IL321663A - Submarine with cover - Google Patents

Description

Submarine having a cover The invention relates to a submarine having an opening and a cover which closes the opening. Within the context of the invention, an opening is understood to mean a connection between the interior of the submarine, in particular the interior of the pressure hull of the submarine, and the water surrounding the latter, wherein the term opening can also include the wall which encloses the actual through-passage. The wall can be a tube, for example a weapon tube, a multifunction tube, an airlock, a stowage container, an exit for personnel (hatch) and the like. A tube contains, in its interior, a storage chamber in which a weapon, for example a torpedo, equipment, divers or any other desired items can be accommodated. The tube can have a further opening in relation to the interior of the pressure hull, for example for a diver airlock or for reloading a weapon tube. A multifunction tube can even accommodate a module which is connected to the interior of the pressure hull of the submarine for the entire duration of use. It is also possible, however, for a tube to have just one opening, for example in order to accommodate equipment which is intended to be removable for example by divers when the submarine is in the submerged state. However, the higher the level at which the opening is arranged, the more important it is to reduce weight, since otherwise the center of gravity of the submarine is adversely affected. Accordingly, this is most important when the opening is arranged in the tower, in particular at the upper end of the tower. The higher the center of gravity, the more unstable the submarine becomes. Furthermore, the bearing locations of rod assemblies are in direct contact with seawater. The rotational movement which takes place there means that the risk of dirt being taken in, which otherwise is high during the translatory movement, is low. In addition, the cover, with a lever arm, additionally has two pivot points, which are likewise exposed to the seawater. In order to keep these in functional order, two separate supply lines for lubricating grease have to be installed, so as to ensure permanent operation.

