Surface vessel with submersible passenger compartment

Abstract

A surface vessel capable of lowering a sealed passenger hull into the water and moving the passenger hull through the water for the purpose of conducting an underwater tour. The vessel is equipped with the means to lower and raise the passenger hull vertically such that the center of buoyancy of the vessel and the center of gravity of the vessel remain aligned relative to the force of gravity. The passenger hull is supplied with fresh air from the surface and expels spent air back to the surface thereby maintaining normal atmospheric pressure within the passenger hull. The vessel contains ballast tanks capable of taking on seawater, when the passenger hull is in a raised position. The water ballast being used to offset the buoyancy of the passenger hull as well as increasing the stability of the vessel, when the passenger hull is in its lowered position. Before resuming normal surface operation seawater is discharged from the ballast tanks, utilizing the buoyancy of the passenger hull, while the passenger hull is still below the water surface and not yet in the fully raised position.

1 . A surface vessel with propulsion means and power means comprising: 
 (a) two hulls horizontally and vertically divided forming sealed air chambers in their upper sections and water ballast tanks in their lower sections, said water ballast tanks having water valves located in their bottoms and air vents located at their tops and;    (b) a ridged framework connecting said hulls together and;    (c) a lowering and raising means located between the said hulls and connected to the ridged framework and;    (d) an enclosed passenger compartment, in communication with the atmosphere, connected to the lowering and raising means and;    (e) a pilothouse connected to the ridged framework.    
   
   
       2 . The vessel of  claim 1  where the enclosed passenger compartment has greater buoyancy when submerged than the total displacement of the vessel when the water valves are in their open position.  
   
   
       3 . The vessel of  claim 1  where the water valves can be independently controlled such that the water ballast tanks fill and drain in a uniform manner.  
   
   
       4 . The vessel of  claim 1  where the enclosed passenger compartment can be raised to a position above being coplanar with the outer two hulls such that the water ballast tanks will fill when the water valves are opened.  
   
   
       5 . The vessel of  claim 1  where the enclosed passenger compartment can be positioned below the surface of the water such that the buoyancy of said enclosed passenger compartment will cause the water ballast tanks to drain when the water valves are opened.  
   
   
       6 . The vessel of  claim 1  where the enclosed passenger compartment can be submerged to a depth equal to or greater than the beam of the vessel.  
   
   
       7 . The vessel of  claim 1  where the vessel can operate as a normal surface vessel when the enclosed passenger compartment is fully raised and the water ballast tanks are empty.  
   
   
       8 . The vessel of  claim 1  where the vessel can be operated and propelled with equal ease in either direction.  
   
   
       9 . The vessel of  claim 1  where the lowering and raising means consists of two vertically mounted hydraulic rams the cylinders of said hydraulic rams being connected to the framework and the piston rods of said hydraulic rams protruding below the framework and connecting to the enclosed passenger compartment.  
   
   
       10 . The vessel of  claim 9  where the vertically mounted hydraulic rams are pivotally connected to the framework and the piston rods of said hydraulic rams are connected to the enclosed passenger compartment using a hinge type connections with two or more compensating hydraulic cylinders per said hydraulic rams connected at their one end to the said hydraulic rams at a point above the pivotal mount with hinge type connections and at their other ends to the ridged framework with hinge type connections said compensating hydraulic cylinders being connected at an angle and having control means such that they can exert force on the said hydraulic rams such that the said hydraulic rams maintain a vertical alignment relative to the force of gravity.  
   
   
       11 . The vessel of  claim 10  where the said hydraulic rams are hydraulically connected with pumping means and control means such that hydraulic fluid can be transferred back and forth between the said hydraulic rams.