US2582304A - Automatic buoyancy control system - Google Patents

Description

Jan. l5, 1952 R. c. woLr-E ET AL AUTOMATIC BUOYANCY CONTROL SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 30, 1945 INVENTORS RICHARD C. WOLF E' THOMAS 6. @OYLE' @0614 ATTORNEY Jan. 15, 1952 R. c. woLFE Er AL AUTOMATIC BUOYANCY CONTROL SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 30, 1945 INVENTORS RICHARD G. WOLFE THON S C. BOYLE ATTORNEY Jan. 15, 1952 R. c. woLFE Er AL 2,582,304

AUTOMATIC BuoYANcY coNTRoz. SYSTEM Filed Nov. so, 1945 4 sheets-sheet 4 llllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHH INVENTORS A RICHARD 6I WOL/"E THOMAS C. BUYLE ATTORNEY Patented `an. 15, 1952 2,582,304 AUTOMATIC BUorANoY CONTROL SYSTEM Richard C. Wolfe, United States Navy,v Los Angeles,

Calif., and Thomas C. Boyle, Washington,

D. C., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Application November 30, 1945, Serial N ot 632,090

3 Claims.

(Granted under the act of amended April 30, 1928;

This invention relates to buoyancy control systems, and particularly to improved means for automatically imparting positive buoyancy to objects, such as underwater torpedoes, that may normally or under predetermined conditions operate with negative buoyancy, yet to which it is desired to impart ,positive buoyancy after a predetermined time, or in the event predetermined conditions occur, to insure flotation of the device .and thus facilitate its recovery.

Torpedoesnormally operate with slight negative buoyance, and must be subjected to one or more tests or exercise runs to permit checking their performance and the making of any necessary adjustments, prior to the nal attachment of the explosive-loaded war head and the approval of the torpedo for use in warfare. Such exercise runs are made with a simulated war head, containing no explosive and ordinarily referred to as an exercise head, attached in place of the war head. The exercise head contains suitable apparatus by which the performance of the torpedo during exercise runs is determined and recorded. In torpedoes of that class wherein air under pressure is expended during operation, and wherein the exercise head carries a quantity of water suiiicient to represent the weight of the explosive contained in the corresponding war head, it has been customary to provide automatic blowing means whereby, when the air pressure falls to a predetermined value, a certain proportion of the remaining air is directed into the exercise head, to expel the water ballast therefrom, impart positive buoyancy, and thus insure iiotation of the torpedo upon completion of the run. Thisrsystem is subject to certain shortcomings in that, should the torpedo be stopped or become lodged or imbedded in the bottom in such manner that the propelling machinery is arrested and the air cannot be sufficiently exhausted, the automatic ballast blowing mechanism above referred to falls to function.

An important object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved automatic blowing system so constructed and arranged that not only does automatic blowing of the ballast from the exercise head occur when the air pressure falls to a predetermined value, as previously mentioned, but automatic blowing is also induced, regardless of the air pressure, in event the torpedo sinks below a predetermined set depth. A related object is to provide such a dual system incorporating controlling means responsive both to air pressure and to the hydrostatic pressure resulting from the depth of the torpedo, wherein March 3, 1883', as 370 O. G. 757) a single valve serves to control the flow of the ballast blowing air in response to both of the above-noted factors, and the supplemental or hydrostatic controlling mechanism makes use of many of the parts already incorporated in the presently used air pressure-responsive system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a hydrostatic system wherein the parts subjected to sea water pressure are entirely outside and sealed from the interior of the exercise head, so that no water can gain access to the interior of the torpedo by reason of the incorporation of the mechanism ofthe invention.

Still another object is to provide, in conjunction with a head blowing system of the character outlined, supplemental sealing means so designed that the portions to which sea water is admitted in order to provide the hydrostatic actuating pressure are completely rsealed until the time of launching of the torpedo.

