Claims
- 1. A controlled ascent valve for underwater buoyancy apparatus which apparatus includes an expansible gas pocket, said controlled ascent valve being for venting gas from said expansible gas pocket, wherein said controlled ascent valve comprises:
- means defining a supply path for pressurised gas;
- means for monitoring the velocity of ascent of said underwater buoyancy apparatus, responsive to said ascent velocity to provide a control signal when said monitored velocity exceeds a predetermined value;
- a pneumatically operated venting valve means comprising means defining a venting inlet for gas to the venting valve means from the expansible gas pocket, means defining a venting outlet from the venting valve means for gas from the expansible gas pocket, means defining a fluid communication path from said venting inlet to said venting outlet, a normally closed interrupt valve in said fluid communication path, means defining an inlet to said venting valve means from said pressurised gas supply path, and means responsive to increase in gas pressure in said supply path at said inlet to open said interrupt valve, whereby to vent gas from said expansible gas pocket to thereby reduce the buoyancy of said expansible gas pocket, and
- a normally closed check valve in said gas supply path adapted to open in response to said control signal, thereby to produce an increase in gas pressure at said venting valve inlet from the gas supply path to open said interrupt valve and thus to produce venting of gas from the expansible gas pocket.
- 2. A controlled ascent valve as defined in claim 1 wherein:
- said monitoring means comprises a velocity member which in the ascent attitude of the device extends laterally of the direction of ascent and is supported for movement downwardly, said velocity member being exposed at its upper face to the ambient fluid whereby sufficiently rapid movement of the device in the ascent direction urges the velocity member downwardly.
- 3. A controlled ascent valve as defined in claim 2 wherein:
- said velocity member comprises flexible diaphragm supported at edge portions thereof such that sufficiently rapid movement in the ascent direction distorts said diaphragm from an at rest position by concavely deforming the upper face of said diaphragm.
- 4. A controlled ascent valve as defined in claim 3 wherein:
- said diaphragm is connected to a rigid actuating member which operates said check valve to release gas pressure to operate said venting valve means.
- 5. A controlled ascent valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said check valve is a normally closed two-way poppet valve.
- 6. A controlled ascent valve as claimed in claim 5 wherein two-way poppet valve is located in a gas supply line and actuation of said poppet valve causes gas flow through said gas-supply line to operate said venting valve means.
- 7. A controlled ascent valve as defined in claim 1 wherein:
- said check valve comprises a pneumatically operated actuator means and said monitoring means comprises a exhaust valve, a gas exhaust line being connected to the pneumatic actuator said exhaust valve being capable of venting gas from the gas exhaust line, said pneumatic actuator operating to open said check valve upon venting of said exhaust line.
- 8. A controlled ascent valve as claimed in claim 7 wheren said exhaust valve is a poppet valve.
- 9. A controlled ascent valve as defined in claim 7 wherein said pneumatic actuator comprises a pressure chamber connected to said exhaust line and containing a piston moveable in said chamber and connected to operate the check valve, said piston being biassed to a position in which said check valve is open and being urged against said bias to a position in which said check valve is closed by pressure in said chamber such that said control signal opens said gas exhaust line to exhaust gas from said pressure chamber and relieve said pressure therein, thereby opening said check valve to operate said venting valve means.
- 10. A controlled ascent valve as defined in claim 2 further comprising:
- restricting mean adapted to contact said diaphragm, to prevent deflecting of said diaphragm when said controlled ascent valve is tilted from its normal orientation when ascending.
- 11. A controlled ascent valve as defined in claim 10 wherein:
- said restricting means takes the form of a movable ball.
- 12. A controlled ascent valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the monitoring means comprises means for providing a mechanical control signal when the ascent velocity exceeds said predetermined value, and said check valve is operable by said mechanical signal and comprises an inlet for connection to a source of pressurized gas, a chamber communicating with said inlet and containing a pneumatically displaceable valve membermoveable between a closed position and an open position, said pressurised supply path for said venting valve means exiting from said chamber, said chamber defining a flow path for gas from said inlet to said gas supply path which is shut off when the valve member is in the closed position and open for gas flow from said inlet when the valve member is in the open position, avalved outlet for said chamber remote from the said inlet and normally closed by a mechanically operated valve, said mechanically operted valve being operable to open by said mechanical signal, gas bleed means providing restricted gas communication from said inlet to the valved outlet, and biassing means biassing the valve member to the closed position, whereby upon opening of thee mechanically operated valve in response to said mechanical signal the valve member is displaced to the open position by gas pressure from said inlet to communicate said inlet and said gas supply path, whereby to operate said venting valve means.
- 13. A controlled ascent valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interrupt valve of the venting valve means has a seating and a coacting valve member urged against said seatinng by loading, said valve member being movable against the loading away from a normal closed position of the valve by opening means accessible at the exterior of the valve.
- 14. A controlled ascent valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein said opening means is a pull-cord connected to the valve member.
- 15. A controlled ascent valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interrupt valve of the venting valve means has a seating and a coacting valve member urged against said seating by loading, and the venting valve means includes an expansible chamber connected to said inlet from said pressurised gas supply path, said chamber being bounded by a movable wall member connected to said valve member to open the interrupt valve means upon increase of pressure in the chamber moving said wall member.
- 16. A controlled ascent valve as claimed in claim 15 wherein the movable wall member is a piston movable in a cylinder.
- 17. A controlled ascent valve as claimed in claim 16 wherein the movable wall member is a flexible diaphragm.
- 18. Underwater buoyancy apparatus comprising an expansible gas pocket and a controlled ascent valve for venting gas from said expansible gas pocket wherein said controlled ascent valve comprises:
- means defining a supply path for pressurised gas;
- means for monitoring the velocity of ascent of said underwater buoyancy apparatus, responsive to said ascent velocity to provide a control signal when said monitored velocity exceeds a predetermined value;
- a pneumatically operated venting valve means comprising means defining a venting inlet for gas to the venting valve means from the expansible gas pocket, means defining a venting outlet from the venting valve means for gas from the expansible gas pocket, means defining a fluid communication path from said venting inlet to said venting outlet, a normally closed interrupt valve in said fluid communication path, means defining an inlet to said venting valve means from said pressurised gas supply path, and means responsive to increase in gas pressure in said supply path at said inlet to open said interrupt valve, whereby to vent gas from said expansible gas pocket to thereby reduce the buoyancy of said expansible gas pocket, and
- a normally closed check valve in said gas supply path adapted to open in response to said control signal, thereby to produce an increase in gas pressure at said venting valve inlet from the gas supply path to open said interrupt valve and thus to produce venting of gas from the expansible gas pocket.
- 19. Underwater buoyancy apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the expansible gas pocket is normally open to the ambient water.
- 20. Underwater buoyancy apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the expansible gas pocket is closed to the ambient water.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
8117124 |
Jun 1981 |
GBX |
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Parent Case Info
This application is a Continuation In Part of copending application Ser. No. 384,917 filed June 4, 1982, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
384917 |
Jun 1982 |
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