METHOD OF RAISING SUBMARINES Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: rescue facilities; restoration of sunken objects, mainly submarines. SUBSTANCE: proposed method employs two systems of inflatable pontoons: pontoon for breaking-off ground and pontoon for raising sunken submarine. Auxiliary ships are provided with four helm-control winches and four guide winches. Ropes of winches are passed through pulleys of respective anchors and ropes of helm-control winches are secured on hull of sunken submarine and ropes of guide winches are secured on manned descent vehicle kept in surface position. In the course of rescue operations, all ropes are secured in turn by means of descent vehicle. First pontoons for raising the ship are inflated with air and then pontoons for breaking-off ground. Moment of breaking-off ground is checked by appearance of pontoons of breaking-off system on water surface and by change of tension of ropes of helm-control winches. At surfacing, list and trim of ship are checked by control of length of ropes of helm-control winches. EFFECT: possibility of raising sunken submarines from any depth; avoidance of excessive buoyant force arising at breaking-off moment. 2 dwg