Deep towing cable and handling system

Claim 2

A deep towing cable and handling system therefor comprising: a towing cable having a substantially rectangular cross section whose short dimension is on the order of from 1/4 to 1/7 of the long dimension; a drum containing said cable, said drum mounted horizontally on the deck of a vessel for rotation about a vertical axis so as to present as small as possible a moment acting to decrease the stability of the vessel. said cable wound on said drum in a single lay per layer winding; means for mounting, braking and rotating said drum on a vessel; and means for deploying said cable over the sides or stern of a surface vessel in a towing attitude, said means for deploying including first guide means positioned aft of said drum for rotating said cable to a horizontal attitude, traction means positioned over the stern of the vessel and aligned with said first guide means for deploying said cable over the stern of the vessel, and second guide means positioned outboard of the vessel and aligned with said traction means and said first guide means for rotating said cable into a towing attitude.

Claim 3

The cable and handling system of claim 1 and further including a plurality of strength members and a plurality of electrical conductors in said cable, said cable arranged internally to accommodate separately said strength members and said electrical conductors, said strength members positioned adjacent the leading edge of the deployed cable and said electrical conductors positioned adjacent the trailing edge of the deployed cable.

Claim 4

The cable and handling system of claim 2 wherein said drum includes an annular face at the core thereof upon which said cable is wound, said face annularly deformed proximate to the strength members so as to place said strength members in compression and said electrical conductors under no load when wound on said drum.

Claim 5

The cable and handling system of claim 3 wherein said strength members and said electrical conductors are arranged in separate bundles in said cable.

Claim 6

The cable and handling system of claim 4 wherein said cable is made of fabric layers forming in a cross section parallel sides and rounded ends and said bundles are contained within sheaths longitudinally spaced in the interior of the cable.

Claim 7

The cable and handling system of claim 5 wherein said strength members are a plurality of strands of wire rope.

Claim 8

The cable and handling system of claim 5 wherein said strength members are a plurality of strands of plastic rope.

Claim 9

The cable and handling system of claim 4 wherein said cable is made of extruded plastic and said strength members and said electrical conductors are disposed in respective compartments formed integrally in said plastic.

Claim 10

The cable and handling system of claim 8 wherein said strength members are on the order of from 3 to 6 enlarged round wires.

Claim 13

A towing system for achieving deeper towing depths of towed submersibles and reducing the upsetting moment caused by towing equipment carried on the decks of surface vessels comprising: a substantially flat tow cable and a drum for storing said cable in a single winding with respect to cable width thereon; means for mounting said drum horizontally on the stern deck of a surface vessel; means for braking and rotating said drum; means including a rotatable platform for deploying said cable over the sides or stern of a surface vessel in a towing attitude and rotating said drum from a stowed position to a launch and recovery position and return to the stowed position wherein the narrow dimension of the cable is substantially parallel to a vertical ship's plane containing the centerline of the vessel; said cable formed of an outer resilient cover and lengthwise internal components extending across the cable from leading to trailing edge and including in succession a first low compression member for receiving stress and shock, a high compression member for maintaining cable shape, a plurality of strength members for towing, an electrical insulating member for isolating electrical conductors, a plurality of electrical conductors, and a second low compression member, said second low compression member occupying a substantial portion of the cable interior and containing a central void formed by walls of sufficient thickness to increase cable flexibility while substantially maintaining cable shape at all towing speeds and depths; an extendable arm secured to said drum for extending the release point of the cable over the side of the vessel during launch, run, and recovery; and means for tilting said drum to facilitate launch and recovery of towed submersibles, said drum returned to and maintained in a horizontal attitude during towing operations, said means for deploying including first guide means positioned aft of said drum on the towing vessel deck for rotating said cable from its stowed vertical attitude to a horizontal attitude, traction means positioned over the stern of the vessel and aligned with said first guide means for deploying said cable over the stern of the vessel, and second guide means positioned outboard of the vessel and aligned with said traction means and said first guide means for rotating said cable into a towing attitude.

Claim 14

A towing system for achieving deeper towing depths of towed submersibles and reducing the upsetting moment caused by towing equipment carried on the decks of surface vessels comprising: a substantially flat tow cable and a drum for storing said cable in a single winding with respect to cable width thereon; means for mounting said drum horizontally on the stern deck of a surface vessel; means for braking and rotating said drum; means including a rotatable platform for deploying said cable over the sides or stern of a surface vessel in a towing attitude and rotating said drum from a stowed position to a launch and recovery position and return to the stowed position wherein the narrow dimension of the cable is substantially parallel to a vertical ship's plane containing the centerline of the vessel; said cable formed of an outer resilient cover and lengthwise internal components extending across the cable from leading to trailing edge and including in succession a first low compression member for receiving stress and shock, a high compression member for maintaining cable shape, a plurality of strength members for towing, an electrical insulating member for isolating electrical conductors, a plurality of electrical conductors, and a second low compression member, said second low compression member occupying a substantial portion of the cable interior and containing a central void formed by walls of sufficient thickness to increase cable flexibility while substantially maintaining cable shape at all towing speeds and depths; an extendable arm secured to said drum for extending the release point of the cable over the side of the vessel during launch, run, and recovery; and means for tilting said drum to facilitate launch and recovery of towed submersibles, said drum returned to and maintained in a horizontal attitude during towing operations, said means for deploying including first guide means positioned aft of said drum on the towing vessel deck for rotating said cable from its stowed vertical attitude to a horizontal attitude, traction means positioned over the stern of the vessel and aligned with said first guide means for deploying said cable over the stern of the vessel, and second guide means positioned outboard of the vessel and aligned with said traction means and said first guide means for rotating said cable into a towing attitude.

Claim 15

The towing system of claim 11 wherein said cable includes a plurality of strength members positioned in the forward portion of the deployed cable and a plurality of electrical conductors positioned in the aft portion thereof so as to substantially reduce or eliminate mechanical loads on said electrical conductors.

Claim 16

The towing system of claim 12 wherein said strength members and conductors are arranged in separate bundles in said cable and said drum is provided with an annularly deformed area proximate said strength members to place said members in compression and said conductors under no load when wound on said drum.

Claim 17

The towing system of claim 13 wherein said cable is made of fabric layers forming in a cross section parallel sides and rounded ends and said bundles are contained within sheaths longitudinally spaced in the interior of the cable.

Claim 18

The towing system of claim 14 wherein said strength members are a plurality of strands of wire rope.