Torpedo tube shutter-pressure release
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsMichael R. Ryerson, Paul E. Moody
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Two-way pressure release valves in a shutter reduce the force needed to rotate it from a torpedo tube while the submarine is underway at high speeds. The valves are each mounted in a separate aperture in the shutter and have a pair of biasing springs that hold opposite end surfaces coplanar with outer and inner surfaces of the shutter to prevent generation of objectionable flow-noise while underway. When the shutter is rotated to expose a muzzle door of a torpedo tube, the valves are automatically displaced by pressure differentials created to free pathways for pressure equalization. The water flowing through the valves eliminates the pressure differentials, and consequently, reduces the total amount of force that would otherwise be needed to rotate the shutter.
Claims10
An apparatus for selectively covering an undersea door of a vessel comprising:
- a shutter pivotally mounted at one end of the vessel structure for selectively covering the undersea door, said shutter having at least one lateral aperture with an associated first aperture in communication with said lateral aperture, each said lateral aperture and first aperture combination extending through said shutter;
- and
- a two-way valve disposed in each said lateral aperture, said two-way valve comprising:
- a retaining ring secured in said lateral aperture in said shutter and having a second aperture extending therethrough;
- a central portion having an annular rim portion disposed in said lateral aperture of said shutter, a first end portion at one end of said central portion provided with a first end surface extending in said first aperture in said shutter, and second end portion at the opposite end of said central portion provided with a second end surface extending in said second aperture;
- a first biasing spring in said lateral aperture between said shutter and a first side of said annular rim portion;
- and
- a second biasing spring in said lateral aperture between a second side of said annular rim portion and said retaining ring, said first and second biasing springs holding said first end surface coplanar with a top surface of said shutter and said second end surface coplanar with a bottom surface of said shutter to prevent generation of objectionable levels of flow noise.
An apparatus for selectively covering an undersea door of a vessel comprising:
- a shutter pivotally mounted at one end to said vessel for selectively covering the undersea door, said shutter having at least one aperture therein which extends through said shutter;
- a two-way valve disposed in each said aperture flush against said shutter, said two-way valve allowing communication of fluid from a first side of said shutter to a second side on existence of a pressure differential between said first side and said second side;
- and
- an actuator joined to said shutter and said vessel for pivoting said shutter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.