US3800722A - Self-propelled, cable-supported diving bell - Google Patents

Self-propelled, cable-supported diving bell Download PDF

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Publication number
US3800722A
US3800722A US00184432A US3800722DA US3800722A US 3800722 A US3800722 A US 3800722A US 00184432 A US00184432 A US 00184432A US 3800722D A US3800722D A US 3800722DA US 3800722 A US3800722 A US 3800722A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
water
ballast tank
fluid communication
tight body
compressed air
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00184432A
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English (en)
Inventor
A Lepage
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Total Compagnie Francaise des Petroles SA
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Compagnie Francaise des Petroles SA
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
    • B63C11/00—Equipment for dwelling or working underwater; Means for searching for underwater objects
    • B63C11/34—Diving chambers with mechanical link, e.g. cable, to a base
    • B63C11/36—Diving chambers with mechanical link, e.g. cable, to a base of closed type
    • B63C11/42—Diving chambers with mechanical link, e.g. cable, to a base of closed type with independent propulsion or direction control

Definitions

  • a control circuit measures the water level in various compartments to insure precise control of the bells buoyancy.
  • the present invention relates to a diving bell for submarine operations in deep water, connected to a surface vehicle by a cable. More particularly, the present invention relates to a self-propelled diving bell, capable of controlling its buoyancy.
  • a primary object of the present invention is to provide a diving bell equipped with one or more chambers and connected by a cable to a surface installation.
  • the diving bell is made up of a water-tight body having at least one vertical symmetrical plane, with at least one pair of propellers, with one propeller arranged on either side of the symmetrical plane.
  • a ballast tank is provided on the diving bell above the water-tight body and has at least one valve placing it in communication with the outside water and at least one compressed air inlet valve. These valves are controlled from the inside of the water-tight body in order to give the bell a positive, a negative, or a zero buoyancy, as desired.
  • this kind of vessel not only has excellent maneuvering qualities making it ideally suited for easy positioning at the work site, but thatit also has great maneuvering autonomy in spite of its cable connection to the surface installation. Due to its horizontal mobility, as a result of the low power propellers, the delicate problem of operating at submarine well heads without using a fixed and expensive guide means connecting the well head to a fixed surface installation can be avoided.
  • a ballast tank having a toric shape at the upper portion of the bell is connected both by water inlet conduit through a valve and a compressed air inlet conduit through a second valve to control the buoyancy of the bell.
  • a pipe is provided equipped with an escape valve to control the egress of compressed air from the tank in order to maintain a pressure equal to the outside pressure.
  • a water evacuation pipe, equipped with a valve, is also provided with controls inside of the diving bell for controlling the various valves.
  • a diving bell is capable of reachingdepths of at least 200 meters without in any way increasing the weight of the ballast tank and without risking the implosion of the tank.
  • a tank capable of resisting only a pressure difference on the order to several bars in order to permit the attainment of a positive, negative or zero buoyancy of the diving bell.
  • the passage of the diving bell both from and to the water surface will be optimized, since it is possible to reduce the effect of wave or current motion on the bell by rendering a negative buoyancy.
  • FIG. 1 represents a front schematic view of the diving bell
  • FIG. 2 is the plan view of the bell of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-section through the ballast tank made along section line IIIIlI in FIG. 2, as well as a partial sectional view of the diving bell;
  • FIGS. 4a 4d disclose the various operational states of the diving bell.
  • FIG. 5 shows the ballast tank level indicator circuit
  • the body of the diving bell comprises a cylinder 1 equipped with a bulging upper cover 2, a bulging lower cover 3, a lower chamber 4 and a side chamber 5.
  • Two pairs of propellers, 6, 8 and 7, 9 are assembled into a bulb-shaped configuration.
  • the lower propellers of each pair are attached so that the center of gravity of the bulb-shaped assembly will be above the center of gravity of the bell.
  • These propellers are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the cylindrical body 1. This particular propeller arrangement offers great maneuverability which is further enhanced by permitting each propeller to be run forward or back ward.
  • the electric motor control devices and their appropriate contact circuit breakers are well known in the art and accordingly will not be discussed here.
