Towable pressurized dry personal submersible using surface air replenishment

Abstract

A submersible able to maintain one atmosphere of pressure throughout its operating envelope with the capacity to maintain a habitable atmosphere through its capability of rapid transit between underwater operating areas and the water's surface so as to replenish habitable air via a system of ducting, valves, and fans. The submersible is comprised of a towing and stability system that can vary stability about the submersible's longitudinal axis by selectively clutching or declutching the submersible's minimally stable crew compartment to the submersible's more stable bow hull, as controlled by the submersible's operator. The towing and stability system also provides the ability to propel the submersible underwater along a path of the operator's selection by aligning the tow vector within proximity of the center of gravity and then steering the submersible in three dimensions by articulating a plurality of hydroplanes which enact moments upon the submersible, thereby controlling its path.

Description

FIELD[0001]The present disclosure describes a towable, pressurized, positive-buoyancy submersible with a capability for surface air replenishment.BACKGROUND[0002]In 1573, Englishman William Bourne published the first design for a submersible boat featuring a mast that could operate as a snorkel. Bourne is not believed to have ever constructed this vessel, but in 1620, Dutchman Cornelius van Drebbel built a wooden and leather submarine that could operate under the surface of the water, propelled by oars, with air supplied through snorkels. For the next several centuries, scores of submarine designs came and went, the primary purpose of these inventions, to act as a tool of warfare. These haphazard devices were generally more dangerous to their crews than their adversaries.[0003]In the mid nineteenth century, Captain Giovanni Luppis of the Austrian Navy and British engineer Robert Whitehead developed the first torpedo, a weapon ideally suited for the submarine, and the torpedo's adven...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a submersible vehicle that can increase its maximum speed and maneuverability while lowering its cost. It uses a special enclosed steel shell and fiberglass hull design to minimize drag and a variable stability system to provide better control and stability during entry and exit. The submersible also has a tow system that maintains its alignment to improve its rotational authority. These technical effects can make the submersible more affordable and versatile, offering new capabilities to the industry.

Problems solved by technology

The limitations of prior art have led to stagnation of the submersible industry and by extension, its technology.

Images