`Other objectsand advantages will be apparent upon consideration of this disclosurel in its entirety. Y

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view of valving and controlling means constructed in accordance with the invention, fragmentarily showing adjacent portions of a torpedomwithin which our improved buoyancy control system is installed.l

Figure2is a substantially central longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus with the'parts in the positions 'they occupy after actuation thereof by hydrostatic pressure;

Figure 3 is an elevational view taken as indicated by the line and arrows 3-V3'of Figure 2, the supporting flange and a part of the upper portion of the casing for the hydrostatic mecha,- nism being 'shown in section; l

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the mechanism, the sea water valve being shown` in longitudinal section; Y

Figure 5 is a sectional detail taken substantial,- ly on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and looking in the direction offthe arrows; A

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detailed perspective views of components of the sea water valve and trip mechanism, a portion of the trip plate being broken away in Figure 8;

Figure across sectional View taken substantially on the line I 0-I 0 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; g

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional detail .taken substantially on the line lI-II of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

sealed joint 23 Figure 12 is a horizontal sectional plan view taken substantially on the line I2-I2 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 13 is a sectional View of the water discharge check valve for automatic blowing as when the air pressure falls to apredetermined point.

With reference to the character I designates the shell or hull of the exercise head of a torpedo, the remaining porn tions of which, since they 'formi no part of the present invention, are not shown. As previously indicated, when an exercise'runis to be made the shell of the exercise head is filled, manually or by other suitable means, with a suiicient quantity of water ballast to correspond to the weight of the explosive contained in the war head. "A quantity of air under high pressure is also contained in a .portion of the torpedo (not shown in the present drawings), connection to this supply being madebyatubeZI). t l l y e ',The water-containing portion of the exercise head is closed at its after end by means of a bulkhead 22, the tube 2l) extending through a suitably in this bulkhead as shown in Figure 1. A portion of the tube 2t may be coiled, as indicated at 2D', to provide resilience under sudden pressure surges, and to permit Yconnections to be made withl the exercise head dis assembledthe terminal portion of the coil being coupled asindicated at 24 to the lower extremity of a verticallyV disposed valve body or casing suspendedA within a ballast chamber i6. The air pressure constantly acts upon the lower end of a valve stern y21 longitudinally slidable in a central or main section 2.5 of the valve casing. A compression spring 28 coiled about arportion of the valve stem 21- constantly urges the valve toward opened position, while air pressure, as will be seen, tends to maintain the valve-closed. The spring 28 may be designed to open the valve when the air pressure `has fallen to ya value in the neighborhod of five to six hundred poundsfper square inch, while the initial air pressure-may be in the neighborhood of 2,800 pounds per square inch, although these values are,-of course, merely representative. The spring 28 reacts at its lower end Yagainst an abutment 29 affixed to the valve stern 21 Yand at its upper end against a combined closure and spring retaining plug 3i). As shown in Figures! 1 vand 2, the air is admitted through a strainer 26 into a chamber 3! ycontained in a llower section 25'eof thevalve casing and is then conducted through a passage 32 into a chamber 33 which lies below the head of the valve stem 21. The valve is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced piston . sections 34, 35, 36, the lower and. rst mentioned of which constitutes the head against which the direct ask pressure acts as previously indicated, while two valve chambers 31, v'38between the piston sections yare serially connected by two air passages 4I), 4I the passage 4.0 communicating with therchamber 33. These passages are somewhat restricted in size, so that when pressure is first introduced into the chamber 33, it builds up against the head 34sufciently to close the valve against the eort of the spring 28, the air vbeing unable to escape through these passages rapidly enough to prevent a suicient build up of pressure to close the valve. When the pressure falls to suchpoint that it is overcome by the spring .28 and the valve is opened, the air escapes through the passages mentioned, around the piston 36, and outV through the lateral passages 39 into `the water ballast drawings, the referencey compartment I6, displacing the water, whence it escapes through a water discharge check valve the construction of which is shown in Figure 13.

As indicated in Figure 13, the discharge valve body, .secured tothe bottom of the hull I5 and designated'43, is'of generally annularform, provided with a plurality of relatively large outlet apertures 44 surrounded by a seat 45 against which a sealing disc or washer 46 is urged by a thrust spring 41, with a pressure which may correspond to a ballast water pressure in the neighborhood of 400 pounds per square inch. 'Ihe discharge valve is thus opened when "the combined air and water pressure within the compartment Irexceeds this Value, and the water then escapes through the orifices 48 in the combined -springesupporting and closure plate 49 which is supported acrossthe opening (undesignated) in the hull in which the discharge valve is mounted.

