EQUIPMENT BUOY 
A sketch of the equipment buoy is shown in 
Figure 4. It consists of a sealed compartment 
for electronic equipment, MECH-CON-SEA mecha- 
nism, and a trapped water compartment. The 
bobbing buoy is shown in its up position as it 
is nested in the power transformer receptical. 
An inductance connection is used to transfer 
power from the equipment buoy to the bobbing 
buoy. The small winch shown in the sketch is 
used to winch the buoy down to the 50 ft. 
level. 
BOBBING BUOY 
The bobbing buoy cycling system is shown 
in Figure 5. The principle used is to take 
in water for negative buoyancy and to expel 
it for positive buoyancy. This is done with 
hydraulic accumulators. The timer provides a 
Signal to the cycle control which starts the 
motor and hydraulic pump. In going from posi- 
tive to negative buoyancy, hydraulic oil is 
pumped from the accumulators into the air 
bottles until the liquid level sensor shuts 
off the motor. The average air pressure in 
the bottles is 1,000 psi so that the pump 
operates against a delta pressure of 1,000 psi 
both at the ocean surface and at the 4,000 ft. 
level. Pressure cut-off switches are provided 
in case the liquid level sensor fails to operate 
properly. The bobbing buoy configuration is 
shown in Figure 6. The buoy length is 72 in. 
and the maximum diameter is 2O in. A hollow 
tube used to guide the bobbing buoy down the 
cable extends lengthwise through the buoy. A 
rough and fine ballast adjustment is provided 
so that the buoy can be adjusted to neutral 
buoyancy in the water. A bilge pump is also 
provided to take care of any seepage of sea 
water into the buoy. 
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT 
A block diagram of the TELME buoy system 
electronic equipment is shown in Figure 7. 
The operation of the equipment is as follows. 
Timer #1 completes timing the period between 
cycles and opens the relay through which power 
is supplied from the battery to the static 
inverter. Power across the transformer is 
momentarily interrupted. Timer #2 is started 
by the power interruption and it provides a 
signal to energize switch unit #2. Switch 
unit #2 completes the circuit to start the 
electronic equipment in the bobbing buoy and 
it also sends a down signal to the buoyancy 
system. After the momentary interruption of 
power across the transformer, the relay is 
deenergized and power flows normally to the 
83 
bobbing buoy. Its battery is therefore fully 
charged as it starts the dive. At the end of 
the buoyancy change period, power to the trans- 
former is again interrupted. The bobbing buoy, 
now negatively buoyant but held in place by 
magnetic clutch action between the two trans- 
former cores, is released to dive. Timer #2 
times out the period necessary for the dive to 
4,000 ft. at which time it energizes the buoy- 
ancy system to go positive. Timer #2 times a 
30 minute period after the up signal is given. 
Normally the bobbing buoy will return to the 
equipment buoy within approximately 23 minutes. 
However, if something on the line prevents the 
return of the bobbing buoy, timer #2 will re- 
verse the buoyancy in 30 minutes. This proce- 
dure is repeated until the bobbing buoy battery 
is depleted or until it returns to the equip- 
ment buoy. The battery has sufficient capacity 
for three complete up and down cycles. When 
the bobbing buoy returns and the power trans- 
former is activated timer #1 starts timing a 
new cycle. Timer #1 energizes the recording 
system in the equipment buoy and timer #2 
energizes the playback system in the bobbing 
buoy. Data is then transferred from the 
bobbing buoy to the equipment buoy. The re- 
ceiver in the equipment buoy operates continu- 
ously. When an interrogation signal is re- 
ceived, switch unit #1 is energized from the 
receiver. The switch unit interrupts power to 
the timer and data acquisition system and 
energizes the data transmission system. An 
operator monitors the data received and after 
a satisfactory data reception he signals the 
buoy to erase the tape. 
SYSTEM POWER REQUIREMENTS 
The system power requirements are shown 
in Figure 8. Power requirements are broken 
down into the various parts of the 4 hour 
cycle. The total power required is 236 watt- 
hours. The power available from the MECH-CON- 
SEA power generator is shown in Figure 9. Wave 
data, height and period, are taken from sta- 
tistical sea state information from the Pacific 
Ocean. The average long time continuous power 
output of MECH-CON-SEA is 105 watts for a 4o% 
efficient system. Therefore on a long term 
basis, the power input to the system is 420 
watts for a 4 hour period whereby the power 
consumed is 236 watts. Size optimization of 
the MECH-CON-SEA power generator for the TELME 
buoy system has not yet been completed. Since 
ocean conditions are highly variable with 
reference to location, the main battery supply 
capacity is approximately 4,000 watt-hours. 
This is based on the assumption that three con- 
secutive days of calm periods may occur and 
4,000 watt-hours will permit 6 bobbing buoy 
cycles per day for the three days before the 
batteries are depleted. 