Furthermore, locking is important especially for openings which go upward, such that they do not unintentionally fall shut. In the case of an opening which leads upward, for example a hatch for exiting on deck, the cover opens upward, i.e. counter to gravity. An additional factor is that a submarine has a very low-lying open deck, so waves can very easily hit an open cover. Therefore, it is necessary to reliably prevent the cover from closing again unintentionally. It is therefore important to bring the cover into a stable dead center position and to hold it securely there even in adverse conditions without external forces damaging the cover. DE 10 2018 215 489 A1 discloses a submarine having a cover-opening drive. DE 10 2019 203 073 A1 discloses a submarine having a cover-opening drive. DE 10 2007 058 055 B3 discloses a submarine having a pressure hull and an emergency exit hatch with an articulated cover. AT 41 826 B discloses a closure apparatus for torpedo ejection tubes. DE 10 2019 212 043 A1 discloses a submarine having a cover. GB 379 201 A discloses improvements in or relating to escape apparatuses for the crews of sunken submarines. It is the object of the invention to provide a cover opening mechanism which in the case of forces occurring from the outside is particularly stable even in the open state. This object is achieved by the submarine having the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous developments will be apparent from the subclaims, the description that follows and the drawings. The submarine according to the invention has at least a first opening between the interior of the submarine and the water surrounding the latter. The first opening may be the opening of a weapon tube, of a multifunction tube, of an airlock, of a stowage container, of an exit for personnel (hatch) and the like. Usually, a submarine has more than one opening, such that the teaching according to the invention can also be used at a second, third, etc., opening. However, if, for example, there is a particularly large opening or only one opening on the freeboard, the teaching according to the invention can also only be implemented at the first opening. The first opening is connected to a first cover. The first opening is closable by the first cover. The first cover is mounted rotatably about a first axis of rotation. The cover may thus be opened by swinging it out. In this case, the cover pivots outward, since the cover must be able to withstand the external pressure when the submarine is in the submerged state. The submarine has a first rotary drive. The first rotary drive is positioned on a second axis of rotation and its drive shaft is mounted rotatably about this axis of rotation. The first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are parallel and offset relative to one another. The first rotary drive and the first cover are non-positively connected by way of a first coupling mechanism. The first coupling mechanism has a first crank, a first rocker and a first coupler. The first rotary drive is non-positively connected to the first crank. The first crank is mounted rotatably about the second axis of rotation. The first cover is non-positively connected to the first rocker. The first rocker is mounted rotatably about the first axis of rotation. The first crank and the first rocker are non-positively connected to one another by way of the first coupler. The first rocker is rotatably connected to the first coupler. The first crank is rotatably connected to the first coupler. Such a submarine is known, for example and in particular, from DE 10 2019 212 043 A1. According to the invention, the first crank has an impact element. The first coupler has a driver element, in particular a hook element. The impact element and the driver element, in particular the hook element, are arranged such that the impact element and the driver element, in particular the hook element, come into contact at dead center and optionally up to an angle of rotation of the crank 10° before the open end position. This optional early contacting makes it possible, for example, to compensate for material changes or manufacturing tolerances in the simplest manner. At dead center, the coupler and the crank are in line. The coupler and the crank are also almost in line immediately before dead center, so that it is reasonable for contact to be for example anything up to 10° before dead center. Other angles, for example 2° or 5°, can also be selected instead of 10°. This means that power transmission is practically only possible along the longitudinal direction. It is therefore difficult to bring the cover past dead center into a slightly more open stable end position. In order to therefore achieve a targeted transmission of power from the crank to the coupler in the region of dead center and the end position, the impact element and the driver element, in particular the hook element, are used. Preferably, the impact element and the driver element, in particular the hook element, are in contact between dead center and the open end position. Between dead center and the end position, the impact element and the driver element, in particular the hook element, are preferably in sliding contact. One point is that the impact element and the driver element are thus not in contact in the closed position and also over the majority of the opening range. This makes it possible to dispense with a complex mechanism that compensates for the relative change of the elements in relation to one another during opening. In a further embodiment of the invention, the impact element is rotatably mounted. As a result, it is easily possible to produce an arrangement which does not collide with other parts in the closed state or during opening. Particularly preferably, the impact element has an impact gear for rotating the impact element. The submarine has a rigid toothed ring, which is for example arranged fixedly about the second axis of rotation. The impact gear and the toothed ring mesh such that the impact gear is set in rotation by the toothed ring when the first crank is rotated. This makes it possible for the impact element to be reliably brought into the correct position in the end position. The size of the impact gear and the toothed ring allows the strength of rotation of the impact element to be easily set and achieved such that neither in the closed rest position nor during opening is there any conflict with a further component until the impact element intentionally hits the driver element, in particular the hook element. In a further embodiment of the invention, the driver element, in particular the hook element, is resiliently mounted. This resilience is synergistic to the resilience according to the invention of the stop, such that in this way also a further weakening of a shock effect, of a wave impact against the cover is weakened and damage is avoided by a slight movability of the first coupling mechanism. Preferably, the driver element, in particular the hook element, is resiliently mounted by means of a tension spring arranged in the first coupler. In a further embodiment of the invention, the driver element, in particular the hook element, has a plastics slider at the point of contact with the impact element. This is particularly preferred when the driver element, in particular the hook element, and the impact element are in sliding contact between dead center and the end position. In addition, this plastics slider is used to minimize noise when said elements are sliding against one another, but also when hitting one another for the first time in the movement sequence. In a further embodiment of the invention, the coupling mechanism has a stop. The stop limits the maximum opening of the first cover. The cover may thus be opened up to the angle at which the stop comes against the static structure of the ship, thus preventing further opening. This has various advantages. Firstly, this stabilizes the cover in the open position. Secondly, the cover is however above all prevented from being opened beyond that point, for example by a wave, and then no longer being closable. However, the stop alone is not feasible, since the forces that occur in the case of a wave impact may become too great and damage the cover and/or other ship parts. Therefore, the rocker has at least one spring element, in particular a disk spring or a disk spring stack. The stop is movably connected to the rocker by way of the spring element, in particular the disk spring or the disk spring stack. As a result, the strong forces that occur briefly during shock loads or wave impact are cushioned. Preferably, the spring element, in particular disk springs usually, is so hard that they act practically rigid in the case of normal forces and a spring travel only becomes effective in the case of extremely high forces. Thus, under normal conditions a "hard" stop is provided, but in the case of extreme forces, for example wave impact, cushioning is provided. In this case, the ratio of spring force to spring travel may be very high, that is to say for example generate a high spring force of more than 10 kN with less than 5 millimeters of spring travel. In a further embodiment of the invention, the spring element, in particular the disk spring stack, consists of spring assemblies. Each spring assembly consists of 2 to 5 disk springs oriented in the same direction. Adjacent spring assemblies are layered alternately in succession. This makes it easily possible to construct a spring which withstands the high forces occurring in the case of wave impact and, in the case of a compression in the range of a few millimeters, effects cushioning of the force peak, thus protecting the cover and the adjoining components against damage.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the spring element, in particular the disk spring or the disk spring stack, is arranged around the longitudinal axis of the rocker. In a further embodiment of the invention, the spring element, in particular the disk spring or the disk spring stack, is preloaded. A preload can better ensure that the spring is not compressed under normal conditions, whereas the spring effect will then start for example in the case of seawash. In a further embodiment of the invention, the movement of the stop is possible only along the longitudinal axis of the rocker. This enables a temporary rotational movement of the rocker beyond the end position point. After external relief of load, the spring element, in particular the disk spring or the disk spring assembly, relaxes and guides the rocker back into the secure end position. In a further embodiment of the invention, the first coupling mechanism has an end position when the first cover is in the open state, wherein, in the end position, the axis of rotation between the first crank and the first coupler lies within the imaginary triangle of the first axis of rotation, second axis of rotation and axis of rotation between the first rocker and the first coupler. This results in four axes of rotation. The first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are positionally fixed in relation to the submarine. A third axis of rotation results from the pivot point at which the first rocker and the first coupler are rotatably connected to one another. A fourth axis of rotation results from the pivot point at which the first crank is rotatably connected to the first coupler. The position of the third axis of rotation and of the fourth axis of rotation changes when the first cover is opened and closed. The four axes of rotation are all parallel and offset relative to one another. In section, the four axes of rotation form a quadrilateral, the shape of which changes when the first cover is opened and closed. From a point during opening at which the points of intersection of the second axis of rotation, of the third axis of rotation and of the fourth axis of rotation lie on a straight line, a torque acting on the first cover cannot be transferred to the second axis of rotation, closing in the open state by an external force can be precluded. By contrast, the first cover can be easily closed by a rotation about the second axis of rotation, as this rotation is generated by the first rotary drive.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the first cover is pivotable by at least 90° to at most 120°, preferably by at least 100° to at most 115°, between the closed and the open state in the end position. The submarine according to the invention will be explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Fig. 1 the rotary drive and the coupling mechanism Fig. 2 schematic cross section through a first embodiment of the coupling mechanism Fig. 3 perspective illustration of a first embodiment of the coupling mechanism Fig. 4 semi-transparent illustration of a first embodiment of the coupling mechanism Fig. 5 schematic cross section through a first embodiment of the coupling mechanism during opening Fig. 6 schematic illustration of the axes Fig. 7 perspective illustration of the disk spring stack Fig. 8 semi-transparent illustration with the impact element and the hook element Fig. 9 section through the stop and the disk spring stack in a closed position Fig. 10 section through the stop and the disk spring stack in an open position Fig. 11 the impact element and the hook element in a closed position Fig. 12 the impact element and the hook element in an open position Fig. 1 to Fig. 6 show the general functioning for opening and closing the cover, Fig. 7 to Fig. 12 go into the details of the disk spring stack, the stop, the impact element and the hook element in more detail. Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a drive for opening and closing a cover 120 for an opening 130 in a submarine. The drive has a rotary drive 10. This is non-positively connected to the cover 120 (not shown here) by way of a coupling mechanism 20. This connection is produced by way of the rocker 40. Typically, a cover 120 is connected to the submarine in a hinged manner by way of two mounts, wherein one mount is arranged to the right and one to the left of the cover 120. To achieve redundancy, each of these mounts can be operated by way of a drive. The two drives are preferably arranged between the mounts. In order to be able to continue to open and close the cover 120 in the event of one drive failing, the drives preferably have a cross-coupling 30, by way of which one drive can move the other in the event of failure thereof. Fig. 2 to Fig. 5 show a first embodiment of the coupling mechanism 20, in which the rocker and the crank 50 are in the shape of a disk. Fig. 2 shows a semi-transparent cross section through the coupling mechanism 20. The rocker 40 is arranged furthest forward, and is in the shape of a circular disk. The rocker has a thickened portion which is arranged behind the disk and in the same plane as the coupler 60. Arranged behind the coupler 60 is the circular disk-shaped crank 50. Arranged behind the crank 50 is the rotary drive 10 (not illustrated here). The coupler has a shape which is formed from two semicircles and a rectangle arranged therebetween. The rocker 40, the crank 50 and the coupler 60 are arranged in the interior of a housing 110. The axes of rotation 70, 80, 90, 100 are additionally depicted. The first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation 80 are mounted in a positionally fixed manner, which is indicated by the triangles. The rocker 40 is arranged rotatably about the first axis of rotation 70. The crank 50 is arranged around the second axis of rotation 80. The first axis of rotation 70 and the second axis of rotation 80 are parallel and offset. The rocker 40 and the coupler 60 are rotatably and non-positively connected to one another by the third axis of rotation 90. The crank 50 and the coupler 60 are rotatably and non-positively connected to one another by the fourth axis of rotation 100. The position, shown in Fig. 2, of the coupling mechanism 20 corresponds to the stop in the open state. The flat side of the coupler 60 areally contacts the thickened portion 42 of the rocker 40, as a result of which a non-positive bond is produced and further opening of the cover 120 is precluded even in the case of strong forces acting on the cover 120.

