US1912271A - Submarine salvage device - Google Patents

Description

SUBMARINE SALVAGE DEVICE Filed Oct. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l H l M INVENTOR $137212; furl/70 ATTORNEY May 30, 19 A. FURINO SUBMARINE SALVAGE DEVICE Filed Oct. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR WITNESSES Z640.

i oym 7 May 30, 1933. A. FURINO SUBMARINE SALVAGE DEVICE Filed Oct. 21, 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR (flair/1 2,; Fuzz 1m ATTO R N EY WITNESSES y 30, 3- A. FURINO SUBMARINE SALVAGE DEVICE Filed Oct. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESSES 224%. 97

Patented May 30, 1933 nitric ifi i b embxtsmylamadee E This invention relates; generally-to devices.

for accomplishing submarine''work; and refers more particularly .to an apparatus'fby virtue-of: which worlnnemmayibe lowered under Water ;to' asnnken :vessel or. submarine for releasingand-rescuing thecr-eWand/or sa ly ag ing the essell; -.It is.= among thje.ob.'ec ts of the present -in-: vention to provide novel and:v improved rescue ,or salyage device for j'submerged, dis-: abled .or sunken submarines; or; {other craft which may be carriediby andrlowered from a surface vessel to a point-injuxtaposition'to said gsnbmarine or crafts j; i

. A further--object-of the-present-invention is to provide asalvage, device for submarines, including a hollow body member defining a fluid tight .chamber which maybe lowered from .the Z snrfaee iiessetto a sunken; craft whereby workmen maybe cenveyedthereto and by virtue of which access n1fay be gained tothecraft. 1' 1 1 A; furtherobject, ofthe present invention is to provide; :ina dei ice of the character de-, scribed novel and llllpTDVQ(1f 1T 1Q3.11S' for se curing the device to; the submarine afteivthe body.member.has-been lowered to, a point inpropeiyrelative position-thereto. g A. f u therobject of the present invention, isito proride novel andjimproved means for joining; the gdeyiee in .;wate1'.-:tightjrelation with the submarine' so that workmenmay, pass-from the chamber intothe submarine. r; .Num rm s-ether objec s i h p es n 11 yention include the .combinatici'ni and; interrelation of parts .whereby"thehvhole forms a novel, simple and improved,constructio'n well designed to? meetthe.demands-ofeconomic.manufactures; Fnrther objects of the present invention will be apparent from, :l-aCQIlSidBl'HtiOil of the following specification taken. in conjunction with the accompanying; drawings, in which Figure 1 is-e. side; elevation10f one form oi the present invention showing the .fdeyice scaledto, a'sub marine.;.1 la? v Fig. 2-is a sectionalgyiew shorcinmthe de ice connected .t ofzthe hatch of a, su marine. prior tothe establishment; 0f commnni-cation therewith i ;';Ap'1i1icatie m al-oatmeal, 19 2535 s 7 is (also provided, which,

'I Eig' .3 is: a;h-orii4ont-alsectional new taken approximately on the line indicated at; 3-:3: i 11; ilia oi M =Fig, at is a horizontal sectional-Viewtaken app m ilnately ,on the line indicated at; n.Eig ;-2;-.-, .15. I

Fige-rfi isa 1 .2111 View ofa: constructedgin accordance with the inventions;

-' Fig 6, is an invert ed-planview, of the re movable;- closureassemblyfor the lower end of the magneticaengaging:member-;

el eeroear el or N w r 32 1 submarine hatch:

