US3704678A

US3704678A - Submarine tanker

Info

Publication number: US3704678A
Application number: US137503A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter A Kelly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-04-26
Filing date: 1971-04-26
Publication date: 1972-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1989-12-05

Abstract

A submarine tanker for petroleum products having a substantially rigid T-shaped frame in longitudinal vertical section and constituted of an inner cylindrical operative center carrying the bridge and crew deck quarters extending fore and aft from the operations and bridge sections. The parts constituting such frame are enclosed in pressure resistant steel. Extending fore and aft from the operations center are two series of cargo tanks made of ordinary ship plate. Enclosing the bow and stern of the vessel are ballast tanks. The lower portions of the two series of cargo tanks are also formed to provide two bottom, longitudinally extending ballast tanks. The exterior portions of the vessel may also be enclosed in a layer or layers of a material known as ''''tough glass.'''' The cargo tanks are loaded and unloaded from the top of the vessel by a system of conduits which include flexible hose wound on reels secured to the top of the vessel and secured to floats provided with pumps. Means are provided to open holes in pack ice overlying the vessel to permit the aforesaid floats to rise to the surface of the sea. Escape bells are carried by the vessel in the event that the vessel must be abandoned and such bells are capable of functioning to affect this result even when the vessel is submerged under an ice pack.

Description

United States Patent Kelly 1 SUBMARINE TANKER [72] Inventor: Walter A. Kelly, 40-lst Brighton Road, Brooklyn, NY. 11235 [22] Filed: April 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 137,503

[52] US. Cl ..1l4/16 R, l14/0.5 T, 114/74 R [51] Int. Cl. ..B63g 8/00, B63b 25/08 [58] Field of Search ..1l4/0.5 R, 0.5 T, 16 R, 16 E,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,085,533 4/1963 Goryl etal. ..114/16 R 3,102,504 9/1963 Sato ..1 14/16 R Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Attorney-Sylvester .l. Liddy, Charles E. Baxley, Joe E. Daniels and John 1. Hart 5 7 ABSTRACT A submarine tanker for petroleum products having a [451 Dec. 5,1972

substantially rigid T-shaped frame in longitudinal vertical section and constituted of an inner cylindrical operative center carrying the bridge and crew deck quarters extending fore and aft from the operations and bridge sections. The parts constituting such frame are enclosed in pressure resistant steel. Extending fore and aft from the operations center are two series of cargo tanks made of ordinary ship plate. Enclosing the bow and stem of the vessel are ballast tanks. The lower portions of the two series of cargo tanks are also formed to provide two bottom, longitudinally extending ballast tanks. The exterior portions of the vessel may also be enclosed in a layer or layers of a material known as tough glass. The cargo tanks are loaded and unloaded from the top of the vessel by a system of conduits which include flexible hose wound on reels secured to the top of the vessel and secured to floats provided with pumps. Means are provided to open --holes in pack ice overlying the vessel to permit the aforesaid floats to rise to the surface of the sea. Escape bells are carried by the vessel in the event that the vessel must be abandoned and such bells are capable of functioning to affect this result even when the vessel is submerged under an ice pack.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures P'A'TE'N'TEDUEI: 51912 sum 1 or 2 INVENTOR. WALTER A. KELLY Arraz/vcr P'A'TE'N'TEDHEI: 51912 678 SHEET 2 or 2 INVENTOR. WALTER A. KfLL) BY QW/W A TTOBNEY SUBMARINE TANKER THE INVENTION This invention relates to a submarine tanker for transporting oils and similar products under water.

The transportation of petroleum products safely and economically is one of the most urgent problems facing the world today. From the viewpoint of ecology the transportation of such products are too often dangerous. Then, it is not unusual when such products are transported over water for a ship to spill many thousands of gallons of petroleum products into the sea because it has become disabled by collosion or a storm, with consequent material destruction to marine and air life and the spoilage of miles of shoreline. When such products are transported by pipeline, the mere presence of such a line, such as is proposed across Alaska, can cause untold damage to the environment and the life it sustains, aside from the damage that may be caused by breakage of such a line by weather, ac-

cident or design. The problems encountered in the transportation of such products from their sources are also very serious. Consider the problems created by the location of the new fields in Alaska and the Artic Ocean. One prominent company in this country spent many millions of dollars trying to find a satisfactory Northwest passage for such products, but apparently the problems encountered made such a method of transportation impractical for nothing further is being done about it.

