US1128553A - Submarine life-saving appliance. - Google Patents

Description

0? e. ULLIN. BUBHABINE LIFE SAVING APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 8, 1914.

1,128,553. Patented Feb.- 16, 191:

man/(Er UNITED STA S PAQIENT OFFICE.

CARL G. ULLIN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

SUBMABINE LIFESAVING APPLIANCE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL G. ULLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Submarine Life- Saving Appliances, of which the following a specification. I

This invention relates to submarine vessels and more especially to apparatus whereby the crews thereof may escape in emergencies such as the disability of a vessel.

T he object of the invention is the provision of .1 buoyant water-tight structure into which the crew enter and upon its being released from a sunken vessel will carry them in safety to the water surface.

The invention consists in the novel construction and adaptation of devices, as will be lu-reinai'ter described and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 u verl ical longitudinal section of a portion of a sulnnarine vessel with the present invention applied thereto. Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal sections through 22 and 3-4, of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View taken through 4-l of Fig. 1 to illustrate the valve for controlling the admission of water to flood the compartment contain ing the buoyant caisson. Fig. 5' is a per spective view of the upper end of the valve controller rod.

The reference numeral' designates the deg-k and 11 the bottom plating of the shell of a su unarine vessel. Provided within said vessel is a watertight compartment 12 which is desirablv of a ubstantially cylin- (lrirul form and extends from the bottom plating 11 to the deck 10. The peripheral wall or bulkhead 13 which lIU'iOSQS said conipartment is provided neardts upper end with a way 14 of sufiicient size for the passage of people therethrough and is normally (-l d by a door 15. Steps 16 may he pr dd d on the exterior of the wall 13 b low t.i-. doorway. A hatchcover 17 is prrnided on the deck 1 for closing the opening at the top of the compartment 12.

Said hatch-cover is hinged at one edge, as'

at 1 and adjacent its other edge the cover is provided with a depending bolt 1.) which minates in a horizontal finger 20. A

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 8, 1914 Serial No. 810,963.

water inlet valve 21 is provided to close an opening 22 provided in the bottom plating 11 and similarly a vent-valve 23 is provided for closing an opening 10 in the deck IO. These valves are advantageously of the type known as swinging gate-valves and operate between seats 21 and 23 for the respective valves. Said val es are rigidly connected or secured as by welding upon an upright rod 24, which is socketed atits .ends for rotary movements.

Coextensive with the valve is an arm Jdwhich serves as a latch member with re spect to the hatch-cover 17 by engaging the finger of the aforesaid bolt. Said valves and the arm 25 are arranged so that when the rod 24 is suitably turned the valves will be closed while the cover is latched; and likewise when the rod is turned to open the valves the cover isunlatched. Inorder to make the compartment of small diameter, an offset chamber 26 is provided for the valve rod and communicates at the top and bottom with the compartment 12. Located within said compartmeiit is a tubular structure which. for convenience, will be hereinafter designated as the caisson. This cais son is formed with a peripheral wall 27, a bottom wall 23 and a partition 29 at a dis tance above the latter. At the top, the caisson is provided with a lid 30 which is openable upward about hinge 31. and is secured in closed position by a fastening screw-bolt 32 and a winged nut The lid is formed with a dome-like central portion to accommodate the head of a person when looking out of glazed sight apertures 34 provided in the dome. Near the upper end of the caisson and facing the wall-opening 149 of compartment 12, is a way 35 for which is provided a door 35.

36 represent spaced shelves upon which people may stand or sit when the caisson is employed.

3? is a valve for controlling an opening in the caisson wall and communicating with the water ballast chamber 39 which is afforded between the partition 29 and bottom wall 28. The valve 37 is operated by a screw stem 40 engaging in a fixed nut 41, so that when the stem is turned through the medium of a wheel 42. the valve is opened or closed.

43 represents a pump havin its suction pipe 44 extending into the ballast chamber extends upwardly into the interior of the bifurcated arm 52 (Fig. 3) provided on the rod 24. A crank handle is provided for turning shaft :30.

In operation, the crew of the vessel enter the caisson through the doorways 14 and whereupon the respective doors 15 and 35 are closed and fastened. ()ne of the occupants then opens the valve 37 andalso turns the shaft 50 resulting in the swinging of the latclrlinger 49 from the receiver. 48 and also of the turning of the rod 24 through the instrumentality of the arms 51 and 527m the shaft and rod, respectively. \Vhen the rod is thus turned, the latchfinger 25 is withdrawn from engagement with the bolt 19 thereby unfastening the cover 17. The rod furthermore effects the opening of the valves 21 and 23 so that water can enter the compartment 12; As the water ascends it will fiow into ballast chamber 39 and eventually fill the compartment about the caisson. iVhen this occurs, the Water pressures acting from above and below upon the cover 17 will balance, but in consequence of the buoyancy of the caisson, the latter will cause the cover to rise. When the cover opens; the caisson will rise to the water surface. Should the caisson be too heavily loaded to have the upper end of the caisson protrude the desired height above the water surface; the pump 43 may be uti- 1,12a,uas I lized to discharge water from chamber 39 subsequent to the closing of valve 87.

The exterior surface of the caisson, at least at the top and including the lid 30, is covered with a substance such as a coat of mercury with a layer of varnish or an equivalcnt transparent material thereover. By Sllr'll devices the caisson will be invisible to an observe:- inasmuch as he will see only the reflection of the surrounding Water surface.

The various doors and the caisson lid would, of course, he fitted to make watertight joints with the body of the caisson, or be rendered so by the use of a suitable pack ing or gaskets.

The releasing means for the caisson, the lid thereof and the cover of the containing compartment 12, are all operated by the crank-handle :72 which also opens the valves 21 and 23 which allow of the flooding of said compartment. Under such conditions there would be no liability of any mistake being made as would be the case with a number of separate controllers for the indi- 'vidual above-named elements What I claim as my invention, is-

The combination wlth a submarine vessel provided with a compartment therein which is open at the top, a cover for the'compart- ,ment opening, fastening means for said December, 1913.

CARL G. ULLIN. Witnesses:

PIERRE BARNES,

E. PETERSON.

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