An upper section 252 of the valve casing 25 is threaded into or otherwise supported by a collar 5! carried byand shown as integral with a pair of laterally spaced vertically disposed webs. 52 attached at their upper ends to an annular top casing portion 53. Casing portion 53 is shown as of cupped form, provided with a topflange 454 which is preferably accurately ground to insure an eiective water seal, and tightly clamped. and supported between a flanged ring 55 and a clamping ring 56. Ring 55 is seated atits top against and accurately lits the yinterior'of the .hull I5 surrounding the opening I1 therein. .Clamping ring is tightly forced down upon. and also sealed against the flange'54 by the screws5,1,V a portion 58 (Fig. 3) ofring 56 being contoured to overhangthe hull I5 and to bertightened there againstwhen the screws 51 are taken up.

The hydrostatically actuable means is arrangedto augrnent the valve-opening force exerted by spring 28 vin direct proportion to the hydrostatic head. Theseparts. are so Vdesigned and proportionedvthat -thetorpedo will reach a certain depth `after an initial delay determined by the v`size Yof the chamber 33 and/,or 4.the orifices 48. This delay iscalculated to enable the torpedo to reach aset depth after its initial dive. The auxiliary opening force thus-exerted onthe valve is suflioientl to overcome the full flask air pressure and open the valve 21, thus admitting the full air pressure to the compartment I6, blowing the .water therefrom in themanner `previously indicated, Vand creating positive buoyancy in the manner outlined above.

An extension 21 of the valve stem 21 projects upwardly .fromY the retaining plug 30 into the space between the webs 52 in prosition to be contacted by the lower arm 6| of a bellcrank, the other upwardly extending arm 62 vof which is movable yunder the, influenceV of -the hydrostatic mechanism. The hub of the bellcrank Vis journaled in the webs 52 by a crossshaft`64 while the upper end of the arm S2 is attached to a lpair of overcenter links 65,- 66. v-TherserareV centrally articulated byra pin 6.1, the link 65 being-pivoted atits other-end to the Yextremity of l'the arm 62, while the outerrendf of the link E6 -is journaled upon a pin 58 extending between the'webs Y52.

pair of relatively heavy "-overcenter 'springs 1i! reacts against .the lower armil of .thebellcrank, thelowerends of thel springs being hooked to the extremities of a supporting rod 1I carried by a bracket lil-projecting outwardly and downwardly from the valve supporting collar l5 I Vwhile the Aupper-ends ofthesprings are similarlyccnnected by a pin 13 to the outerend of the'bellcrank arm BI. A stop 14 may be provided to limit the downward movementof the arm SI and thus of the valve 21, the stop 1t being formed as a screw mounted in the arm and adapted to bear against the top of the bracket 12.

Movement of the linkage (i5-6B is controlled Vby a stem actuable by a bellows diaphragm 16 of the Sylphon type. The rod 15 is vertically movable in an internal sleeve 11. The sleeve 11 projects into the bellows and is flanged at its top to permit supporting thereof in the cupped casing portion 53 by means of the same screws 'I8 that are employed to support the top supporting ilange 1S of the bellows diaphragm. A top plate 80 extends across the ilanged upper end of the sleeve 11 and is also positioned by the screws 18. The stem 15 carries means near its lower end for tightly clamping it to and sealing it against the end of the bellows 13, while the lower end of the stem projects beyond the bellows in position to operate the overcenter linkage 65-66, near the central joint provided by the pin (il.

`Sealing of the stem to theA bellows is completed by a stem-carried resilient packing washer 82 which functions as a piston, which is compressed against the inside of the end of the bellows by.

an abutment washer 33, attached to the stem 11 outside the bellows and soldered or otherwise sealed with respect to the latter bellows as well as with respect to the stem. Within the bellows the stem passes through an opening 84 in the end of the sleeve 11. A nut or head 85 on the threaded lower end of the stem I5 serves as an adjustable head for engaging the link t5 and is adapted to be locked in any position to which it is adjusted, by means of a cotter pin 3S.

