Marine signal device

An orientation sensitive battery power supply for automatic activation of an electric powered device, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a) at least one battery having coaxial positive and return electrical contact terminals at opposing ends of said battery;
• b) a loosely fitting enclosure for said battery power supply having an axial length in excess of the aggregate length of said battery;
• c) a first coaxially located current conducting contact terminal in a first end of said enclosure for receiving the first coaxial output terminal of said battery upon downward movement of said battery power supply;
• d) a coaxially located current conducting coiled spring at the second end of said enclosure for continuous forced contact with the second output terminal of said battery at any spatial orientation;
• e) means for the compression of the length of said coiled spring by the aggregate mass of said battery power supply for withdrawal of said first battery output terminal from said first coaxial contact terminal for extinction of current flow in external circuits when in an inverted nonoperating orientation;
• and
• f) means for closing said first battery output terminal upon said first coaxial contact terminal or activation of current flow in said external circuits responsive to the combined forces of said coiled spring and of gravity acting upon said power supply when in a floating erected operating orientation.

An elongated marine signaling device for deposit in a body of water to float vertically upright for signaling a location by emission of omni-directional light from a lamp held by said floating device above the prevailing water line, which comprises:

• a) an elongated tubular housing having a length to the maximum transverse cross-section dimensional ratio of at least ten to one, comprising:
• a first compartment within the exposed end of said tubular housing when floating in water;
• a second compartment within the submerged end of said tubular housing when floating in water;
• and
• an interior bulkhead for separating said first and second butler compartments;
• b) an extending clear transparent lens for closing and sealing the uppermost end of said tubular housing when floating in water;
• c) an incandescent lamp fixture for emitting said omni-directional light through said lens;
• d) a reciprocally removable cap for closing and sealing the submerged end of said tubular housing when floating in water;
• e) an insertable and removable power supply contained within said second compartment, which comprises:
• at least one dry cell battery, coaxially and loosely positioned within said second compartment, said battery comprising coaxial positive and return electrical terminals on opposing ends of said battery;
• the aggregate length of said battery and of multiple batteries in series arrangement is less than the length of the longitudinal axis of said second compartment;
• a coiled current conducting spring interposed and compressed coaxially between an output terminal of said series of batteries and said interior housing bulkhead for continuous connection to the circuit of said lamp;
• a conductive interior cap surface for contact with the return terminal of said series of batteries;
• a conductor of current extending from said interior cap surface to said lamp circuit;
• f) automatic means for activating current flow from said power supply to said lamp responsive to physical forces of said compressed spring and of gravity in moving said series of batteries to engage said return terminal of said power supply with said conductive cap surface when said signaling device floats vertically uprignt in water;
• and
• g) automatic means for extinguishing said current flow from said power supply to said lamp responsive to gravitational force upon the mass of said series of batteries in further compressing the length of said coiled conductive spring for separating said power supply return terminal from said conductive cap surface when said signaling device is inverted and stowed with said power supply above said lamp fixture.

An elongated marine signaling device for deposit in a body of water to float vertically upright for signaling a location by emission of omni-directional light from a lamp held by said floating device above the prevailing water line, which comprises:

• a) an elongated tubular housing having a length to transverse cross-sectional dimensional ratio of at least ten to one, comprising:
• a first compartment within a first end of said tubular housing that is exposed when floating in water;
• a second compartment within a second end of said tubular housing that is submerged when floating in water;
• and
• an interior bulkhead for separating said first and second tubular compartment;
• b) an extending clear transparent lens for closing and sealing said first compartment against entry of water;
• c) a reciprocally removable cap for closing and sealing said second compartment against entry of water;
• d) a Xenon flashtube lamp fixture for emitting pulses of said omni-directional light through said extending transparent lens;
• e) a buoyant and shock absorbing filler interposed between said Xenon flashtube fixture and the inner walls of said tubular housing for support of said flashtube fixture, for absorption of impact shocks and vibration, and for sustained buoyancy should water leak into said first compartment;
• f) an insertable and removable power supply contained in said second housing compartment which comprises:
• a non-conductive magazine clip for loosely holding a dry cell battery, said clip comprising:
• a sector in the range of 200 to 240 degrees of a cylindrical casing of resilient material having a longitudinal length exceeding the aggregate length of said multiplicity of batteries arranged in series combination;
• a ring stop appendage of said magazine clip projecting orthogonally from a first end of said cylindrical casing sector with the aperture of said ring stop concentric about the longitudinal axis of said casing sector;
• and
• an electrical contact appendage of said magazine clip projecting orthogonally from a second end of said cylindrical casing sector comprising a fixed coaxial electrical contact and terminal junction;
• said dry cell battery with positive terminal directed toward said fixed coaxial magazine contact and terminal junction;
• g) an electrically conductive coiled spring extending along the axis of said tubular housing from said interior bulkhead to project through said aperture of said magazine ring stop for continuous contact under compression with the return negative terminal of the adjacent battery of said power supply when assembled in said signaling device;
• h) means for connecting said coiled spring and said magazine electrical contact and terminal junction to said Xenon lamp fixture;
• i) means for automatic activation of current flow from said power supply to said Xenon lamp fixture responsive to complementary forces of said coiled spring and gravity acting to move said battery for contact with said magazine electrical contact when said signaling device floats and erects vertically in said body of water;
• and
• j) means for automatic extinction of current flow from said power supply to said Xenon lamp fixture responsive to said gravitational force upon the mass of said multiplicity of batteries in further compressing the length of said coiled spring and separating said positive battery terminal from said magazine contact terminal when said signaling device is inverted and stowed aboard ship with said power supply above said Xenon lamp fixture.

