EP1816069B1 - Submarine and Submarine rescue device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a submarine with a submarine rescue device according to the features indicated in the preamble of claim 1 and a submarine rescue device.

In submarines, it is state of the art to carry a so-called submarine rescue device, which serves to accommodate the persons in the submarine above water and to hold it to rescue by third over water, to provide protection and provide the necessities of life. Such submarine rescue devices typically include a self-inflatable liferaft, conventional lifesaving equipment, provisions, and the like, and can be deployed both over water but especially underwater.

It is part of the state of the art to accommodate such a self-inflating liferaft and all other required or distressing components in a ball formed from two half-shells of glass fiber reinforced plastic ball and store this outside the pressure hull but preferably within the outer skin of the submarine below the deck. In dipped state of the submarine then this ball can be released after opening a flap, the ball then floats due to its buoyancy to the water surface and just before the emergence of the water surface by the inflating the Liferaft opens and thus releases the liferaft and the associated components.

This technique has been proven in submarines of small and medium size, but has the disadvantage that in the already narrow space between the outer skin and pressure hull relatively large space for the submarine rescue device is needed. In addition, the submarine rescue device is constantly exposed to the surrounding water and in particular the possibly high diving pressures, which on the one hand requires a complex construction and on the other frequent maintenance and inspection.

Out US 5,374,211 is a rescue device for surface ships the state of the art. This located in a container device is deposited from the ship, after which it automatically unfolds in the water to a floating island, which keeps the people to be rescued over water.

Out US 3,942,456 Incidentally, it is part of the state of the art to generate gas by means of a gas generator within the submarine in order to provide the necessary buoyancy for lifting the boat in an emergency.

Out US 1,753,482 It is state of the art to design a submarine rescue device so that it can be deployed through a torpedo tube. The rescue device is intended for the direct admission of two persons, who can be transported in this pressure-resistant container over the torpedo tube in the dipped state into the environment and then ascending to the water surface, without being exposed to the under pressure of the submarine.

Against this background, the invention has the object, a generic submarine in such a way that the aforementioned Disadvantages are reduced. In addition, a submarine rescue device is to be provided, which is designed for use in such a submarine.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features specified in claim 1. A so far adapted submarine rescue device is characterized by the features specified in claim 3. Advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings.

The submarine according to the invention, which has at least one torpedo tube, as is customary in military submarines, is equipped with a submarine rescue device, which is designed in its shape and size such that it can be deployed by a torpedo tube. That is, the submarine rescue device according to the invention has a substantially cylindrical and elongated outer contour, similar to that of a torpedo. The length / diameter ratio of the outer contour is advantageously between 5 and 18, preferably between 9 and 12. Such a submarine rescue device can be deployed both from undimmed and advantageous from dipped condition.

The basic idea of the present invention is not to store the submarine rescue device outside the pressure hull, as in the prior art, but within the hull or within a torpedo tube. It is inventively provided to arrange the submarine rescue device in a torpedo tube. As a result, the space otherwise required for spherical submarine rescue equipment between pressure hull and outer skin can be omitted below the deck or used for other purposes. On the other hand, the submarine rescue device according to the invention makes possible by Adaptation to the existing torpedo tube both the storage within the pressure hull and within a torpedo tube, so that the submarine rescue device can be deployed in the submerged state on the torpedo tube. Since submarines for military use are also used today for a variety of other purposes, where at least primarily no longer depends on the torpedo equipment, this space according to the invention can be used to accommodate the submarine rescue device, but at least for its application. In addition, such a Unterseenotrettungsboot, if, for example, the torpedo tubes are intended to be used in times of crisis and within the pressure hull sufficient space is available, if necessary, be stored between the pressure hull and outer skin, as the slim elongated shape predestined for such an arrangement is.

On the one hand there is the possibility to arrange the submarine rescue device in a torpedo tube, which has the advantage that it can be used immediately in the event of an accident by being expelled through the torpedo tube to the outside. Alternatively, the submarine rescue device according to the invention also be stored within the pressure hull, preferably in a frame also provided for the storage of torpedoes, which has the advantage that the torpedo tube can be used for other purposes and is not blocked in its function by the submarine rescue device. Such a frame is for example in DE 103 42 145 A1 to which reference is made.

