US3388683A - Submersible hull including a detachable man-carrying capsule - Google Patents

Description

June .8 B. B. BARHITE ET AL 3,388,683

SUBMERSIBLE HULL INCLUDING A DETACHABLE MAN-CARRYING CAPSULE Filed Jan. 17, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVEA'TC R S BURL B. BARHITE PAUL ARNOLD June 18, 1968 B. B. BARHITE ET AL 3,388,683

SUBMERSIBLE HULL INCLUDING A DETACHABLE MAN-CARRYING CAPSULE 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 17, 1967 INVENTORS BURL B. BARHITE W? p Q I PAUL ARNOLD June 18, 1968 B. B4 BARHITE ET AL 3,388,683

CARRYING CAPSULE SUBMERSIBLE HULL INCLUDING A DETACHABLE MAN- Fil ed Jan. 17, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

INvavwRs BURL B. BARHITE PAUL ARNOLD United States Patent ()fice Patented June 18, 1968 3,388,683 SUBMERSIELE HULL INCLUDING A DETACH- ABLE h IAN-CARRYKNG CAESULE Burl B. Eai'hite, 6821 SW. 1st St. 33144, and Paul Arnold, 3338A SW. th Terrace 33133, both of Miami, Fla.

Filed Jan. 17, 1967, er. No. 6fi,834 4 Ciairns. (Cl. 114-16) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hermetically sealed submersible vehicle for carrying and ejecting therefrom a man-carrying capsule.

This invention relates in general to underwater craft and more particularly to a power driven hull containing a releasible man-carrying capsule-like container.

The invention provides for a power driven craft particularly adapted to underwater investigation and for performing underwater work tasks through the release of a man-carrying capsule for exploration and work at the bottom of a body of water which may be free from or tethered to the main craft.

Prior craft of this general character required the release of an observer or worker through an interlock exit chamber which greatly limited the observation or work time periods away from the main craft. A further objection in observation from the main craft resides in its inability to navigate irregular bottoms and other impediments, particularly including crevices.

The above objections and disadvantages are overcome by the present invention, in which a principal object is the provision of a power propelled submersible craft construed and adapted for movement and travel at great depths in which a cylindrical man-carrying capsule is normally retained within a central vertical tube hermetically sealed in the craft, which capsule is released from the craft, permitting a scuba equipped diver therein to exit therefrom and observe or work.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a man carrying cylindrical capsule normally retained in a vertical cylinder in and through a submersible craft, including connection means for supplying the capsule with air, communications and electric power from the craft.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a driven gear secured around the periphery of the aforesaid capsule for engagement by a driving gear projecting from the inner wall of the tube in the craft for rotating the capsule within said craft through a predetermined azimuthal angle and for observation purposes and for registering and connecting the aforesaid connection means.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means within capsule for descending from the craft through the use of release means and buoyancy control within the capsule through the controlled admission of water into the lower portion thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a capsule which may be released and returned in a tubular compartment in a craft and when released provided with Windlass anchorage means for raising and lowering the capsule to and from the bottom of the body of water.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a lower hatch means whereby a man equipped with scuba or other diving equipment may leave the aforesaid capsule for observation or to perform work at the bottom.

These and other objects and advantages in one embodiment of the invention are described and shown in the following specification and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the submersible craft with a removable capsule therein in reduced scale.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the craft shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional elevation taken through section line 33, FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional end elevation taken through section line 44, FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional side elevation taken through section line 55, FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional plan view taken through section line 6-6, FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 illustrates the aforesaid capsule descended from the craft.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating five maneuverable operations of the capsule shown in FIG. 7.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a generally ellipsoidal single hull 1 is intended to be motivated and steered by well known means, such as jet, propeller, and/ or rudder means, which means are illustrated by starboard and port pods 2-2. The power source may be batteries or fuel cells. The attitude of the hull when submerged is controlled by the usual well known ballast means by adding or subtracting water ballast from internal chambers, not shown. Typical observation windows 3 and 4, adapted to withstand high pressures, are positioned in the forward end of the craft.

