SUBMERSIBLE WATER CRAFT

Abstract: A partially submersible water craft comprising a main hull (11) and a pair of secondary hulls (12) mounted one to each side of the main hull, an arm (14) pivotally mounted at one end to each of the main hull (11) and pivotally mounted at the other end to the secondary hull (12), drive means (16) between the arm and the main hull and/or secondary hull to cause pivotal movement of both arms (14) relative to the main hull (11) and/or the secondary hull (12) wherein said main hull (11) is movable between a position substantially coplanar with the secondary hulls (12) and a second position wherein said main hull (11) is located below the secondary hulls (12) but spaced in between the secondary hulls (12).

Description: SUBMERSIBLE WATER CRAET THIS INVENTION relaCes Co a parCially submersible waCe crafC. In one form Che invencion resides in a parCially submersible waCer crafC comprising a main hull and a pair of secondar hulls ounCed one Co each side of Che main hull, an ar pivoCally mounCed aC one end Co each side of Che main hull and pivoCally mounCed aC Che ocher end Co Che secondar hull, drive means beCween Che arm and Che main hull and/o secondary hull Co cause pivoCal movemenC of boCh of Che arms relaCive Co Che main hull and/or Che secondary hull wherei said main hull is movable beCween a posicion subsCanCially coplanar wich Che secondary hulls and a second posicio wherein said main hull is locaCed below Che secondary hulls buC spaced in beCween Che secondary hulls. According Co a preferred feaCure of Che invencion Che arms form pare of a parallelogram like linkage- beCween Che mai hull and secondary hulls. According Co a furCher feaCure Che main hull has posiCive buoyancy. According Co a furCher preferred feaCure of Che invencion Che main hull has an air inCake and exhausC which remain in consCanC co municaCion wich Che aCmosphere. According Co a furCher preferred feaCure of Che invencion Che air inCake and exhausC is incorporaCed in a super-sCrucCure on Che main hull, Che upper porCion of which is always above waCer level. According Co a furCher preferred feaCure of Che invencion Che super-sCrucCure incorporaCes an enCry haCch and bridge facili ies. According Co a furCher preferred feaCure of Che invencion Che said secondary hulls accommodaCe Che drive oCors of effeccing propulsion of Che waCer crafc and auxilliary services. The invencion wiLl be more fully undersCood in Che ligh of Che following descrip ion of one specific embodimenC. The descripCion is made wi h reference Co Che accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a fronC elevaCional view of Che embodimenC wiCh Che main hull in Che firs posiCon; Figure 2 is a front elevaCional view of Che embodiment wi h Che main hull in Che second posicion; " Figure 3 is a pare secCional view of Che embodiment along line 33 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a sectional view of the embodiment along line 44 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a plan view of the embodiment. As shown in the drawings Che embodimenC comprises a waCer craf consisting of a central main hull 11 and a secondary hull 12 located to each side of the main hull 11. The main hull is formed with an upstanding super-structure 18 and each secondary hull 12 is connected Co Che main hull by means of an ouCrigger arm 14 pivoCally mounCed Co boCh Che secondary hull 12 and Co Che main hull 11. Each ouCrigger arm is associaCed wich a secondary arm 13 mounCed in parallel relaCionship wich Che ouCrigger arm 13 and pivoCally connecCed Co Che super-sCrucCure 18 of Che main hull 11 and an upsCanding super-sCrucCure 19 of Che secondary hulls 12 whereby Che ouCrigger arm 14 and secondary arm 13 provide a parallelogram type linkage beCween Che main hull and Che secondary hull 12. A hydraulic ram 16 is mounCed beCween Che main hull 11 and each ouCrigger arm 14 whereby upon reCracCion or exCension of Che arm 16 Che ouCrigger 13 is pivoCCed on Che main hull Co vary Che disposiCion of Che main hull Co Che secondary hulls 12. On retracCion of Che ram 16 Che main hull is brough Co a firsc posicion aC which iC is locaCed subsCanCially coplanar wiCh and beCween Che secondary hulls 12. On exCension of Che hydraulic ram 16 Che main hull is moved Co a posicion below Che level of Che secondary hulls 12 buC beCween Che secondary hulls. Due Co Che nature of Che parallelogram-like inCerconnecCion beCween Che main hull 11 and Che secondary hull 13 Che main hull mainCains a substanCially consCanC aCtitude to the vertical. The outrigger arms each supporC propulsion pods 17 which incorporace drive propellers or like drive means. The propulsion pods 17 are supporCed from Che ouCrigger arms 14 by a downwardly depending sCruCs 15 such chaC when Che main hull 11 is in iCs first position Che propulsion pods 17 remain submerged. IC is preferred ChaC Che propulsion pods have hydraulic moCors as Cheir drive means which receive a supply of hydraulic fluid Chrough lines from a pump driven from a moCor wichin Che adjacenC second hull 12. In addiCion each of Che secondary hulls 12 accomodaCe such auxilliary power sources as may be required by Che water crafc. The upsCanding super-sCrucCure 19 of each secondary hull 12 is supplied wich air ducCs Co effecC air movemenC in and ouC of Che secondary hulls 12 and Che exhausC for Che drive moCors carried wichin Che secondary hulls 12. The super-sCrucCure 18 of the main hull 11 has an air inlet and exhaust connected to the interior of the main hull which are associated with suitable fans to effect an air flow in and out of the main hull 11. In addition the super-structure has a loading platform 21 whereby the crew and passengers may enter and leave the main hull 11 when on the surface and. provide open bridge facilities. The interior of the super-structure also provides enclosed bridge facilities. The rear of the main hull 11 supports a rudder 22 to effect steerage of the craft and if desired each of Che secondary hulls may also incorporaCe a rudder to further facilitate steerage. As a result of the embodiment a water craft is provided having a main passenger supporting portion in the main hull 11 which can be readily submerged and raised to the surface by merely pivotting the outrigger arms 14 and secondary arms 13 by means of the hydraulic cylinders 16. The degree of submersion of the main hull may be varied by varying Che inclinaCion of Che ouCrigger arms 14 and secondary arms 13 Co the horizontal plain. In the light of such, a craft is provided which can be used for sight-seeing, exploration and/or for the inspection of under water installations at relatively low depths. Due to the presence of the air duct extending between the atmosphere and the main hull at all times it is not necessary to pressurise the main hull. In addition due the posiCive buoyancy of Che main hull Che waCer crafc will remain buoyanC and in consCanC communicaCion wiCh Che aCmosphere, in Che evenC of Che failure of any one of Che drive sysCems associaCed wich Che crafc. IC should be appreciaCed ChaC Che scope of Che presenC invencion need noC be limiCed to Che parCicular scope of the embodimenC described above. OMPI . - WΠΌ

