EP2441663B1 - Submarine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a submarine with the features specified in the preamble of claim 1.

In military submarines, usually torpedoes, rockets and underwater mines are carried as weapons. It is known to store these weapons within the pressure hull of such submarines typically in so-called torpedo tubes. Especially with submarines with relatively small size, the stored weapons reduce the already limited space in the pressure hull.

The arms takeover in the submarine can be done on trained on the upper deck of the submarine weapons Übernmelmeluk. It is particularly expensive in torpedoes, which can be more than 7 meters long and weigh almost 2,000 kilograms. For this purpose, a weapons transfer platform must be set up on the upper deck of the submarine and a weapons loading device must be set up in the pressure hull and dismantled again after loading.

The omission of the weapons from the submarine is usually carried out through the Druckkörperwandung weapon tubes. The outside of the pressure hull arranged ends of these gun barrels are pressure-tightly closed with muzzle flaps, while the arranged inside the pressure hull ends of the weapon tubes are sealed pressure-tight by bottom closures. When draining a gun from a gun barrel, make sure that when opened Muzzle flap of the bottom closure of the barrel is closed. For this purpose, the mouth flaps of the weapon tubes are blocked with the bottom closures. A failure of the blockage with simultaneous opening of the mouth flap and the bottom closure leads to a water ingress into the pressure hull, which in the worst case can lead to the loss of the submarine. A further source of danger are the torpedoes stored in the gun barrels. An explosion of a torpedo stored in a gun barrel usually always leads to the loss of a submarine. Furthermore, it proves to be disadvantageous that the guided through the pressure hull weapon tubes are typically rigidly connected to the pressure body, so that the pressure acting on the pressure body shock load are transmitted directly to the weapons stored in the weapons tubes.

Out DE 24 54 738 A1 is a submarine known in which the weapon tubes are located completely outside the pressure hull. In this respect, the armament does not affect the space available in the pressure hull in this submarine. However, in this submarine reloading the weapon tubes proves to be particularly costly, since the weapon tubes are located below the waterline of the submarine that has surfaced, so that the reloading of the weapon tubes must either be done in a dock or a diving operation required.

Out US 5,964,175 A a submarine is known in which on an outer wall in the region of the bow of the submarine several indentations are formed, in each of which an unmanned armed submarine vehicle is arranged, which has an outer surface which corresponds to the contour of the outer wall of the submarine. If necessary, these submersibles can be detached from the submarine and operate autonomously from the submarine. Subsequently, the underwater vehicles can again in the Dock indentations formed on the outer wall of the submarine.

At the in DE 37 23 817 A1 and US 5,363,791 A described submarines weapon containers are arranged on the longitudinal sides of the submarine outside of the pressure hull.

DE 24 16 801 A1 is to be taken from a submarine, the outside of the bow-side end of its pressure body in a region between the pressure hull and the pressure hull at a distance surrounding outer skin has a vertical shaft in which a plurality of torpedo launchers, each having a housing with a plurality of torpedoes mounted therein, are stored , The torpedo launchers are each connected to a run through the pressure hull of the submarine nozzle.

Against this background, the present invention seeks to provide a submarine, which allows over the prior art improved weapon storage and weapons acquisition.

This object is achieved by a submarine with the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous developments of this submarine result from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings. In this case, according to the invention, the features specified in the dependent claims in each case, but also in a technically meaningful combination, the inventive solution according to claim 1 further.

The submarine according to the invention has a pressure body in the usual way. Outside the pressure hull an armament module for storing and ejecting several weapons is arranged in front of the bugseitigem end. In this area of the pressure hull is preferably arranged outside of the pressure body, an outer skin of the submarine, wherein the armament module is mounted in the freely flooded space between the pressure body and the outer skin.

The arming module is designed as a removable unit. This measure makes it possible to detach the armament module from the boat structure and to spend, for example with a crane or other suitable hoist, on a submarine vessel supporting the submarine or ashore. A loading, component inspection or maintenance of the weapon module is thereby much easier and faster than directly on the submarine feasible. Particularly advantageously, an armament module removed from the submarine can be replaced directly by a pre-provided other and ready-to-use arming module, so that the weapon takeover time in the submarine according to the invention is decisively shortened compared to the previously known submarines. Further advantageously, different arming modules can be provided with regard to the arming, which are specially adapted to the respective operational profile of the submarine. Here the most different armament configurations are possible. So the submarine z. B. if it is to be used only for laying underwater mines, be equipped with a weapon module, the priority or is exclusively equipped with underwater mines and / or designed specifically for the exposure of underwater mines. If the submarine is to be used for discontinuation of special forces, for example, an armament module can be used, which in addition to the armament also has a storage space for items to be upgraded of the deployment forces.

