UNDERWATER VEHICLE COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE THICK PRESSURE-RESISTANT HULL

Abstract

TITLE: Underwater vehicle comprising at least one thick pressure-resistant hull This underwater vehicle comprising at least one thick hull (2) resistant to the maximum immersion pressure, is characterized in that it further comprises an airlock (4) for implementing a diver, placed outside the thick hull (2), connected to the latter by a first crossing (5) for loading weapons therein and to the external environment of the underwater vehicle by a second crossing (6). Figure for the abstract: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Underwater vehicle comprising at least one thick pressure-resistant hull

[0001] The present invention relates to an underwater vehicle such as a submarine itself.

[0002] More particularly, the invention relates to an underwater vehicle comprising at least one thick hull resistant to the maximum immersion pressure.

[0003] It is known that underwater vehicles can be used in particular to implement one or more divers, for example belonging to special units.

[0004] Several systems for launching and recovering these divers have already been proposed in the state of the art.

[0005] For example, the weapon launch tubes of the underwater vehicle, also known as torpedo tubes, can be used to implement these divers.

[0006] The submarine's kiosk or bulkhead can also be used for this purpose by incorporating an airlock.

[0007] Special airlocks constituting an extension of the thick hull of the submarine have also been proposed.

[0008] But all these systems have a certain number of disadvantages insofar as the means of implementing the divers are subjected to the maximum immersion pressure, occupy in most cases a significant space in the thick hull and constitute a specific difficulty during the manufacture and qualification of the underwater vehicle.

[0009] The aim of the invention is therefore to solve these problems.

[0010] To this end, the invention relates to an underwater vehicle comprising at least one thick hull resistant to the maximum immersion pressure, characterized in that it further comprises a diver implementation airlock, placed outside the thick hull, connected to the latter by a first weapon loading passage therein and to the external environment of the underwater vehicle by a second passage.

[0011] According to other characteristics of the machine according to the invention, taken alone or in combination: - it includes means for placing the airlock in equal pressure with the environment of the underwater vehicle outside the diver implementation phases and / or when the immersion depth of the underwater vehicle exceeds a predetermined value; - the means of equalizing the pressure of the airlock with the environment of the underwater vehicle include controllable means of opening the second crossing; - the means of equalizing the pressure of the airlock with the environment of the underwater vehicle include a pipe connecting the airlock to the environment of the vehicle, fitted with a controllable valve; - the underwater vehicle comprises at least one weapon launch tube, associated with filling / emptying means for controlling the operation of this tube, and in that the airlock for implementing the diver(s) is connected to these filling / emptying means of this weapon launch tube to pool them and allow the operation of the airlock to be controlled using at least part of these means; - the shared resources include: - at least one filling / draining box, - at least one compensation fund; - means of adjusting the attitude; and - air and water ducts. - the second crossing of the airlock towards the outside of the underwater vehicle is aligned with the first crossing to allow the loading of weapons into the underwater vehicle; - the or each crossing has a coaming associated with a controllable closure panel; - the airlock includes at least one partition shared with at least one other piece of equipment on the underwater vehicle; - the other equipment is formed by the thick hull, a ballast tank and / or a control tank.

[0012] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - [Fig.l] [Fig.l] represents a block diagram illustrating the structure of an underwater vehicle according to the invention; and - [Fig. 2 to 6] Figures 2 to 6 illustrate schematic views representing a cycle of implementation of divers using an underwater vehicle according to the invention.

[0013] These figures, and in particular [Fig. 1], show an underwater vehicle designated by the general reference 1 in these figures.

[0014] This underwater vehicle is, for example, a submarine itself.

[0015] This classically comprises a thick shell designated by the reference general 2, that is, pressure-resistant and in which the crew is.

[0016] The underwater vehicle also comprises, for example, an external hull designated by the general reference 3, around the thick hull, not resistant to immersion pressure and at the front of which are arranged a certain number of functional organs of the submarine.

[0017] These organs are then placed for example in a frame at the front of the submarine, as will be described in more detail later.

[0018] In fact, in the underwater vehicle according to the invention, there is provided an airlock for implementing divers which is designated by the general reference 4 in these figures.

[0019] This airlock is placed outside the thick hull 2, for example at the front of it, in the frame and is connected to this thick hull of the submarine by a first crossing designated by the general reference 5 in these figures.

