US 4,904,118 AGranted

Structure for viewing an underwater environment

OwnerHenry J. Thiemann, IIIinventor

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Abstract

A structure for observing a marine environment comprising a housing affixed to a bottom of a body of water, such as an ocean floor, and extending toward and above the surface of the water. A reception area is disposed near the top of the housing and a walkway extends from the reception area to the bottom of the housing. The walkway defines a spiral adjacent to the inner wall of the housing, and a plurality of windows are disposed on the side of the housing between successive levels of the spiral. An aquarium disposed on the bottom of the housing, spaced radially inward from the housing and extending toward the top of the housing defines with the walkway, the side of the housing and the bottom of the housing a substantially enclosed passage extending for a substantial length along the bottom of the housing for simulating the underwater environment. A substantially transparent extension may be disposed on the housing so that a person disposed within the extension is substantially enveloped by the underwater environment.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A structure for observing an underwater environment comprising:

a first housing affixed to a support and having a portion thereof disposed a substantial length below the surface of a body of water;
a housing extension disposed on a side of the housing and extending outwardly therefrom into the underwater environment;
means for receiving a person into the housing extension;
and
viewing means, disposed on the housing extension, for viewing the underwater environment from inside the extension, the viewing means including means for viewing the underwater environment above the extension, the viewing means being disposed beyond an outer perimeter of the housing for providing an unobstructed view to the surface of the body of water, the viewing means comprising:
first and second ribs, each rib extending arcuately upwardly from a point located on the bottom of the body of water spaced apart from the first housing to a point located on the first housing above the bottom of the body of water;
and
a transparent shell connected to each rib and arcuately extending from the first housing to the bottom of the body of water.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/214,695Filed 30 Jun 1988 · continuation in part
Priority: 20 Nov 1986
Granted: 27 Feb 1990
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

E02D 29/00
Independent underground or underwater structures
B63B 35/44
Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for: floating buildings, stores,…
B63B 2035/4426
Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices: stationary floating buildings for human…
Y02A 30/00
Adapting or protecting infrastructure or their operation