Claims: THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A partially submersible water craft comprising a main hull and a pair of secondary hulls mounted one Co each side of Che main hull, and arm pivotally mounted at one end to each side of the main hull and pivotally mounted to the secondary hulls, a drive means to cause pivotal movement of both of the arras relative to the main hull wherein said main hull is moveable between a first position substantially level with the secondary hull and a second position below the secondary hulls. 2. A partially submersible water craft as claimed in claim 1 wherein the arms form part of a parallelogram like linkage between the main hull and second hulls. 3. A partially ' submersible water craft as -claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein said main hull has positive buoyancy. 4. A partially submersible water craft as claimed at Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said main hull has an air intake and an exhaust which remain in constant communication with the atmosphere. 5. A partially submersible water craft as claimed at Claim 4 wherein the air intake and exhaust are incorporaCed in a super-structure on the main hull, and the upper portion of the super-structure is always above water level. 6. A partially submersible water craft as claimed at Claim 5 wherein Che super-sCrucCure incorporaCes an enCry _ O PI hatch and bridge facilities. 7. A partially submersible water craft as claimed at any one of Che preceding claims wherein the secondary hulls accomodate drive • means for effecting propulsion of the water craft and auxiliary services. 8. A partially submersible water craft substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying " drawings.

Inventors: INGS TERRY CLIFFORD, INGS, TERRY, CLIFFORD
Applicants: INGS TERRY CLIFFORD, INGS, TERRY, CLIFFORD
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B63G8
IPC codes: B63B1, B63C11, B63G8