GB235981A - Improvements in & connected with means for towing submersible objects - Google Patents

Abstract

235,981. Dartnall, H. J. April 5, 1924. Towing. - A submarine vessel is towed by a surface vessel, the depth of submergence being regulated by adjusting the fore-and-aft trim of the submarine, this adjustment being effected by altering the relative lengths of bridles connected to the towing-rope. In one form in which the submarine is manned by a crew who make the necessary adjustments of the bridles to regulate the depth of submergence, the bridles C, D, Fig. A, are connected to the drums of a winch located in a central control station provided with inter alia a conning tower and electric light apparatus which can be directed in various directions. The bridles after passing round the pulleys F, G, are connected up to the towing-rope A. The submarine, which is in cross-section of greater depth than breadth, is provided at its tail with a pair of fixed horizontal planes XVI and the action of the towing stream on these planes maintains the submarine at the required depth of submergence, whilst an ordinary vertically hinged rudder XV keeps the submarine at the required lateral distance from the vessel. In a modification, a crewless submarine substantially of the cross section shown in Fig. 3, is towed from a vessel by double towing ropes, C, D, which pass to barrels on a winch, and, by adjusting the relative lengths of the ropes, the towed object may be kept at the required depth of submergence or brought to the surface as required. The apparatus may be used for surveying wrecks.