US2722188A - Combination vent and starting valve for torpedoes - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 1, 1955 c. w. CLEMENS 2,722,188

COMBINATION VENT AND STARTING VALVE FOR TORPEDOES Filed March 31, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5063A E Cal/N TEE M0 M04 TANK INI/IJNI'OR.

CLARK W. CLEMENS m 5000 PSI AIR BY ATTORN EYS Nov. 1, 1955 c. w. CLEMENS 2,722,188

COMBINATION VENT AND STARTING VALVE FOR TORPEDOES Filed March 31, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /1' 4, 5000 PSI AM? i INVENTOR. LEAKAGE R CLARK W. CLEMENS m 600 Psl AIR BY m NAVOL VAPOR ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1955 C. W. CLEMENS COMBINATION VENT AND STARTING VALVE FOR TORPEDOES Filed March 31, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m 3000 PSI AIR m 600 PSI AIR w NAVOL VAPOR E SEA WATER m] vsu'reo AIR INVENTOR. CLARK W. CLEMENS BY va/"QM ATTORNEYS United COMBINATION VENT AND STARTING VALVE FOR TORPEDOES Clark W. Clemens, Whittier, Califi, assignor to the United jYSates of America as represented by the Secretary of the The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to torpedoes and more particularly to valve apparatus for pressurizing a tank containing liquid propellant employed with a torpedo propulsion system.

It has been the practice, in some torpedoes, to provide them with a high pressure air bottle which pressurizes a tank containing liquid propellant, such as hydrogen peroxide (Navol), when the torpedo is launched to effect flow of the propellant to a combustion chamber and engine, which latter form parts of the torpedo propulsion system. Various valve systems have been employed to effect pressurization at the desired time, which are in general, complicated, require numerous piping connections within the torpedo, thus increasing time of installation, multiplying possibilities of failures, occupying excessive space and being expensive of manufacture.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a novel unitary valve device which is adapted to effect tates Patent pressurization of a liquid propellant by an air pressure source.

Another object is to provide the device with an exterior accessible connection by which the rate of decomposition of the propellant may be readily determined.

Another object is to provide visible means for determining whether an air valve has leaked during storage or transportation of the torpedo.

Another object is to construct the device in such manner that it may be bodily inserted into its operative position adjacent and within the torpedo shell from outside of same.

Another object is to minimize internal conduit connections within the torpedo.

Still further objects, advantages and salient features will become more apparent from the description to follow, the appended claims and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal section through the subject of the invention, illustrated in simplified form, associated elements being shown diagrammatically; and

Figs. 2 to 6 are diagrammatic illustrations similar to Fig. l, hatching being omitted to obviate confusion with fluid symbols, showing various stages of operation of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and particularly Fig. l, the subject of the invention comprises, in general, a unitary valve body V which contains all of the various valves, ports, and mechanisms for effecting the pressurization of a hydrogen peroxide tank, the body being insertable into a torpedo T, adjacent its shell S, from the outside thereof and secured thereto by any suitable fastening devices.

The left or terminal end of a conduit 10 is connected to a conventional high pressure air bottle in the torpedo, this conduit communicating with an exterior accessible ice terminal conduit end 10a during pressurizing of the air bottle but otherwise normally closed by an air bottle charging check valve 12 which may be of any conventional construction. Conduit 10 is also closed, except when the navol tank is to be pressurized by the air bottle, by a hollow ported piston type air bottle discharge valve 14 which is actuated by a toggle linkage 16 connected to a solenoid 18.

When valve 14 is open conduit 10 communicates with conduit 20 and an air pressure reducing or regulating valve 22 which is suitably balanced by a spring and piston actuator 24 to maintain a desired reduced pressure in conduit 26. Conduit 26 communicates with a conduit 28 through a pressure balanced shuttle valve 30 which is actuated by a hydrostatic bellows 32, the inside of which communicates with ambient sea water. An air vent 34 communicates conduit 28 with sea water, when valve 30 moves to its opposite limit of movement from that shown in Fig. 1.

Conduit 28 communicates with one side of a spring urged piston type starting valve 36, the other side of which communicates with conduit 26. Conduit 28 is also provided with a check type air vent valve 38, having a bypass bleed port 40, the downstream side of this valve being closed by a rupture disk 42.

The navol tank, which is disposed within the torpedo, is connected to a conduit 44, this conduit having a vent 46 through which vapors may escape through an aperture 48, which is open when valve 14 is closed. A piston type navol vent valve 50 is adapted to close the navol vent when it moves to its opposite limit of movement from that shown in Fig. 1 in response to pressure in conduit 26.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will now be assumed that it is desired to pressurize the air bottle. Conduit end 10a is connected to a high pressure air source (about 3000 p. s. i.) and air flows to the air bottle through conduit 10 as shown by the symbol hatching. When the pressure source is disconnected from conduit end 10a valve 12 will automatically move to the closed position shown in Fig. 3, closing conduit 10.-

In event air leaks past closed valve 14 during storage of the torpedo this may be detected as follows: Referring to Fig. 3, leakage air passes through reducing valve 22, through conduits 26, 28 and vent 40 in valve 38, building up pressure behind rupture disk 42, which will rupture at a predetermined leakage pressure. Visual inspection of the rupture disk will therefore reveal that the air pressure in the air bottle is not as originally charged. Leakage air cannot open valve 36 since the pressure in conduits 26, 28 is the same and the effective area of piston 37 exposed to conduit 23 is greater than that exposed to conduit 26. In addition, it is urged toward closed position by a spring 39. In event it is desired to determine the state of decomposition of the navol, this is attained by attaching a conventional bubble counter to aperture 48.

