Submarine cargo trains, with arrangements for the use of obsolete or surplus nuclearsubmarubmarines

摘要

1,067,703. Submarine cargo-trains. A. P. PEDRICK. Jan. 17, 1966, No. 2049/66. Headings B7A, B7M, B7S and B7V. A submarine cargo-train comprises a plurality of pivotally-connected tubular vessels (20), Figs. 7, 9 and 10 (not shown), containing a multiplicity of cylindrical cargo-containers (21), which are adapted to be mounted on railway trucks for transportation on land, the train being attached at one end to a submarine towing- vessel whose engines are operated by energy derived from a nuclear reactor. A pipe-line (22) extends through the train from the towing vessel and is arranged to admit water to a space between the wall of any of the tubular vessels and the containers therein so as to regulate the buoyancy of the train. The towing vessel may comprise a pair of screw-propellers (7, 8), Figs. 2 and 3 (not shown), which are mounted on sponsors (9, 10) at the stern. The propellers are driven through bevel gearing (2, 5, 6), shafts (3SP1/SP, 4SP1/SP) and clutches (3, 4) whereby one or other of the propellers can be rendered idle to facilitate steering of the vessel. Alternatively, the towing vessel comprises reaction-propulsion units (11, 12), Figs. 4 to 6 (not shown), attached to sponsors (13 ... 16) on the side of the hull. A bell-shaped body (23), Fig. 12 (not shown), may be fixed to the towing vessel to reduce the drag caused by the vessels (20). A float (18) carrying a radio aerial (19) may be attached to the towing vessel to permit remote control thereof, e.g. by earth satellites.