Fig. 3 shows the coupling mechanism 20 with a semi-transparent housing 110. Fig. illustrates the coupling mechanism in completely semi-transparent form. This makes it possible to see how the disk-shaped rocker 40 and the disk-shaped crank 50 are arranged parallel next one another but with offset axes of rotation. The coupler arranged therebetween is connected to the rocker 40 by way of a first rotary bearing and connected to the crank 50 by way of a second rotary bearing 64. This enables the power transmission in the coupling mechanism 20. On the basis of Fig. 4, the assembly of the coupling mechanism 20 is apparent. First, the rocker 40 is inserted into the empty housing 110 from the side of the crank 50. The cutout, in which the coupler 60 will be arranged, in the housing 110 is so large from the cutout that it comprises the area of the cutout both for the crank 50 and for the rocker 40. As a result, the inserted rocker 40 can be displaced laterally in this region and inserted into its final position. The coupler 60 is subsequently inserted, and the crank 50 is inserted last. This makes it possible to easily implement a compact, pressure-stable and tight design. Fig. 5 shows the coupling mechanism 20 in various opening positions. The opening 1and the cover 120 are illustrated only schematically and not to scale. Fig. 5a shows the closed position, Fig. 5b a middle position and Fig. 5c an open position in the end stop. Here, it is possible to see how the coupler 60 rolls, so to speak, on the thickened portion 42 of the rocker 40 until it lies with the side surface directly against the thickened portion 42 of the rocker 40 in the end position. On the other side, the lying of the cover 120 on the opening 130 blocks further movement of the coupling mechanism. Fig. 6 shows the positions shown in Fig. 5 in a purely schematic illustration of the axes of rotation. The rocker 40, the coupler 60 and the crank 50 are shown in simplified form as lines to illustrate the functioning. In Fig. 6c, it is apparent that a force acting on the cover 120 cannot introduce onto the crank 50 a force component in the form of a torque, which would lead to a rotation in the clockwise direction. On the contrary, this force would have the effect of pressing the crank 50 against the rocker 40 and thus keeping it in the open state.