When it is desired to pressurize the navol tank this is initiated as shown in Fig. 4. Solenoid 18 is energized, moving the toggle linkage 16 over center and effecting opening of valve 14 by high pressure air in conduit 10. The high pressure air flows through reducing valve 22 providing lower pressure air downtream thereof (600 p. s. i.). Disk 42 ruptures but valve 40 now moves to a closed position and prevents air from passing through the ruptured disk. Valve 50 has also moved to a position closing communication of the navol vent with the outside of the torpedo.

As the torpedo descends in the water, hydrostatic pressure within bellows 32 extends same, moving shuttle valve 30 to the position shown in Fig. 5, vent 34 being closed by the shuttle valve.

When the torpedo reaches a predetermined depth, shuttle valve 30 moves to the position shown in Fig. 6

3 due to the increased hydrostatic pressure. The shuttle valve now closes communication between conduits 26 and 28 and opens vent 34. The pressure in conduit 28 now decreases to ambient :hydrostaticsea .pressure due to communication of vent 34 and conduit 31 with conduit 28. Since the force of regulating valve pressure acting on the lower side of piston 37 now exceeds the force of hydrostatic sea pressure plus spring pressure acting on its upper side, valve 36 opens permitting air to enter conduit 44 and pressurizing the navel tank. Pressure in the navol tank effects discharge of its contents to the propulsion system of the torpedo .as well understood in the art.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to 'be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

-What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for pressurizing a navol tank disposed within a torpedo, from an air bottle, also disposed therein; for detecting leakage of air from the air bottle; and for detecting rate of decomposition of the liquid in the navol tank; comprising; a first conduit having a terminal end accessible from the exterior of the torpedo adapted to communicate with the air bottle, whereby the air bottle may be pressurized from a source .of air exterior of the torpedo, said conduit having a first valve therein for closing communication to said terminal end when said source is disconnected from said terminal end, a second valve normally closing said conduit and normally preventing fiow of air from said air bottle, means for opening said second valve, a pressure reducing valve communicating with said first named conduit when said second valve is open, adapted to deliver air at a predetermined pressure, a third valve, a hydrostat for actuating said third valve from a normal first position to a second posi- .tion when'the torpedo descends to a predetermined depth in water, a second conduit including a fourth normally closed valve therein adapted to communicate the navol tank and pressure reducing valve when said fourth valve is open, a, third conduit communicating said pressure reducing valve and a rupturable member, said fourth valve being biased to closed position at least in part by pressure .in said third conduit and movable to open position by pressure in said second conduit When the pressure in 'said third conduit .is reduced to a predetermined value,,-a fifth normally'open valve .for closing communication between said pressure reducing valve and said rupturable .rnember.,.-a normally open sixth valve :adapt'ed topermit'communication between said navol tankand a bubble .counter .or the like, said sixth valve being movable 'to closed position by air pressure .-in a fourth conduit communicating same with said pressure reducing valve; the construction and arrangement being such that: when said second valve .is closed .air leaking past same from said first vconduit .flows to the rupturable member and ruptures same, whereby the observation of the rupturedmember indicates that air has leaked from the air bottle and hence the ,pressure .in the latter may not be optimum for pressurizing the navol tank, while said second valve is 'closed and said sixth valve is open the rate of decomposition of the liquid in the navol tank may be detected with a bubble counter or the like, when said second valve is opened by .said .means .for opening same, air delivered from the pressure reducing valve actuates said fifth and sixth valves to closed positions, said fifth valve closing communication between said third conduit and the rupturable member, and said sixth valve closing communication from the navol tank to the bubble counter, as the torpedo descends to a predetermined depth in water the hydrostat actuates said third valve to its second position and shuts off communication from said pressure reducing valve and one side of said fourth valve and also vents the pressure on the aforesaid one side whereby said fourth valve is opened by the air in said second conduit and delivered to the navol tank at predetermined pressure, the construction and arrangement being further characterized in that said apparatus is contained within a unitary body, the unitary body having only two fluid connections for apparatus within the torpedo, one for the air bottle and the other for the navol tank.

2. Apparatus for pressurizing a propellant tank disposed within a torpedo from an air bottle also disposed therein, comprising; a unitary valve bodymember adapted to be disposed adjacent and within the shell of the torpedo, said body member having connections accessible from outside the torpedo shell for pressurizing the air bottle and for testing a condition of the propellant, said body member having connections accessible from inside the torpedo shell for communicating the body member with the air bottle and propellant tank, a normally closed air bottle discharge valve in the body member adapted to be opened when desired,-and apparatus within the body member for reducing air pressure supplied through said discharge valve, for closing communication between the propellant tank and the accessible connection for testing said condition, and for supplying the air at reduced pressure to the propellant tank when the torpedo reaches a predetermined dcpth in water.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 including means on said body member, visible from outside the torpedo, for determining air leakage .past said air bottle discharge valvewhen it is closed.

4. A unitary valve body for pressurizing a propellant tank disposed within a torpedo fro-m an air bottle, also disposed therein, comprising; a unitary valve body adapted to be disposed adjacent and within the shell of the torpedo having an outer portion substantially conforming to the outer streamlined shape of the torpedo, and having an inner portion disposed within the space within the torpedo, conduit connections adapted to connect said inner portion to the air bottle and to the propellant tank with the valve body disposed :for communication therebetween, conduit connection in said outer portion and accessible from outside of the torpedo for pressurizing the air bottle, and a similar connection for determining a condition of the propellant in the propellant tank.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim -4 including an air bottle'discharge valve within said inner portion adapted to be opened when desired, and visible means on said outer portion for determining air leakage past said discharge valve when it is closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED vSTATES PATENTS -1,207,333 Shonnard Dec. 5, 1.916 1,303,045 Dieter May 6, 1919 1,445,936 Dieter Feb. 20, 1923

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