According to the invention, the submarine rescue device is closed to the outside by a cylindrical pressure-resistant container, for example made of fiber-reinforced plastic. This has the advantage that the submarine rescue device can be ejected from the torpedo tube in the same way as a torpedo, without the risk that the contents contained in the pressure-resistant container, typically a life raft, provisions, a compressed gas reservoir and other components, through the Exhaust from the torpedo tube is damaged and incidentally is not subjected to the diving pressure.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the submarine rescue device is connected via a cable to the submarine, the rope is wound or geschoss submarine rescue equipment side, preferably within the pressure-resistant container. The rope is arranged so that it unwinds automatically when deploying the submarine rescue device or when ascending the same to the water surface and so forms a mechanical connection between the liferaft the submarine, which ensures that the discharged from the submarine people also reach the liferaft can. The storage of such a coil is preferably carried out within the pressure-resistant container, wherein a pressure-tight cable feedthrough is provided to the outside. However, the storage can also be done outside the flameproof container.

The basic idea of the present invention is not to terminate the submarine rescue device as hitherto by a spherical pressure-resistant container but to bring the device into a substantially cylindrical and elongated form in order to enable it to be deployed via a torpedo tube. The individual components of the submarine rescue device are housed within such a cylindrical elongated pressure-resistant container.

According to the invention, the submarine rescue device is closed by a pressure-resistant container to the outside, there are arranged within this container, an automatic inflatable liferaft and all other components of the submarine rescue device. To ensure that the liferaft typically inflates shortly before reaching the water surface by the gas contained in the entrained compressed gas storage gas automatically, it is important to provide means that ensure that the liferaft and the associated components get out of the container in good time before reaching the water surface , For this purpose, the pressure-resistant container has at least one predetermined breaking point, which advantageously by its own, pressure-controlled means in a certain depth or at the latest when reaching the water surface is destroyed, before the inflation of the life raft therein. According to the invention, however, the gas pressure already available for inflating the liferaft can also be used to destroy the pressure-resistant container or the intended breaking point or points provided thereon.

It when the container is formed from two half-shells, wherein the half shells in a longitudinal plane, preferably the middle longitudinal plane abut each other and their connection is designed as a predetermined breaking point is particularly advantageous. Such a predetermined breaking point can be formed for example by an adhesive connection, which is formed between flanges of the container halves. Such a design has the advantage that the container is preferably automatically disassembled into its two half-shells during inflation of the liferaft or at least opens over a large area, so that an escape of the liferaft and the other components is ensured. An adhesive bond also has the advantage that the half-shells with flanges and thus completely rounded, d. H. can be formed without sharp edges, so that damage to the life raft can be reliably excluded by the container.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the container may also be formed by a pressure-resistant cylinder pot, which is closed at its open end by a lid, wherein the predetermined breaking point is formed between the lid and cylinder pot. In this case, the lid is preferably dropped by the pressure of the underlying container contents, this pressure is advantageously generated pneumatically. In order to ensure that the container contents are ejected completely and reliably, it is provided according to a development of the invention to arrange within the container a piston or piston-like body, which faces away from the lid Side sits and moves by pressurizing along the inner wall of the container while ejecting the container contents.

It is particularly expedient if the liferaft is not arranged as a separate packing within the pressure-resistant container or within the film, but rather if the liferaft is packed to include a further, preferably all other components of the submarine rescue device to a substantially cylindrical body. The packaging is advantageously carried out in the form of a vacuum packaging, d. H. that the remaining space within the package is evacuated to ensure the highest possible packing density.

Within this liferaft, the other components are advantageously arranged in inner containers, for example, for equipment, provisions, compressed gas and the like, which also have a substantially cylindrical shape and are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the submarine rescue device.

In particular, in the above-described film packaging, in which optionally can be dispensed with a pressure-resistant container, it may be necessary to ensure the necessary buoyancy that an additional buoyancy body is required. Such a buoyancy body according to the invention can be provided both within the film package and optionally within the pressure-resistant container or separately, but is in any case within the cylindrical outer contour, so that it together with the submarine rescue device, be it as part of it or separately can be carried out by a torpedo tube.