  • the control buttons or handles inside the diving bell have not been shown because these various elements do not contribute to the present invention.
  • the groups of propellers are made in one piece with the body I, by means of attachment pieces Il14 which themselves are in one piece with the post members 15 and 16. Rings 17 and 18 encircle the body cylinder 1 and carry shock absorber edges or flanges l9 and 20 made of polyvinyl chloride, for example, to protect the diving bell against any possible shocks. These rings, which are made in one piece with the bell, can also be made in one piece with the post members 15 and 16.
  • a clip or ear 21, on the axis of the upper bulging cover 2, provides means for attaching a cable 22 to the diving bell.
  • the ballast tank 23 is made up of three water-tight compartments separated by inside partitions 24, 25 and 26, as disclosed in FIG. 2. This sub-division makes it possible to prevent the effects that would occur if the liquid could heave or swell in the inside of the tank during the course of maneuvering.
  • Each of the compartments is made of four tube elements, such as 27-30. These pipes or tubes can be hot-air welded polyvinyl chloride members. The ring-shaped configuration formed by these members is capable of resisting the relatively large internal and external pressures generated during the operation.
  • the thickness of the partitions 24-26 can be 7 millimeters.
  • the compartments are identical, and accordingly, only the compartment formed by walls 24 and 25 will be presently described.
  • An elbow tube 31 leading into the upper portion of the ballast tank 23 is connected to a valve 32 controlled from the inside of the water-tight diving hell by means of a hand wheel 33 and a rod 34.
  • Rod 34 is preferably made of an inoxidable steel or a stainless steel and runs through the hull by any suitable means, such as a tightness adapter 35.
  • the tube 31 can be made of polyvinyl chloride.
  • Valve 32 can include a ball shutter and can also be made of polyvinyl chloride.
  • the water contained in the compartment can be evacuated through pipeline 36 under the control of valve 37, which in turn, is controlled by an inside hand wheel 38.
  • Compressed air can be admitted into the ballast tank through pipeline 39, which includes a valve 40 which is controlled by hand wheel 41.
  • the valve 40 is connected to the compressed air tank 42.
  • a circuit makes it possible to maintain the pressure prevailing inside the ballast at the value of the external pressure.
  • a circuit provides a connection between the interior of the ballast tank 23 and a pressure regulator valve 43, which is located externally to both the cylinder 1 and the ballast tank 23.
  • the pressure regulator valve 43 is connected to a high pressure escape valve 45 by means of a flexible hose 44, and the high pressure escape valve 45 is, in turn, connected to blocking valve 46 by pipeline 47.
  • Valve 46 is connected to a compressed air tank 48.
  • the water level in the ballast tank is controlled by means of the float 49, which supports two permanent magnets 50.
  • the float moves along rod 51 containing magnetically controlled contacts and resistances of a measurement circuit shown in FIG. 5.
  • the transmission wires 52 connect the detector 53 to the level indicator 54 which in fact, and as explained hereinafter, is an appropriately labeled voltmeter.
  • the float In order to reduce the movements of float 49 resulting from the movements of the water contained in the ballast tank, the float is surrounded by a damping tube 55 having two small holes 56 and 57, one near its base and the other in the upper portion.
  • a duct 49a makes it possible to balance the pressure between the inside portion of the float and its environment.
  • the float is guided vertically by a stretched wire 58.
  • Tube 55 is welded directly to the inside wall of the ballast tank.
  • Tube 51 contains the various apparatus circuits and is one piece with stopper 59 being held in position on the threaded piece 60 with the help of a milled button 61.
  • Supports such as 62 serving as support for the protection rings 17 and 18, are also used in order to attach the ballast tank 23, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • threaded rods 63 pass through tubes 64 welded to the ballast tank 23.
  • Screws 65 and 66 tighten the appropriate washers which are supported respectively against the ballast tank 23 and the support 62.
  • the ballast tank 23 includes three compartments and, as illustrated in FIG. 5, three identical water level indicator circuits. These circuits are mounted parallel to the power supply circuit made up of transformer 67 and serving respectively voltmeters 54, 54A, and 548. Because of the identity of the circuits, it is only necessary to describe the circuit associated with voltmeter 54.
  • float 49 as shown in FIG. 3 moves along tube 51 and its magnets 50 successively close the contacts which are opposite the magnets.
