Patent ID: 8864415

Claim:
An underwater plow for burying a sensor array in the ocean floor, the sensor array including a cable and a plurality of sensors attached to the cable, the plow comprising: a plow end and a float end having a first orientation relative to ocean floor; a buoyancy shifting apparatus associated with the plow end and float end, the buoyancy shifting apparatus connected to a tow line from a surface ship on the ocean surface, the buoyancy shifting apparatus having a neutral state center of buoyancy above the center of gravity, the buoyancy shifting apparatus including a first, forward tank associated with the float end and containing a predetermined volume of a gaseous ballast, the first tank including a first spring-actuated mechanism attached to the tow line, a second aft tank associated with the plow end and connected to the first tank via a conduit, the second tank including a second spring-actuated mechanism which is actuated when the gaseous ballast is transferred from the first tank to the second tank, the first spring mechanism actuated when the plow end encounters an obstacle while being towed resulting in increased tension in the tow line and spring compression of the first spring-actuated mechanism such that the gaseous ballast is transferred from the first tank to the second tank, resulting in a shift of the neutral state center of buoyancy from the above the center of gravity to below the center of gravity of the buoyancy shifting apparatus, resulting in a lifting of the plow end and avoidance of the obstacle.