A water tight hinged hatch cover 5 is positioned within a transparent streamlined shaped shroud 6, open at the upper end thereof, secured to the upper portion of the hull for providing observation and preventing water from entering when the vessel is awash. A lower water tight hatch 7 is slidably movable to a position shown in dotted lines, by well known means, not shown, for the descent of the capsule assembly 8, which is secured within a cylindrical wall in the craft. An upper water tight sliding hatch cover 9 is provided to close the cylindrical opening, by well known sliding means not shown, when the capsule assembly 8 is absent. A vertical tube 10 is hermetically secured through the center of the hull 1, as shown, as a retainer for the capsule assembly 8.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the capsule assembly 8 is normally retained in tube 10, as shown, with the lower hatch cover 7 in closed position and the upper hatch cover 9 in open position. The capsule consists of a cylindrical casing 11 having an eye 12 in the central upper end thereof for the purpose of handling and transport. The capsule casing 11 is provided with a plurality of pressure resistant sealed windows 13 around the upper periphery thereof for observation purposes. The capsule is normally retained in said tube It by stop and lock means, to be hereafter described. The buoyancy or the descent and rise of the capsule may be controlled by the admission and the expelling of ballast water, by well known means.

A plurality of fuel cells or batteries 14 are retained in the bottom of the hull for supplying electric power and, in addition, ballast tanks, not shown, are provided in the fore and aft, as well as starboard and port, sides of the hull for controlling buoyancy and the attitude of the hull when submerged. A plurality of well known air or oxygen tanks 15 are provided to sustain the crew within the hull when the vessel is submerged, as well as a plurality of well known operational indicators and control assembly 16, not shown in detail.

A water tight hatch cover 17 is pivotally secured to the lower end of the capsule and adapted for internal operation, to be hereinafter described.

Referring to FIG. 5, the capsule casing 11 is provided with a central partition 18 having a water tight hatch cover 19 therefor centrally positioned therein and a circular seat assembly 20, on which a person or persons in the capsule may be seated with access to a control board 21, which is intended to control the necessary functions of the capsule. One or more air or oxygen tanks 22 are retained in the lower portion of the capsule to supply oxygen for breathing purposes in the upper portions of the capsule. A remote controlled electric winch means 23, not shown in detail, has connected thereto a linkwork 24 for raising and lowering anchor weight W, by means of a cable 25. The capsule is also provided with certain well known accessories, not shown, such as chemical means for absorbing carbon dioxide and means for controlling ballast water above and below partition 18, thus providing a means for independently controlling the buoyancy of the capsule independent of the hull 1. A stop flange 26 around the lower periphery of the capsule is adapted to register against a plurality of retractible stops 27, which are operated by remote control actuators 28. A gear 29 is secured about the periphery of the upper poriion of the capsule for engagement with a power drive worm gear 30 which is driven by a power assembly 31 when energized, better shown in FIG. 6.

Two sets of three guide rollers 36 are provided around the upper and lower periphery of the capsule, respectively, for coaxial guidance of the capsule into and out of the tube 10. FIG. 6 also shows a cylindrical opening 32 in the lower part of the upper portion of the casing 11, through which a person may descend into the lower portion of the capsule when the hatch cover 19 is opened by well known internal means. A connection complex 33, shown in FIG. 5, between the hull 1 and the capsule casing 11 is positioned for operation by either the person in the capsule or a person within the hull, which connection establishes electric power, communications and air or oxygen flow between the hull and capsule.

In operation and referring to FIGS. 3 and 7, two persons may lie prone on shelves 34 and 35, shown in FIG. 3, and control the course of the craft by the convenient manipulation of the control assembly 16 and under the assumption a person equipped with scuba gear is positioned in the upper portion of the capsule 11 then at the appropriate time the capsule is readied for descent from the craft by first sliding the lower hatch cover 7 to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1. By the remote control of actuators 28, stops 27 are withdrawn and the connection complex 33 is disconnected and sealed from interlock position with the hull.

Then upon the option of a person within the capsule ballast water is caused to flow within the lower chamber of the capsule permitting a loss in buoyancy which will cause the capsule to descend from the craft, as illustrated in FIG. 7. When the capsule has reached a desired depth, a person therein will operate the winch to lower the weight W to the bottom, thus anchoring the capsule in a relatively fixed position.

It is apparent that when the actuators are operated and the stops withdrawn and the anchor weight W is released, as shown in FIG. 7, the cable 25 will withdraw the capsule 11 from the hull and descend as a diving bell until the weight reaches the bottom where the position of the capsule will be retained dependent upon the length of cable released or withdrawn by the winch means 23-.