[0020] This airlock 4 is also connected to the external environment of the underwater vehicle by a second crossing designated by the general reference 6.

[0021] Means are also provided for placing the airlock in equal pressure with the exterior of the underwater vehicle outside the phases of divers' deployment and / or when the immersion depth of the underwater vehicle exceeds a predetermined value, such as for example a depth of 55m known as the safety depth.

[0022] Of course, other values ​​can be considered.

[0023] As previously indicated, other organs or equipment of the submarine may be provided in this front part of the underwater vehicle, such as equipment designated by the references 7 and 8 in these figures.

[0024] These include, for example, organs or equipment chosen from the group comprising compensation boxes, attitude adjustment means, etc.

[0025] The crossings such as crossings 5 ​​and 6, each comprise a coaming respectively 9 and 10, associated with a closing panel respectively 11 and 12.

[0026] These closure panels can be controlled for opening and closing, for example remotely, from inside the thick shell.

[0027] As illustrated, the airlock 4 may also comprise partitions which can be shared, i.e. common or shared with the other organs or equipment 7, 8 of the underwater vehicle, and with the thick hull 2 ​​of the submarine as illustrated.

[0028] As indicated previously, means are also provided for placing the airlock in equal pressure with the environment of the underwater vehicle outside the implementation phases of the diver(s) and / or when the immersion depth of the underwater vehicle exceeds the predetermined value.

[0029] These means comprise, for example, controllable means for opening the second crossing 6, such as, for example, means for opening the panel 12 of this second crossing 6.

[0030] Other embodiments of these means can be envisaged and these means for placing the airlock in equal pressure with the environment of the underwater vehicle can also, for example, comprise a pipe for connecting the airlock to the environment of the vehicle, provided with a controllable valve.

[0031] An example of how this is achieved is illustrated in these figures, the tubing being designated by the general reference 13 and the controlled valve by the general reference 14 in these figures.

[0032] The underwater vehicle is also equipped with at least one weapon launch tube associated with filling / emptying means for controlling the operation of this tube.

[0033] These means are designated by the general reference 15 in these figures, and therefore comprise means making it possible to control the operation of the tube in association with a water filling / draining box designated by the general reference 16 in this figure.

[0034] Depending on the operating requirements of the weapon launcher tube, these means make it possible to transfer water between the tube and the box and vice versa, to fill or empty it.

[0035] Means for compensation and adjustment of attitude can also operate according to this principle.

[0036] Air and water conduits are then used to connect the tube and these boxes.

[0037] In fact, in the machine according to the invention, the filling / emptying means 15 and 16 for controlling the operation of the weapon launch tube are also connected to the airlock 4 for implementing the diver(s), to pool, i.e. share these means and allow the operation of the airlock to be controlled by using at least part of these filling / emptying means.

[0038] As previously indicated, a first crossing 5 is provided between the airlock 4 and the thick hull 2 ​​of the underwater vehicle.

[0039] In the underwater vehicle according to the invention, the first passage 5 between the airlock and the thick hull of the underwater vehicle is formed by a weapon loading passage therein.

[0040] Indeed, weapons such as torpedoes or missiles are loaded into the underwater vehicle, for example through a specific passage in its thick hull.

[0041] In the underwater vehicle according to the invention, this weapon loading passage is used to also allow divers to move between the thick hull and the airlock.

[0042] In the example illustrated, the second crossing 6 between the airlock and the exterior of the underwater vehicle is aligned with the first crossing 5 to allow in particular the loading weapons into the underwater vehicle, particularly weapons of considerable length such as torpedoes or missiles.

[0043] Of course, many other embodiments can still be envisaged.

[0044] In Figures 2 to 6, a cycle of implementation of divers from an underwater vehicle according to the invention is illustrated.

[0045] The start of the cycle is illustrated in [Fig.2] which represents the initial state of the underwater vehicle, in which the airlock 4 is full of water and open to the outside to be in equal pressure with the environment of the submarine.

[0046] As indicated previously, this is obtained for example either by opening the panel 12 of the second crossing 6, or by opening the valve 14 of the tubing 13.

[0047] In this case, the airlock 4 is therefore in equal pressure with the environment of the underwater vehicle and is not subject to the maximum immersion pressure and the underwater vehicle can therefore move completely freely.

[0048] When it is desired to implement divers, the underwater vehicle returns to an immersion for implementing the divers, such as for example an immersion above 55m.