It is the principal purpose of this invention to provide a practical submarine tanker which can satisfactorily transport petroleum products over long distances along routes which are impractical for surface vessels and with a minimum of danger to the ecology.

In accordance with the invention, a tanker embodying the features thereof is a modern streamlined ship having a cargo carrying capacity of more than 30 thousand tons. The ship may be driven by diesel, or electric battery power, but is preferred to use atomic power because of the advantages it provides in economy of space, smaller crews and its capability to drive the ship for long periods without refueling. This last feature is of importance should the ship be used to transport cargoes via the Northwest passage which may require the ship to cruise under ice packs for great distances. To facilitate navigation of the ship it is equipped with a television system designed to provide a safe and effective means of navigating below the ocean surface and especially below an ice field. To supplement this system, the craft may also be equipped with available devices now employed by submarines for navigation below the surface, such as, depth finders, sonar and radio equipment, etc.

Instead of the costly pressure-resistant steel plate usually employed in the construction of submarines, the ship of this invention is constructed mainly of ordinary ship tanker plate, thereby bringing the cost of building the craft within the range of surface tanker costs. This type of construction is made possible by exposing the cargo tank area of the ship to full sea pressure so that the liquid cargo therein will be at the same pressure as the environing water through which the ship passes. This will require of course, that the ship be substantially loaded with liquid at all times. Thus, the ship may be loaded with crude oil on its out voyage and on its return voyage carry such liquid products as may be need at the home port or at ports in route, or in the absence of a paying cargo, with water which may be mixed with a cleaning medium that can be separated at the home port. This ship tanker plate is integrated with a rigid frame constituted of pressure proof steel plate formed to provide the control tower, or bridge, the engine room, supply compartments, and the crew's quarters.

The tanker is equipped with flexible pipe lines attached to floats that raise the lines to the surface, which when covered with ice may be exposed to the atmosphere by dynamiting small holes in the ice layer with a suitable explosive material also provided on a float. The raised lines may be connected .by any suitable mechanical means to storage tanks, either afloat or on shore, for furnishing the liquid cargo to, or receiving it from the vessel.

The craft is also equipped with driving or escape bells in sufficient number to take care of the entire crew. These escape bells are detachably connected to the craft and are constructed to be manipulated to control their rise to the surface and to be employed as a life boat on the surface.

The advantages and features of the submarine tanker of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a submarine tanker embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the tanker provided with a modified propulsion system;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of the escape bell;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the unloading system just before blasting an opening through the ice; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the unloading system in operation.

The submarine tanker depicted in the drawings is a relatively large vessel having a cargo carrying capacity of approximately from 30 to 40 and more thousand tons. The tanker is self-propelled and to this end is provided with an inner compartment 10 for containing the propulsion systems and such other equipment as is required for controlling the operation of the main propellers 11 and rudder 12. The propulsion motors may be driven by deisel, or electric, or atomic power as is known to the art. It is also contemplated to drive the tanker by jet engines 14 in FIG. 3, which may be mounted in swiveled relation on suitably profiled fins 15 mounted on the sides of the tanker. The positions of the engines for purposes of maneuvering the tanker are controlled by suitable mechanism located in the compartment 10.

The compartment 10 is located in the base of an inner unitary section 16 forming the core of the vessel, and together with the

deck sections

17 and 18 forming in longitudinal section a rigid, T-shaped frame on which the cargo and ballast tanks of the vessel are assembled. The unitary section 16 is made of pressure resistant steel plating of a thickness and strength based on the shape and size of the vessel and the conditions it will encounter in usage. This steel plating forms the exterior circular wall 20, and the

end walls

21 and 22 of the unitary section 16, and also the bridge 23 which is formed as an integral part of such unitary section. Within the body of the vessel, the unitary section 16 is divided into a suitable number of compartments for containing the propulsion, control and other mechanisms and for storage of equipment, such as the

compartments

10, 24 and 25. These compartments are connected together in a known manner by ladders and batch covers which enable ready communication therebetween.

The base of the bridge 23 is constructed as a ward room 26 which is connected by doorways to the

deck sections

17 and 18 which form the crews stern quarters and forward quarters, respectively, and by a suitable hatchway to an overlying compartment 27 in the bridge forming the officers quarters. The uppermost compartment 28 formed in the bridgecontains the navigation equipment. Included in this navigation equipment is a television system enabling the navigator to view the surrounding sea area at all times whether the tanker is running on the surface or submerged. This system, which is a closed circuit system, includes four or more television camera mounted on the vessel in positions best suited to providing a complete view of the sea area in which the vessel is located. Thus television cameras 3035 enclosed in waterproof cases may be mounted on the bow, stern, bridge, forward end of the crews quarters 18 and rear end of the crews quarters 17, respectively, and monitored to screens provided in the navigation compartment 28. Forming part of, or mounted on the vessel in close association with the cameras 30-35 are powerful flood lights to provide a maximum area of coverage by the cameras, a factor that is especially important when the vessel is operating in or under ice fields or other obstacles. The upper portion of the bridge 23 forms an open sea deck 37 for navigating on the sea.