  • the operator of the diving bell knows at any moment the water level of each compartment and by virtue of this fact, he also knows the weight of the ballast and can thereby easily perform the maneuvers which he wants to perform as a function of the depth that he wishes to reach.
  • valves 32 and 37 are opened to provide a negative buoyancy to the bell tank.
  • the air inlet valves 40 and 46 are kept closed as the water rises in the compartments and drives the air out through 32.
  • the water level is regulated in the ballast tank compartments by closing water inlet valve 32, FIG. 4b, and by opening water evacuation valve 37, and by introducing, with the help of valve 40, a volume of compressed air until the desired water level is reached. At this point, the valve 40 and 37 will again be closed.
  • valves 32, 37 and 40 as shown in FIG. 40, remain closed, but valve 46 will be open in order to permit the pressure regulator valve 43 to restore the pressure within the ballast tank to that existing outside.
  • the inverse operation can be performed.
  • the valves 32 and 37 will be opened before reaching the surface as shown in FIG. 4d in order to reduce the effects of the surge on the diving bell and in order to facilitate the extraction of water from the diving bell.
  • winch control for the lowering or raising of the cable from the ship or surface installation forms no part of the present invention and, accordingly, is not described or shown. It is obvious that any known winch device can be used to control the reeling up or unreeling of the cable in response to an order transmitted automatically or otherwise from the diving bell.
  • each propeller bulb group is capable of running forward or backward, and the vessel has great maneuverability by virtue of the lateral arrangement of the motors and can turn about its own axis or assume various inclinations. Due to the particular arrangement, it is possible to achieve extremely large horizontal displacements that have not heretofore been capable of being achieved from a diving bell suspended from a fixed surface installation, while utilizing only a propeller power on the order of a few horsepower.
  • a diving bell comprising:
  • ballast tank positioned on top of the water-tight body and subdivided into a plurality of compartments
  • means for controlling the buoyancy of the ballast tank including:
  • a first valve located in said first outlet means and adapted to control fluid communication through said first outlet means
  • c. means located within the water-tight body for controlling said first valve, whereby water may be let into the ballast tank by an operator located within the water-tight body;
  • a second outlet means providing fluid communication between the lower portion of the ballast tank and the exterior of the diving bell;
  • a second valve located in said second outlet means and adapted to control fluid communication through said second outlet means
  • f. means located within the water-tight body for controlling said second valve, whereby water may be evacuated from the ballast tank by an op-' erator located within the water-tight body and employing also a first source of compressed air to be recited;
  • a third valve located in said first path of fluid communication and adapted to control fluid communication between said first source of compressed air and the ballast tank;
  • j. means located within the water-tight body for controlling said third valve, whereby compressed air may be supplied to the ballast tank by an operator located within the water-tight body, thereby forcing water out said second outlet means;
  • a fourth valve located in said second path of fluid communication and adapted to control fluid communication between said second source of compressed air and the ballast tank;
  • n. means located within the water-tight body for controlling said fourth valve, whereby the passage of compressed air through said second path of fluid communication may be blocked by an operator located within the water-tight body;
  • a pressure regulator valve located in said second path of fluid communication externally to both the water-tight body and the ballast tank and adapted to block the passage of compressed air through said second path of fluid communication when the pressure inside the ballast tank is equal to or greater than the pressure outside the diving bell;
  • a diving bell as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indicator of the level of the water inside the ballast tank comprises:
  • a diving bell as claimed in claim 2 wherein 1. the diving bell further comprises a pair of rings encircling the water-tight body and carrying shockabsorbent flanges to protect the diving bell against shocks, one of said rings being located immediately below the ballast tank and the other of said rings being locatednear the bottom of the diving bell, and 2. the ballast tank is mounted on and supported by the upper of said rings.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)
US00184432A 1971-03-08 1971-09-28 Self-propelled, cable-supported diving bell Expired - Lifetime US3800722A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR7107865A FR2128892A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-03-08 1971-03-08

