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.

Description

[0001] I claim the benefits of an earlier U.S. provisional application No. 60 / 464,633BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Currently there are two general types of underwater observation vessels in operation; firstly there are surface vessels with underwater viewing ports, some of the vessels of this type have additional ballast to further lower the viewing ports, and secondly there are tourist submarines capable of fully submerged underwater operation. The surface vessel has the advantage of being able to get to and from the observation sight at a reasonable speed under its own power, the submarine lacks this mobility due to the need for permanent ballast and a limited power supply. The surface vessel is also considerably less expensive to construct, operate and maintain. The surface vessel however can not afford the same viewing experience as the submarine since the passengers are positioned only a small distance below the water surface. In addition to the two types of vessels mentio...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019]FIG. 10 is a front view of the vessel with one outer hull raised out of the water.

Problems solved by technology

The surface vessel however can not afford the same viewing experience as the submarine since the passengers are positioned only a small distance below the water surface.

These vessels share the disadvantage of separating the center of gravity from the center of buoyancy, in the horizontal plane, during their operation thus limiting their stability.

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