US3348483A - Can for explosive charge - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 24, 1967 H. H. SORG, JR

CAN FOR EXPLOSIVE CHARGE Filed March 16, 1966 ATTO United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A marine explosive device comprising an explosive charge container having an opening in one end wall. A seat surface and an upright rim circumscribe the opening and a closure comprising a plate having a detonator tube depending therefrom is received within the rim and on the seat surface. A spring engages the rim and overlies the plate to retain the closure in sealed relationship on the seat surface. A line may be mechanically connected to the spring and to a bail fastened to the plate for sequential-1y pulling first the spring and then the plate and detonator from the container when force isapplied to the line, thereby, disarming the charge and permitting the contents to empty from the container through the opening.

This invention relates to an explosive device for use in under-water terrestrial exploration and has at its primary object the provision of a can for carrying an explosive charge, the can having releasable detonatormeans thereon for readily disarming the explosive device and thereby rendering the same harmless.

When exploring under-water terrestrial conditions to determine oil well'drilling conditions and the like, explosive charges are'floated on the water and detonated to produce recordable responses for seismic testing apparatus, The charge is generally contained in a can and conveyed rearwardly on a tow or anchor line behind a moving boatthe charge being electrically detonate at a predetermined distance from the boat. Should the detonator mechanisrn fail the can will proceed to the end of the line and break off therefrom due to the pulling force of the boat, with the can and charge then becoming, a freelydrifting armed mine with the detonator in firing position. These free charges are hazardous to boats which may, detonate the charge by collision therewith. Additionally, the can may be washed up on the shore and be handled by parties unaware of the danger which may be attendant upon unexpended explosive charges of this type.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a can or receptacle for an explosive charge of the aferomentioned character wherein the 'detonating means for the charge is released from the receptacle when the latter breaks loose from the anchor line, with the explosive charge thereby being rendered ineffective.

A further object of the present invention is to pro- .vide a receptacle with a releasable detonator as above described wherein the receptacle is opened upon release of the detonator so that the explosive charge will be emptied and dispersed into the Water to thereby render the charge harmless.

Other objects of this invention include details of construction which will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a can for an explosive charge made pursuant to the teachings of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along line 22 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the closure and deto- I nator assembly; and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the can in operation for terrestrial exploration.

In the present invention, a cylindrical receptacle 10 (illustrated only fragmentarily in the drawing) is provided for carrying an explosive charge 12. A top 14 is formed on receptacle 10 and is provided with a circu-. 1

lar seat 16 having an annular, inset, arcuate sidewall 18 which is concave in configuration to present a groove 20 and an annular shoulder 22. An integral, annular supporting surface or rest 24 extends inwardly from the lower edge of sidewall 18 and in surrounding relation-.

ship with an opening 26.

The detonator assembly for expolsive charge 12 includes a circular closure plate 28 having an integral sleeve 30 depending from the lower surface thereof. Sleeve 30 is adapted to complementally receive a detonator 32 which comprises a primer charge 34 snugly fitted within sleeve 30 and an electrically actuated blasting cap. 36 inserted within primer 34. A handle 38 is piv'otally secured to the upper surface of closure of clips 40.

Closure plate 28 is secured to receptacle'lllby releasable structure in the form of a discontinuous, resilient spring coil 42 having a circular, transverse configuration and presenting a pair of spaced-apart ends 44 I tightly grip the same, line 50 then beingwound about extension 48 of spring coil 42, there being slack in line 50 between handle 38 and coil 42. The detonator assembly is placed in receptacle 10 by inserting sleeve 30 through opening 26 and complementally'placing closure plate 28 on rest 24 of receivingseat 16Coil 42 is grasped at ends 44 and 46 to force the same toward each other and thereby decrease the normal diameter of coil 42 whereby the latter may be placed'onthe upper surface plate 28. Coil 42 is then permitted to expand outwardly against sidewall 18 to be complementally received within groove 20. The opposed surfaces of sidewall 18 receive and cooperate with coil 42 to urge closure plate 28 into sealed relationship with rest 24 to thereby close receptacle 10. v

In operation, the marine explosive device of this invention is dropped into a body of water .51 from a moving boat 52 having a trailing anchor line 54; the latter may extend through a metal cone 56 mounted at the rear of boat 52 as shown in FIG. 4. A lighter-thanair balloon 58 may be connected to anchor line 54 by a cord 60. The explosive device is secured to anchor line 54 by a cable 62 which is looped at one end thereof about anchor line 54 for conveyance therealong, the other end of cable 62 being secured to handle 38.

After the explosive device has been dropped from boat 52 into the water, it floats rearwardly along anchor line 54 toward balloon 58 as cable 62 slides along anchor line 54 due to the moving force of boat 52. When the explosive device reaches the vicinity of cord 60, an operator on boat 52 will actuate suitable electrical apparatus to cause a current to flow through actuating line 50 to activate cap 36 and cause the same to explode which instantaneously causes successive explosions of primer 34 and charge 12. The explosion produces vibrations in the underground terrain which are recordable by seismic testing apparatus located on boat 52. Usually, a series of charges are detonated in relatively rapid and timed succession at predetermined intervals of distance.