Fig. 1

in stark vereinfachter Längsschnittdarstellung die Komponenten eines Unterseebootrettungsgerätes in Verpackungsanordnung,

Fig. 2

die Komponenten gemäß Fig. 1 innerhalb eines druckdichten Behälters mit endseitigem Deckel im Längsschnitt,

Fig. 3

eine Ausführungsvariante zur Fig. 2 in analoger Darstellung,

Fig. 4

den grundsätzlichen Aufbau eines druckfesten Behälters mit den darin angeordneten Komponenten gemäß Fig. 1 im Längsschnitt und

Fig. 5

einen Abschnitt des druckfesten Behälters gemäß Fig. 4 bestehend aus zwei Halbschalen.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

in a highly simplified longitudinal section the components of a submarine rescue device in packaging arrangement,

Fig. 2

the components according to Fig. 1 within a pressure-tight container with end-side lid in longitudinal section,

Fig. 3

a variant of the Fig. 2 in analogue representation,

Fig. 4

the basic structure of a pressure-resistant container with the components arranged therein according to Fig. 1 in longitudinal section and

Fig. 5

a section of the pressure-resistant container according to Fig. 4 consisting of two half shells.

A submarine rescue device always has an independent inflatable liferaft 1 and other components, regardless of the version. As shown Fig. 1 it can be seen there are arranged as components one behind the other a rescue services z. B. an EPIRB, a cylindrical container 3, which is provided in this embodiment for the storage of drinking water, a compressed gas cylinder 4, which includes required for inflating the liferaft 1 compressed gas, an activation unit 5, a cylindrical container 6, which is for receiving distress equipment, z. As emergency rations is provided, and a cylindrical container 7 which is also provided for receiving distress equipment, typically signaling means and the like.

These components 2 to 7 are taken in the non-inflated state substantially flat life raft 1. This so formed elongated structure is in turn wrapped in a tube-like film 8, which has been closed at the end and previously evacuated, so that the life raft 1 with the components 2 to 7 therein within the film bag 8 in high packing density and due to the evacuation a solid, elongated in Substantially cylindrical body forms. The length 9 of this body may for example be 5 m with a diameter 10 of, for example, 40 cm. This thus formed elongated substantially cylindrical body can be optionally stored using a further buoyant body directly in a torpedo tube and deployed in case of accident (not belonging to the invention).

In the case of the FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrated embodiments, however, this enclosed by the film 8 body is disposed within a pressure-resistant container 11, which corresponds in length to the length of a torpedo or shorter and whose diameter corresponds to a torpedo diameter, so that this pressure-resistant container 11 with the life raft 1 and therein the components 2 to 7 on the torpedo tube of the submarine as a torpedo ausbringbar and can be stored there. Optionally, the container 11 can also be stored within the pressure hull of the submarine in the racks, which are also provided for the storage of torpedoes or other equipment, typically such as in DE 103 42 145 A1 described.

The pressure-resistant container 11 has a torpedo-like shape in all embodiments, ie it is substantially cylindrical and elongated, the ends are hemispherical in this embodiment. In the pressure-resistant container 11, not only the life raft 1 with the components 2 to 7 is arranged as described above, but In addition, a coil 12 on a rope 13, here a wire rope is wound, which via a pressure-tight seal 14 through the Container wall is guided therethrough. The coil-side cable end is detachably connected to the life raft 1, the other end of the rope is set submarine side. After ejection of the pressure-resistant container 11 from the torpedo tube rises by self-buoyancy to the water surface, while the wound up on the coil 12 rope 13 is unwound in the required length, so that via the cable 13 is a connection between submarine and life raft 1, the later, when all persons have been discharged from the submarine and taken up by the life raft 1, if necessary, can be solved.

In order to ensure that the life raft 1 with the components 2 to 7 therein after removal of the pressure-tight container 11 is removed therefrom so that the inflation process can be activated by means of the activation unit 5, the pressure-resistant container 11 has a predetermined breaking point 15, 16. Only with the basis of the FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrated embodiment, a predetermined breaking point 15 is provided by the fact that the pressure-resistant container 11 is formed by a cylinder pot 17 with inserted cover 18. When a predetermined axial force is exceeded, the predetermined breaking point 15 is released by the cover 18 is repelled from the cylinder pot 17, after which the therein contained, enclosed by the film 8 body can be ejected.

