US2872920A - Diver's breathing regulator with floating diaphragm - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 10, 1959 ROSSET 2,872,920

DIVERS BREATHING REGULATOR WITH FLOATING DIAPHRAGM Filed Oct. 22, 1956 F'ia.Z

A INVENTOR. P1152125 P0555? ,4 TroRA/EY- United States Patent i DIVERS BREATHING REGULATOR WITH FLOATING DIAPHRAGM Pierre Rosset, Fontenay aux Roses (Seine), France, as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to La Spirotechnique, Paris, France, a joint-stock company Application October 22, 1956, Serial No. 617,602

8 Claims. (Cl. 128-142) This invention relates to diving apparatus of the general type wherein the flow of air or other breathable gas from a pressurized source (such as a container carried on the back of a diver) to a mouthpiece held in the divers mouth, is controlled by a regulator that is located at a distance from the divers face and connected to the mouthpiece by an exhalation conduit and an inhalation conduit.

Previous apparatus of this type makes use of a solid regulator diaphragm which must be lifted by inhaling action of the divers lungs in order to open the inhalation valve of the regulator.

The necessity of lifting the weight of the diaphragm interposes an extra strain upon a divers lungs and makes breathing more difficult than normal respiration above water.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a breathing apparatus utilizing a regulator diaphragm which encloses a sealed pocket of air, said air pocket having a predetermined amount of buoyancy which counteracts the weight of the diaphragm when submerged in water and causes the diaphragm to become-for breathing purposes-virtually weightless. Thus the diaphragm permits more nearly normal breathing underwater and conserves a divers energy as well as making the breathing process a pleasant one instead of an ordeal.

Another object of this invention is to provide a breathing apparatus which combines a weightless regulator diaphragm with an exhalation valve which can be located at any selected distance from the diaphragm without adversely affecting its operation, which will open during exhalation without requiring any exhalation effort, and which will be positively closed automatically upon each inhaling portion of the breathing cycle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a breathing apparatus of relatively simplified and cheapened manufacturing construction and cost.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuing specification and appended drawings in which:

Fig. l is a schematic diagram of a breathing apparatus embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the regulator thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, I have shown as an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, a breathing apparatus embodying a fitting (e. g. mouthpiece) for attachment to the divers face, to establish a connection to the lungs; inhalation and exhalation conduits 11 and 12 respectively, connected to a tubular section 13 of the mouthpiece 10; a regulator 14 to which the inhalation conduit 11 is connected; a source of compressed air, such as the tank 15, connected through a supply tube 16 to the regulator 14; an exhalation valve 18 connected to the end of exhalation conduit 12; and an actuator 19 for positively closing the exhalation valve 18.

2,872,920 Patented Feb. 10, 1959 The mouthpiece 10 may be of the type commonly utilized in underwater breathing apparatus, including lugs 20 to be gripped between the divers teeth for holding the mouthpiece in the divers mouth; or may be a face mask. The conduits 11 and 12 are of flexible, lightweight corrugated hose of waterproof material.

Regulator 14 includes a casing 21 which may be of cylindrical drum shape including a flat end wall 22, a peripheral wall 23 and a peripheral flange 24 projecting radially outwardly. A diaphragm 25, which may be fabricated from a sheet of rubber, has a central opening, and a pair of relatively rigid discs (e. g. of metal) 25 and 25" secured in sealed relation (as by bonding) to opposite faces thereof around such central opening, so as to define an air chamber between them in the central area of the diaphragm. Diaphragm 25 is sealed and secured to the flange 24 by a mating flange 26 on the peripheral wall 27 of a cover 28 which is attached to casing 21 by means of bolts or rivets 29 extending through the flanges 24 and 26. Defined between diaphragm 25 and casing 21 is a transfer chamber 30. Joined to peripheral Wall 23 and communicating with chamber 30 is a nipple 31 to which the inhalation conduit 11 is connected. End wall 22 is provided (preferably at the center thereof) with a pressure line fitting 32 defining a valve chamber, a valve seat 33 at the bottom thereof, a cap 34 at the outer end thereof, having an aperture 35, and an inlet port boss 36 having an inlet 37 connected to valve seat 33 by a passage 38. The inlet 37 is closed by a poppet valve 39 which normally engages valve seat 33 under the yielding pressure of a coil spring 40 engaged between the valve 39 and cap 34, under light compression. Poppet valve 39 has a stem 41 extending through passage 38.

Valve casing 32 functions to connect the inlet 37 to the supply tube 16 coming from the pressurized reservoir 15, and when open, admits pressurized breathing gas into the transfer chamber 36 from which it may be drawn through nipple 31 and inhalation hose 11 and mouthpiece 10 into the divers lungs.

