Patent ID: 8087372

Claim:
A towed array handling system comprising: a tow cable having a cross-section and a plurality of external longitudinal strength members disposed around the outer periphery thereof, said strength members capable of transmitting a tow force for required velocity through a fluid environment at a preselected depth; a winch capable of attachment to a deck of a ship, said winch further having a rotatable reel for deploying and retrieving said tow cable; a bellmouth capable of attachment to an aft bulwark of the ship and for guiding said tow cable therethrough; a fairlead in alignment with said bellmouth for allowing passage therethrough of said tow cable, said fairlead having a top face, a bottom face and forward and aft vertical faces with said bottom face capable of attachment to the deck between said winch and said bellmouth, wherein said fairlead further comprises a horizontal tapered groove therethrough disposed near the top thereof for said tow cable to move within, said groove having an hemispherical top portion and a tapered lower portion extending downward therefrom to a depth, with said fairlead further having a preselected safety load rating proportional to a tensile strength of said tow cable wherein the preselected safety load rating for said fairlead is less than the tensile strength of said handling system with said fairlead capable of guiding said tow cable while protecting against tow cable tension surges; and a cutter, disposed at the aft vertical face of said fairlead and at said tapered lower portion of said groove, for facilitating rapid separation of said tow cable by reducing a cross sectional area of said strength members and hence overall cable breaking strength when a tension surge occurs in said tow cable wherein said tapered lower portion of said groove including said cutter at the aft end thereof provides for a clamping of the remainder of said cable when said cable is driven into said groove.