An elongated marine signal device including a lamp or lamp assembly, battery and tubular housing, designed to float in water and identify its location wherein the improvement comprises:

• a) a Xenon lamp;
• b) flexible cellular foam supporting said lamp interposed between said lamp and the interior wall of the tubular housing;
• c) an adhesive mechanically securing said lamp or lamp assembly to said cellular foam to prevent shifting of said lamp relative to said cellular foam;
• d) a driving circuit for said lamp;
• and
• e) a filler of flexible, low density cellular foam interposed between said circuit and the interior wall of the tubular housing for the isolation of said circuit from impact shock.

An elongated marine signal device including a lamp or lamp assembly, battery, and tubular housing, designed to float in water and identify its location wherein the improvement comprises:

• a) an incandescent lamp;
• b) flexible cellular foam supporting said lamp interposed between said lamp and the interior wall of the tubular housing;
• c) an adhesive mechanically securing said lamp or lamp assembly to said cellular foam to prevent shifting of said lamp relative to said cellular foam;
• d) a driving circuit for said lamp;
• and
• e) a filler of flexible, low density cellular foam interposed between said circuit and the interior wall of the tubular housing for the isolation of said circuit from impact shock.

An elongated marine signal device designed to float erect in a body of water to identify its location wherein the improvement comprises:

• a) means to emit electromagnetic energy;
• b) a battery power supply;
• c) an automatic switch responsive to erection of said device in said water for said power supply;
• d) said switch comprising a movable solid weight, said weight positioned to be acted upon by gravitational forces to effect activation of said switch;
• and
• e) a conducting spring in the electrical circuit of said lamp for exerting a force firstly upon said weight to alter the activation time of said switch by supplementing said gravitational forces during the initial deployment of said signal device;
• secondly, upon said weight to reduce the electrical resistance of said switch throughout the period of deployment in said body of water;
• and thirdly, upon said weight in opposition to said gravitational forces to reduce impact shocks when said signal device is stowed in an inverted orientation aboard ships.

An elongated marine device for deposit in a body of water to float vertically upright for signaling a location by emission of electromagnetic energy, comprising:

• a) en elongated tubular housing comprising;
• a first compartment within the first end of said tubular housing that is exposed above the surface when floating in said water;
• a second compartment within the second end of said tubular housing that is submerged below said surface when floating in said water;
• an interior bulkhead at an intermediate location within said tubular housing for separating said first and second tubular compartments;
• and
• b) a circuit and an emitter of electromagnetic energy within said first compartment;
• c) an insertable and removable power supply contained within said second compartment for energising said circuit and emitter which comprises:
• at least one dry cell battery, coaxially and loosely positioned within said second compartment, said battery comprising coaxial positive and return electrical terminals on opposing ends of said battery;
• the aggregate length of said battery end of multiple batteries in series arrangement is less than the length of the longitudinal axis of said second compartment
• wherein said difference in lengths is for a longitudinal shifting of said batteries within said second compartment, to effect a change in the center of gravity of said signal device;
• and
• a coiled spring interposed coaxially between an output terminal of said series of batteries and said interior bulkhead, said spring positioned to compress and exert a physical force upon said battery in opposition to gravitational forces whenever said gravitational forces cause movement of said battery towards said bulkhead.