[0049] The airlock 4 is then isolated from the exterior of the underwater vehicle by closing the panel 12 of the second crossing 6 and / or the valve 14 of the tubing 13 as illustrated in [Fig.3].

[0050] The airlock 4 can then be emptied into the box 16 for filling / emptying the weapon launcher tubes using the control means 15 thereof.

[0051] This emptying is done with low pressure air and uses the existing installation dedicated to filling / emptying the tubes.

[0052] Once the airlock has been drained, it is pressurized from inside the thick hull using specific connection means and the panel 11 of the first crossing 5 is opened.

[0053] The diver(s) can then leave the thick hull 2 ​​and enter the airlock 4 via the first crossing 5.

[0054] Then panel 11 of the first crossing is closed, and the airlock is filled again using water from the filling / draining box of the weapon launcher tubes.

[0055] The air from the airlock is then sent either into the thick hull enclosure or outside.

[0056] This is illustrated in [Fig.4].

[0057] In [Fig.5], we see that once the airlock is filled with water, it is sufficient to balance the internal pressure of the airlock with the pressure outside the underwater vehicle, for example by still using the tubing 13 and the valve 14 described previously.

[0058] Once this equal pressure has been obtained, the panel 12 of the second crossing 6 can be opened to allow the divers to exit.

[0059] We find ourselves at the final stage illustrated in [Fig.6], in which the airlock 4 has returned to its initial state, that is to say filled with water and in equal pressure with the external environment of the underwater vehicle.

[0060] The recovery of the divers is carried out by carrying out a cycle reverse to that which has just been described.

[0061] It is therefore understood that such an underwater vehicle presents a certain number of advantages.

[0062] In fact, the airlock shares shared partitions with other equipment on the machine. submarine and its thick hull.

[0063] This airlock also shares shared equipment with other existing installations on board, such as for example installations for filling / emptying weapon launcher tubes, loading weapons, compensation, adjustment, etc.

[0064] This makes it easier to prepare for the deployment of swimmers, while having little or no impact on the weight and stability of the submarine.

[0065] The airlock described above can be integrated into the front frame of an underwater vehicle and can, for example, be modular.

[0066] It is therefore no longer internal equipment with a thick hull resistant to immersion pressure, which was complex to handle, produce and qualify.

[0067] Of course, many other embodiments can still be envisaged.

Claims

Claims

1. Underwater vehicle (1) comprising at least one thick hull (2) resistant to the maximum immersion pressure, characterized in that it further comprises an airlock (4) for implementing a diver, placed outside the thick hull (2), connected to the latter by a first crossing (5) for loading weapons into the underwater vehicle and to the external environment of the underwater vehicle by a second crossing (6) and in that the second crossing (6) of the airlock (4) towards the outside of the underwater vehicle is aligned with the first crossing (5) to allow the loading of weapons into the underwater vehicle.

2. Underwater vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (12; 13, 14) for placing the airlock in equal pressure with the environment of the underwater vehicle outside the diver implementation phases and / or when the immersion depth of the underwater vehicle exceeds a predetermined value.

3. Underwater vehicle (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for equalizing the pressure of the airlock with the environment of the underwater vehicle comprise controllable means for opening the second crossing (6).

4. Underwater vehicle (1) according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the means for equalizing the pressure of the airlock with the environment of the underwater vehicle comprise a pipe (13) for connecting the airlock to the environment of the vehicle, provided with a controllable valve (14).

5. Underwater vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the underwater vehicle comprises at least one weapon launch tube, associated with filling / emptying means (15, 16) for controlling the operation of this tube, and in that the airlock (4) for implementing the diver(s) is connected to these filling / emptying means of this weapon launch tube to pool them and allow the operation of the airlock to be controlled by using at least part of these means.

6. Underwater vehicle (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the shared means comprise: - at least one filling / emptying box, - at least one compensation box; - means of adjusting the trim; and - air and water conduits.

7. Underwater vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each crossing (5, 6) comprises a coaming (9, 10) associated with a controllable closure panel (11, 12).

8. Underwater vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the airlock (4) comprises at least one partition shared with at least one other piece of equipment (2, 7, 8) of the underwater vehicle.

9. Underwater vehicle (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the other equipment is formed by the thick hull, a ballast tank and / or a control tank.

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