ig. 7 isian edge lew of said closureas sembly; a. 5' Fig.6 isa Wiring diagram of 'thedevice. I .1 Referring; more 1 particularly to' the draw ings by characters of refc'rence,- the idevice-in. eludes a hollow body ormember generally -in-; dieated. by the numeral; .10; -Which member is adapted -to be carried by. a surfacevvessel 11 and lowered from theidecks thereofby: means of a lowering. 'cable12. A conduit 13 employed to deliver? airto Tthe chamber." The cablelQ, andconduit 13m Wound uponfsuit able drums 1% carried by the vessel the drums being operated by .a suitablemotor 15 for lowering or raising the body ormember'lO and simultaneously paying out omvinclingv up' the conduit 13. Buoyslfi are connected with the cable 12 andic-onduit-13 at an appropriate distance above-the member 10 to-natantly maintain. the cables separatedand taut so that fouling. of the same with each other is prevented flhe device is. adapted to bealo'w eredjbythecable 1'2 upon a;-s'ubmarine; as indicated at 17 indie-drawings; The. hollow: member or-body 1-0 defines afchamber which isadaptedto accommodate workmen, divers; or thell-ike who enter the chamber while it is on the yesseli-and then are lowered therein to the submarine. Referring more-particui larlyvto Fig. 2 bf thedrawings, it willbe seen that'adjacent theattachingcring 18 for. the cable 12, amanhoIe1-9 is provided through which. the passengers ofkthe chamber: may: enter. s {The manho'le19 is, ofxcour'se adapted to bev closed? by a: suitable. coverplate" which: is secured .in w'ater tight position. over? the manhole isneh asby-the' bolts 20; Associated withgthei ngi18 1 966 rods'21 are. provided;

if desired, may be gtrlc-al energy required, may also have excondition of the windows 25 ponents 10" the covers 27,howeve1 the which extend from the top center of the chamber to the sides for distributing a portion of the lifting stresses from the top of the chamber to the sides thereof, the points of connection with the sides consisting of ears 10 or the like. The bends of the brace rods are supported clear of the corner of the chamber by struts 10". The upright comof the brace rods extends directly down to the ears 10 (Fig. 2) thus providing an additional suspension for the chamber 10. i

The chamber is further provided with an annular seat 22, upon which the workmen may be seated during the lowering or raising of the chamber. The sides of the chamber are provided with window portions 23 which extend outwardly from the sides of the'chamber, their bottoms being arranged at an 0btuse angle'to the side of the chamber and being provided with double glass windows 24 throughwhich the workmen or operators may see'to direct the lowering of the chamher, it being understood that the conduit 13' in addition to carrying cables for the electended therethrough telephone-wires by virtue of which communication between the chamber and the vessel may be maintained. The chamber is also provided with windows 25in theifloor 26. The windows 25, as indicated 'in Fig; 3, are' provided with cover plates '27, each of which includes a'valve 28. Through the windows 25 the operators may see the position ofthe chamber as it is low cred upon the submarine. Before opening operators open the water tight whereby to avoidremoval of said cover plates in event the windows are broken or leaking ForYsupplying oxygen to the passengers inthe chamber, an annular oxygen tank 29 the valves '28" to determine is provided 'which'surrounds the chamber,

thus being out of the way of the occupants of the chamber '10, and oxygen may be delivereditherefromto the interior of the'chamh her through the valve 30, the arrangement being'such that compressed oxygen is adapted to lie-carried with the chamber so that a supply ofoxygen from the vessel is not necessarily required. The pipe connection 30" (Fig; I 2) of the valve 30 passes through the Walls of both the chamber 10 and tanlr29, thus assisting in keeping the tank from slipping down."

The chamber is also provided with an annularisurrounding buffer 31 which is positioned around the chamber adjacent the floor 26 and is, asillustrated, formed of rubber tubing or the like, so that damage by forcible contact of the chamber with another object is minimized. The outer periphery of the buffer extends beyond the most prominent one of. the elements 23, 29 (Fig.2) so as to afford protection thereto during movement of the chamber 10 in one direction. The buffer is mounted upon means 31 on the side wall of the chamber 10. The chamber also includes illuminating means, such as the lamps indicatedat 32, positioned-in the floor 26 of the chamber. .7 Otherilluminating means may, if desired, be provided. The illuminatin means 32 are adaptedto cast light both into the chamber and downwardly therefrom so that by looking through the windows '25 as thedevice is lowered, the submarine may be readily seen in order that the device may be readily positioned properly upon the submarine. The lamps 32 are as indicatedin Fig. 8, associated with the magnetic'control circuit of the device. I

