US2848970A

US2848970A - Submarine vessels

Info

Publication number: US2848970A
Application number: US584143A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gunning Maximilian Frederick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-05-23
Filing date: 1956-05-10
Publication date: 1958-08-26
Anticipated expiration: 1975-08-26
Also published as: GB793872A

Description

Aug. 26, 1958 M. F. GUNNING SUBMARINE VESSELS Filed May 1o, 195e IN V EN TOR. 'fdm M 1y @WW l www] www nited States Patent Olihce j asumo Patented Aug. 26, 1958 2,848,970 S UBMAR1NE VESSELS Maximilian Frederick Gunning, Steep, Peterseld, England Application May 10, 1956, Serial No. 584,143

Claims priority, application Great Britain May 23, 1955 Claims. (Cl. 114-17) This invention relates to submarine vessels and is concerned with the arrangement therein of the apparatus by which torpedos can be discharged from torpedo tubes.

In a well known type of apparatus for discharging a torpedo from a torpedo tube, the torpedo is discharged by forcing a large quantity of water into the inner end of the tube behind the torpedo and thus ejecting the torpedo from the tube, the apparatus for delivering the ejection water to the appropriate tube or tubes usually being in the form of a large cylinder (hereinafter called the water cylinder) containing a piston (herein called the water-piston) which is arranged to be operated so as to eject water from the cylinder into the appropriate tube or tubes by a fluid operated piston having the same stroke as the water piston but a smaller diameter and being arranged in an operating fluid cylinder. In such arrangements when a torpedo is to be ejected, operating iluid, which may be oil delivered by air pressure delivered from one or more compressed air containers (hereinafter referred to as air bottles) or may be air, delivered direct from one or more air` bottles is delivered to the operating iluid cylinder.

The invention is concerned with a submarine vessel incorporating apparatus of the above general type for discharging one or more torpedos from torpedo tubes irrespective of the exact form of the apparatus for delivering operating fluid under pressure to the operating iluid cylinder and irrespective of whether the operating iiuid is oil or other liquid or a gaseous iluid.

When employing such torpedo launching apparatus it is difficult to fit the cylinders of the launching apparatus within the pressure hull of a submarine while moreover in most submarines the space between the outer shell and the inner pressure-resisting hull at the forward and after ends of the vessel, where torpedo tubes are generally required, is usually so small that it cannot accommodate the large water cylinders. It is of advantage to use cylinders of large diameter and short stroke because with these, for agiven speed of torpedo the piston speed is relatively small and this facilitates the checking of the piston at the end of its stroke.

A submarine vessel according to the present invention comprises a hull of the kind including three pressure resisting compartments of approximately circular cross section, namely an upper compartment and two lower compartments which lie below and one on each side of the upper compartment, the ends of the upper compartment extending beyond the ends of the lower compartments and with a casing enclosing the spaces between the compartments, a water cylinder lying beyond an end of at least one of the lower compartments, a piston within the water cylinder connected to a iluid operated piston arranged within an operating fluid cylinder disposed within the adjacent end of such lower compartment, and water delivery ducting by which water can be delivered from the outer end of the water cylinder to the inner end of one or more torpedo tubes lying partially at least within the adjacent end `of the upper compartment.

Conveniently the delivery ducting includes a main duct or chamber of large cross-sectional area extending partially around the adjacent end of the upper compartment and from which a delivery passage leads to the inner end of each of one or more torpedo tubes in the upper compartment, the main duct or chamber thus being sickle-shaped or horse-shoe shaped. It will be understood that the sickle shaped or horseshoe shaped duct will communicate with the adjacent end of the adjacent water cylinder or cylinders through ducting or ports also of large cross-sectional area and with the inner ends of the adjacent torpedo tube or tubes through ducts of appropriate cross section, controlled by valves which can be selectively opened and closed. The Valves in question are preferably of two diierent kinds. Thus, one set of valves separates two or more torpedo tubes from each half of the horseshoe-shaped tank so that by opening one or other of these valves a torpedo can be discharged from one or other of the two tubes, while the other valves are of the non-return type and are conveniently tted either in the outer wall of the horseshoe-shaped tank or in the piston itself or in both and serve to allow on the one hand the tank to remain iilled when the piston is drawn back into its tiring position and on the other hand to allow water which has been accelerated by the piston when a torpedo is red to ow in from the open sea into the tank and out by way of the torpedo tube so that drag on the torpedo when leaving the tube is prevented.

