EP0651712A1 - Submersible - Google Patents

Submersible

Info

Publication number
EP0651712A1
EP0651712A1 EP93917919A EP93917919A EP0651712A1 EP 0651712 A1 EP0651712 A1 EP 0651712A1 EP 93917919 A EP93917919 A EP 93917919A EP 93917919 A EP93917919 A EP 93917919A EP 0651712 A1 EP0651712 A1 EP 0651712A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
vessel
air
submersible vessel
seat portion
user
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP93917919A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0651712B1 (fr
Inventor
Andrew John Saville Sneath
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0651712A1 publication Critical patent/EP0651712A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0651712B1 publication Critical patent/EP0651712B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
    • B63C11/00—Equipment for dwelling or working underwater; Means for searching for underwater objects
    • B63C11/46—Divers' sleds or like craft, i.e. craft on which man in diving-suit rides

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a submersible vessel.
  • a known type of submersible vessel comprises a sealed chamber which houses one or more occupants. The occupants enter the chamber via a hatch and can spend considerable lengths of time underwater.
  • the vessel includes air tanks supplying air for breathing to the chamber as well as to buoyancy tanks which enable the vessel to dive and surface.
  • the vessel also includes motors enabling the vessel to be manoeuvred underwater.
  • Another type of submersible vessel is arranged to form a bubble of air at the same pressure as the surrounding water. Divers can enter and leave the vessel underwater via a hatch.
  • a submersible vessel comprising a body portion and a seat portion, the body portion being arranged to contain a volume of air above the seat portion when the vessel is submerged so that at least the user's head can project out of the water into said volume of air thereby enabling the user to breath.
  • the body portion of the vessel only needs to be relatively small.
  • ballast weights are provided in the seat portion so that the vessel remains upright in the water.
  • the volume of air is replenished from a compressed air cylinder.
  • the cylinder is preferably mounted in the seat portion, the user sitting astride the cylinder.
  • the vessel may be propelled by a motor which is driven by compressed air.
  • the vessel may be propelled by an electric motor powered by batteries preferably housed on the seat portion.
  • the vessel may have no motor (or the motor may be de-energised) and the user may "walk" along the sea or river bed whilst remaining astride the seat.
  • a submersible vessel comprising a pneumatic motor having an exhaust outlet arranged to supply breathing air for a user of the vessel.
  • the pneumatic motor is of an oil-less type so that it does not pass any fumes to the exhaust outlet.
  • a bypass is provided which diverts air from a compressed air tank to the exhaust outlet when the motor is not running.
  • FIGURE 1 is a side view of a submersible vessel in accordance with this invention.
  • FIGURE 2 is a front view of the submersible vessel of Figure 1;
  • FIGURE 3 is a sectional view along the line II-II of Figure 2.
  • a submersible vessel comprising a body portion 10 mounted above a seat portion 12.
  • the body portion 10 comprises a sealed dome-shaped compartment having an open bottom.
  • the compartment comprises a window 11 which is sealed to a casing 15 by a seal 13.
  • a bubble of air is trapped inside the compartment: a user sitting on the seat portion 12 has his head and upper body projecting into the compartment to breath the trapped air.
  • the vessel is powered by a compressed air motor 41 which drives a propeller 43.
  • the exhaust air from the motor 41 is used to refresh the air inside the compartment: this reduces the overall air consumption of the vessel.
  • Compressed air is supplied from a tank 31 mounted inside the seat portion 12.
  • a closure 38 is provided on the seat portion 12 to allow the tank 31 to be removed and to give access to a ballast weight 37 mounted below the tank 31.
  • the ballast weight 37 weighs approximately the same as the quantity of water displaced by the trapped air.
  • the ballast weight 37 is removable so that the vessel can be transported easily when it is out of the water.
  • a directable nozzle 42 is mounted behind the propeller
  • the controls 33 e.g. for motor speed and direction are mounted in front of the user and direct a supply of compressed air along a plurality of pipes 39 to the respective motors and actuators.
  • a buoyancy bag 34 is housed inside the body 10 and can be inflated to cause the vessel to surface.
  • Air is fed into the compartment through an inlet 45 and an outlet 46 is provided so that excess air can be expelled to maintain a constant air volume.
  • a control may be provided so that the trapped air can be rapidly flushed.
  • Further controls may also be provided for surfacing in an emergency or for surfacing at a controlled rate from depths for decompression purposes. Automatic controls may be provided for surfacing when the air supply is low, surfacing on recall and for halting dives below a predetermined depth.
  • Grab handles, lights and cameras may be provided on the vessel and a lifting point is preferably formed on the top of the body portion. As mentioned previously, if the motor is switched off the user can "walk” along the sea or river bed whilst remaining astride the seat. A modified vessel may have no motor at all.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Percussion Or Vibration Massage (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
  • Emergency Lowering Means (AREA)
  • Catching Or Destruction (AREA)

