Mounting of machinery within a vessel
First Claim
1. A vessel comprising a hull containing a structure carrying machinery and an electromagnetic levitation means which is arranged to support the structure from the hull by electromagnetic forces between flux gaps that extend generally normal to a direction of potential hull distortion.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vessel comprises a cylindrical hull (10) containing a structure (11) carrying machinery (M) supported from the hull (10) by electromagnetic levitation means (12-17) that maintain electromagnetic forces between flux gaps (24) which are arranged to extend radially of the adjacent hull (10) curvature and longitudinally of the hull (10). In this manner, the transmission of noise from the machinery (M) to the hull (10) is obviated so as to reduce the detectable acoustic signal emitted by the vessel and furthermore, radial expansion or contraction of the hull (10) is prevented from mechanical transmission to the structure (11) via the levitation means (12-17).
-
Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A vessel comprising a hull containing a structure carrying machinery and an electromagnetic levitation means which is arranged to support the structure from the hull by electromagnetic forces between flux gaps that extend generally normal to a direction of potential hull distortion.
- 16. A method of manufacturing a submarine, comprising building the hull in at least two portions which are shaped and dimensioned to be joined end-to-end along respective surfaces arranged generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the hull, mounting machinery on a structure positioned outside the hull portions, inserting the structure with its mounted machinery longitudinally into an open end of one hull portion, and arranging an electromagnetic levitation means between the one hull portion and the structure with associated flux gaps extending longitudinally of the hull and generally radially of the adjacent curvature of the one hull portion, and joining the hull portions end-to-end after the insertion of the structure into the one hull portion.
Specification