Valve 39 is controlled in response to suction (lowered pressure) induced in chamber 30 by the inhaling action of the divers lungs. To this end, the invention utilizes a conventional actuator linkage between the diaphragm 25 and valve stem 41. Merely by way of illustration, said linkage is shown schematically as a compounded lever arrangement including a primary lever 42, having one end pivoted at 73 to the casing 21 and having its other end in engagement with a bearing plate 25 attached to diaphragm 25; and a secondary lever 43 having one end pivoted at 44 to inlet member 36, having an intermediate portion engaging the end of stem 41 and having its opposite end bearing against the lever 42 at a point near the pivot 73, the bearing of lever 43 against stem 41 likewise being relatively near pivot 44 so that a satisfactory compounded leverage multiplication factor is attained. The relationship is selected so as to provide for overcoming the resistance of spring 40 plus the pressure of the gas against the head of poppet valve 39, with only a moderate breathing effort, including the effort necessary to actuate the escape valve closing actuator in accordance with the explanation given hereinafter.

Defined between cover 28 and diaphragm 25 is a chamber 45 which communicates freely with the ambient fluid (e. g. the body of water in which the diver is immersed) through apertures 46 therein. The chamber 45 and cover 28 may serve merely to provide a protected space for movement of diaphragm 25, protecting it from contact with external objects, or may function additionally as a housing for the exhalation valve 18. To anchor the exhalation valve in a fixed position with relation to the balance of the apparatus it is preferred to attach it to the regulator and in this case the preferable arrangement is to enclose and protect it within the cover 28. The lips of the mouth 49 are adapted to come together to close the valve.

When the diver is swimming, be normally faces downwardly which causes the side of diaphragm facing cover 28 to also face downwardly. In previous regulators having a solid diaphragm, the weight of the diaphragm is exerted against the water and not against the levers 42 and 43. Consequently, in inhaling, the diver must overcome the vacuum in the inhalation hose 11 and chamber 30 developed by the weight of the diaphragm pulling it downwardly, and must lift such diaphragm weight before pressure can be applied by the diaphragm to the inhalation valve linkage to furnish air for breathing. The air pocket embodied in the diaphragm of the present invention counteracts its weight because of its buoyancy and is adapted to apply a rasing force on the diaphragm equal to the downward force exerted by its weight. The air pocket, as can be seen, causes the diaphragm to become virtually weightless as far as the diver is concerned when he breathes and permits much more nearly normal breathing than was previously possible with former underwater breathing apparatuses.

Occasionally the diver finds it necessary to turn over on his back thereby turning the regulator over and cansing the side of diaphragm 25 facing the water to face upwardly. With previous regulators employing solid diaphragms, the weight of the diaphragm tended to depress levers 42 and 43 and thereby admit additional air into chamber 30 which produced an annoying overfeeding of air to the divers lungs. The present diaphragm incorporating an air pocket, avoids this excessive feeding of air by providing a predetermined amount of buoyancy to the diaphragm which eliminates the weight pressing down on levers 42 and 43. It can be seen that whether a diver is swimming face downward or upward, this improved diaphragm permits more normal breathing than has been possible heretofore.

Instead of a single air pocket, the diaphragm 25a, as shown in Fig. 3, may have a central section 25b of buoyant material, such as unicellular neoprene foam rubber or unicellular plastic foam, having a large number of small air pockets providing buoyancy. A suitable material is foamed polystyrene plastic material, known commercially as Styrafoam.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, buoyancy is increased by locating the entire volume of the buoyant foamed plastic body 25d below the diaphragm 250 which in this casernay be continuous across its full diameter as shown, and may be bonded to the upper face of body 25d. Thus the full volume of the buoyant body 25d is effective in displacing water from the body of water filling the chamber 45. A disc 48 of hard material may be bonded to the upper face of the diaphragm to provide a bearing surface for engagement [by lever 42.

Another modification of the invention is shown in Fig. 5, wherein a dished circular panel 25) of rigid or stiff material such as hard plastic sheet or sheet metal with a flanged rim, as shown, is bonded and sealed to the under face of the diaphragm 25 to provide a buoyant air chamber disposed entirely below the diaphragm in the central area thereof, to provide maximum displacement.

The invention contemplates an over-all reduction in the dead weight of the diaphragm as compared to the diaphragm units of conventional regulators.

