ES2310355T3 - SUBMERSIBLE VESSELS. - Google Patents

Abstract

A submersible vessel having a pressure hull that includes: - a cross section (23, 24), - a substantially transparent partially spherical end section (21) having a single opening, and - at least one substantially transparent partially spherical intermediate section (22) which has a pair of openings and is disposed between the final section (21) and the cross section (23, 24), the transparent sections of a common passenger compartment (30) being formed; characterized by a cage (40) that partially surrounds the final section (21), and a plurality of tension elements (44) that connect the cage to the cross section (23, 24), arranged externally of the intermediate section or sections ( 22).

Description

Submersible ships

Technical Field of the Invention

This invention relates to submersible vessels such as (notwithstanding the generality) submarines.

Background

It has long been known that bodies Spherical hollow submersibles are able to withstand about twice the external pressure of a body substantially cylindrical in diameter and wall thickness comparable. Submersible vessels that have pressure hulls formed by several interconnected sections in the form of spheres truncated are already known, as described, for example, in the documents GB 279 483, GB 2 223 716 A and US 5 477 798 that constitute the closest prior art.

In submersible vessels, they can also be formed windows or viewing ports with a partially shaped spherical for resistance. A common material used in the manufacture of such display ports is plastic acrylic, since it has a refractory index close to that of seawater and therefore minimizes visual distortion. Without However, the mounting of the viewing port must be capable of maintaining an effective seal over a wide range of external pressures and operating temperatures.

In a known way of mounting for louvers partially spherical display, a radial face of the viewing port that surrounds a circular opening sits against a partially conical surface with the supply of adequate seals. The viewing port is held in position by a clamping segment that maintains a peripheral edge of the viewing port against the partially conical housing. Such provisions may be used. to effectively hold size display ports substantial.

In general, increase the opening angle reduces the range of hydrostatic pressures that the assembly can drive. On the other hand, reducing the opening angle restricts the internal space In pressure helmets that include an area of vision formed by several partially transparent sections adjacent spherical this could put restrictions on the size of the internal compartment

The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of submersible vessel that has several transparent partially spherical adjacent sections in which the Internal compartment size is maximized while maintaining time an effective seal over a wide range of external pressures

Summary of the invention

The present invention provides a vessel Submersible that has a pressure helmet that includes:

-

a cross section,

-

a partially transparent spherical end section that It has a single opening, and

-

to the minus a partially spherical intermediate section substantially transparent that has a pair of openings and that is arranged between the final section and the cross section so that said sections provide a common internal compartment;

characterized by

a cage that partially surrounds the final section; Y

a plurality of tension elements that connect the cage with the section transverse, arranged externally of the section or sections intermediate.

The cage preferably comprises a segment of tension and a plurality of anchoring members that protect it of the voltage segment and that are each connected to a respective tension element.

In a preferred arrangement a member of thrust is interposed between adjacent transparent sections, and the tension elements slide slidably through the push member. The thrust member can therefore place the tension elements while balancing the pressures of sealed on opposite sides of the thrust member.

Brief description of the drawings

The following description and attached drawings referenced therein are included as a non-limiting example to illustrate how the invention can be put in practice. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an external side view of a submarine according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the submarine;

Figure 3 is a final view of the submarine observed from the bow end;

Figure 4 is a side view of a case ce internal pressure of the submarine;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the hull of pressure comprising a cross section and two sections transparent;

Figure 6 is a final view of the case of pressure observed from the bow end;

Figure 7 is a cross section through the pressure hull, the AA section of Fig. 4 showing the right hand side of the drawing and the BB section showing the left hand side ;

Figure 8 is a section through the area of the thrust segment that separates the two transparent sections, including an inserted detail; Y

Figure 9 is a section through the area where the transparent sections join the section cross.