Publications (1)

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US3800722A true US3800722A (en) 1974-04-02

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US00184432A Expired - Lifetime US3800722A (en) 1971-03-08 1971-09-28 Self-propelled, cable-supported diving bell

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US (1) US3800722A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA984686A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2128892A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1345683A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT949922B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4029034A (en) * 1976-02-25 1977-06-14 Burton Hoster Mason Method and apparatus for buoyancy control of submergible chambers
US4713896A (en) * 1981-04-10 1987-12-22 Jennens Eric G Inshore submersible amphibious machines
US4724790A (en) * 1986-11-04 1988-02-16 Blanc Max A Submersible bell
US4938164A (en) * 1987-12-18 1990-07-03 Onofri Jean Michel Self-propelled manned submersible vehicles for under-sea excursions
US5129348A (en) * 1983-12-27 1992-07-14 United Technologies Corporation Submergible vehicle
RU2262465C1 (ru) * 2004-03-18 2005-10-20 Шестаченко Флориан Александрович Судовой комплекс и опускаемый подводный аппарат
US7290496B2 (en) 2005-10-12 2007-11-06 Asfar Khaled R Unmanned autonomous submarine
US20170295773A1 (en) * 2016-04-19 2017-10-19 Sylvia Michalski Bait box for separating a feeding location bait box for separating a feeding location
US10155573B2 (en) * 2016-03-02 2018-12-18 New York University Portable inflatable habitat with modular payload, system and method
CN118790402A (zh) * 2024-09-11 2024-10-18 烟台市北海海洋工程技术有限公司 一种饱和潜水钟用主动升沉补偿系统

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2366425A1 (fr) * 1976-09-29 1978-04-28 Doris Dev Richesse Sous Marine Installation de surveillance et d'entretien pour ouvrages en eau profonde
GB8802369D0 (en) * 1988-02-03 1988-03-02 Amerada Hess Ltd Subsea vehicle
AU627484B2 (en) * 1988-02-03 1992-08-27 Amerada Hess Limited A subsea vehicle
RU2225803C2 (ru) * 2000-11-20 2004-03-20 Астраханский инженерно-строительный институт Устройство для проникновения в подводный объект на большой глубине
RU2220880C2 (ru) * 2000-12-25 2004-01-10 ОАО "ЦКБ "Лазурит" Многофункциональный комплекс для выполнения подводно-технических работ
RU2374781C2 (ru) * 2007-12-28 2009-11-27 Общество с ограниченной ответственностью "Аквавелсервис" Подводная телевизионная система управления
CN114940250B (zh) * 2022-05-17 2024-07-02 浙江杰记科技有限公司 一种深海自动压力平衡控制系统及方法

Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1131712A (en) * 1913-02-08 1915-03-16 Marcell Klein Pressure control for submarine chambers.
US1541186A (en) * 1924-12-26 1925-06-09 Ries Frederick Submarine vessel
US1617287A (en) * 1924-11-07 1927-02-08 Autometer Co Inc Electric indicating means
US2357064A (en) * 1942-07-11 1944-08-29 Wolf Rudolf Submarine escape and communication device
US2519453A (en) * 1947-01-13 1950-08-22 Goodman Charles Traveling underwater compressed air working chamber
US2981073A (en) * 1956-07-27 1961-04-25 American Mach & Foundry Underwater craft
US3161028A (en) * 1961-06-13 1964-12-15 William T Odum Buoyancy adjusting device for swimmers
US3379156A (en) * 1966-12-05 1968-04-23 Navy Usa Automatic buoyancy compensation system
US3411304A (en) * 1967-05-15 1968-11-19 Barberton Plastics Products In Dock fender
US3434443A (en) * 1967-11-22 1969-03-25 Us Navy Underwater buoyancy transport vehicle
US3523514A (en) * 1968-11-27 1970-08-11 Us Navy Salvage pontoon
US3602176A (en) * 1969-04-01 1971-08-31 Cyclo Mfg Co Valve means for apparatus for raising submerged vessels
US3688720A (en) * 1969-07-02 1972-09-05 Nereid Nv Bathyal unit
US3716009A (en) * 1971-11-24 1973-02-13 Us Navy Variable buoyancy control system