For securing the chamber to the submarine and for sealing the 'sameto'the submarine in water-tight relation, thereis provided depending from the floor 26, an'electromagnetic engaging member including an annular hollow casing 33 within which electromagnets 34 are arranged, the casing defining an an nular chamber 35 which accommodates said magnets. The lower open end of the casing is closed by a removable closure'assembly including a1rannulus'36, as shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings and includes a removable cover 37 provided with a valve 38, which cover is secured to the upper face of the annulus 36 by suitable bolts 39. The closure assembly further includes a transparent panel arranged within and seated upon an internal annular shoulder 41 to which-it is bolted or otherwise secured, the arrangement being such that afterthe casing 33 has been magnetically attached, testing of the water tight condition oft-he transparent panel may be accomplished thr'oughthe medium of the valve'38 prior to the removal of the cover for observation through the panel 40. The locking plateas shown in Figs. 6 and"? has formed on its lower'r'educed periphery, a plurality of integ'ral circumferentially extending lugs 42 aving sloping or inclined'upper surfaces 43. The casing 33 includes an inwardly extending flange 44 which ha sp'rojectingportions 45, adapted to be received between the upper surface of the lugs 42 and the top flange'of the'annulus 36.

The present invention also comprehends for use in connection with the device a submarine'hatch structure 46, as shown in Fig. 5, which hatch structure is permanently riv eted to the submarine 17 by rivets" 47, and includes concentrically arranged circuniferentially spaced upwardly offset inclined tongues'48 which tongues coincide with the arrangement of the, lugs42'are adapted to be alined with thelprojections45 of the flange 44, whereby the tongues 48 and the projections 45 may be jointly received between the lugs 42 and the top flange of the member flexible tubing 50, the folds of which are supported -by internal and external steel reinforcing bands 51 which also function to resist external pressure and prevent radial inward collapsing of the tubing. The tubing is secured to the under-surface of the floor 26 by any-suitable means such asthe bolts 52, the arrangement being such that thetubing provides a flexible connection between the body member 10 and the submarine to establish communication between the chamber and the interior of the submarine, the chains 49 serving to prevent damage to the tubing 50 by relieving it of strains and stresses. The floor 26 of the chamber 10 is provided with a central manhole having a removable cover 53, normally secured in place the arrangement being such that upon removal of the cover 53 access may be gained through the tubing 50, to the submarine 17 from the chamber.

In conjunction with the securing of the chamber to the submarine by the co-operating lugs 45 and tongues 48, the electromagnet-s play an important part in such securement. The lower portion of the casing 33 is provided with an apertured rubber pad.

54, through which polepieces 55 of the magnets extend for magnetic securement of the casing 33 with the hatch 46. The pad ordinarily closes any hole through which there might be communication of the inside of the hollow casing 33 with the outside, but when the electro-magnets are energized the pad is put under compression and then augments the sealing-off function. Within the circle formed by the tongues 48, the hatch 46 is provided with a manhole, normally closed by a removable cover 56, the arrangement being such that when energy is applied to the magnets, they in conjunction with the securement of the tongues 48 with the projections 45 by means of the annulus 36, securely hermetically seal the chamber with the submarine. The flexible chains 49 and tubing 50 permit a limited movement between the body member 10 and the submarine 17 without disturbing the sealed communicating relation therebetween.

For properly alining the casing 33 with the hatch 46, there is provided adjacent the lamps 32 and windows 25, armholes 57 with which are associated downwardly extending flexible waterproof sleeves 58 closed at the lower ends and open Satthe upper ends where theyncommunicate through the armholes 57 with the interior of the body 10 and'with n which the arms of the operators are. received, so that while making observations through the windows 25, the casing 33 may begmanually adjusted to bring the same in proper alignment with the hatchQG, in'order'to disfpose the projections :45 i in? juxtaposition to the tongues 48. IVith such alignment ob.- tained, the annulus 36 may-beturned to engage the lugs4l3 with the tongues 48. This having been accomplished, the cover- 37, pane140 andmanhole cover 56 of the submarine are successively removed in order that the occupants of the chamber may enter the subma 'rine through the hatch manhole.