Detailed description of the drawings

Figs. 1 to 3 show a ship that is mentioned commonly as submarine. The ship is capable of using both superficial as below the surface. The ship has a case external 10 that is shaped for surface navigation, which it has an anterior bow end 11 and a stern end 12 with a propeller 15. During surface use the propeller 15 may be driven by an internal diesel engine to provide use economic over a considerable distance, but during immersions the propeller may be driven by an electric motor Internal powered by a rechargeable battery. The outer helmet is overcome by a cover area 16, which is surrounded by a wall of fixed security 17. The bow end 11 is provided with a transparent window 18 extending on both sides of the vessel.

The outer helmet 10 contains a pressure helmet internal 20, shown in Figs. 4 to 7, which is designed to withstand the high external pressures found during dives below the surface. Starting at the end bow, the pressure case includes a bow section 21, a intermediate section 22, a middle section 23, and a stern section 24. The bow and intermediate sections 21 and 22 are both formed clear acrylic plastic (other materials could be used suitable transparent, of course) while the sections middle and stern 23 and 24 form a metal cross section, both being generally cylindrical with segments of circumferential reinforcement, axially spaced 25. The section of stern 24 is closed by a partially spherical end 26 and is attached to the middle section 23 by hermetic seals 27. With reference again to Fig. 1, the transparent sections 21 and 22 are part of an internal passenger compartment 30 inside the pressure helmet, which extends in the middle sections and aft. The passenger compartment is accessed through a cylindrical access hatch 32 passing through the part upper middle section 23 in deck area 16 and it closes during the dives by a protective cover of pressure 33. The rest of the cross section 23, 24 outside the passenger compartment contains a service team such as drive motors, batteries, air supply equipment etc.

A space is formed between the cross section 23, 24 of the pressure hull and the outer hull 10, which contains one or more closed ballast tanks that are partially flooded to control the depth of immersion. The sections transparent 21 and 22 of the pressure helmet are arranged by behind the bow window 18 so that the external environment is clearly visible to people in the passenger compartment. The intermediate space between sections 21, 22 and window 18 can be flooded to reduce the forces of pressure on the Window 18 during the dives.

Returning to Fig. 4 to 7, the bow section 21 is formed as a truncated sphere with a single opening that subtends an angle C at the center of the sphere of approximately 120º. The intermediate section 22 is formed analogously as a truncated sphere of the same radius, but this section has two opposite openings that each subtend the same angle (approximately 120 degrees) from the center of the sphere. A metal thrust segment 38 is interposed between the sections transparent 21 and 22 while the middle section 23 is provided with a ring-shaped housing 39 against which maintains intermediate section 22. A cage 40 is shaped to partially surround the bow section 21, in contact with its external surface The cage includes a tension segment 41 and several anchoring members 42 that protect the stern of the segment of tension, ending each, adjacent to thrust segment 38, on a pair of spaced pivot plates 43. A tension rod respective 44 is pivotally connected to each of the anchoring members by means of a pivot pin inserted through of the plates 43. The tension rods 44 extend externally of the substantially parallel intermediate section 22 to the longitudinal axis of the pressure hull, ending each in a fork 45. Each of the tension rods 44 is attached  pivotally to the middle section 23 by means of a plate respective external anchor 46. The two more tension rods raised are subject to circumferential anchor plates on the access hatch 32 while the remaining plates 46 are project radially from the middle section. Anchor plates 46 are all located inside the ballast tanks, but the tension rods slide slidably through the low pressure seals at inlet point 47 in the ballast tanks

Cage 40 and tension rods 44 hold transparent sections 21 and 22 to middle section 23. It they provide eight tension rods in the present embodiment. However, four of the rods are arranged in the region top of transparent sections 21 and 22 and four are arranged in the lower region. The rods 44, therefore, do not prevent side view from the passenger compartment but the balanced arrangement allows cage 40 to apply a uniform clamping pressure to transparent sections. Too it will be appreciated that a base platform 48 projects forward from the middle section 23 below the transparent sections 21 and 22, which supports the transparent sections during the assembly and maintenance of the pressure hull.