Like the inner section 16 and bridge section 23, the

deck sections

17 and 18 forming the crews quarters are made of pressure resistant steel plates. As is indicated in FIGS. l-3 of the drawings, these steel plates form the

floors

40,40,

roofs

41,41, sides 42,42 and ends 43,43 of such deck sections 'so that the crews quarters are wholly enclosed by such pressure resistant plates. At the lower edges of the side walls 42 and end walls 43 of the

deck sections

17 and 18, the pressure resistant plates overlap the adjacent surfaces of the material forming the underlying cargo tanks to an extent that assures maxim um safety for the craft. These overlap portions are designated 44 in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Assembled with the rigid frame structureconstituted of the inner section 16, the bridge section 23 and the deck sections 17 and l8, are a plurality of bow cargo tanks 50 and intermediate forward cargo tanks 52, intermediate aft cargo tanks 53,

stern cargo tanks

54 and 55, a bow ballast tank 56, a stern ballast tank 57, and

intermediate ballast tanks

58 and 59. The walls of the tanks 50-59 are made of ordinary ship tanker steel plate. The use of this material, which is substantially lower in cost than the pressure resistant steel plates used in the construction of the sections 16-18 and 23, is possible even though exposed to the pressures of the sea at the different depths, because the liquids contained in the tanks 50-59 will equalize such pressures. The use of tanker steel plate, however, necessitates that from the standpoint of complete safety such tanks should be maintained substantially filled at all times. This, however, does not present any problem because the vessel can be filled with crude oil on the out voyage and on the return voyage can-carry liquid products, such as refined petroleum products or other liquid products desired at the vessels home port, or in other ports en route thereto. If the vessel is unable to find suf' ficient pay cargos in a voyage, the remaining tanks can carry water which may have mixed therewith a filterable cleaning material for assuring that the tanks are maintained in a clean condition and which can readily be separated from the water. Each of the cargo tanks 50-55 may be provided with an automatic check valve 60 that permits sea water to enter or leave the sections in order to assure that the pressures within such tanks equal the pressure of the surrounding sea water even under the most adverse conditions. As indicated these safety valves 60 may be connected to and controlled from the navigation compartment 28. The ballast tanks 5659 are as usualalso controlled from the navigation compartment and are of sufficient size to enable the vessel to be maneuvered readily when the cargo tanks are fully loaded. It will be noted from FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings that the

ballast tanks

58,59 are formed by terminating the

partition walls

63 and 64 of the

cargo tanks

53 and 52, respectively, above the bottom of the vessel and connecting to the lower edges of such partitions

horizontal walls

65 and 66, respectively, which form the bottom walls of the cargo tanks and the top walls of the

ballast tanks

58 and 59.

As indicated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, it is within the contemplation of this invention to encase the body of the vessel composed of the rigid sections 16-18 and 23, and the cargo and ballast tanks 50-55 and 56-59,

' respectively, with one or more layers 62 of a product known as tough glass and made in this country by several well known glass manufacturers, by heating glass in ovens at very high temperatures. It has been found, that this glass becomes stronger under pressures such as are encountered by submerged vessels. This phenomenon which is known as depth hardening" is believed due to the .fact that under submerged conditions, the glass layer will be subject to equal compression throughout its entire area, causing the molecules of glass to be forced closer together and thereby strengthening the layer. This force pushing on the glass adds to its strength because glass breaks only under tension when its molecules are torn apart. When employed as contemplated for this invention however, the only forces acting on the glass will be forces that tend to compact the glass rather than place it under a destructive tension. These layers may be applied in any suitable manner to the vessel in the thickness required to give the vessel maximum protection at the greatest pressures it .will encounter during usage, either as a continuous coating, or in the form of strips joined by suitable metal strips connected to produce waterproof joints. The advantages of this additional coverage of tough glass are 1) that the vessel itself can be used as a mold and after the glass has been poured thereon the vessel submerged to effect the desired depth hardening of the glass layers, 2) due to the pecularities of the glass, the vessel will be rendered safe against crushing by sea pressure at any depth, and 3) by using laminations of increased thickness thereof on portions of the vessel such as the bow, sides, stern and deck, such reinforced portions may be substantially protected against impacts.

