US1473337A - Atmospheric compound for divers' use - Google Patents

Description

or breathing Patented Nov. 6, 1923.

CHARLES JOHN COOKE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

ATMOSPHERIC COMPOUND FOR DIVERS USE.

No Drawing.

To all whom it'may concern:

'Be it known that I, CHARLES J. COOKE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, who has applied for his first naturalization papers, and a resident of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Atmospheric Compound for Divers Use, of which the following is a specification.

My inventlon relates to improvements in diving apparatus, and it consists principally in the formulas of the breathing compounds herein described and claimed.

The foremost object of my invention is to provide an improved atmospheric compound uid to be supplied to divers while performing diving operations, the fundamental principle of the compound constituting the admixture of a suitable chemically inert gas with oxygen in predetermined proportion, the use of such compound obviating the dangerous and ofttimes fatal results of the absorption of nitrogen by the blood and tissues of the body as when atmospheric air is supplied to the diver under pressure.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a diluent for oxygen more suitable than nitrogen, such diluent consisting of a suitable inert gas which will not combine chemically with the blood and tissues of the body breathed under pressure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new breathing fluid for divers use, by the use of which diving operations are facilitated in that since the dangers of decompression are largely overcome, the diver can be raised to the surface sooner, it naturally following that since time for decompression need not be so long, the period of work on the bottom can be increased accordingly.

Before describing the improved atmospheric'compound it is desired to first briefly relate the difficulties and dangers ofdeep sea diving according to present methods.

Nitrogen, as is commonly known, comprises about four-fifths of the atmosphere by volume. When used alone, that is to say, out of combination with the proper proportion of oxygen, it is incapable of supporting life.

When breathed under pressure, as in circumstances where it is supplied to a diver under water in admixture with city en as common air a. peculiar and harmful e ect is Application filed August 15, 1919. Serial No. 317,838.-

produced. The nitrogen isabsorbed by the blood and tissues of the body of the diver. sorption of nitrogen by the blood and tissues is fairly great.

Upon ascending from deep water, by which act the pressure is relieved, the blood and tissue are no longer able to retain this dlssolve'd nitrogen in solution and thus there is set up an escape of gas which forms into numbers of small bubbles. These, entering the blood vessels, impair the circulation of the blood and other body functions, thus causing the gravest symptoms to take place which often terminate in death.

According to present methods the diver is decompressed slowly, that is to say, he is slowly pulled to the top so-that the normal equilibrium is gradually reached and the dangers due to the escape of nitrogen as explained above, greatly minimized. This decompression takesan abnormally long time when compared with the short time the diver is enabled to remain at work on the bottom. Obviously it becomes a matter of great importance to provide a breathing fluid which has none of the insipiently dangerous properties of ordinary air. By providing such fluid the diver can remain on the bottom much longer because it now becomes unnecessary to pull him up within a comparatively short time after lowering him, in order to allow ample time for decom pression. With the improved compound allowance for decompression may be greatly curtailed. The breathing compound consists of substantially the same proportions of oxygen and a suitable inert gas, as in ordinary air. Helium is selected as" the foremost of a number of most suitable diluents for lVhile under high pressure the abdepth, to stay down much longer. A second formula for the improved breathing compound shall consist of 1 part oxygen and 4: parts Argon, va thlrd formula consisting of 1 part oxygen and parts hydrogen.

However, the highly explosive properties of hydrogen make it somewhat doubtful whether it would be safe touse this last combination. it is simply desired to state the possibility of using hydrogen because it too is a gas with small action upon the blood and tissues, and is anticipated as being an otherwise suitable diluent for the oxygen.

So far as the practical utilization of this improved breathin compound is concerned, it would of course lie a simple matter to use any one of the formulas in place of air and in connection with the present well known diving equipment which consists generally of a pump, air pipe, helmet, and escape valve.

To do this, however, at once gives rise to the serious disadvantage of the considerable expense of the artificially made air. When working at great depths as proposed above, it becomes necessary to keep the partial pressure of the carbon-dioxide (G0 below a certain low value, and hence enormous volumes of air have to be supplied to the diver.

Therefore it is proposed to provide instruintense mentalities in diving dress for eliminating the CO as soon as formed, or in other words rejuvenating the foul air, thereby making it necessary to supply only sufficient air to satisfy the divers demand for oxygen, his air supply remaining constant regardless of depth. Such instrumentalities can form no part of the present invention but attention is directed to my co-pending application for patent on diving apparatus, filed October 23, 1920, No. 419,149, which fully discloses the apparatus in which the com pound is used.

I claim 2- 1. A respirable composition comprising oxygen gas, and a chemically inert rare gaseous diluent therefor the oxygen being in a proportional amount substantially proper for respiratory purposes.

2. A respirable compound for divers use comprising oxygen and helium as a gaseous diluent, the oxygen being in a proportional amount substantially proper for respiratory purposw.