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US 4,068,657 AGranted
Constant volume buoyancy compensation system
AssigneeDacor Corporation
InventorJohn Kobzan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A diver's buoyancy compensator employs a constant volume chamber which is controllably pressurized with air from the diver's SCUBA tank, and water is admitted to or emitted from the tank by a manually operated valve.
Claims9
An underwater buoyancy compensation control system for use by a diver having a source of breathing air under pressure, comprising
- a buoyancy tank adapted to be attached to said diver,
- said tank having a constant volume chamber therein sealed from the ambient,
- a first manually operable valve connected to the bottom of said chamber for controlling the flow of ambient water into and out of said chamber,
- first pressure regulator valve means connected between said chamber and the ambient,
- said first pressure regulator valve means being responsive to the pressure differential between said chamber and the ambient for automatically connecting said chamber to the ambient when the chamber pressure exceeds ambient pressure by at least a predetermined amount,
- a hand-held manually controlled unit for enabling the diver to adjust the buoyancy compensation of said system,
- a first flexible conduit connected between said unit and said chamber,
- a second flexible conduit connected between said unit and said source of breathing air,
- a mouthpiece mounted on said unit,
- second pressure regulator valve means mounted in said unit for automatically connecting said first conduit to said second conduit when the ambient pressure exceeds the pressure in said chamber by at least a predetermined amount,
- said second pressure regulator valve means having an inlet connected to said second conduit and an outlet connected to said first conduit,
- manually operable means mounted on said unit for operating said second pressure regulator valve means to connect said first conduit to said second conduit, and
- a second manually operable valve means mounted in said unit for connecting said mouthpiece with said outlet of said second pressure regulator valve means.
10 more elements
An underwater buoyancy compensation system for use by a diver carrying a source of breathing air under pressure, the combination comprising
- an enclosure having a constant volume buoyance chamber therein sealed from the atmosphere,
- means for mounting said enclosure to a diver,
- a hand-held unit,
- valve means mounted in said unit and having an inlet and an outlet,
- said valve means including a valve member movable between a closed position wherein said inlet and outlet are sealably closed from one another and an open position wherein said inlet and said outlet are in mutual communication,
- spring means biasing said valve member into said closed position,
- a first flexible conduit connected between said buoyancy chamber and said outlet,
- a second flexible conduit connected between said source of breathing air and said inlet,
- pressure responsive means mounted in said unit for automatically moving said valve member toward said open position when the ambient pressure exceeds the pressure in said buoyancy chamber by a predetermined amount,
- a mouthpiece mounted on said unit,
- a passageway extending between said mouthpiece and said outlet, and
- manually operable valve means disposed in said passageway for controllably connecting said mouthpiece to said outlet.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.