In the execution after Fig. 2 a Stulpmanteldruckballon 19 is provided, which is arranged on the bottom side in the cylinder pot 17 and the side enclosed by the film 8 body partially surrounds laterally. By pressurizing the interior of the Stulpmanteldruckballons 19 of the Stulpmanteldruckballon 19 is extended, whereby the completed by the film 8 body is pushed out of the cylinder pot 17.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 3 Instead of the Stulpmanteldruckballons 19, a piston 20 is provided which is arranged near the bottom of the cylinder pot 17 and from the bottom side of such druckbeaufschlagbar that the piston 20 extends toward the open end of the cylinder pot 17 while the body therein with the liferaft. 1 and the components 2 to 7 ejects.

As based on Fig. 5 indicated, the pressure-resistant container 11 may be formed by two half-shells 21, 22, which abut each other by means not shown in the figure in individual flanges and are joined together by gluing to form in this way the predetermined breaking point 16. By pressurizing the container interior, the two half-shells 21 and 22 along the predetermined breaking point 16 are separated from each other, so that they release a large area the body therein and the life raft 1 can inflate without obstruction.

To activate the pressurization of the pressure-resistant container 11, a further activation element may be provided, which is conductively connected to the container environment. The compressed gas required for ejecting the body from the pressure-resistant container 11 or for rupturing the predetermined breaking point 16 can be provided by a separate compressed-gas reservoir (not shown in the figures) arranged in the pressure-resistant container.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

liferaft

2

Lifeboat stations

3

cylindrical container

4

Pressure cylinder

5

activation unit

6

container

7

container

8th

foil

9

length

10

diameter

11

pressure-resistant container

12

Kitchen sink

13

rope

14

poetry

15

Sollruchstelle in Fig. 2

16

Breaking point in Fig. 5

17

cylindrical pot

18

cover

19

Stulpmanteldruckballon

20

piston

21

half shell

22

half shell

Claims (10)

1. Submarine having a submarine rescue device which is arranged in a torpedo tube and is formed in shape and size such that it can be deployed in the submerged state through the torpedo tube, wherein the rescue device comprises a substantially cylindrical and elongate outer contour with a length/diameter ratio between 5 and 18 and is closed off outwardly by a pressure-resistant container (11),
   characterized in that the pressure-resistant container (11) accommodates an automatically inflatable life raft (1) and all the further components (2 - 7) of the submarine rescue device and comprises at least one predetermined breaking point (15; 16) which is destroyed prior to the inflation of the life raft (1) situated in said container or by the inflation of the life raft for release from the container (11).
2. Submarine according to Claim 1,
   characterized in that the submarine rescue device is connected to the submarine via a cable (13), wherein the cable (13), which is preferably automatically unreeled after the deploying of the submarine rescue device, is wound up or coiled up on the submarine rescue device preferably within the pressure-resistant container (11).
3. Submarine rescue device for a submarine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rescue device comprises a substantially cylindrical and elongate outer contour with a length/diameter ratio between 5 and 18 and a pressure-resistant container (11) is provided,
   characterized in that the pressure-resistant container (11) accommodates an automatically inflatable life raft (1) and all the further components (2 - 7) of the submarine rescue device and comprises the at least one predetermined breaking point (15; 16) which is destroyed prior to the inflation of the life raft (1) situated in said container or by the inflation of the life raft (1) for release from the container (11).
4. Submarine rescue device according to Claim 3,
   characterized in that the length/diameter ratio of the outer contour is between 9 and 12.
5. Submarine rescue device according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the container (11) is formed from two half-shells (21, 22), wherein the half-shells (21, 22) abut in a longitudinal plane and their connection is formed as a predetermined breaking point (16).
6. Submarine rescue device according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the container (11) is formed by a pressure-resistant cylindrical pot (17) which is closed off terminally by a cover (18), wherein the cover (18) and the container contents can preferably be ejected pneumatically.
7. Submarine rescue device according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that a pressure-loadable piston (20) is provided to eject the container contents.
8. Submarine rescue device according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the life raft (1), with the inclusion of further components (2 - 7) of the submarine rescue device, is vacuum-packed to form a substantially cylindrical body.
9. Submarine rescue device according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that inner containers (3, 4, 6, 7) for accommodating equipment, provisions, compressed gas and the like are arranged so as to lie behind one another.
10. Submarine rescue device according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that it is packed to form a substantially cylindrical body and is closed off by means of a sheet (8), and in that a buoyancy body connected thereto or integrated therewith is provided.

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