For purposes of loading and unloading the cargo tanks 50-55 each of such tanks is provided with a loading and discharge pipe 70 that depends down into the tank to a point short of its bottom and is suitably supported at its upper end in the upper sides of the vessel. Provided at the upper end of each pipe 70 is an electrically operated control valve 71 which is electrically connected to and controlled from the control room 28. The forward valves 71 are connected in series and to a main valve 73 (in FIG. 6) by pipe sections 72. The main valve 73 is also electrically connected to and operated from the control room 28. In a similar fashion, the aft valves 71 are connected in series and to an electrically operated main valve 73 by pipe sections 74. As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, each main valve 73 is connected by piping 76 to one end of a hose 77 wound on a reel 78 rotatably supported by standards 79 mounted in the top walls of the vessel. One of the standards 79 forms a support for an electrical motor 70 connected to and controlled from the control room 28. The other end of hose 77 is connected to a pump 81 which is mounted on a float 82 and which is electrically connected to and controlled from the control room 28. The float 82 is connected by a cable to an electric winch 84 secured to the top of the vessel and electrically connected to and operated from the control room 28. When not in use, as is shown in FIG. 1, the float 82 is secured to the top of the vessel by a pair of

electromagnetic members

85, 85 mounted on the vessel nets 94. The float 90 will then rise until it is stopped by the ice pack 96 as is shown in FIG. 5. The operator in the control room who has been following this operation by radar and/or through the television receivers 34 or 35, then pulls the switch which will cause the explosive charge 91 on the float to detonate and create an opening 97, in FIG.- 6, large enough to receive the pump float 82. The electric current to the electromagnets 85 is then cutoff to release the pump float 82. As the float 82 rises it draws with it the cable 83 and the flexable hose 77. After the float 82 surfaces, its pump 81 is connected to a flexible pipeline 98 which extends to the ,shore or to astorage or delivery tank mounted on the sea bed. During the loading or unloading operation, the operator in the control room 28, controls the operations of the

valves

71 and 73 so that the valves will properly function to effect the desired flow or discharge of the product or products to or from the and forming a seat for a metal plate 86 provided in the bottom face of the float 82. The

members

85,85 are suitably electrically connected to and controlled from the control room 28.

In order to enable the aforesaid apparatus to function when the surface over the submerged vessel is covered with ice too thick for it to break through to effect such operations, there is provided in association with each of the fore and aft floats 82, a smaller float 90 carrying a waterproof wrapped explosive 91. The explosive charge 91 is electrically connected to the control room 28 by an electric cable 92 that is wound on a winch 93 fastened to the top of the vessel. The float 90 is normally held in retracted position by a pair of

electromagnets

94,94 mounted on the vessel and forming a seat for a metal plate 95 provided on the bottom surface of the float 90. The

electromagnets

94,94 are suitably electrically connected to and controlled from the control room.

It will be understood from the foregoing that when the submarine tanker settles on the ocean floor or comes to a stop at a height in the sea at the place where its loading or unloading it has to be accomplished while it is submerged due to a layer 96 in FIG. 5 of pack ice the ballast tanks 56-59 will have been filled to the extent that the vessel will be stabilized in such position and the drive thereof will be adjusted to effect such condition. Either or both of the floats 90 are then released from the deck of the vessel by breaking the flow of electric current to the associated electromagcargo tanks. After the loading or unloading has been completed, the flexible pipeline 98 is uncoupled and the float 82 and its equipment is pulled down to the top of the vessel by the electric winch 84. The electromagnets are charged so that when the float 82 is properly seated thereon it will be secured to the vessel. In view of the hazardous types of conditions the submarine tanker of this invention may be subjected to in its usage, it is provided with three escape bells, each generally designated 100, for any emergency condition that may be encountered. As is shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, one of these escape bells is mounted on the bridge 23, another is mounted immediately aft of the bridge, and the third is mounted approximately halfway forward of the bridge. It will be noted that the bell mounted on the bridge extends through an opening in thefloor of the open deck 37 with its bottom spaced up from the floor of the control compartment 28 suffi- Eiently to enable entry from the latter through the bottom thereof. In a similar fashion the other two bells extend through openings in the roofs of the

