US2383840A

US2383840A - Underwater fuel storage system

Info

Publication number: US2383840A
Application number: US464742A
Authority: US
Inventors: Willis J Benckert
Original assignee: Glenn L Martin Co
Current assignee: Glenn L Martin Co
Priority date: 1942-11-06
Filing date: 1942-11-06
Publication date: 1945-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1962-08-28

Description

UNDER WATER FUEL STORAGE SYSTEM Filed Nov. 1942 FIGURE Y mmvrom' WILLIS J. BENCKERT AT 1- NEY Patented Aug. 28, 1 945 Willis J. Benckert, Baltim Glenn L. Martin Com ore, Md., assignor to The pany, Middle River, Md.,

a corporation of Maryland Application November 6, 1942, Serial No. 464,742

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an underwater storage system which provides a readily accessible fuel supply for boats and seaplanes.

For patrol duty, by either power boats or seaplanes, it is neither eflicient nor desirable to have a few large bases to which the patrol craft must return for fueling. Such bases are not only costly and time consuming in their construction, but are very vulnerable to attack.

This invention affords a fuel supply system which can be located underwater and easily concealed from observation from land or air. Such fuel supply systems may be located atfrequent intervals along the route of boats or seaplanes, thus affording many spots where the fuel supply may be replenished without returning to the main base.

The construction of the fuel supply system of this invention is relatively inexpensive for the capacity of the system, and requires no power supply to pump fuel to the craft.

The only portion of the system visible on the surface of the water, is a small float supporting the nozzle which may be camouflaged.

Further and other objects will become apparent from the description of the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this disclosure and in which like numerals refer to like parts.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view partly in section, of thesystem.

Figure 2 shows a modification of the fuel storage system.

Figure 1 of the drawing shows a metal tank I having a concrete base 2 acting as ballast to maintain the tank in a fixed, submerged position.

The tank may be detachably connected to the base to facilitate the installation of the tank and ballast, and to permit the raising of the tank for repair. A pipe 3 extends from the top of the tank, or some point near the top, affording communication from a point adjacent the inside bottom portion part of the tank and the outside water. A float operated valve i is located at the bottom of pipe 3. A fuel delivery line 5 extends from the top of the tank through a generous length of hose to a small floating buoy 6. The fuel delivery line terminates in a valved nozzle 1. The buoy is so designed that it just floats on the surface of the water. The buoy can be of any floating construction having a hole therethrough, the ends of which are flared so that the hose may be pulled up through the buoy to reach the filling opening in the hull of a seaplane or a water craft, and after servicing this craft, the hose will slide of its own weight, through the opening until the nozzle reaches the buoy.- A gauge in attached to the nozzle, indicates the staticpressure in the delivery line and thus gives an indication of the liquid level of the gasoline in the tank.

The system is operated by the difference in density of gasoline and water. The gasoline weighs approximately 45 pounds per cubic foot, whereas, sea water weighs approximately 64 pounds per cubic foot. Using a delivery hose of two inches inside diameter and calculating the length of the hose from' the tank to the buoy so that there will be no sharp bends, the practical working limits for such a system extends from around 30 feet to feet in depth. For example, at a 30 foot depth and a delivery hose of 100 foot length, in sea water, gasoline will be discharged at avelocity of about 6.38 feet per second, or a discharge of 1.044 gallons per second, or in other words, 1500 gallons would be discharged in 24 minutes. A cylindrical tank of about 8 feet in diameter and 8 feet high has the capacity of about 3000 gallons. It can readily be seen that it is entirely feasible to install many of such relatively small tanks along the coast and have a large distributed fuel supply for servicing patrol craft. One such tank would easily service two large patrol bombers.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, the base or anchor 8 has detachably secured thereto a flexible fuel containing cell 9.- Thiscell would be of similar construction to the Mareng cell widely used as a flexible-walled gasoline or'oil container. communication with the water or valve, and Works more successfully with a pyramid-shaped cell, or conical construction to minimize strains on the walls of the fuel cells as it is collapsed by the pressure of the water upon delivery of the fuel from the nozzle of the hose.

To refill these fuel systems, it is merely necessary for a supply tanker to attach a supply hose to nozzle 1 and pump with enough pressure to overcome the pressure of the water. Valve 1 is merely a hinged disc on the bottom of pipe 3 which is actuated by a float of selected density that will float in water but not in gasoline. This valve will close when the water level in the tank nears the bottom as the tank is being refilled with gasoline. The pressure indicated on the guage will indicate that the tank is filled.

It is to be understood that certain changes, alterations, modifications, and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

This modification requires no I I claim as my invention:

1. An underwater fuel storage system comprising a rubber-like, collapsible fuel container, an anchor base to rest on the bottom of the body of water in which said container is submerged, means to detachably secure said container adiacent said base, a fuel hose having a valve on one end, a float to support .said valved-end of said fuel hose adjacent the surface of the water, the other end of said fuel hose being in communication with the top of said container and forming the sole, communication with the interior thereof whereby the hydrostatic pressure of the water will cause fuel to flow from the container to the valved-end of said hose without contact between the water and the fuel in said container.

2. An underwater fuel storage system comprising a rubber-like, collapsible, generally conical, fuel container, an anchor base to rest on the bottom of the body of waterin which said container is submerged, means to detachably secure said container adjacent said base, a fuel hose having a valve on one end, a float to support said valvedend of said fuel hose adjacent the surface of the water, the other end of said fuel hose being in communication with the top of said container and forming the sole communication with the interior thereof whereby the hydrostatic pressure of the water will cause fuel to flow from the container to the valved-end of said hose without contact between the water and the fuel in said container.

3. An underwater fuel storage system comprising a rubber-like, flexible-walled fuel container, an anchor base to rest on the bottom of the body of water in which said container is submerged, means to detachably secure said container adjacent said base, a fuel hose having a valve on one end, a float to support said valvedend of said fuel hose adjacent the surface of the water, the other end of said fuel hose being in communication with the top of said container and forming the sole communication with the interior thereof whereby the hydrostatic pressure of the water will cause fuel to flow from the container to the valved-end of said hose without contact between the-water and the fuel in said container.