Re: Hatch Safety?

["Alan D. Secor" <secor@btv.ibm.com>]

Assuming a 1 atm sub, a hatch latch on the outside would do no good 
unless you were on the surface.  If you had to rescue someone trapped
on the bottom, you would either need a sub rescue vehicle with a 
lockout chamber such as the Navy's DSRV or you would need to be able
to flood the interior of the sub to equalize pressure to allow the
hatch to open.  In the latter case, you wouldn't want to flood the
sub if the pilot was incapacitated or he would drown.  If he were not
incapacitated, there's no reason he shouldn't be able to open the
hatch from the inside.

Hope this makes sense.....Al

>I have noticed that many PSUB designs latch the hatch :) from the inside only.  They cannot be opened from the outside.  I assume that this poses a safety risk to the operator, in case of emergency rescue.
>
>One, is there a reasonable PSUB way to latch the hatch such that it can be opened from both sides?
>
>Two, sci fi movies and books often use "explosive bolts" to blow a hatch.  Are explosive bolts available to Joe Friendly Homebuilder?
>
>Three, does it really matter, since there will most likely not be a successful emergency rescue?
>
>I would appreciate all comments, and I FULLY understand that my life is my own responsibility, and that nobody else wants to assume any liability.
>
>Thanks,
>Paul Julius
>Crazy student psubber wannabe
>
>

--
Alan D. Secor
e-mail: secor@btv.ibm.com