The replacement of the weapon module is further facilitated if, as is preferred, it is located in an area above the waterline when the submarine has surfaced. This arrangement of the arming module makes it possible to detach the armament module from the boat structure without a diving insert, and then to remove it from the boat structure or to equip the submarine with the arming module without a diving insert.

Conveniently, the arming module forms part of the outer skin of the submarine. For this purpose, the arming module preferably has an outer lining whose shape corresponds to the shape of the adjoining outer skin region. In this way, a substantially seamless and therefore streamlined and low-signature transition from the armament module to the adjacent outer skin is created.

Advantageously, the arming module may form a portion of a walk-on upper deck of the submarine. Thus, the armament module can be integrated in the upper deck or, in a preferred embodiment, form a front end area of the upper deck facing away from a tower of the submarine, which is particularly advantageous when the armament module is provided for deploying torpedoes.

The armament module has a plurality of weapon tubes mounted shock-resistant in a support structure. The support structure is expediently designed in such a way that the largest possible number of weapon tubes are arranged next to and above one another in the arming module. The weapon tubes can essentially correspond to the weapon tubes, which are guided in the hitherto known submarines through the Druckkörperwandung. Preferably, the weapon tubes are equipped with all required for deploying a weapon mechanical and / or hydraulic devices. In order to prevent that a shock load of the weapon module and / or the pressure hull is transmitted to the weapons stored in the gun barrels and to additionally prevent the possibly occurring during deployment of the weapons from the gun pipes ejection noises are transmitted to the pressure hull, it is advantageous to decouple the weapon tubes elastically from the pressure hull. Thus, it is possible to store each of the weapon tubes in the arming module elastically on damping elements or preferably to store the entire armament module on the boat side provided support structure elastically on damping elements.

Advantageously, means are provided for controlling the dispensing operation of weapons stored in the weapon barrels, which are operable from within the pressure hull. In this context, an embodiment is preferred in which only the controls for deploying the weapon from the armament module within the pressure hull and all other control means, which may be electrically or hydraulically operated control components, are arranged outside the pressure hull. In this case, it is advantageously only necessary to lead electrical and / or hydraulic supply lines and signal transmission lines through the Druckkörperwandung.

The two ends of the weapon tubes are pressure-tight with flaps, which makes it possible to store the weapons in the armament module dry. Accordingly, the weapon tubes are designed as open tubes, in which a front in the discharge direction of the weapon opening with a mouth flap and a rear opening are closed with a bottom flap. Conveniently, the mouth flap and the bottom flap are coupled for movement via a linkage in such a way that both flaps for dispensing a weapon stored in the weapon barrel can be opened at the same time, which advantageously results in unimpeded inflow of water into the weapon barrel when the weapon exits or when the weapon is ejected from the weapon barrel allows.

On the mouth flap and the bottom flap acts in submerged submarine diving pressure. To be able to open these flaps before deploying the weapon at all, it is necessary to create a pressure equalization between the interior of the gun barrel and its external environment. For this purpose, the weapon tubes each have loading and venting or loading and drainage facilities. These devices are preferably controllable valve arrangements by means of which the weapon tubes can be vented and irrigated before the application of the weapons stored therein and can be dehydrated again when submarine emerged.

An opening mechanism for opening the mouth and bottom flaps of the weapon tubes as well as an optional starting device for discharging the weapons from the weapon tubes can be hydraulically actuated. In this case, a hydraulic system of the weapon module can be advantageously connected by means of quick-release couplings to a boat-side hydraulic system. Electrical devices of the weapon module are preferably connected in the submarine according to the invention in a simple manner by means of pressure-tight connectors to the boat electrical system.

Fig. 1

schematisch vereinfacht einen vorderen, oberen Bereich eines Unterseeboots mit einem dort angeordneten Bewaffnungsmodul in einem Längsschnitt,

Fig. 2

schematisch vereinfacht eine vergrößert dargestellte Schnittansicht entlang des Schnittverlaufs II-II in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

schematisch vereinfacht einen vorderen, oberen Bereich eines Unterseeboots mit einem abgesetzt von dem Unterseeboot dargestellten zweiten Bewaffnungsmodul in einem Längsschnitt und

Fig. 4

das Bewaffnungsmodul nach Fig. 3 in einer vergrößerten Schnittansicht entlang der Schnittlinie IV-IV in Fig. 3

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1

schematically simplifies a front, upper area of a submarine with an armament module arranged there in a longitudinal section,

