Claims
- 1. A submersible vehicle system comprising:
- a submersible having a rigid hull structure and a source of propulsion;
- an auxiliary submersible having an inflatable hull structure and central means for receiving a forward portion of said rigid hull submersible, said auxiliary submersible at least partially surrounding said rigid hull structure; and
- the vehicle system being of a daughter vessel type adapted to be transported to its site of operation aboard a mother vessel containing an on-board fluid source, and means for communicating at least one compartment aboard said auxiliary submersible with the fluid source aboard the mother vessel.
- 2. The submersible vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary submersible has a plurality of compartments for holding a fluid.
- 3. The submersible vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary submersible includes at least one fuel storage compartment and at least one ballast compartment.
- 4. The submersible vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary submersible includes a plurality of fuel compartments and a plurality of ballast compartments.
- 5. A submersible vehicle system comprising:
- a submersible having a rigid hull structure and a source of propulsion;
- an auxiliary submersible having an inflatable hull structure and central means for receiving a forward portion of said rigid hull submersible, said auxiliary submersible at least partially surrounding said rigid hull structure;
- said rigid hull submersible having a rigid hull structure comprising a torpedo type of undersea vehicle and said auxiliary submersible comprising an inflatable bladder and the central means comprising a cavity in the exterior inflated shape of the bladder which partially surrounds the rigid hull structure, said bladder serving to store at least one of fuel and ballast; and
- wherein said vehicle system is of a daughter vessel type adapted to be transported to its site of operation aboard a mother vessel and said torpedo and said auxiliary submersible are launched separately from the mother vessel and joined together to form a unitary submersible vehicle while submerged.
- 6. A submersible vehicle system comprising:
- a submersible having a rigid hull structure and a source of propulsion;
- an auxiliary submersible having an inflatable hull structure and central means for receiving a forward portion of said rigid hull submersible, said auxiliary submersible at least partially surrounding said rigid hull structure;
- said rigid hull submersible having a rigid hull structure comprising a torpedo type of undersea vehicle and said auxiliary submersible comprising an inflatable bladder and the central means comprising a cavity in the exterior inflated shape of the bladder which partially surrounds the rigid hull structure, said bladder serving to store at least one of fuel and ballast;
- said vehicle system being of a daughter vessel type adapted to be transported to its site of operation aboard a mother vessel and said torpedo and said auxiliary submersible are launched separately from the mother vessel an joined together to form a unitary submersible vehicle while submerged; and
- wherein said auxiliary submersible is in a deflated condition prior to launch from the mother vessel and becomes inflated after launch by the storage thereon of said at least one of fuel and ballast.
- 7. A submersible vehicle system comprising:
- a submersible having a rigid hull structure and a source of propulsion;
- an auxiliary submersible having in inflatable hull structure and central means for receiving a forward portion of said rigid hull submersible, said auxiliary submersible at least partially surrounding said rigid structure; and
- said central receiving means comprising a sling attached to a lower surface of said auxiliary submersible.
- 8. A method of forming a unitary submersible vehicle composed of a rigid hull structure submersible component and an auxiliary inflatable submersible component which comprises:
- launching a rigid hull submersible and an inflatable submersible in a deflated condition from a mother vessel;
- inflating said inflatable submersible with at least one desired fluid;
- mating said rigid hull submersible to said inflated submersible to form the unitary submersible, said mating step being performed underwater;
- carrying said at least one fluid aboard said mother vessel;
- said launching step comprising launching said rigid hull submersible and said inflatable submersible underwater; and
- said inflating step comprising inflating said inflatable submersible underwater.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The present invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
US Referenced Citations (5)