One construction according to the invention is illustrated somewhat diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic cross-section through part of a submarine hull embodying the invention, and is taken on line I-I of Fig. 2.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic sectional side elevation of an end portion of the submarine hull to which the invention is applied, taken on the line Il-Il of Figure l.

In the construction shown the submarine hull comprises an upper pressure-resisting compartment l and two lower .pressure-resisting

compartments

2 and 3 having tapering ends as shown at 4 in Figure 2, the three pressure-resisting compartments being enclosed in the usual outer shell 5.

Mounted within the end portion of the upper compartment 1 are four

torpedo tubes

6, 7, 8 and 9 the outer ends of which are closed by the usual doors indicated at 10, while apertures to permit the exit of the torpedos through the shell 5 are provided in known manner though not shown. The inner ends of the torpedo tubes, which Vare provided with the usual breeches or doors l1 cornmunicate through passages l2, closed by valves 13, with a two-part horseshoe-shaped tank 15, the two parts 14, 14a being divided from one another by a wall 16. Communicating with each of the compartments 14, 14a of the horseshoe-shaped tank is the outer end of a water cylinder 17 in which isarranged to operate a piston 18 (referred to herein as the water piston) provided with non-return valves 19 which permit water to ow from the interior of the shell 5 into the inner end of the cylinder 17 but not in the other direction. In the shell S are openings 23, through which the water from outside can enter into the interior of the shell.

Each of the pistons 13 is arranged to be operated by a piston rod 20 passing through a guide 21 in the adjacent end 4 of one of the

lower compartments

2 and 3 into an operating ilnid cylinder 22 lying within the appropriate lower compartment. The piston 23 is arranged to be moved from one end to the other of its cylinder when required by air admitted from an air bottle 24 under the control of valves 25, 26 each of which has two positions, in lone of which it admits air to the appro- 3 priate end of the, cylinder, 22 while in the other it permits air to escape from the adjacent end of the cylinder 22. Each of the compartments of the horseshoe-shaped tank 14, is.provided;;with a non-returnvalveZ? arranged to permit waterv tofiow into but not out of the compartment.

The wall of tank 15 may coincide with and form part of the outer shell 5.

The operation is as follows;

When a torpedo is to bev launched the door 10 and valve 13 associated with the appropriate torpedo tube are opened. Air is then admitted to the appropriate cylinder 22 by opening the appropriate valve 25 to admit air from the air bottle 24 and at the same time permittingnthe escape of air through the associated valve 26 so that the piston 23 is forced rapidly to the 'right and thus forces the piston 18 in the same direction, whereby water is delivered to the appropriate compartment of the horseshoe-

shaped tank

14, 15, passes through the previously opened valve 13, and ejects the torpedo.

When the torpedo has been ejected the momentum of the water still flowing through the torpedo tube causes water to be drawn in through the appropriate valve 27 from the interior of the shell 5, thus preventing drag on the torpedo as it leaves the tube, reducing water shock and facilitating the Achecking of the movement of the piston 18 at the end of its travel.

The piston 18 is then returned to its initial position by admitting air from the air bottle 24 to the appropriate end of the cylinder 22 through the valve 26, while the valve 25 is opened to permit escape of air from the opposite end of the cylinder 22.

