Patent ID: 8857360

Claim:
A control device ( 10 ) for controlling the position of an instrumented cable towed in water, and/or a towed instrumented cable array with the possibility to control the individual instrumented cables, both in shape and position, in relation to other instrumented cables and by that counteract cross currents and/or other dynamic forces which affect a towed array behind a seismic survey vessel, which control device ( 10 ) includes a main body ( 12 ) having a first end and a second end, and a connector ( 14 a - b located at said first and second ends, provided with a device ( 14 a - b for wherein said connector ( 14 a - b ) provides mechanical and electrical connection of the control device ( 10 ) in series between two adjacent sections of an instrumented cable, wherein the control device includes at least two wings ( 11 ) formed by a wing part ( 20 ) and a fastening part ( 30 ), which are connected mutually by a shaft ( 24 ), wherein at least one battery ( 23 ), electronics and circuit card ( 200 ), sensors, and at least one electrical motor ( 22 ) are integrated in each of the wings ( 11 ) to control the respective angular position of the wings ( 11 ) and to control the lateral and vertical position of the instrumented cable, said fastening part ( 30 ) exhibits a mainly rectangular shape and is provided with protruding fastening elements ( 30 a ) along longitudinal sides of the mainly rectangular shape and which fastening part ( 30 ) is provided a connector ( 31 ) protruding in longitudinal direction from one side of the fastening part ( 30 ), said main body ( 12 ) including separate fastening devices ( 15 ) for each of the wings ( 11 ) in the form of a mainly rectangular recesses extending in longitudinal direction of the main body ( 12 ), which recesses are provided with cuts ( 15 a ) along longitudinal sides of the rectangular recess, and the main body ( 12 ) includes connectors ( 32 ) accessible from the rectangular recesses, wherein the recesses ( 15 ) and cuts ( 15 a ) of the main body ( 12 ) are adapted to receive the mainly rectangular fastening parts ( 30 ) with protruding elements ( 30 a ) of the wings ( 11 ) for detachable mechanical fastening of the wings ( 11 ) to the main body ( 12 ) and connection of the connector ( 31 ) of each wing ( 11 ) to connectors ( 32 ) in the main body ( 12 ) for signal connection between the main body ( 12 ) and wing ( 11 ) and for transfer of energy for charging of the batteries ( 23 ) in the wing ( 11 ).