Fig. 7 shows in particular the rocker 40 with the stop 140. The stop 140 is connected to the rocker 40 by way of slot-like openings, such that the stop 140 can move to a limited extent along the longitudinal direction of the rocker 40. The counterpart stop 142, which is remote from the stop 140 in the closed state shown, is positionally fixed. The disk spring stack 150 is arranged within the rocker 40. The interaction between the stop 140, the disk spring stack 150 and the rocker 40 is shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10. In addition, it is possible to see the toothed ring 170, the functionality of which is further explained in Fig. 8, Fig. and Fig. 12. In Fig. 8, the rocker 40 is illustrated in semi-transparent form, such that the crank 50 lying behind it with the impact element 160 and the coupler 60 with the hook element 180 can be seen. The impact element 160 has an impact gear 162, which engages with the toothed ring 170 and thereby rotates the impact element 160 during the movement of the crank 50. The hook element 180 is arranged on the coupler. Fig. 9 shows a cross section with the cover 120 closed and Fig. 10 with the cover 1open. A part of the rocker 40 is illustrated. In the closed state, the stop 140 is located on the top side. A push rod 144 engages with the stop 140 and can rotate about the pivot point 148. By way of a slide 146, the force acting on the stop 140 can be transmitted by way of the push rod 144 and the slide 146 to the disk spring stack 150. This provides a certain degree of movability of the stop 140, insofar as the disk spring stack 150 is compressible. Due to the hardness of the disk spring stack 150, this compression of the disk spring stack 150 takes place only in the case of very great forces acting on the cover 120. This component may, for example, be manufactured from high-strength stainless steel. Thus, the component can withstand the extreme forces that occur from the outside without plastic deformation. Ultimately, this compact component also performs only a rectilinear movement. Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 show the cooperation of the impact element 160 and the hook element 180. Fig. 11 shows the situation with the cover 120 closed and Fig. 12 shows the situation with the cover 120 open, Fig. 12 showing the coupler 60 in semi-transparent form in order to show the tension spring 182 arranged in the interior of the coupler 60. When the cover 120 is opened, the crank 50 rotates counterclockwise, as illustrated. As a result, the impact gear 162 rolls over the fixed toothed ring 170, resulting in rotation of the impact element. In the end position with the cover 120 open, the impact element 160 and the hook element 180 are in contact. In order to avoid noise and wear, the hook element has a plastics slider 190 at the point where the hook element 180 and the impact element 1come into contact. In order to ensure a certain degree of flexibility in the end position with the cover 120 open, the hook element has an axis of rotation and a slot, and also a tension spring 182 which is opposite the slot and arranged within the coupler 60.