deck sections

17 and 18 to an extent that their bottoms are spaced upwardly from the floors of the fore and aft crews quarters sufficiently to enable ready entry thereinto through the bottoms thereof from such crews quarters. The construction of these escape bells is shown in greater detail in FIG. 4 of the drawings, which shows more clearly that the countersunk portion of the bell seats in a tubular sleeve 101 that at its upper end is fixedly secured to the roof of the compartment in which it is located, as for example, the roof 41 of the deck section 17. The sleeve 101 is of a configuration closely corresponding to that of the enclosed portion of the bell which snugly, yet readily slidably fits therein and may be provided at its lower end with an internal flange 102 on which the bell rests. The bell is releasably secured to the roof of the compartment by suitable releasable connection mechanism 105, such as for example, electrically operated latches and/or electromagnets connected for operation from the control compartment 28, or from the particular compartment into which it extends.

The exterior of the bell is made of a sheathing of pressure resistant steel plate strengthened by spaced interior flanged beams 103 to afford maximum strength against crushing stresses. The exterior surface of the steel sheathing may be entirely covered with a layer 104 of the aforesaid tough glass to increase the crushing strength and sealing qualities of the bell.

The interior of the bell is composed of three vertically aligned compartments, the bottom one of which has a height approximating the depth of the sleeve 101, approximately 4-6 feet. This bottom compartment is substantially formed into a circular arrangement of ballast tanks 107 through the center of which extends a ladder 108 affording access from an entry hatchway 109 to an intermediate compartment 110. The hatchway is closed by a suitable known type of hatch cover 111 that closes upwardly and seals automatically when not held open. The upper end of the opening through which the ladder 108 extends is also closed by a hatch cover 1 12 which opens upwardly into the compartment 110 and which is constructed to close and seal automatically when not held open. The compartment 1 is provided with circularly arranged seats 113 for the accommodation of the cover when the bell is released from the vessel. It is also provided with a number of controls and such equipment as may be needed by thecrew during their stay in the compartment. These controls may be contained in a circular receptacle such as the blister 1 14 formed in the wall of the bell, and include among others a control for releasing the bell from the vessel, and controls for the ballast tanks to regulate the rate of its rise in the water. The

complete release of the bell from the vessel may be accomplished by including with the connecting and release means 105 electromagnetic bands that are electrically connected to a battery located in the bell and rendered inoperative by a switch in compartment 110 after the other connecting means for securely attaching the bell to the vessel have been released.

The upper compartment 115 of the bell is connected to the center compartment 110 by a ladder 116 and is sealed from the latter compartment by a hatch cover 117 that opens upwardly into the upper compartment 115 and automatically closes ad seals itself unless held open. The upper compartment 115 is also provided with a circular arrangement of crew seats 118 and any controls and equipment that may be required by the crew therein. The controls for controlling the operation of the bell and its components are preferably duplicated in both

compartments

110 and 115 in the event that a situation requires that one compartment should be kept isolated from the other, as in the event of the damage to one of such compartments.

The bell is rendered maneuverable, both in a submerged condition and on the surface of the sea, by a plurality of electric battery powered propellers or jets 120. The propellers or jets 120 are mounted on rotatable mounts 121 enabling them to be manipulated in any desired manner to control the direction of movement of the bell and its rate of rise and fall. it will be noted that the propellers 120 are mounted approximately midway of the height of the bell since the bell will be in major portion submerged when it rises to the surface of the sea. The compartment 110 is provided with portholes 122 and the compartment 115 is provided with portholes 123 to enable the crew to view their surroundings when the bell surfaces. When that occurs an inflatable circular'tube 125 enclosing the upper portion of the bell is inflated as indicated in dotted outline in FIG. 4 of the drawings. The tank 125 is located on the bell in a position to provide maximum bouyancy to the bell even in very rough seas. The gas to inflate the tank may be contained in tanks stored in the upper compartment 1 15, or in any other suitable location.

In order to take care of a situation in which the bell is released from the vessel while under a layer of pack ice, there is provided on the top of the bell a float 126 that is secured thereto by electromagnetic elements 127 connected in a suitable manner to a storage battery located within the bell, .by a switch controlled current. Mounted on the float 126 is a waterproof wrapped charge 128 of explosive material of sufficient strength to provide in the ice pack a hole large enough to permit the bell to surface. Connected to the charge 128 is an electric cable 125 that is wound on a reel 130 mounted on the top of the bell, and connected to a suitable source of electricity provided within the bell. it will then be understood that when it is determined that there is an ice pack overlying the bell, either by radar mechanism within the hell or within the vessel, or by the television system within the vessel, the float is released at a suitable depth at which the bell will not be effected by the explosion. When the rise of the float is stopped by the pack ice, the charge is exploded, and thereafter the bell is maneuvered into the hole in the ice provided by the explosion.

