A COMPLIANT YOKE SYSTEM FOR HATCHES IN MANNED SUBMERSIBLES

摘要

Hatch openings in asymmetric hull sections present unique design challenges. The design is even more challenging when the hatch must open and close at the surface and at depth, such as with a rescue vehicle or lockout submersible. OceanWorks, Southwest Research Institute, and ETA International recently designed and tested a hatch system for the "transfer skirt" opening on the hull of the U.S. Navy Pressurized Rescue Module System (PRMS). The opening is through a reinforcement in the cylindrical section of the hull. To accommodate the asymmetric deflections and requirement to open and close on the surface and at depth, the project team developed the "compliant yoke" concept. The concept differs from previous designs in that the position of the hatch is not controlled by the yoke. Rather, the yoke flexes and allows the hatch to be positioned by guide shoes that bear against the sides of the opening in the hull. This paper details the form and function of the compliant yoke concept and presents the results that were obtained in lab tests under simulated dive conditions, hydrostatic tests of the finished pressure hull, and factory acceptance tests of the completed PRMS.