An eXernally threaded extension 8S is screwed on to the upper threaded end of the stem 15 and projects upwardly into an inverted cupped bearing boss Si! mounted upon but rotatable in the head 53 in axial alignment with the stem 15. A cross pin 9! extends through and projects laterally from the upper end of the extension 86, the ends of the pin extending into vertical slots 92 in the boss 9U. The extension 88 is thus rotatable for adjustment by turning the knob-like boss 9S. A flange 8S on the extension S8 serves as an abutment for a spring 95 housed in the sleeve 11 and loosely surrounding the stem 75, the lower end of the spring bearing against the bottom flange of the sleeve 11 so that the reaction of the spring tends to urge the head 85 and the attached stem upwardly, and the bellows to the contracted position. When the head 85 is thus raised and the bellows contracted, the overcenter linkage is arranged, in the manner indicated in Figure l, with the center of the pin 51 above a line connecting the pin 68, 69, the degree of upward movement of the linkage and of the stem being limited by the sealing washer 82 which is compressed against sleeve 11. The bell crank is then rocked slightly to the right, the arm 6I being lifted from the extension 21 of the Valve stem 2l, and the valve 21 being then free to move upwardly to the fully closed position in which it is normally maintained by the flask air pressure.

If the hydrostatic mechanism does not function, the valve 21 is controlled and movable entirely by the interaction of the spring 28 and ilask air pressure in the normal manner and the arm 6I remains raised and free of the valve stem extension. If hydrostatic pressure rises suciently, however, the bellows is distended and the head 85 is driven downwardly until the pin 61 passes through the line connecting the axes' pins Gil, 69, whereafter the linkage breaks to the position in which it is shown in Figure 2, the bell crank arm 6I being rocked downwardly under the inuence of the springs 1D, and forcing the valve stem 21 downwardly to open the valve, the effort of the springs 10 being suicient to overcome the flask pressure, so that the valve is opened positively and without regard to the existing ilask pressure.

The space above the top ilange of the sleeve 'I1 is exposed to the sea, and pressure commu nication with the interior of the bellows is provided by a passage 95 in a valve body I which forms a part of the top closure of the bellows. In order to prevent fouling if used in a ooded submarine tube and corrosion of the parts and of the passage 95 prior to firing, the passage may be sealed by valve means adapted to be opened, either manually when used above water or automatically when used in a submarine at the time of ring, the upper end of the passage 95 being thus opened for admission of pressure to the interior of the bellows. The valve body is attached to the bellows top plate 19, the lower end of internal passage S5 communicating with the free air space directly above the bellows and thus with the interior of the bellows.' Passage 95 terminates at its upper end in a port 95 forming the open end of a projecting hollow boss IUI, against which a resilient valve pad |02 carried by a valve element H13 is adapted to be pressed to seal the port. The valve element 53 is slidably mounted upon the boss IUI, a plurality of orifices iSd in the valve body being provided to admit sea water to the passage 95 when the valve is opened.

During storage and at all times when inserting the torpedo in a submarine tube and until the torpedo is fired, the valve m3 is held closed by the overcenter toggle linkage comprising the links IBS, I1, the former being articulated to the valve body while the latter is pivoted to a xed bracket IGS. When the central pivot pin |09 is pushed downwardly below a line connecting the pins I I l), I I I, the valve is held tightly closed,

' the downward movement of the central pivot of the linkage being arrested with the links bearing against a portion of the base of the bracket |58, which is also secured to the top'ilange of the sleeve 11 by screws 18. The overcenter spring action is provided by a compression spring II2 housed within the valve I 03 and reacting against the boss IUI. A cam IIS, also pivoted upon the central pin IUS, is so shaped that when turned about such pin it may react against the plate |08 to push the central pivot of the linkage upwardly and overcenter, permitting full opening of the valve by the spring I I2. A trip plate I I4 attached to and shown as an integral continuation of the cam I I3 projects outwardly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flow of water past the torpedo, when the cam is in the position it occupies when the valve is closed, while as will be apparent from Figure 1, the velocity pressure developed by the flow of water is exerted in a direction to turn the cam in a manner to throw the linkage through center and release the valve for opening movement in the manner previously described. Thus when the torpedo is launched, the plate is thrown aft by the rst impact with or rapid movement through the water, opening the valve |03 and permitting the water to enter the bellows 16. The bellows-operated trip head is thereafter movable in response to increase of hydrostatic pressure which in turn depends upon the depth of the torpedo.

