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RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Floating Sub Trailer Options



Hi  Glen,  Now you've done it. You've got a very sharp can opener. Another can of worms I see here. I was thinking along those lines for the larger 35 foot floating pontoon trailer I was thinking about using to hold up my tow vehicle on the water, and tow the sub with, so I don't have to leave any thing behind, and perhaps leave the water from another location. Once the tow vehicle is lifted up between the pontoons/amas, I would need to drive the whole works into the water, and later also out of the water. This arrangement would also include retractable and steerable front tires.
 
Since which ever end of the floating trailer that is put into the water first, will start to float soon after entering the water, the remaining end will need to have the powered wheels near that end of the trailer, to come in and out, as well as keep the trailer from scraping the ground.
 
Some time back I was working thru some ideas for a submarine SUV and needed a way to deal with the compressible and overly buoyant air in your standard pneumatic tires.  Then I came across a new type of free flooding wheel, called the Tweel, by Michelin Tire Company. But as far as I know they are not available as of yet.
 
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tweel
 
 
http://www.michelin.com/corporate/actualites/en/actu_affich.jsp?id=17448&lang=EN&codeRubrique=4&actu=true
 
 
http://images.google.com/images?q=tweel&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7DKUS_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=fIZBSsuHC4Pu-AbSqeDACA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title
 
Then I took a look at the company called Setco, that a gentleman by the name of Buck Hill owns in Idabel, Kansas. As some of you might know, Buck Hill helped Karl Stanley build his last sub.  Setco makes really tough mostly solid rubber tires for heavy equipment. Some of the tires they produce have some great traction. These I consider to be a possible option for fully submersible to depth submarine wheels, that could be installed on a sub in many different configurations. Then you can just drive your sub off it's trailer, and into the water. Among other things.
 
http://www.setcosolidtire.com/
 
Even better for traction would be to use a rubber track system like you see on small track hoes, and some Bobcat earth mover units.
 
http://www.bobcat.com/loaders/models
 
http://www.mississippisuperads.com/Farm_Equipment_Classifieds/C511A482545P1/kubota_diesel_trackhoe.aspx
 
http://titantracks.com/?gclid=CLC229XKoZsCFUYA4wodxlO-Cg
 
 
 
I had not thought about water filled wheels. Why not rum or the like?   arrg ;}  I'll have to ponder that one for a bit.
 
As far as oil filled hubs go, the first ones I've seen were on the fifth wheel trailer, that is being used to haul the S101. Here's some pictures of that trailer.
 
http://cid-5085d10eb6afe47c.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Fifth%20Wheel%20Trailer%20for%20the%20S101/DSCN7388.JPG


Regards,
Szybowski



 
From: glenbrown@vodamail.co.za
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Floating Sub Trailer Options
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:19 +0300

Hi Brent
Why not electrically or hydraulically driven with optional freewheeling retractable water filled wheels and oil filled hubs fitted directly to sub with some draw bar arrangement....just a thought
Glen SA
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 6:26 AM
Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Floating Sub Trailer Options



Hey Frank and Brian,  My relative that has build a good number of nice trailers, likes to use Torflex rubber torsion suspension axles from Dexter Axles. They have a nice clean look and they are lighter then your standard leaf spring axles with the same load capacity. This also mean you can get away from rusty leaf springs if you wish. There attachment means is simpler as well.

http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/1080235/f/product_flyers/Torflex_11-06.pdf

http://www.dexteraxle.com/products___literature

Dexter also carries a line of axleless wheel assemblies for those that want to be able to lower a sub between the wheels with out the axles getting in the way, and to be able to transport the sub with it having a lower CG when on the trailer. These axleless wheels are much like the larger ones you see on the semi truck trailers that pick up bins of freshly picked fruit, and then transport them to the packing houses.

I've toyed with a few ideas for a floating sub trailer that you could let most of the air out of the pontoons to launch the sub, like some ski boats are launched from a float system that is attached to a dock with a air compressor to refill the float system. But I think I would rather have the floating sub trailer with it's small walk around deck to stay on the surface so the launch crew don't have to get wet if the sub is being launched away from a dock or other support boat.

Here are some pictures of one of Aerocet's models of amphibious floats. The retractable wheels with disc brakes are very nice.  I have been thinking about a larger floating sub trailer with two sets of wheels like this to be able to handle the weight of my tow vehicle, when it's is being floated by the trailer after the sub has been launched. But that's another story all together.  If I was making my own floats then I was thinking of making attachment arms for electric thrusters, that are attached to the retractable wheels assemblies, so that when the wheels where retracted, that the thrusters would come down in there place to save on actuators.

http://cid-5085d10eb6afe47c.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Floating%20Sub%20Trailer%20Options

Regards,
Szybowski




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