Integrated diving snorkel and regulator and methods of use

An apparatus that integrates the operation of a snorkel and a diving regulator, comprising:

• a compressed air tank;
• a diving regulator in fluid communication with said compressed air tank;
• a normally closed regulator valve disposed between said compressed air tank and said diving regulator;
• a regulator valve spring that maintains said normally closed regulator valve in said normally closed position;
• and
• said regulator valve spring exerting about four pounds on said normally closed regulator valve;
• an auxiliary regulator valve spring that exerts an additional four pounds on said normally closed regulator valve so that said regulator valve spring and said auxiliary regulator valve spring collectively exert about eight pounds on said normally closed regulator valve;
• whereby compressed air in said compressed air tank cannot escape into the atmosphere through said snorkel because respective pressures exerted by said regulator valve spring and said auxiliary regulator valve spring combine to prevent said regulator valve spring from opening when an unsubmerged snorkel-user inhales.

An apparatus that integrates the operation of a snorkel with a diving regulator, comprising:

• an outer tube having a snorkel aperture, a regulator aperture, and a mouthpiece aperture formed therein;
• said snorkel aperture and said regulator aperture being longitudinally spaced apart and longitudinally aligned with one another;
• said mouthpiece aperture being circumferentially spaced apart from said regulator aperture;
• a lumen of said outer tube being open at a first end and closed at a second end;
• an inner tube having a snorkel aperture, a regulator aperture, and a mouthpiece aperture formed therein;
• said inner tube being rotatably mounted within the lumen of said outer tube;
• a rotatably mounted knob closing a first end of said inner tube;
• an imperforate wall closing a second end of said inner tube;
• said snorkel aperture of said outer tube and said snorkel aperture of said inner tube being in registration with one another when said inner tube is in a first position of rotational adjustment relative to said outer tube;
• said mouthpiece aperture of said outer tube and said mouthpiece aperture of said inner tube being in registration with one another when said inner tube is in a second position of rotational adjustment relative to said outer tube;
• said regulator aperture of said outer tube being closed by an imperforate extent of said inner tube when said inner tube is in said first position of rotational adjustment relative to said outer tube;
• said snorkel aperture of said outer tube being closed by an imperforate extent of said inner tube when said inner tube is in a second position of rotational adjustment relative to said outer tube;
• said mouthpiece aperture of said inner tube and said regulator aperture of said outer tube being in registration with one another when said inner tube is in said second position of rotational adjustment;
• said third aperture of said inner tube and said mouthpiece aperture of said outer tube being in registration with one another when said inner tube is in said second position of rotational adjustment;
• and
• a diving regulator being in open fluid communication with said regulator opening.

An apparatus that integrates the operation of a snorkel with a diving regulator, comprising:

• a compressed air tank;
• a snorkel tube;
• an imperforate cap that closes a distal free end of said snorkel tube;
• said diving regulator including a breathing chamber;
• a proximal end of said snorkel tube being in fluid communication with said breathing chamber;
• said diving regulator including a diaphragm/purge valve chamber in fluid communication with said breathing chamber, said diaphragm/purge valve chamber housing a diaphragm and a purge valve;
• a purge valve actuator for actuating said purge valve;
• a normally closed regulator valve disposed between said breathing chamber and said compressed air tank;
• a diving regulator mouthpiece in fluid communication with said breathing chamber;
• an exhaust valve mounted on said diving regulator in fluid communication with said breathing chamber;
• a slideably mounted snorkel float valve positioned near a distal free end of said snorkel tube;
• at least one air hole formed in said snorkel tube between said imperforate cap and said snorkel float valve;
• said imperforate cap, snorkel float valve, and air holes being above a water surface when a user is swimming on or near said water surface;
• said exhaust valve being biased into a normally closed position so that it opens only when said user is exhaling, said exhaust valve closing at the end of any exhalation;
• said snorkel float valve closing said air holes, sealing said snorkel tube and said breathing chamber from water when said diver submerges;
• exhaled air being exhausted from said breathing chamber through said exhaust valve when said diver is submerged;
• whereby pressure within said breathing chamber is reduced when said user inhales;
• whereby said normally closed regulator valve opens when said user inhales, allowing air to enter said breathing chamber.