'I'he supporting boss 90 for the spring abutment and extension sectiong Aisrprovided with a `frusto-conic bottom portion 82 b3/Which it is retained and journaled-or swiveled in the plate 8G. Extensionr may thus be rotated, by turning the element 90 to change the initial tension of spring S5, thereby varying the effect-iveY force required to extend the bellows sufficientlyY to force the linkages 65, B6 over-center. f Since*` the position of the pin 9| .changes with the spring ad justment, calibrations as I|28 may-,be Y.provided upenr-tnesidefoiA boss-Sil, adapted to cooperate with the pin 9 I which is visible through vthe slot 92a, to indicate the depth setting of the hydrostatic mechanism.

K While it `will be apparent that the preferred enfibodiment of the invention herein 4disclosed is 4well calculated adequately to fulfill .the objects and advantages primarilyk stated, it lwill beappreciatedf-that the invention issusceptible to.

hydrostatic means to open the valve, said means n comprising a bell-crank pivoted adjacent to the valve, spring-means pressing the-,bell-crank toward one direction of turningfso ,that one of its arms tends Yto push the valve to open position,

sure of the springmeans, hydraulically displaceable means to break `the linkage, said means comprising a rod directed toward the overcenter linkage, a piston carried by the rod to intercept seawater pressure, a spring-loaded valve initially closed to exclude seawater from the piston, and trip means coupled to thevalve holding it closed against said spring loadingsaid trip means being actuable by water impact upon launching the l torpedo to `release the valve.

2. In a buoyancy controlfor a torpedo having Aa ballast chamber to contain water and having a conduit betweensaid chamber and a supply of aire-under pressure, valvefrneans interposed in the conduit yielding to the air pressure against it in one direction to maintain a closed position, and hydrostatic'means to open the valve, said means comprising a bell-crank pivoted adjacent an overcenter linkage connected to the other arm and being initially stationed vto resist the presi8 .tothe valve, spring means pressing the bell-,crank toward one directionofturningso that of its'arms Atends topush the valve vto open position, an overcenter linkage connected to the other arm'and being initially stationed toresist' `the pressure of the spring means, hydrostatically displaceable means to break the linkage, saidy means comprsing a rod directed toward the overcenter linkage, a piston carried by .the rod to intercept seawater pressure, a spring-loaded valve initially closed to exclude seawaterfrom the piston, an overcenter linkage connectedto the valve and initially 'stationed` to hold zit closed against said spring loading, and a trip plateV coupled to the last overcenter linkage,-being actuable by Water impact upon launching Vthetorpedo. to break said 'last overcenteralinkage .thereby to release .the valve.

3.-. In a buoyancycontrol for a torpedo having .a. ballast chamberto contain Water and having a conduit between said chamber and a supply of air under pressure, valve means interposed in the conduit yielding to the air pressure against it in one direction' tormaintain a closed position, and hydrostatic means to open the valve, said means comprising a bell-crank pivoted adjacent to the valve, spring means pressing the bell-crank toward one direction of turning so that one of its arms tends to push the valve to open position, an overcenter linkage connected to-.theother arm and being initially stationed to resist the pressure. .of the spring means, -hydrostatically displaceable means to break the linkage, said means comprising a rod directed. toward the overcenter linkage and having a threaded extension, a piston carried by the rod to intercept seawater pressure, a spring-positioned to react against thethreaded extension thereby to load the piston, a cupped bearing boss partly occupied by the extension, said boss having a swivel mount and a slot, and a pin in the extension projecting into the slot to establish a loosel connection operable in adjusting the loading spring upon a turn of the bearing boss.

RICHARD C. WOLFE. THOMAS C. BOYLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,023,907 Whiting et al Apr. 23, 1912 1,825,816 Orlando Oct. 6, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 513,397 France Oct. 30, 1920 258,009 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1926

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