US964943A - Means for emptying submergence-tanks in submergible boats. - Google Patents

Description

L. Y. SPEAK. MEANS FOR EMPTYING SUBMERGENCE- TANKS IN SUBMEEGIBLE BOATS.

APP L'mAmoN rxnmnov. 18, 1907.

Patented July 19, 191i).

KNVENTOR ATTORNEYS -103v pressure tanks are intended to be UNLTED OFFICE.

LAWRENCE Y. SPEAK, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSpNOR FIDO ELECTRIC BOAT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MEANS FOR EMPTYING- .5U'BMERGENCE-TANKS IN SUBMERGIBLE BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 19, 1911), Application filed November 18, 1907.

Serial No. 402,749.

To all whom it may concern:

l'ic it known that I, ln\\\'un1\on Y. Sin-nu, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Norfolk and State of ivlussachusetls, have invented certain new and useful Inipioveincnts in h cans for Emptying SuluncrgenceTanks in Subnnergible Boats and I do hereby deehure the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of (he invention, such as will cnable others skilled in. the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention herein described comprises improved means for expellh'ig water from the suln'iiicrgence tanks of submarine or submergible'bmts by means of compressed air or the like; i

In boots of this character as they have been constructed up to the present time it has been customary to make the submergence tanks of different strengths, these several tanks being known as the high pressure and low pressure tanks, respectively. The

emptied only at shallow depths of submergence, and when a' correspondingly low pressure is required for the expulsion of the water. The high pressure tanks are intended to be emptied at the greater depths of .submergence when the external pressure is higher and they are constructed to with stand the necessary internal pressure for this purpose. For the purpose of expelling the water from these several tanks, it has been customary to store air'in the vessel in a high pressure reservoir and to pipe it to the several tanks through reducing valves which reduce the pressure to different degrees, that is, for exan'iple,thc low pressure submergence tanks have been connected to mains in which the. ressure has been reduced to ten pounds and the higheil pressure submerence tanks have been 0 nected to mains in which. the pressure ha' been' reduced to fiftyfpounds and to one hundred pounds. With thisfarrangement, when it is desired to expel the water froln any one of the submergcnce tanks an appropriate valve is opened to putv that tank into direct communication with the air supply main Which is connected to it, ind allow the air to blows the water out of; the'lf tank. This system involves a considerable waste of compressed air since the tcndency'is, in order to insure the manifold to the respective tanks,

the complete emptying of thetanks, to allow the air to How even after the tanks are completely emptied. The system further.- more involves a con'iplieated arrangement of service pipes since these pipes mustbe, nmintained at dilli'erent pressures as aboyef described. llurthermore, it often own IS that a subn'iergencc tank is only partially lillcd with water and when the pipe con meeting the tank with the external water is opened, preparatory to emptying the tank, water from the outside will flow in before, the air pressure in the tank has reached the necessary point to cause the expulsion of the, Water, thus wasting air and power, as well as disturbing momentarily the position of 7 9 the vessel.

The object of the present invention is to simplify this system and save the waste of air which is involved in it. The nature f: the means adopted for this purpose will be, 75,? understood from a consideration of the fol-,- lowing description and the accompanying drawing. Y The drawing is a central longitudinal s ection of a submarine or subnicrgible boat; equipped with the improved system. Separate sulnnergence tanks, as many as may be desired, are formed by inclosing' portions of the interior hull ofthe vessel; as

' to withstand only ten pounds pressuleftllg tank a fifty pounds, and the tank I; one hu dred pounds. Indeed the improved'system may be applied directly to the now comrn type of submarine boat without any change in the submergence tanks. Each of-tliese tanks is connected with the external "wait-er by a suitable pipe controlledby e Va-lY Such pipes are shown at a, b", 0, controlle by the valves (1, e and f. Each submergence tank is provided. with a pipe, as g, h and ii, for admitting the c pressed air thereto and each of these p11 is provided with a three 'ay valve 51,," It and i, which valves are capable utti the tanks into communication & 1th th manifold in directly, or with the in the boat. When the pipes are in commun cation with the manifold is they are ready to allow a passage of compressed air fr n when they are 1!) communication with the iii) f? anyf iossibility' of a flowing in of water into :tliejtanks is, avoided.

pressed air from the high pressure reservoir respective pipes g,

or reservoirs'l thre gh the pipes l to the "d and z leading to the submergence tanks.

Connected into the upper portion of each of the submergence tanks is a tell-tale pipe, as m, n and 0, and to each of these telltale pipes is connected a pressure gage, as m, n and o, the gages being thus arranged to indicate the pressure within the sub1ner- 'genc ,tanks. These gages are preferably mounted on a gage board in plain view of the man. operating the air'system and on the same board ZS mounted a gage 7) which is connected through the telltale pipe p to Y the watefon'zthe outside of the vessel, this a gage thus servihg to ix-idicate the external .13 i a prefer to so adjust this gage 72'" that it will pressure atevery depth nf sulnnersion. I

i 1 indicate the pressure at the lowest. part of the lowest tank.

