Snorkel mast for a semi-submersible vehicle
First Claim
1. A snorkel valve closure mechanism comprising a valve seating member mounted at the open end of an inverted U-shaped snorkel head pipe section;
- a butterfly valve pivoted at said open end;
a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted on said snorkel head pipe section above said valve seating member;
a connecting operating link between said bell-crank lever and said butterfly valve;
float means at one end of said bell-crank lever and water impact flap means at the other end of said bell-crank lever whereby said butterfly valve may be pivoted into valve closing engagement with said seating member by the action of water flowing past said valve mechanism or by a float lifting action of water lever relative to said float means.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
There is described a snorkel mast for a submersible vehicle. The mast terminates at the upper end in an inverted U-shaped snorkel head pipe section closed by a butterfly valve. The butterfly valve is operated by a bell-crank lever having a float at one end and a water impact flap at the other. Operation of the bell-crank lever by water level action against the float or by water impact action on the flap if a wave washes over the top of the snorkel mast acts to close the butterfly valve. The mast carries a fairing which comprises a number of fairing elements of airfoil cross-section, vertically spaced on the mast so as to be freely rotatable thereon in water lubricated bearings. The segmented fairings on the snorkel mast maintains hydrodynamic stability during high speed turns.
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Citations
2 Claims
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1. A snorkel valve closure mechanism comprising a valve seating member mounted at the open end of an inverted U-shaped snorkel head pipe section;
- a butterfly valve pivoted at said open end;
a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted on said snorkel head pipe section above said valve seating member;
a connecting operating link between said bell-crank lever and said butterfly valve;
float means at one end of said bell-crank lever and water impact flap means at the other end of said bell-crank lever whereby said butterfly valve may be pivoted into valve closing engagement with said seating member by the action of water flowing past said valve mechanism or by a float lifting action of water lever relative to said float means. - View Dependent Claims (2)
- a butterfly valve pivoted at said open end;
Specification