Abstract

Submersible comportant un corps (10) et un siège (12). Le corps (10) possède une fenêtre (11) et est adapté pour contenir un volume d'air au-dessus du siège lorsque le submersible est immergé. L'utilisateur peut monter à califourchon sur le siège (12) de sorte que sa tête sorte de l'eau et qu'il puisse respirer dans le volume d'air. Le submersible peut comporter un moteur propulseur (41), notamment un moteur électrique. Sinon, il ne comporte aucun moteur et l'utilsateur peut 'se promener' au fond de la mer ou d'un fleuve.
EP93917919A 1992-07-25 1993-07-26 Submersible Expired - Lifetime EP0651712B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB929215874A GB9215874D0 (en) 1992-07-25 1992-07-25 A submersible vessel
GB9215874 1992-07-25
PCT/GB1993/001578 WO1994002355A1 (fr) 1992-07-25 1993-07-26 Submersible

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0651712A1 true EP0651712A1 (fr) 1995-05-10
EP0651712B1 EP0651712B1 (fr) 1998-10-07

Family

ID=10719326

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93917919A Expired - Lifetime EP0651712B1 (fr) 1992-07-25 1993-07-26 Submersible

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0651712B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH07509199A (fr)
AU (1) AU671664B2 (fr)
CA (1) CA2140881A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69321472T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2125997T3 (fr)
GB (1) GB9215874D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO1994002355A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2762286B1 (fr) * 1997-04-18 2000-02-25 Fotomak Sa Perfectionnements aux vehicules sous-marins a bulles de ventilation
WO2006015438A1 (fr) * 2004-08-10 2006-02-16 John William Dawson Vaisseau submersible
FR2881105B1 (fr) 2005-01-21 2007-03-30 Luc Billard Vehicule sous-marin a pression ambiante
US8869729B2 (en) * 2011-07-08 2014-10-28 Julien Montousse Underwater personal mobility device
WO2014110184A1 (fr) 2013-01-10 2014-07-17 Julien Montousse Dispositif de mobilité personnel sous-marin à oxygène embarqué

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1148743A (fr) * 1956-04-27 1957-12-13 Véhicule sous-marin
US3255723A (en) * 1964-05-18 1966-06-14 Teetor Herman Dual purpose watercraft
US4348976A (en) * 1980-03-11 1982-09-14 Gilbert Donald R Diver tow compressor unit
FR2577511A1 (fr) * 1985-02-15 1986-08-22 Flandin Blety Coraline Dispositif nautique pour la sustentation, l'avancement en surface et la promenade sous-marine
US4889066A (en) * 1988-06-02 1989-12-26 Blue Space Submersibles, Inc. Submersible vehicle

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO9402355A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0651712B1 (fr) 1998-10-07
ES2125997T3 (es) 1999-03-16
DE69321472T2 (de) 1999-05-27
AU4716693A (en) 1994-02-14
JPH07509199A (ja) 1995-10-12
CA2140881A1 (fr) 1994-02-03
AU671664B2 (en) 1996-09-05
WO1994002355A1 (fr) 1994-02-03
GB9215874D0 (en) 1992-09-09
DE69321472D1 (de) 1998-11-12

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