Reference signs Rotary drive Coupling mechanism Cross-coupling Rocker Thickened portion Crank Coupler First rotary bearing Second rotary bearing First axis of rotation Second axis of rotation Third axis of rotation 100 Fourth axis of rotation 110 Housing 120 Cover 130 Opening 140 Stop 142 Counterpart stop 144 Push rod 146 Slide 148 Pivot point 150 Disk spring stack 160 Impact element 162 Impact gear 170 Toothed ring 180 Hook element 182 Tension spring 190 Plastics slider

Claims (13)

1. Claims 1. A submarine having at least a first opening (130) between the interior of the submarine and the water surrounding the latter, wherein the first opening (130) is connected to a first cover (120), wherein the first opening (130) is closable by the first cover (120), wherein the first cover (120) is mounted rotatably about a first axis of rotation (70), wherein the submarine has a first rotary drive (10), wherein the first rotary drive (10) is positioned on a second axis of rotation (80) and its drive shaft is mounted rotatably about this axis of rotation (80), wherein the first axis of rotation (70) and the second axis of rotation (80) are parallel and offset relative to one another, wherein the first rotary drive (10) and the first cover (120) are non-positively connected by way of a first coupling mechanism (20), wherein the first coupling mechanism (20) has a first crank (50), a first rocker (40) and a first coupler (60), wherein the first rotary drive (10) is non-positively connected to the first crank (50), wherein the first crank (50) is mounted rotatably about the second axis of rotation (80), wherein the first cover (120) is non-positively connected to the first rocker (40), wherein the first rocker (40) is mounted rotatably about the first axis of rotation (70), wherein the first crank (50) and the first rocker (40) are non-positively connected to one another by way of the first coupler (60), wherein the first rocker (40) is rotatably connected to the first coupler (60), wherein the first crank (50) is rotatably connected to the first coupler (60), characterized in that the first crank (50) has an impact element (160), wherein the first coupler (60) has a driver element, wherein the impact element and the driver element are arranged such that the impact element (160) and the driver element are in contact in the open end position.

2. The submarine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the impact element (160) is rotatably mounted.

3. The submarine as claimed in claim 2, characterized in thatthe impact element (160) has an impact gear (162) for rotating the impact element (160), wherein the submarine has a rigid toothed ring (170), wherein the impact gear (162) and the toothed ring (170) mesh, such that the impact gear (162) is set in rotation by the toothed ring when the first crank (50) is rotated.

4. The submarine as claimed in either of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the driver element is resiliently mounted.

5. The submarine as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the driver element is resiliently mounted by means of a tension spring (182) arranged in the first coupler (60).

6. The submarine as claimed in one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the driver element has a plastics slider (190) at the point of contact with the impact element (160).

7. The submarine as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the driver element is a hook element (180).

8. The submarine as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling mechanism (20) has a stop (140), wherein the stop (140) limits the maximum opening of the first cover (120), wherein the rocker (40) has at least one spring element, wherein the stop (140) is movably connected to the rocker (40) by way of the spring element.

9. The submarine as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the spring element is at least one disk spring or a disk spring stack (150).

10. The submarine as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the disk spring stack (150) consists of spring assemblies, wherein each spring assembly consists of to 5 disk springs oriented in the same direction, wherein adjacent spring assemblies are layered alternately in succession.

11. The submarine as claimed in either of claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the disk spring or the disk spring stack (150) is arranged around the longitudinal axis of the rocker (40).

12. The submarine as claimed in one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the disk spring or the disk spring stack (150) is preloaded.

13. The submarine as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement of the stop (140) is possible only along the longitudinal axis of the rocker (40). 5