Patent Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1131712A (en) * 1913-02-08 1915-03-16 Marcell Klein Pressure control for submarine chambers.
US1617287A (en) * 1924-11-07 1927-02-08 Autometer Co Inc Electric indicating means
US1541186A (en) * 1924-12-26 1925-06-09 Ries Frederick Submarine vessel
US2357064A (en) * 1942-07-11 1944-08-29 Wolf Rudolf Submarine escape and communication device
US2519453A (en) * 1947-01-13 1950-08-22 Goodman Charles Traveling underwater compressed air working chamber
US2981073A (en) * 1956-07-27 1961-04-25 American Mach & Foundry Underwater craft
US3161028A (en) * 1961-06-13 1964-12-15 William T Odum Buoyancy adjusting device for swimmers
US3379156A (en) * 1966-12-05 1968-04-23 Navy Usa Automatic buoyancy compensation system
US3411304A (en) * 1967-05-15 1968-11-19 Barberton Plastics Products In Dock fender
US3434443A (en) * 1967-11-22 1969-03-25 Us Navy Underwater buoyancy transport vehicle
US3523514A (en) * 1968-11-27 1970-08-11 Us Navy Salvage pontoon
US3602176A (en) * 1969-04-01 1971-08-31 Cyclo Mfg Co Valve means for apparatus for raising submerged vessels
US3688720A (en) * 1969-07-02 1972-09-05 Nereid Nv Bathyal unit
US3716009A (en) * 1971-11-24 1973-02-13 Us Navy Variable buoyancy control system

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4029034A (en) * 1976-02-25 1977-06-14 Burton Hoster Mason Method and apparatus for buoyancy control of submergible chambers
US4713896A (en) * 1981-04-10 1987-12-22 Jennens Eric G Inshore submersible amphibious machines
US5129348A (en) * 1983-12-27 1992-07-14 United Technologies Corporation Submergible vehicle
US4724790A (en) * 1986-11-04 1988-02-16 Blanc Max A Submersible bell
US4938164A (en) * 1987-12-18 1990-07-03 Onofri Jean Michel Self-propelled manned submersible vehicles for under-sea excursions
JP2678302B2 (ja) 1987-12-18 1997-11-17 本田 博俊 自己推進式可潜艇
RU2262465C1 (ru) * 2004-03-18 2005-10-20 Шестаченко Флориан Александрович Судовой комплекс и опускаемый подводный аппарат
US7290496B2 (en) 2005-10-12 2007-11-06 Asfar Khaled R Unmanned autonomous submarine
US10155573B2 (en) * 2016-03-02 2018-12-18 New York University Portable inflatable habitat with modular payload, system and method
US20170295773A1 (en) * 2016-04-19 2017-10-19 Sylvia Michalski Bait box for separating a feeding location bait box for separating a feeding location
US11064692B2 (en) * 2016-04-19 2021-07-20 Sylvia Michalski Bait box for separating a feeding location bait box for separating a feeding location
CN118790402A (zh) * 2024-09-11 2024-10-18 烟台市北海海洋工程技术有限公司 一种饱和潜水钟用主动升沉补偿系统

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1345683A (en) 1974-01-30
FR2128892A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-10-27
IT949922B (it) 1973-06-11
CA984686A (en) 1976-03-02

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