Surface or underwater dive vehicle

An electric motor for powering a submersible vehicle under water, a housing for said motor having a wall and resilient seals for resisting the passage through said wall into the interior of said housing and motor of water surrounding the motor and housing, a liquid substantially filling all voids in said motor and housing including the electrical windings, said wall having an opening and a resilient member in sealing engagement with said housing opening and in fluid communication with both the interior and exterior of said housing, whereby the pressure on the interior and exterior of said housing will be equalized.

In a submersible under water vehicle having at least one housing with a wall separating the interior of said housing from ambient water surrounding said housing and one or more voids on the interior of said housing, the improvement comprising, a liquid substantially filling all said housing voids, an opening in said housing wall and a resilient member in sealing engagement with and completely covering said housing opening and the interior of said resilient member being in fluid communication only with said liquid on the interior and the exterior of said resilient member being in fluid communication only with the ambient water on the exterior of said housing, whereby the pressure on the interior and exterior of said housing will be equalized.

In a submersible underwater vehicle having at least one housing with a wall separating the interior of said housing from ambient water surrounding said housing and one or more voids on the interior of said housing, the improvement comprising, a liquid substantially filling all said housing voids, an opening in said housing wall, and a resilient tube in sealing engagement with said housing opening the interior of said tube being in fluid communicate only with the interior of said housing, whereby the pressures on the interior and the exterior of said tube being in fluid communication only with the exterior of said housing exterior of said housing will be equalized.

In a submersible underwater vehicle having at least one housing with a wall separating the interior of said housing from ambient water surrounding said housing, and one or more voids on the interior of said housing, the improvement comprising, a liquid substantially filling all said housing voids, an opening in said housing wall, and a resilient diaphragm in sealingly engagement with said housing opening, the interior of said diaphragm being in fluid communication only with the interior of said housing and the exterior of said diaphragm being in fluid communication only wit the exterior of said housing, whereby the pressure on the interior and exterior of said housing will be equalized.

In a submersible under water vehicle having at least one housing with a wall separating the interior of said housing from ambient water surrounding said housing and one or more voids on the interior of said housing a motor within said housing and having a power shaft extending through said housing and at least one resilient seal surrounding said shaft at the point it passes through said housing wall for resisting the passage through said wall into the interior of said housing of the ambient water surrounding said housing, the improvement comprising, a liquid substantially filling said housing void, an opening in said housing wall and a resilient member in sealing engagement with said housing opening and in fluid communication with both the interior and exterior of said housing, whereby as the ambient water pressure changes said resilient member will flex and the pressure on the interior and exterior of said housing will be equalized at all depths.