[PSUBS-MAILIST] Rolling on (was: sub)

["Michael B. Holt" <mholt@richmond.edu>]

Lew Clayman wrote:
> 
> Consider instead a vertical disk, same diameter as above but
> perhaps 2' wide.  Greatly decreases displacement.  Trouble if
> it falls over... external "training wheels" might solve this.

I like this.  The windows could be set into the rim of the 
wheel, and the flanges that grip the bottom would be between
the windows.

Falling over might not be very likely if the center of
gravity were low enough.  In any case, training wheels
would fix that.
 
> Also could use steel "hubs", "edges", still have transparent
> treads & side windows.  Something
> like this (excuse ascii graphics):
>     _ _ _             _ _ _
>   /       \          |     |
>  /         \         |     |
> |    @@@    |        |     |
> |   @@|@@   |       /|     |\
> |    @|@    |      / |     | \
>  \    |    /      /  |     |  \
>   \ _(0)_ /      ()  |_ _ _|  ()
> 
> side view            front/top view

One idea that came to mind was Cousteau's Diving Saucer.  
The patent for it states that the gimmick is that the 
diameter of the disk is equal to 1.414 (the square root 
of 2) times the vertical dimension thickness of the 
pressure hull.  Point is, dish the sides outwards,
put windows all around the perimeter, and have at
it.

Anything to add?



Mike