Patent GB-191516600-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Submergible Vessels.
Inventor: MYERS GEORGE FRANCIS
IPC: F41F3/10
Filed: 1915-11-24
Abstract: 16,600. Myers, G. F. Nov. 24. Submarine vessels.-Relates to submarine vessels controlled by a single operator occupying a substantially prone position. According to the invention, the operator's compartment, Fig. 7, is defined by the hull of the vessel and longitudinally spaced bulkheads at F and H. a couch or pad 47 is provided for the operator to lie on, a conning tower 48 is disposed around the head of the operator, the steering rod 14 extends between the knees of the operator, and control levers such as 61 are placed at his sides. If the operator is an extra tall man, an opening 46, Fig. 17, is made for his feet at the bottom of the front bulkhead. In the form shown, the operator's compartment, Fig. 7, is arranged between a front compartment, Fig. 6, for discharging torpedoes and projectiles and a rear compartment, Fig. 8, containing the propelling apparatus of the submarine. The front compartment contains a torpedo tube 30 and is closed by a door comprising four quadrants 6, Fig. 11, on pivots 7 geared together in pairs and worked by a pair of longitudinal shafts 9, Fig. 17, which are connected by chains 12 to a sprocket-wheel 13 on the steering post, so that the door is opened and closed by rotation of this post. The torpedo tube contains a single automobile torpedo, or a number of armourpiercing projectiles bunched in directly into the tube or inserted separately into short barrels, which are then bunched into the tube ; small projectiles may be arranged between the top of the tube and the hull of the boat. The conning tower is slidably mounted in a gasket 49, and normally lies within the periphery of the submarine boat, but can be moved up by the operator's shoulder and clamped by a screw 50 ; the back of the conning tower is then supported by a raised backing. The conning tower is made of green bottle glass in one piece or in two concentric pieces with intermediate transparent material ; or it is made of metal with dead lights. The top is hinged at 52 and pleated valves 53 are provided at the top or sides for ventilation when the vessel is at the surface of the water. The conning tower is arranged in a depression of the hull, and the instruments used by the operator to control the submarine boat are placed at 55 in front of the conning tower. These instruments include, for instance, a compass, a speedometer, a clock, a depth indicator, a longitudinal and transverse inclinator, and an air-gauge for indicating the time of submergence still remaining available. The flexible shaft 56, Fig. 20, running to the propeller shaft, the rubber tube 57 leading to the depth gauge, the electrie wires 58 running to the air valve meter, and the various other connexions between the instruments and their respective devices are completed through sockets 60 at the side of the compartment. The steering post 14 is connected by cords 77 to the horizontal and vertical rudders of the submarine vessel, so that steering is performed by swinging the post 14 about a universal joint 72 to right or left for horizontal steering, and up or down for vertical ; the post is moved by hand or by knee pads 76. The propelling engine of the submarine is preferably a water-cooled gasoline engine with water-circulating motor 84<1>, air motor 85, selfstarter 86, and exhaust 87. The propeller shaft may operate in either direction under the control of gears 93, Fig. 27, on a ring 92 connected by a cable 63, Fig. 8, to a reversing lever 61, Figs. 7 and 19, at the side of the operator's compartment against a quadrant 62 with notches for the forward, neutral, and reverse positions. The air for the engine is obtained from a tank 5 during submersion, and by air-ducts 67, 68 when awash. These ducts are pivoted at 106 and are connected by wires to the levers 65, 66, Fig. 19, at the side of the operator for raising and lowering the ducts. Each duct has a valve 100, which is opened by a spring when the duct is raised and no waves strike the valve ; and when the valve is closed it closes an electric switch. The electric switches 96, 97 of the two air-ducts are in series with an electro-magnet 94 which opens the reducing valve 83 of the air tank 5 when both ducts are closed ; when one at least of the ducts is open, the electro-magnet 94 is put out of action, and the reducing valve is opened by a spring. The air-ducts are drained by the water pump 84<1>. The air from the front air-duct is led on its way by a suction motor driven by the main engine. The pipe 69 from the from air duct is flattened and has small holes 70 where it passes through the operator's compartment, in order to supply air thereto. The exhaust pipe 87 of the engine has a valve 108 under the control of the automatic switches of the air-ducts to allow part or the whole of the exhaust to flow into the engine chamber when the air-ducts are closed. The air tank 5 is provided with tubes 84 through which the various rods and wires and pipes are passed from the engine compartment to the devices in front of the air-tank. When a steam-engine or an electric motor is used instead of a gasoline engine, the air-tank 5 is replaced by a tank containing steam under pressure or by electric batteries respectively. A receptacle containing oxylithe or other chemical may be used to refresh the air in the operator's compartment. Another receptacle 81 contains a respirator helmet, which the operator dons when he wants to escape from the submarine ; at the same time he inflates a rubber tyre tube which he always carries round him. Before leaving the submarine, the operator opens a flooding valve 115 ; he then unhooks and removes the upper part of his compartment as shown in Fig. 20, escapes through the opening thus made, and rises to the surface. The removal of the upper part of the compartment breaks the connexions of the instruments at the sockets 60, and a small amount of air leaks out and continually rises to the surface, indicating the position of the sunken submarine. This submarine is intended especially for discharge from ordinary torpedo tubes, and is provided with a projection 82, Fig. 8, adapted to fit the usual guide-groove of torpedo tubes. Certain of the features mentioned above form the subject-matter of concurrent Specifications 104,479, 104,648 and others by same applicant. Specifications 2320/83, 12,415/99, 13,157/01, and 24,600/09 also are referred to.