NAVY CAPABILITIES 27 



The major work of positioning and rigging objects on the continental 

 shelves for return to the surface will be performed by divers. By 1972, the 

 Navy envisions diver teams working at depths of 850 ft, equipped with 

 tools and devices appropriate for undersea salvage work, possibly includ- 

 ing manned submersibles. The diving system has three major components: 



• A Deck Decompression Chamber (DDC), for saturated diving and 

 decompression to normal surface pressure. 



• A Personnel Transfer Capsule (PTC), for transferring divers between 

 the DDC and the submerged work area. 



• A control console, to monitor and control the living conditions in 

 the deck decompression chamber and the personnel transfer capsule, 

 and also to provide communications between personnel in the diving 

 operation. 



Deck Decompression Chamber 



The chamber is designed to house four men under pressure equivalent 

 to continental shelf depths for periods of up to 14 days under saturated 

 diving conditions, plus such decompression time as may be required from 

 these pressures. 



The saturated diving technique allows the body to absorb its maximum 

 amount of inert gas, subsequent to which the bottom time can be ex- 

 tended without any significant increase in decompression time, whereas a 

 nonsaturated dive is of shorter duration and shorter decompression time. 

 Equipped with an inner and outer lock and separated eating, sleeping, and 

 sanitary facilities, the chamber is approximately 24 ft long and eight feet 

 in diameter. A medical lock is provided for passing equipment, food, and 

 other small items either into or out of the DDC. An access hatch is pro- 

 vided in the top of the DDC for mating with the personnel transfer chamber 

 or a specially configured underwater submersible. 



Personnel Transfer Capsule 



The capsule transfers diving personnel from the deck decompression 

 chamber to the underwater working area and supports them during their 

 working period. The capsule is being designed to withstand both external 

 and internal pressures equivalent to continental shelf depths. 