I claim:

l. InV a submarine vessel, in combination, a rst pressure-resistant compartment, at least one torpedo tube disposed in said first compartment for mounting a torpedo therein, a tank disposed circumferentially around at least a portion of said first compartment and normally filled with water when the submarine is operative afloat, waterdelivery duct means connecting the tank and the torpedo tube, means for selectively establishing communication between the tank and the tube when a torpedo is to be discharged from the tube, a cylinder having one end communicating with said tank, a -pistonreciprocable in said cylinder, at least a second pressure-resistant compartment spaced radially from said rst pressure-resistant compartment, means in said second pressure-resistant compartment arranged for selectively, cyclically reciprocating the piston between a first position and a Vsecond position in a direction for reducing the volume in said tank, whereby when said duct means are in communication with said tank and said piston is reciprocated in said volume-reducing direction water is discharged from the tank to the torpedo tube for discharging a torpedo from said tube.

2. In a submarine vessel, in combination, a first pressure-resistant compartment, at least one torpedo tube disposed in said first compartment for mounting a torpedo therein, a tank disposed circnmferentially around at least a portion of said first compartment and normally filled with water when the submarine is Ioperative afloat, waterdelivery duct means connecting the tank and the torpedo tube, means for selectively establishing communication between the tank and the tube when a torpedo is to be discharged from the tube, a cylinder having one end open communicating with said tank, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, at least a second pressure-resistant compartment spaced radially from said first pressure-resistant compartment, means in said second pressure-resistant compartment arranged for selectively, cyclically reciprocating the piston between a first position and a second position in a direction for reducing the volume in said tank, whereby when said duct means are in communication with said tank and said piston is reciprocated in said volume-reducing, .direction water is: dischargedl from 4 hettanktto lthe,.torpedo tube ,for discharging a torpedo from said tube, said piston having a substantially large diameter thereby to move a large volume of water when reciprocated only a short distance.

3. In a submarine vessel having a pressure hull provided with a first, second, and a third pressure-resistant compartments, said second and third pressure-resistant compartments being disposed in spaced. positions radially of said vfirst pressure-resistant compartment, a plurality of spaced groups of torpedo tubes in said first compartment adapted for mounting torpedos therein, a tank divided into two compartments disposed circumferentially around at least a portion of said first compartment and normally filled with water when the submarine is operative afioat, water-delivery duct, means connecting the torpedo tubes of each group individually to one of said tank compartments, means for selectively establishing communication between individual tubes and its associated compartment of said tank, two separate cylinders each associated with one of said tank compartments and having one end open and in communication with its associated compartment, two pistons one each reciprocable inA each of said cylinders, each of said pistons being movable between a first position and a second position in a direction for reducing the volume in its associated tank compartment, means in said second pressure-resistant compartments operably connected to one of said pistons and arranged for selectively, cyclically reciprocating the piston between said first and second positions, means in said third pressure-resistant compartment operably connected to the second of said two pistons and arranged for selectively cyclically reciprocating said other piston between said first and second positions, whereby when a torpedo tube in said groups is placed in communication with an associated compartment of said tank andv a corresponding Vpiston is reciprocated betweenY said first and second positions water is discharged from the last mentioned compartment to the torpedo tube in communication therewith for discharging a torpedo from said tube.

4. In a submarine vessel according to claim 3, in which said first pressure-resistant compartment forms the inner walls of said tank.

5. In a submarine vessel according to claim 4, in which said tank is divided along a plane corresponding substantially with a planepassing through the longitudinal axis of the first pressure-resistant compartment.

6. In asubmarine vessel according toV claim 3, in which said second and third pressure-resistant compartments are disposed substantially symmetrically on opposite sides of a plane corresponding, substantially, with the longitudinal axis of said first pressure-resistant compartment.

7. In a submarine vessel according to. claim 3, in which said cylinders are disposed substantially symmetrically on vopposite sides .ofl a plane corresponding substantially with the longitudinal laxis of said first pressureresistantcompartment. i

8. In a submarine vessel` according to claim 3, in which said two cylindersare pistons therein have a substantially larger diameter than said torpedo tubes.

