Patent ID: 8794372
Filing Date: 2014-08-05
Classification: G01V

Abstract:
1. A marine seismic source, comprising: a housing having a central axis, an open end, and a closed end opposite the open end; a piston coaxially disposed within the housing; a flywheel disposed within the housing and axially positioned between the closed end and the piston, wherein the flywheel is configured to rotate about a rotational axis; a connecting rod moveably coupling the piston to the flywheel, the flywheel controlling both a stroke of the piston and a frequency of an acoustic output of the marine seismic source; wherein the connecting rod has a first end pivotally coupled to the piston and a second end pivotally coupled to the flywheel; wherein the second end of the connecting rod has a first position at a first distance measured radially from the rotational axis, and a second position at a second distance measured radially from the rotational axis, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance; and wherein a rate of oscillation of the piston increases as the second end of the connecting rod is moved from the second position towards the first position because a combined momentum of the flywheel, connecting rod, piston, and water entrained by the piston is conserved.