DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY ATTACHING AND DETACHING A TOWED SONAR TRANSMITTER TO AND FROM AN ACTIVE-SONAR TOW LINE

摘要

The present invention relates to the handling, the attachment to a pull line and the sea launch of variable-depth apparatuses, or fish, dragged by a surface ship. The invention relates to a an automatic attachment and handling device for a fish towed by a tow line, that comprises an automatic attaching device (21) for the mechanical attachment of the fish (11) to the pull line (13) and for connecting said fish to a signal and energy conveying structure in said line. The system of the present invention also includes an automatic fish-handling device (22) on which the fish (11) is positioned when not attached to the pull line (13) and from which it is separated after attachment, which is used for automatically positioning the fish relative to the line so that the attachment and detachment can also be carried out automatically. The invention is particularly intended for towed active sonars in which the transmission antenna is integrated in a submersible apparatus, or fish, while the reception antenna consists of a linear antenna (or hydrophone array) towed behind the fish.