Fig. 2

schematically simplified an enlarged sectional view along the section line II-II in Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

schematically simplifies a front, upper portion of a submarine with a second armament module deposed remotely from the submarine in a longitudinal section and

Fig. 4

the armament module Fig. 3 in an enlarged sectional view along the section line IV-IV in Fig. 3

In the Fig. 1 and 3 is a front part of a submarine shown. The submarine has a pressure body 2. On the outside, the pressure body 2 is surrounded by an outer skin 4. The outer skin 4 is spaced from the pressure body 2, so that between the pressure body 2 and the outer skin 4 is a freely interspersed gap 6. Above the pressure hull 2, the outer skin forms a walk-on upper deck 8 of the submarine.

In particular Fig. 3 can be seen, the pressure hull 2 is not covered with the outer skin 4 in an area in front of his bow-side end, which is above the waterline when surfaced submarine. In this area a removable armament module 10 or 10 'is integrated. The armament module 10 or 10 'is placed on a supporting structure 12, which is rigidly connected to the pressure body 2 and extends from the pressure body 2 parallel to a longitudinal axis A of the pressure body in the direction of arranged in front of the pressure body 2 outer skin 4.

Both in the Fig. 1 and 2 illustrated armament module 10 as well as in the Fig. 3 and 4 shown armament module 10 'are not placed directly on the structure 12 but shock elastic on damping elements 14, which are arranged in formed at the top of the structure 12 wells 16. The storage of the weapon module 10 or 10 'takes place on a storage foundation 18, which is arranged on the damping elements 14 ( Fig. 2 and 4 ). In order to be able to position the arming module 10 or 10 'exactly on the storage foundation 18, guide pins 20 are provided on the underside of the armament modules 10 and 10', which engage corresponding recesses formed on the storage foundation 18 when the arming module 10 or 10 'is placed , At the transverse to the longitudinal axis A of the pressure body 2 outer damping elements 14 locking elements 22 are arranged, the locking elements 24 provided on the arming modules 10 and 10 'form locking devices with which the arming module 10 or 10' is firmly connected to the supporting structure 12.

The armament modules 10 and 10 'each have an outer panel 26 corresponding to the outer skin 4 of the submarine such that the outer surface of the outer panel 26 is flush with the outer side of the outer skin 4 adjacent thereto. In this respect, the outer lining 26 also forms part of the outer skin 4 of the submarine. The top of the outer panel 26 forms part of the upper deck 8. A gap existing at the transition from the outer panel 26 of the arming module 10 or 10 'to the outer skin 4 is closed with a profile rubber 28 encircling the outer edge of the outer panel 26.

In the in the Fig. 1 and 2 shown armament module 10 extend three spaced juxtaposed support bulkheads 30, 32 and 34 in the direction perpendicular to the storage foundation 18. At the outer edge of the support bulkheads 30, 32 and 34 holding means 36 are arranged, which serve for the positive attachment of the outer lining 26. The supporting bulkheads 30, 32 and 34 form a support structure for weapon arms 38 mounted in the arming module 10. For this purpose, the support bulkheads 30, 32 and 34 each have eleven round openings 40, the arrangement of the openings 40 of the individual support bulkheads being equal. Through the openings 40, the eleven weapon tubes 38 are guided so that they extend parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the pressure hull 2 of the submarine. The weapon tubes 38 are welded or screwed to the support bulkheads 30, 32 and 34, so that the weapon tubes 38 and the support bulkheads 30, 32 and 34 form a rigid unit.

The weapon tubes 38 serve primarily for storing and deploying torpedoes. They are constructed to be pressure-resistant, wherein the outlet openings of the weapon tubes 38 facing away from the pressure body 2 are each closed by a mouth flap 42 and the openings of the weapon tubes 38 facing the pressure body 2 are each closed by a bottom flap 44. The mouth flaps 42 are each rigidly connected to outer skin flaps 46, which are arranged in front of the weapon tubes 38 and form part of the outer lining 26 of the weapon module 10 and the outer skin 4.

Adjacent to the outlet openings, hydraulic drives 48 for pivoting the mouth flaps 42 are arranged on the weapon tubes 38. The mouth flaps 42 are each coupled for movement via a mouth flap lever 50 to a drive shaft 52 of the drive 48. The mouth flap 42 is coupled to the bottom flap 44 via a linkage, not shown in the drawing for clarity. If an outlet flap 42 of a weapon barrel 38 is pivoted by means of the drive 48 into an open position, the bottom flap 44 of the respective weapon barrel 38 is pivoted into an open position via the linkage, which during unwinding or ejection of a weapon stored in the weapon barrel 38, an unhindered afterflow of Water allows.