9. In a submarine vessel havingy a pressure hull provided with a first, second` anda third pressure-resistant compartments, said second and third pressureresistant compartments being disposednin spaced positions radially of said first pressure-resistantcompartment, a plurality of spaced groups of torpedo tubes in said first compartment adapted formounting torpedos therein, a tank divided into two compartments disposed circumferentially around at least a portion of said first compartment and normally filled with water when thesubmarine is operative afloat, Water-delivery duct means connecting thetorpedoA tubes of each group individually to one of said tank compartments, means for selectively establishing communication betweenindividual tubesandits associated compartment of said tank, two separate cylinders each associated with one of said tank compartments and having one end open and in communication with its associated compartment, two pistons one each reciprocable in each of said cylinders, each of said pistons being movable between a rst position and a second position in a direction for reducing the volume in its associated tank compartment, means in said second pressure-resistant compartments operably connected to one of said pistons and arranged for selectively, cyclically reciprocating the piston between said iirst and second positions, means in said third pressure-resistant compartment operably connected to the second of said two pistons and arranged for selectively cyclically reciprocating said other piston between said first and second positions, whereby when a torpedo tube in said groups is placed in communication with an associated compartment of said tank and 21 corresponding piston is reciprocated between said first and second positions water is discharged from the last mentioned compartment to the torpedo tube in communication therewith for discharging a torpedo from said tube, and one-way valve means in each of said tank compartments adapted to allow a tank compartment to normally communicate with the sea and to close when the piston associated with a given tank compartment is reciprocated in said volume-reducing direction.

10. In a submarine vessel having a pressure hull provided with a rst, second and a third pressure-resistant compartments, said second and third pressure-resistant compartments being disposed in symmetrically spaced positions radially of said first pressure-resistant compartment and closer to amidships than said first compartment, a plurality of spaced groups of torpedo tubes in said first compartment adapted for mounting torpedos therein, a tank divided into two compartments disposed circumferentially around at least a portion of said rst compartment and normally lled with water when the submarine is operative afloat, water-delivery duct means connecting the torpedo tubes of each group individually to one of said tank compartments, means for selectively establishing communication between individual tubes and its associated compartment of said tank, two separate cylinders each associated with one of said tank compartments and having one end open and in communication with its associated compartment being disposed extending in a direction toward said first and second pressure-resistant compartments, two pistons one each reciprocable in each of said cylinders, each of said pistons being movable between a first position and a second position in a direction for reducing the volume in its associated tank compartment, means in said second pressure-resistant compartments operably connected to one of said pistons and arranged for selectively, cyclically reciprocating the piston between said rst and second positions, means in said third pressure-resistant compartment operably connected to the second of said two pistons and arranged for selectively cyclically reciprocating said other piston between said first and second positions, whereby when a torpedo tube in said groups is placed in communication with an associated compartment of said tank and a corresponding piston is reciprocated between said first and second positions water is discharged from the last mentioned compartment to the torpedo tube in communication therewith for discharging a torpedo from said tube, and said two cylinders and pistons having a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of said torpedo tubes, whereby said pistons need be reciprocated only a short-stroke for discharging a torpedo from a tube.

Reterences Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 709,335 Lake Sept. 16, 1902 946,944 Maxim Ian. 18, 1910 1,370,467 McMahon Mar. 1, 1921 2,499,563 Bill Mar. 7, 1950 2,526,956 Kugler Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 2,8489'70 August 26p 1958 Maximiliaan Frederik Gunning It is herebj)T certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the' said Letters Patent Should read as corrected below,

In the grant, lines l and l2, and in the heading to the printed specification, name of inventor, for "Maximilian Frederick Gunning", in each occurrence, read Maximiliaen Frederik Gunning Signed and sealed this 28th day oi' October l958 (SEAL) Attest:

KARL Ha. AXLINE Attesting Officer' ROBERT c.` wAT Conmissioner of Pa1