While I have herein above described and illustrated in the drawings, a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A submarine tanker for petroleum products, comprising an elongated streamlined hull having an inner cylindrical operative center surmounted by a bridge section, a first series of cylindrical cargo tanks extending forward from saidoperative center, a second series of cylindrical cargo tanks extending aft from said operative center, a first crew deck section extending from said bridge section and over said first series of cargo tanks, at second crew deck section extending from said bridge section and over said second series of cargo tank, and means providing communication between the interiors of said crew deck sections, bridge section and operative center, said operative center, bridge section and crew deck sections being rigidly connected together to form a rigid T-shaped frame in longitudinal vertical section for supporting said two se ries of cargo tanks, and a plurality of the cargo tanks in each series thereof being formed by and separated from the body of sea water surrounding the submersible vessel by wall portions of said hull to expose the liquids in said tanks to the pressure of such sea water.

2. A submarine tanker as defined in claim 1, in which said rigid frame constituted of said operative center, bridge section and crew deck sections is constructed of pressure resistant steel plate, and in which the wall portions of said cargo tanks exposed to the pressure of the surrounding sea water, are constructed of ship tanker steel plate.

3. A submarine tanker as defined in claim 1, in which the outermost cargo tanks in the two series thereof are enclosed by annular ballast tanks, and means operative in said operative center for controlling said tanks.

4. A submarine tanker as defined in claim 3, in which an elongated ballast tank is located beneath each series of cargo tanks and extends from said operative center to the inner end of the annular ballast tank associated with such series, and means in said operative center for controlling said tanks.

5. A submarine tanker as defined in claim 1, in which said operative center is composed of a series of superposed compartments disposed at right angles to said series of cargo tanks.

6. A submarine tanker as defined in claim 1 in which said bridge section is composed of a lower compartment connected at its ends to the inner ends of said crew deck sections, and an upper navigation compartment superposed on said lower compartment, a closed circuit television system located in said upper compartment and including a plurality of television cameras mounted on said hull exteriorly of said bridge section, and a plurality of flood lights associated with said cameras.

7. A submarine tanker as defined in claim 1, in which portions at least of the exterior surface of said vessel are coated with a tough glass capable of increasing the strength of said coated portions, said tough glass being provided on said tanker using such tanker portions as a mold and then being density hardened by submerging the tanker.

8. A submarine tanker as defined in claim 1, including means connected to said operative center for controlling the supply and discharge of each of said cargo tanks, said supply and discharge means including an automatic valve controlling each tank, a flexible hose connected at one end to a plurality of said valves, a first float carrying a pump connected to the other end of said flexible hose, and a winch secured to said tanker and connected to said float.

9. A submarine tanker as defined in claim 1, including a second float carrying an explosive material associated with said first float, means releasably connecting said second float to said tanker, and means connected to said operative center for controlling said releasable means and the discharge of said explosive material.

10. A submarine tanker as defined in claim 1, including an escape bell connected to said tanker and in liquid-tight communication with said crew deck sections, and means releasably connecting said escape bell to the tanker and operative from within the latter.

Claims

1. A submarine tanker for petroleum products, comprising an elongated streamlined hull having an inner cylindrical operative center surmounted by a bridge section, a first series of cylindrical cargo tanks extending forward from said operative center, a second series of cylindrical cargo tanks extending aft from said operative center, a first crew deck section extending from said bridge section and over said first series of cargo tanks, a second crew deck section extending from said bridge section and over said second series of cargo tank, and means providing communication between the inteRiors of said crew deck sections, bridge section and operative center, said operative center, bridge section and crew deck sections being rigidly connected together to form a rigid T-shaped frame in longitudinal vertical section for supporting said two series of cargo tanks, and a plurality of the cargo tanks in each series thereof being formed by and separated from the body of sea water surrounding the submersible vessel by wall portions of said hull to expose the liquids in said tanks to the pressure of such sea water.

6. A submarine tanker as defined in claim 1, in which said bridge section is composed of a lower compartment connected at its ends to the inner ends of said crew deck sections, and an upper navigation compartment superposed on said lower compartment, a closed circuit television system located in said upper compartment and including a plurality of television cameras mounted on said hull exteriorly of said bridge section, and a plurality of flood lights associated with said cameras.