Submersible vehicle

Abstract

A submersible vehicle comprising a plurality of rigid submersible vessels 2, 3 , some of which, 2 , include propulsion means and some of which, 3 , do not include propulsion means, the rigid submersible vessels being coupled by resilient couplings which are adapted to transmit pulling and braking forces between adjacent rigid submersible vessels and also to limit the maximum angle between the axis of adjacent submersible vessels to 10.

1 . A submersible vehicle characterized in that it comprises a plurality of rigid submersible vessels coupled by resilient couplings adapted to transmit pulling and braking forces between adjacent rigid submersible vessels  
     
     
         2 . A submersible vehicle as claimed in    claim 1    wherein said coupling is adapted to limit the maximum angle between the axes of adjacent submersible vessels to 10 0 .  
     
     
         3 . A submersible vehicle as claimed in    claim 1    wherein said coupling is adapted to limit the maximum angle between the axes of adjacent submersible vessels to 5 0 .  
     
     
         4 . A submersible vehicle as claimed in    claim 1    wherein said coupling is adapted to limit the maximum angle between the axes of adjacent submersible vessels to 2½ 0 .  
     
     
         5 . A submersible vehicle as claimed in    claim 1    wherein some of the rigid submersible vessels include propulsion means.  
     
     
         6 . A submersible vehicle as claimed in    claim 1    wherein the vessels including propulsion means are each provided with more than four propellers.  
     
     
         7 . A submersible vehicle as claimed of    claim 1    wherein each submarine vessel has a length in the range 80 m to 200 m.  
     
     
         8 . A submersible vehicle as claimed in    claim 7    wherein some of the submarine vessels are 100 m to 150 m in length.  
     
     
         9 . A submersible vehicle as claimed in    claim 1    wherein the resilient coupling comprises a coupling member secured at each end by means of a resilient member to the two adjacent vessels  
     
     
         10 . A submersible vehicle as claimed of    claim 1    wherein the resilient coupling comprises a ball and socket arrangement.