US969128A - Submarine boat or other vessel. - Google Patents

Description

A. H. ATTBRIDGE.

SUBMARINE BOAT OR OTHER VESSEL.

APPLICATION rum) SEPT.11, 1906.

96. 9 1 28. v Patented- 1mg, 30, "lg-1 3.

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UNITED smtrnsrarar OFFICE ANDREW HILLIARID ATTERIDGE, 0F LONDQN,'ENG-LAND.

SUBMARINE BOAT OR OTHER VESSEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,.ANDREW HILLIARD :AQITERIDGE, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain and Ireland, residing at 26 Bath road, Bedford Park, London, England, have invented new and useful Improvements Specially Though Not Exclusively Applicable to Submarine Boats or other Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements specially, though not exclusively, applicable to submarine boats or other vessels and the invention has especial reference to ballast tanks for submarine boats by means of which ready adjustment can be obtained and this part of my improvement is specially, though not exclusively, applicable to submarine boats of the no reserved buoyancy type.

Another part of my invention relates to improvements in apparatus for ventilating submarine boats and for releasing air from the ballast tanks; and by its means the air 'in the boats may be maintained pure when they are running awash.

I have illustrated types of my invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure I is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the ballast tank with my improvements mounted thereon. Fig. II is an elevation of the upper end of the main pipe and flare of the ventilating apparatus. Fig. III is an elevation and part section of the main pipe and its attached parts. Figs. IV and V are detail views, hereinafter referred to.

When the submarine boat is immersed so that the surface of the sea is flush with a given datum line on tho conning tower, the main tank should be quite full, so that the water therein shall form a solid block, so to speak, and have no free or movable water surface. The precise amount of water to so fill the main tank, and at the same time to keep the boat immersed to the proper depth, will vary. under certain conditions. It is therefore desirable to provide a ready means of adjustment so that the main tank shall contain the required amount of water without allowing this to have any free or rolling surface. Toeifect this and so carry my invention into effect, I afiix to the top of the ballast tank a cylinder or boxl extending downward into the tank 2, the said cylinder or box being openat the botton 3 so that there may be free communication between the inside of the cylinder, under the piston hereinafter mentioned, and the ballast tank Specification of Letters Patent Patented Aug. 30, 1910. Application filed September 11, 1906. Serial No. 334,145. I

air. H IVithin the said cylinder 1 a piston 4 is fitted attached to the bottom 5 of a threaded shaft 6 passing through a fixed threaded bearing 7 and having at its upper end a hand wheel 8, or polygonal extremity, or other device, forthe turning-of the said shaft.

"IVhen this piston is moved downward, by

the turning of the said shaft, it presses the water beneath it from the cylinder into the ballast tank; and by moving this piston sufficiently far down it may completely fill the ballast tank and prevent any free surface of water obtaining. 9 is a gland of any convenient kind. The dotted lines show the piston in its highest position, that is to say at the top of the cylinder.

If desired a relief valve for the release of air might be fitted to the cylinder or to the ballast tank at any convenient point. In order to admit the requisite amount of water without leaving any free surface thereof, water is admitted to the tank until, the boat is sunk to the datum line. The water cocks are then closed and the piston is screwed down tight, care being taken of course if there be an air release valve in the ballast tank, to close this after any air has been removed. The presence of some air beneath the piston and within the cylinder is not of importance. From the upper cover 10 of the ballast tank 2, I take a pipe 11, hereinafter termed the main pipe, extending upward through the roof 12 of the submarine boat and bend it over so that its end 13 points downward. Upon this end I place a flare 14 having a perforated plate 15 (see Fig. IV) at its opening. This perforated plate not onl has a number of perforations 16 for the admission of air, but it has also, at its center, a larger-opening 17, 'surrounded by an annular flange '18 which acts as a seating for a light hollow metal ball 19. Above this and where the flare joins the end of the main pipe, is another plate 20 (see Fig. III) having a central orifice 21 with a similar flange 22, which also acts as a seating for the ball 19 when the latter is pressed upward by the action ofa wave as hereinafter mentioned.

That part of the main pipe which is between the top 1 of the'ballast tank and the roof I? of the submarine boat is provided with two stop cocks 23, 24, preferably placed one 2 5 immediately over the ballast tank and H i the other 24 imi'nediately under the root of opening 14 by the boat. At an intermediate point between the two stop cocks is a small branch pipe opening upward and capable of being closed in any convenient manner as for example by tilt stopper 26.- In Fig. lll. I show two branch pipes 25 but the number may be varied as may be desired.