FIG. 8 represents several modes of operation of the capsule which may be used in connection with return to its initial position in the cylinder of the craft, which is maneuvered to a fixed position above the capsule, the first of which is illustrated by A in FIG. 8, in which the weight W is retracted into the capsule and the hatch cover 17 is closed and sufficient ballast is pumped from the capsule to cause the latter to rise, as indicated by arrow, to the surface or into the cylinder of the craft above.

B represents the capsule with the weight W extended a predetermined distance and sufiicient ballast in the capsule to cause same to descend only until the weight rests upon the bottom.

C represents the capsule with the same ballast condition as in B with the cable released, which will permit the capsule to rise.

D represents the same conditions as in B, except the expulsion of a greater amount of ballast water permitting the capsule to rise from a predetermined depth and move the weight upward therewith.

E represents the condition shown in D without the expulsion of ballast water and with the cable released, permitting the capsule to rise with a greater velocity, particularly as an emergency method.

It is apparent that in a maneuver to bring the capsule into its normal rest position in the craft, either the craft may be lowered onto the capsule or the capsule may be raised into the craft.

It is further apparent that a properly equipped diver can exit from the capsule and perform certain explorations or work and re-enter the capsule for a rest period and then continue work outside of the capsule, and upon final entry he may re-join the craft for rising to the surface, thus providing a means for making observations or performing underwater work with a high degree of cfiiciency.

It is understood that certain modifications in the above construction, utilizing the features described, are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. An underwater craft comprising a hermetically sealed man-carrying submersible hull for descent in a body of waterincluding means for controlling the buoyancy thereof and means for propelling said craft in vertical and horizontal directions when manually operated,

a cylinder hermetically sealed in said hull with the axis vertical thereof forming a cylindrical open chamber therethrough,

a hermetically sealed man-carrying cylindrical capsule adapted and constructed to be removably retained in said chamber in coaxial relation therewith with the outer surface of said capsule in close proximity with the inner surface of said cylinder,

locking means cooperatively associated with said capsule and said chamber for movement from a locked to a release position for holding said capsule in said chamber and releasing said capsule for vertical axial movement respectively when operated,

an anchor weight normally secured in the bottom portion of said capsule including a tether having one end connected to said weight and the opposite end connected to said capsule whereby the release of said weight will permit gravitation thereof to said bottom and said tether will move said capsule downward and out of said chamber in said hull when said locking means is operated for retaining said capsule in a predetermined underwater location.

2. The construction recited in claim 1 including a driven gear means secured to the outer periphery of said capsule,

drive gear means projecting from the inner wall of said cylinder for engagement with said driven gear when said capsule is positioned by locking means when in said locked position,

means for rotating said drive gear in said hull for rotating said capsule in said bull to selected prededetermined azimuthal positions with respect to said hull when operated.

3. The construction recited in claim 1 including a hull connection complex extending through said cylinder into said chamber and a mating capsule complex extending through the periphery of said capsule for mating engagement with said hull complex when registered therewith by the rotation of said capsule to a predetermined position about the axis thereof with respect to said cylinder,

both said complexes when in register providing hermetically sealed means for conduit connections for the flow of life sustaining gas from said hull to said capsule and insulated electrical connections for electric power and communication.

4. An underwater craft comprising a hermetically sealed man-carrying submersible hull for descent in a body of water including means for controlling the buoyancy thereof and means for propelling said craft in vertical and horizontal directions when manually operated,

a cylinder hermetically sealed substantialiy central in said hull with the axis vertical thereof forming a cylindrical open chamber therethrough,

a hermetically sealed man-carrying cylindrical capsule adapted and constructed to be removably retained in said chamber in coaxial relation therewith with the outer surface of said capsule in close proximity with the inner surface of said cylinder,

locking means cooperatively associated with said capsule and said chamber for movement from a locked to a release position for holding said capsule in said chamber and releasing said capsule for vertical axial movement respectively when operated,

manually operated ballast means in said capsule for admitting and expelling ballast water into and therefrom when operated for the descent of the capsule out of said tube when said ballast Water is admitted and said hull is submerged to a predetermined depth and substantially stationary for anchoring said capsule at the bottom of said body of water when said locking means is operated to said release position,

an anchor weight normally secured to said capsule including a tether connected to said Weight and said capsule for gravitation to said bottom when said weight is released from said capsule for holding the latter in a predetermined location against predetermined buoyancy thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,192,564 12/1966 Lehmann 1l4-16 3,299,645 1/1967 Link 114-16 X MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

TRYGVE M. BLIX, Examiner.

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