3,348,483, Patented Oct. 24, 1967 plate 28 by a pair- Sometimes, through defective caps, primers or the like, the blast will not be effected by the electrical current applied through line 50. When this occurs, the explosive device will continue rearwardly along anchor line 54 and the operator will take up any slack in actuating line 50 to cause a pulling force on extension 48 through line 50 due to the forward movement of the boat. This force on extension 48 releases spring coil 42 from its secured position within groove 20, Spring coil 42 is readily released since the outer, arcuate surface thereof easily slides along the arcuate camming surface of sidewall 18. Subsequent to release of coil 42, the force of line 50 is applied directly to handle 38 to thereby pull closure plate 28 from its seated position in receptacle 10. Actuating line 50 is thus arranged, by virtue of the slack initially provided between coil 42 and handle 38, to apply a coilreleasing force prior to the application of the closureremoving force.

After the detonator assembly has been removed from receptacle 10, the latter will freely float n the water 51 with the charge 12 emptying through opening 26 and dispersing into the water, whereby the charge is rendered harmless. Actuating line 50 may be reeled in from the boat until the detonator assembly is received within cone 56, whereupon an attempt is again made to actuate primer 36 to safely dispose of the same.

It should be noted that prior devices heretofore used for underwater seismic exploration involved the use of an integral closure plate having a handle thereon, such as handle 38 secured by clips 40 of my device. When the primer failed to explode the charge within the de vice, the latter would continue rearwardly of the boat until its sliding cable struck the balloon cord or anchor, causing an impact suificient to separate the handle from its mounting clips. The explosive device was then permitted to float freely on the body of water with its detonating mechanism in place and the main charge retained within the receptacle to thereby present a floating mine capable of being exploded upon impact with boats or the like. The hazardous disadvantages of such prior devices are eliminated by my marine explosive device wherein the main charge thereof is rendered harmless by removing the detonator assembly and the resultant dispersal of the charge within the body of water.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A marine explosive device comprising:

a receptacle having an explosive charge therein and including an end wall, said end wall being provided with an opening communicating with the interior of the receptacle;

a closure for said receptacle, said closure including a plate adapted to be disposed across said opening and having an area sufiiciently great to completely close the latter, said plate having a hole therethrough and disposed in registry with the opening in said end wall;

an elongated tube having one end thereof secured to the plate in surrounding relationship to said hole to close the latter, said tube extending into the receptacle through said opening when the plate is in closing relationship over said opening, said tube being adapted to receive therein detonator means for said charge; and

releasable structure securing said closure to said receptacle with the detonator extending into the receptacle in position for detonating said charge when the detonator is actuated, said structure including a rim and a plate supporting seat surface on the end wall and surrounding said opening, and spring means engaging the plate and said rim for exerting a biasing force to hold the plate in sealed relationship with said surface.

2. The invention of claim 1, said spring means comprising an elongated rod bent to conform generally to the configuration of said rim and having an unrestrained circumference slightly larger than the rim, the latter including an upright wall surrounding said seat surface, whereby the spring means is constricted when disposed against said upright wall within the confines of the latter and in overlying relationship to the plate to frictionally clamp the plate on said seat surface.

3. The invention of claim 2, and a line mechanically coupled with the spring means and with said plate for sequentially pulling said spring means from engagement with said upright wall and then pulling said plate from said seat surface when a pulling force is exerted on said 35 line.

4. The invention of claim 2, said upright wall being transversely arcuate in configuration whereby said spring means must be further constricted to be withdrawn from said frictional engagement against the upright wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 542,102 7/1895 Peters 10224 1,588,427 6/1926 Karollus 102-22 2,262,445 11/ 1941 Alford 102---22 2,709,407 5/1955 Lowe 10224 3,059,575 10/1962 Griffith et al. 102-22 3,279,372 10/1966 Patterson 102-28 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

V. R. PENDEGRASS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A MARINE EXPLOSIVE DEVICE COMPRISING: A RECEPTACLE HAVING AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE THEREIN AND INCLUDING AN END WALL, SAID END WALL BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE RECEPTACLE; A CLOSURE FOR SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID CLOSURE INCLUDING A PLATE ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED ACROSS SAID OPENING AND HAVING AN AREA SUFFICIENTLY GREAT TO COMPLETELY CLOSE THE LATTER, SAID PLATE HAVING A HOLE THERETHROUGH AND DISPOSED IN REGISTRY WITH THE OPENING IN SAID END WALL; AN ELONGATED TUBE HAVING ONE END THEREOF SECURED TO THE PLATE IN SURROUNDING RELATIONSHIP TO SAID HOLE TO CLOSE THE LATTER, SAID TUBE EXTENDING INTO THE RECEPTACLE THROUGH SAID OPENING WHEN THE PLATE IS IN CLOSING RELATIONSHIP OVER SAID OPENING, SAID TUBE BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THEREIN DETONATOR MEANS FOR SAID CHARGE; AND RELEASABLE STRUCTURE SECURING SAID CLOSURE TO SAID RECEPTACLE WITH THE DETONATOR EXTENDING INTO THE RECEPTACLE IN POSITION FOR DETONATING SAID CHARGE WHEN THE DETONATOR IS ACTUATED, SAID STRUCTURE INCLUDING A RIM AND A PLATE SUPPORTING SEAT SURFACE ON THE END WALL AND SURROUNDING SAID OPENING, AND SPRING MEANS ENGAGING THE PLATE AND SAID RIM FOR EXERTING A BIASING FORCE TO HOLD THE PLATE IS SEALED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SURFACE.

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