The action is as follows :Letus assume that the submarine boat is running awash, and that the ball. is in its normal position that. is to say resting in the lower seating 18. The air will pass through the small perforations 1G in the lower plat e, and will pass around the ball through the seating 22 in the upper plate, over the bend, downward through the main pipe, and into the interior ot the suluuarine boat through the branch pipe which normally open. Suppose now that a wave rises over the outlet of the main pipe. In doing so it; will raise the ball 19 against the upper seating 522 and thus close the entrance to the main pipe. Assume however that the action is not sufficiently rapid and that some water passes the ball. This will do no harm unless sutlieient enters to rise above the bend of the pipe. Even then, however, no harm will be done as this water will simply run down the pipe 11, past the entrance of the upwardly extending branch pipe 25, and into the ballast tank, where itv can be dealt with in the usual manner.

in the above description itv has been assumed that the upper stop cock 2% is open. When it is desired to dive, the stop cock 24 is closed so that, any admission of water is prevented. When the ballast tank is being tilled, the lower stop cock 23 is open and the pipe iii then serves as an air release device for the ballast tank, any air in the tank escaping into the interior of the boat through the branch pipe 25 it the boat is submerged, or out through the flare it the boat is at the surface. "When the pump is started for bringing the boat. to the surface, the lower cock 23 is opened, so that the air from the interior of the boat may pass through the branch pipe down into the upper partof the ballast tank. \Vhen the natural. ventilation through my apparatus is insutlicient, a 10- tury tan or the likeoperated by an electromotor may be attached to the branch pipe 25,

either f0! the purpose of drawing in fresh air or for the purpose of driving out impure air.

Of the apparatus which I have just described that part which relates to a bentpipe and ball valve is not broadly novel. Thus bent pipes similar to that shown in Fig. 11 titted with fiares such as 14 and containing ball or other gravity valves for the purpose specified are well known. So far as this partof my apparatus is concerned the novelty lies merely in surroundiui; the an annular tiai'ige 1-? and a. plate 15 containing perforations as it). I believe, however. that it is nov l to connect such pipe as 11 with the ballast tank for the purpose specified and to provide that pipe with the parts illustrated between the upper part of the ballasttank and the root 12 ot the boat.

Having thus described my invention, what. I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1*- 1. A ballast tank closed at the top containing within it a cylinder or b itted with a piston, the bottom of the said cylinder or box. having an opening by means of which there is free communication with the interimof the ballast tank, and. the top of? the cylinder or box having an opening communicating. with the external. air, substantially as described and illustrated.

2. In a subniarine boat, the combination of a ballast tank, tr pipe leading from the terior of said ballast tank to the exterior of the upper partof the boat, the said pipe be ing provided with one or more valved branch-pipes located. within the interior of the boat and adapted to place such interior in communication with the pipe for ventilation, and a hand-valve located within said. pipe in the interior of the boat.

3. In a subn'iarine boat, a ventilating pipe extending from the interior oi: the ballast tank to the exterior oi? the boat'the' said p e being provided at its upper end with means for permitting the inward passage of air but not of \ater and also titted at an intermediate part with means for releasing air from the ballast tank into the interior of the boat substantially as set forth.

4. In a submarine boat, the combination of a ballast tank, a ventilating pipe leading. therefrom to the exterior of the boat and provided with means for permitting the in-- ward passage of air but not of water, two ind pendent hand valves for controlling said ventilating pipe, an air rent in said ventilating pipe at a point between the two said valves, whereby said interior air vent may at will be connected with the er'terior air or the air in the ballast tank or both.

5. In ventilating apparatus for submarine boats, the combination of a ventilating pipe extending to the exterior of the boatand having its outer end provided with a perforated plate having a valve-seat upon its inner side, a second. valve-seat within the end of the pipe, a ball-valve cooperating with both said valve-seats and acting to completely shut ott' communication when 4 resting upon the inner seat but permitting commun'eation through said perforations when resting on the outer seat.

(3. In a submarine boat, the combination of a ballast tank closed atits top for continl0 of a ballast tank closed at its top for confin ing the water therein, a con'ipartment in the upper part of said ballast tank provided with a piston and the bottom of said compartment comn'iunicating directly with the interior of said tank, means for operating said piston when the proper amount of water required for ballast is i'n the tank so as to force the water from the compartment into the tank in order to entirel fill the latter.

7. In a submarine boat, the combination ing the water therein, a compartmentin the upper part of said ballast tank provided with apiston and the bottom of said con1- partment communicating directly with the interior of said tank, means for operating said piston when the proper amount of Water required for ballast is in the tank so as to force the water from the compartment into the tank in order to entirely fill the latter, the said compartment having considerably less cross sectional area than the tank.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. i

ANDREW HILLIARD ATTERIDGE. lVitnesses LEWIS HERBERT RIT'IMAN, H. D. JAMESON.

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