' The operation is as follows: For the purpose of submersion the valves 4, e and f are opened allowing Water to flow lnt-o the submergence tanks, the air 1n those tanks displaced by the water escaping through the Valves 9', h and i, which are properly set for that purpose. WVlien the vessel is suiticientl submerged the valves d, e and j are close When it is desiredto expel water from any or all of the submergence tanks,

' the valves It. and i havin been set to put the" tanks into communication with the ;manifold, the appropriate valves in the manifold are ropened, allowing the air from the highcpres'sure I'GSGI'VOII'S to enter the pressure.

' submergence tanks and this air is allowed to How until thepressure registered by the ga es m), n and 0' ,cxceeds the pressure in icated b the gage'p, that is, the external lhe va-lvcs d' i e and f are then 1 opened and the watelisexpelled. By this arrangement it is possible to expel the Water from any or all of the submergence tanks from a single high pressure system without danger of destro ing the tanks. By causing thepressure wit in the tanks to exceed the pressure before the sea valves are opened The operator soon ,,-l'earnsjt o What degree the pressure in the tan-ks must'be caused to exceed the pressure communication with the external registeredby the gage p in order to, expel the Water therefrom entirely, and he is thus enabled to prevent waste of the compressed air.

It will be understood that the manifold maybe connected directly to the high pressure tanks commonly used as indicated in the drawing, or there may be interposed between the high pressure tank and themeservoir a pressure reducing valve of any de sired capacity. It will also be understood that the invention is not dependent upon the -location of the submergence tanks within the hull of the vessel, or upon any particular relative arrangement of said tanks, and, instead of the special construction and arrangement of tanks illustrated, any other desirable or convenient construction and arrangement may be adopted for use, either interiorly or exteriorly of the hull.

What I claim is 1. In a submarine or submergible boat, a

plurality of submergcnce tanks including tanks discharging under high pressure and tanks discharging under low pressure, a single fluid pressure system connected'to the several submergence tanks for expelling; the water therefrom, and means for indicating the pressure in each tank, whereby danger of exploding the low pressure tanks is avoided; substantially as described.

2. I11 a submarine orjsubmergible boat, a plurality of submergehce tanks including tanks discharging under high pressure and tanks discharging under low pressure and having conduits by which communication with the external water may be established, a reservoir for containing afiuid under pres sure, valvecontrolled conduits extending from the said reservoir to the several tanks for admitting the pressure fluid thereto to expel the water therefrom, and means for indicating the pressure in each tank, whereby high and low pressure submergene tanks may be operated from a singlepressure system; substantially as described.

3. In a submarine or submergibleboat, a plurality of submergence tanks including tanks discharging under high pressure and tanks discharging under low ressure and having valvecontrolled conduits by which be established and shut oif at will,'a rese voir for containing a fluid under pressure, valve-controlled conduits extending said reservoir tothe several tan s for adwater mayv from the mitting the pressure fluid thereto to expel the water therefrom, means for indicating the pressure in each tank, and means for indicating, the pressure of the external water; substantially as described.

.4. In a submarine or submergible boat, a plurality of submergence tanks includin tanks discharging under high pressure and tanks discharglng under low pressure and v having conduits by which communication with the external Water may be established, means for increasing the pressure Within said tanks at will, means for indicating the pressure in each tank and means for indicating the'pressure of the external Water; substantially as described.

5. In a submarine or submergible boat, a plurality of submergenee tanks having valve-controlled conduits by which com munication with the external Water may be established and shut ofi' at will, a reservoir for containing a fluid under high pressure, conduits extending from the said reservoir to the several tanks for admitting the pressure fluid thereto to expel the water there from, a tell-tale pipe extending from each reservoir, pressure gages attached to said tell-tale pipes to indicate the pressure in each tank, a tell-tale ipe extending from the external water, {L115 a pressure gage attached to said pipe; substantially as described.

6. In a submarine or submergible boat, a

plurality of submergence tanks having valve-controlled conduits by which communication with the external water may be established and shut oil? at will, a reservoir for containing a fluidnnder high pressure, a manifold in communication with said reservoir, service manifold to the individual tanks and a Valve in the manifold controlling each service pipe, a tell-tale pipe extending from each reservoir, pressure tell-tale pipes to indicate the pressure in each tank, a tell-tale pipe extending from the external water and a pressure gage attached to the said pipe, the said gages being all arranged Within the view oi'xthe man operating the manifold; substantially as described. In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

LAWVRENCE Y. SPEAK. Witnesses:

ALBERT "W. SIOUSSA, EDWARD L. HILLYER.

plpes extending from the gages attached to the said

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