The thrust segment 38 is provided with flanges that project outward 49 through which the Tension rods 44 are slidably inserted to ensure the exact circumferential and radial location of the rods. The Fig. 8 shows how the thrust segment 38 is interposed between the two transparent sections 21 and 22 while Fig. 9 shows how intermediate section 22 stands against the housing 39 of the middle section 23. The adjacent opening of each section is surrounded by a radially extending face 50 which is supported against a partially conical housing respective 51. The outer circumferential limit of each housing is formed by a support face 53 that projects substantially perpendicularly from the housing 51. (See the inserted detail of Fig. 8.) - The adjacent corner of the transparent section, between the face that extends radially 50 and the outer face 54, is formed with a face inclined short 55. A tight O-ring 56 is enclosed between the housing 51, the support face 53 and the inclined face 55 so that, when the rods 44 are tensioned correctly, the o-rings are sealant compressed Between these three faces.

During a dive the pressures hydrostatic on the external faces of the sections transparent resist by cage 40 and tension rods 44 so that the radial faces 50 are held against the partially conical housings 51. As the thrust segment 38 It is slidably located on the tension rods 44, compression forces are divided evenly between three housings 51. As the external pressure increases, the faces 50 can finally slide radially inwards over the housings 51 but as long as the o-rings remain tablets will maintain an effective pressure tight seal.

On larger vessels intended to accommodate a larger number of passengers, the pressure helmet may include two or more intermediate sections 22 with a similar thrust segment 38 interposed between each pair of adjacent sections.

With the arrangement described, the Passenger compartment size while maintaining effective seals over a wider range of external hydrostatic pressures. The high pressures at which the seals may be subjected during a dive they remain substantially balanced throughout the range of intended operation.

It will be appreciated that the features described in this document they can be presented in any combination feasible. Although the above description emphasizes those areas that, in combination, are believed to be new, are claimed protection for any inventive combination of characteristics described in the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. A submersible vessel that has a hull of pressure that includes:

-

a cross section (23, 24),

-

a partially spherical end section substantially transparent (21) that has a single opening, and

-

to the minus a partially spherical intermediate section substantially transparent (22) that has a pair of openings and that is arranged between the final section (21) and the cross section (23, 24), part of the transparent sections of a compartment of common passengers (30);

characterized by

a cage (40) partially surrounding the final section (21), and

a plurality of tension elements (44) that connect the cage to the section transverse (23, 24), arranged externally of the section or intermediate sections (22).

2. A submersible vessel in accordance with the claim 1, wherein the cage (40) comprises a segment of tension (41) and a plurality of anchoring elements (42) that are project from the voltage segment for connection with a respective tension element (44). 3. A submersible vessel in accordance with the claim 2, wherein the tension elements (44) are pivotally connected to the anchoring elements (42). 4. A submersible vessel in accordance with the claim 1, wherein a pushing member (38) is interposed between the final section (21) and the adjacent intermediate section (22). 5. A submersible vessel in accordance with the claim 4, wherein the tension elements (44) pass from Sliding shape through the pushing member (38). 6. A submersible vessel in accordance with the claim 1, wherein the tension elements (44) are anchored to the cross section (23, 24). 7. A submersible vessel in accordance with the claim 6, wherein the tension elements (44) are anchored to the cross section (23, 24) by connections pivoting 8. A submersible vessel in accordance with the claim 1, wherein the cross section (23, 24) of the helmet Pressure is provided with external ballast tanks. 9. A submersible vessel in accordance with the claim 8, wherein the tension elements (44) extend sealant (47) in ballast tanks. 10. A submersible vessel in accordance with the claim 1, wherein the tension elements (44) are arranged in two groups placed in the upper regions and bottom of the transparent sections (21, 22). 11. A submersible vessel in accordance with the claim 10, wherein both groups have the same amount of tension elements (44).