In the operation of the present device, the

same functions iii a way similar to that of adiving bell. hen the submarine isfouled on thebottom of t-he' ocean, asurface vessel carries the device over the submarine. Operators are admitted to the chamber through the manhole 19:.andafter properly sealing saidmanhole, the chamber is lowered over the submarine.-' When thecasing ofthe chamber is properly positioned over the hatch 46 of the submarine, electrical energy is supplied to the maglietsan'd ithe annulus-36 is turned, whereby the two in conjunction securely lock the device tothe submarine with the chamber-insealed water tight communication with the submarine." 7 Referring. more particularly to Fig: 8", will be seenthat the circuit tothe magnetsB l is divided, every other magnet being ener- .gized through the switch assembly indicated at 59, while the remaining magnets are energizzedv through the switch: 60. The circuit includes a voltmeter and ammeter as indicated, together with the lights 32 which "are separately controlled through switches :61. The energy for the circuit ispreferably supplied through ,a conductor extending through the conduit 13 but, if desired, maybe suppliedthrough self-contained batteries or the like within the chamber.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that the present'invent'ion provides a novel, simple and improved device for accomplishing the rescue of the crews or the salvaging of sunkensubmarines or for other submarine work. It will be understood that the present invention is 'not'confined to thfe'speci'fic structural details "herein shown but-that numerous changes, 1 modifications and the 'f full use *of equivalents may be resorted to-in the'formm tion of the present'invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the same as outlined in'the appended claims, =Wha-t isclaimed is: =1. In apparatus of the character described ha-vingia chamber ;-means for suspending the chamberfrom a raising and lowering cable, said means comprising a ring attached to the top of the chamber with' which said ring the cable 'is connected, ibrac'e means attached :to the-ring andextending toward the sides of the chamber, struts substantially. on top of the chamber to space the 'brace means from the edgeof the .chamber,and anchorage titre cables.

"a 3; In apparatus of" the character-described having a chamber; a separate, annular oxygen tank of an-internal diametersufiiciently larger than the outside of said chamber to enable'its mounting on the outside of the chamber to avoid obstructing the inside, and a valve forcontrolling the flow ofpoxygen annular seal preparatory to interlocking said coupling elements. If I 7 ..In apparatus of the character described having a1 chamber; means to attach the chamber to a body: with; which communication is toibehad, said; means comprising a hollow casing, electro-magnets housed inthe hollow part of the casinghaving the similar ends of their pole pieces projecting beyond the casing for contact-with theibo'dy, a resilient-pad-fitted upon the pole pieces and contactingthe adjacent surface of the casing to seal-:,ofl' any opening-through which communication ofthe inside of the hollow casing with the, outside might be established, and means to" energize the electroemagnets when the pole :pieces contact said body, thus putting the. pad :undercompression andiaugmentin g the-sealingoff function. y i I g Signed :at Brooklyn, New York,v in the countyof Kings and State of New York this 8th dayof October A.'D. 1929 x:

i ANTONIO FURINO.

from the tank into the chamber, said valve I I having a connection passing through the contacting walls of'the chamber and the tank to assist iii-keeping the tankfrom slipping in reference to the chamber; j

. i. In apparatus of the character described. havin g a chamber, and outstanding elements on the outside of thechamber being necessary to the functioning of the apparatus ;-anannular buffer. of hollow, flexible tubing having its outer periphery extending beyond the most prominent-of said outstanding elements to protect said elements from striking-obstructions during lowering of the chamber, and means for mounting the buffer on the side wall of the chamber in an outstanding position near the bottom of the chamber.

' "5. In apparatus of the character described having a chamber; a casing carried by the chamber, through which casing communica tion of the chamber is tobe. established with a body, means for connecting said casing with the body comprising coupling elements carried both by the casing and the body, and electro-magnetic means for-"temporarily holding thecasing. against the body preparatory to interlocking said coupling elements, 1 p

6. In apparatus of thecharacter described having a chamber; a casing carried by the chamber through which comunication of the chamber with: a body is to be established, coupling elements carried 'inside of the casing, complen'ientary coupling elements carried by the bodyyan annular resilient pad surrounding all coupling elements, being carried by the casing to be interposed between i the casing and the body, and means-alsocarried by the casing and acting against the body to compress the pad thus producing an

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