system

Claim 1

A SYSTEM FOR DETECTING SUBMERGED SUBMARINES FROM AN AIRCRAFT FLYING OVERHEAD ALONG A SELECTED SEARCH PATH AT A SEARCH RATE IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 50 KNOTS COMPRISING A PRIMARY PARAVANE ADAPTED TO BE LOWERED INTO SUBMERGED POSITION FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND DRAWN THROUGHT THE WATER BY THE AIRCRAFT AT A SELECTED, SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM UNDERWATER VELOCITY AND SUBMERGED DEPTH, SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE VANE HAVING MEANS AUTOMATICALLY RESPONSIVE TO DEPTH, COURSE AND ATTITUDE DEVIATIONS OF THE PRIMARY PARAVANE FOR MAINTAINING THE PRIMARY PARAVANE AT THE SELECTED SUBSURFACE DEPTH, COURSE AND ATTITUDE, A SATELLITE PARAVANE ADAPTED TO BE DRAWN THROUGH THE WATER BY SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE IN TRAILING RELATION TO SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE, SAID SATELLITE PARAVANE INCLUDING SONAR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING MEANS FOR RADIATING SONAR SIGNALS ALONG PRESELECTED AXES EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SATELLITE PARAVANE AND RECEIVING SIGNALS REFLECTED FROM UNDERWATER OBJECTS IN THE PATH OF SAID SONAR SIGNALS, A TOW LINE MECHANICALLY CONNECTING SAID SATELLITE PARAVANE WITH SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE, A REEL IN SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE FOR WINDING AND UNWINDING THE TOW LINE TO ALTERNATELY RETRIEVE SAID SATELLITE PARAVANE TOWARD SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE AND TO CAUSE SAID SATELLITE PARAVANE TO RETREAT FROM SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE, MEANS TO DERIVE POWER FROM THE WATERSTREAM IN THE COURSE OF TRAVEL OF THE PRIMARY PARAVANE THROUGH THE WATER TO ACTIVATE THE REEL IN A DIRECTION TO WIND THE TOW LINE AND PROPEL THE SATELLITE PARAVANE AT A VELOCITY EXCEEDING THAT OF THE PRIMARY PARAVANE, MEANS FOR ACTIVATING THE REEL TO CAUSE THE SATELLITE PARAVANE TO RETREAT FROM THE PRIMARY PARAVANE TO ASSUME A WATER SPEED OF LESS THAN ABOUT 20 KNOTS, SAID SONAR MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE SAID SIGNALS ONLY DURING SAID RETREAT PERIOD, AND MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING SIGNALS INDICATIVE OF THE REFLECTED SONAR SIGNALS RECEIVED BY SAID RECEIVING MEANS TO THE TOWING AIRCRAFT.

Claim 2

A SYSTEM FOR DETECTING SUBMERGED SUBMARINES FROM AN AIRCRAFT FLYING OVERHEAD ALONG A SELECTED SEARCH PATH AT A SEARCH RATE IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 50 KNOTS COMPRISING A PRIMARY PARAVANE ADAPTED TO BE LOWERED INTO SUBMERGED POSITION FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND DRAWN THROUGHT THE WATER BY THE AIRCRAFT AT A SELECTED, SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM UNDERWATER VELOCITY AND SUBMERGED DEPTH, SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE VANE HAVING MEANS AUTOMATICALLY RESPONSIVE TO DEPTH, COURSE AND ATTITUDE DEVIATIONS OF THE PRIMARY PARAVANE FOR MAINTAINING THE PRIMARY PARAVANE AT THE SELECTED SUBSURFACE DEPTH, COURSE AND ATTITUDE, A SATELLITE PARAVANE ADAPTED TO BE DRAWN THROUGH THE WATER BY SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE IN TRAILING RELATION TO SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE, SAID SATELLITE PARAVANE INCLUDING SONAR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING MEANS FOR RADIATING SONAR SIGNALS ALONG PRESELECTED AXES EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SATELLITE PARAVANE AND RECEIVING SIGNALS REFLECTED FROM UNDERWATER OBJECTS IN THE PATH OF SAID SONAR SIGNALS, A TOW LINE MECHANICALLY CONNECTING SAID SATELLITE PARAVANE WITH SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE, A REEL IN SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE FOR WINDING AND UNWINDING THE TOW LINE TO ALTERNATELY RETRIEVE SAID SATELLITE PARAVANE TOWARD SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE AND TO CAUSE SAID SATELLITE PARAVANE TO RETREAT FROM SAID PRIMARY PARAVANE, MEANS TO DERIVE POWER FROM THE WATERSTREAM IN THE COURSE OF TRAVEL OF THE PRIMARY PARAVANE THROUGH THE WATER TO ACTIVATE THE REEL IN A DIRECTION TO WIND THE TOW LINE AND PROPEL THE SATELLITE PARAVANE AT A VELOCITY EXCEEDING THAT OF THE PRIMARY PARAVANE, MEANS FOR ACTIVATING THE REEL TO CAUSE THE SATELLITE PARAVANE TO RETREAT FROM THE PRIMARY PARAVANE TO ASSUME A WATER SPEED OF LESS THAN ABOUT 20 KNOTS, SAID SONAR MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE SAID SIGNALS ONLY DURING SAID RETREAT PERIOD, AND MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING SIGNALS INDICATIVE OF THE REFLECTED SONAR SIGNALS RECEIVED BY SAID RECEIVING MEANS TO THE TOWING AIRCRAFT.