Passive cable accumulator for the deep seafloor ROV, RUM III

A vehicle mounted passive cable accumulator has been developed to isolate ship-coupled cable motion from a remotely operated vehicle on the sea floor. Elastomer energy storage is used. Dacron straps wrapped on a cable drum shaft provide mechanical coupling between the elastomer and the cable. A shaped cam generates 110 lb constant tension in the bottom mode. An alternate tow mode provides a tension ranging from 0 to 1200 lbs at full extension. The accumulator is fail safe to the tow mode in case of power failure. The system was tested at sea at a depth of 3000 ft.