Underwater vehicle

An aquatic vehicle having body means for enclosing functional components, propulsion means for thrusting said body means through a mass of water, electric motor means for driving said propulsion means, storage battery means for energizing said motor means and switching means for controlling energy flow from said battery means to said motor means, said body means including an elongated, substantially cylindrical tube wall having a fore end and an aft end, a plurality of directional stabilizing fin means secured to said tube wall at said fore and aft ends, respectively, and radiating therefrom and handle bar means secured to said tube wall between said fore and aft end fin means for providing a user a hand gripping appliance, said aft fin means including a substantially circular shroud of greater circumference than said body tube cylinder surrounding said propulsion means and secured to said aft fin means.

An aquatic vehicle having elongated body means, propulsion means for thrusting said body means through a body of water, electric motor means for driving said propulsion means, storage battery means for energizing said motor means and switching means for controlling energy flow from said battery means to said motor means, said battery means having a plurality of fluid tight cells including therewithin an immobilized, thixotropic electrolyte, said electrolyte having a network of paths therein to channel gas generated from said electrolyte by a first polar battery plate to a second polar battery plate.

An aquatic vehicle having body means with a plurality of partitioned compartments, propulsion means for thrusting said body means through a body of water, electric motor means for driving said propulsion means, storage battery means for energizing said motor means and switching means for controlling energy flow from said battery means to said motor means, said battery means having a plurality of fluid tightly sealed, lead/acid cells having a thixotropically immobilized gelatinous electrolyte.

An aquatic vehicle having body means for enclosing functional components, propulsion means for thrusting said body means through a mass of water, electric motor means for driving said propulsion means, storage battery means for energizing said motor means and switching means for controlling energy flow from said battery means to said motor means, said body means including an elongated, substantially cylindrical tube wall having an aft end surrounding said motor means and an annular flow space between said motor means and said tube wall, aperture means through said tube wall aft end to pass a flow of water therethrough into cooling contact with motor housing means and into said propulsion means, said tube wall aperture means being positioned between aft fin means projecting radially from said tube wall aft end, and, propeller shrouding duct means secured to said aft fin means to structurally rigidify said aft fin means and collimate induction flow outside of said tube wall into said propulsion means.

An aquatic vehicle having an elongated body propelled by an electric motor driven propulsion means, said electric motor being energized by a wet cell storage battery, a control circuit for regulating energy flow from said battery to said motor, said control circuit including a manual switch circuit for selective motor operation and liquid sensor means for disabling said manual switch circuit when said vehicle is not buoyantly supported.