Before opening the mouth flap 42 and the bottom flap 44, it is necessary to bleed the respective barrel 38 and irrigate. For this purpose, ventilation valves 54 and loading and drainage valves 56 are provided which are arranged on the individual weapon tubes 38 in each case on the outer lateral surface.

For the operation and control of the armament modules 10 and 10 ', a plurality of hydraulic accumulators 58 and an electric / hydraulic module control 60 are arranged on the upper side of the pressure body 2. Either the hydraulic accumulator 58 as well as the module control 60 are combined in a shock-elastic manner mounted on damping elements 62 frame 64. For supplying and controlling the ventilation valves 54, the loading and drainage valves 56 and the drives 48, hydraulic and electrical lines 66 are guided along the weapon tubes 38. The hydraulic lines are connected to the hydraulic accumulators 58 via quick couplings 68 and hose compensators 70 connected therebetween. To connect the electrical lines of the arming module 10 to the module control 60 arranged on the boat side, pressure-tight plug connections 72 are provided. The hydraulic and electrical connection of the pressure accumulator 58 and the module control 60 with the pressure chamber interior takes place via pressure body bushings 74 and 76. Another pressure bushing 78 serves to guide data transmission cables into the interior of the pressure body 2.

That in the Fig. 3 and 4 illustrated armament module 10 'is used for deploying underwater mines. Similar to the arming module 10, the arming module 10 'has three spaced juxtaposed support bulkheads 80, 82 and 84 that are oriented perpendicular to the storage foundation 18. As with the armament module 10, retaining devices 36 are also arranged on the outer edge of the support bulkheads 80, 82 and 84 of the arming module 10, which are used for the positive fastening of the outer cover 26. Between the support bulkheads 80 and 84 and on the outside of the support bulkheads 80 and 84, weapon tubes 86 are arranged for storage and for discharging underwater mines. The individual weapon tubes 86 extend obliquely inclined to one of the two longitudinal sides of the submarine, wherein the outlet openings of the weapon tubes 86 are each formed at the lower end of the weapon tubes. This refinement makes it possible for the underwater mines from the weapon tubes 86 to run off automatically due to gravity.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

- Pressure body

4

- outer skin

6

- gap

8th

- upper deck

10, 10 '

- Armament module

12

- Structure

14

- damping element

16

- Deepening

18

- Storage foundation

20

- guide pin

22

- locking element

24

- locking element

26

- outer lining

28

- Profile rubber

30

- Support bulkhead

32

- Support bulkhead

34

- Support bulkhead

36

- Holding device

38

- gun barrel

40

- breakthrough

42

- Mouth flap

44

- bottom flap

46

- outer skin flap

48

- Drive

50

- Mouth flap lever

52

- Drive shaft

54

- Ventilation valve

56

- Loading and drainage valve

58

- Hydraulic accumulator

60

- Module control

62

- damping element

64

- Frame

66

- Hydraulic and electrical lines

68

- Quick coupling

70

- Hose compensator

72

- plug connection

74

- Pressure body feedthrough

76

- Pressure body feedthrough

78

- Pressure body feedthrough

80

- Support bulkhead

82

- Support bulkhead

84

- Support bulkhead

86

- gun barrel

A

- longitudinal axis

Claims (8)

1. A submarine with a pressure hull (2) and with an armament module (10, 10') for storing and for discharging weapons, which as a removable construction unit is arranged outside the pressure hull (2) in front of the bow-side end of the pressure hull (2), characterised in that the armament module (10, 10') comprises several weapons tubes (38) which are mounted in a support structure in a shock-proof manner and the weapons tubes (38) comprise venting and bleeding devices.
2. A submarine according to claim 1, characterised in that the armament module (10, 10') is arranged in a region which lies above the water line when the submarine has surfaced.
3. A submarine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the armament module (10, 10') forms a part of the outer hull (4) of the submarine.
4. A submarine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the armament module (10, 10') forms a section of an upper deck (8) of a submarine.
5. A submarine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that means are provided for controlling the bringing-out procedure of weapons stored in the weapons tubes (38), said means being operable from within the pressure hull (2).
6. A submarine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that both ends of the weapons tube (38) can be closed in a pressure-tight manner by hatches.
7. A submarine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a hydraulic system of the armament module (10, 10') can be connected to a hydraulic system belonging to the submarine by way of quick-closure couplings.
8. A submarine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that electrical devices of the armament module (10, 10') can be connected to the electrics of the submarine by way of pressure-proof plug-in connections.

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