I claim:

1. A regulator for controlling flow of breathable gas from a source of such gas under pressure to a fitting that is attachable to a divers face in communication with his lungs, through an inhalation conduit extending from the regulator to such fitting, and for controlling the escape of expired gas from said fitting into a body of water in which the diver is immersed, through an exhalation conduit extending'from said fitting to said regulator, comprising: a casing having an inlet for receiving the gas to said inhalation conduit; a diaphragm cooperating with said casing to define a transfer chamber in communication with said inlet and outlet, through which the compressed gas is metered from said source to said inhalation conduit in response to suction applied to said chamber by the divers inhalation, said diaphragm having an air space therein for providing the diaphragm with a predetermined measure of buoyancy to approximate normal breathing conditions by rendering said diaphragm virtually weightless when' under water and therefore eliminating. the expenditure of effort in lifting the weight of the diaphragm when breathing; a normally closed metering valve controlling the flow through said inlet; and means for opening said metering valve in response toinhalation-induced inward movement of said diaphragm.

2. A regulator for controlling fiow of breathable gas from a source of such gas under pressure to a fitting that is attachable to a divers face in communication with his lungs, through an inhalation conduit extending from the regulator to such fitting, and for controlling the escape of expired gas from said fitting into a body of water in which the diver is immersed, through an exhalation conduit extending from said fitting to said regulator, comprising: a casing having an inlet for receiving the gas to said inhalation conduit; a diaphragm cooperating with said casing to define a transfer chamber in communication with said inlet and outlet, through which the compressed gas is metered from said source to said inhalation conduit in response to suction applied to said chamber by the divers inhalation, said diaphragm having an air space therein for providing the diaphragm with a predetermined measure of buoyancy to approximate normal breathing conditions by rendering said diaphragm virtually weightless when under water and therefore eliminating the expenditure of effort in lifting the weight of the diaphragm when breathing; a normally closed metering valve controlling the flow through said inlet; means for opening said metering valve in response to inhalation-induced inward movement of said diaphragm; an exhalation escape valve having means connecting it to said exhalation conduit, said escape valve being normally free to release exhaled gas into said body of water; and an actuator operable, in response to said inhalation induced inward movement of the diaphragm, to mechanically actuate said escape valve to a closed position.

3. A regulator for controlling flow of breathable gas from a source of such gas under pressure to a fitting that is attachable to a divers face in communication with his lungs, through an inhalation conduit extending from the regulator to such fitting, and for controlling the escape of expired gas from said fitting into a body of water in which the diver is immersed, through an exhalation conduit extending from said fitting to said regulator, comprising: a casing having an inlet for receiving the gas and an outlet for delivering the gas to said inhalation conduit; a diaphragm cooperating with said casing to define a transfer chamber in communication with said inlet and outlet, through which the compressed gas is metered from said source to said inhalation conduit in response to suction applied to said chamber by the divers inhalation, said diaphragm including a flexible peripheral section of annular form and a pair of central discs attached to the inner margin of said peripheral section, in spaced relation with an air pocket between them providing the diaphragm with a predetermined measure of buoyancy to facilitate normal breathing by rendering said diaphragm virtually weightless when under water and therefore eliminating the expenditure by the diver of effort in lifting the weight of the diaphragm when breathing; a normally closed metering valve controlling the flow through said inlet; means for opening said metering valve in response to inhalation-induced inward movement of said diaphragm; and an exhalation escape valve-having means for connecting it to said exhalation conduit.

4. A regulator for controlling flow of breathable gas from a source of such gas under pressure to a fitting that is attachable to a divers face in communication with his lung, through an inhalation conduit extending from the regulator to such fitting, and for controlling the escape of expired gas from said fitting into a body of water in which the diver is immersed, through an exhalation conduit extending from said fitting to said regulator, comprising: a casing having an inlet for receiving the gas and an outlet for delivering the gas to said inhalation conduit; a diaphragm cooperating with said casing to define a transfer chamber in communication with said inlet and outlet, through which the compressed gas is metered from said source to said inhalation conduit in response to suction applied to said chamber by the divers inhalation, said diaphragm including a flexible peripheral section of annular form and a pair of central discs attached to the inner margin of said peripheral section, in spaced relation with an air pocket between them providing the diaphragm with a predetermined measure of buoyancy to facilitate normal breathing by rendering said diaphragm virtually weightless when under water and therefore eliminating the expenditure by the diver of effort in lifting the weight of the diaphragm when breathing; a normally closed metering valve controlling the flow through said inlet; means for opening said metering valve in response to inhalation-induced inward movement of said diaphragm; an exhalation escape valve having means for connecting it to said exhalation conduit said escape valve being normally free to release exhaled gas into said body of water; and an actuator operable, in response to said inhalation induced inward movement of the diaphragm, to mechanically actuate said escape valve to a closed position.

5. A regulator for controlling flow of breathable gas from a source of such gas under pressure to a fitting that is attachable to a divers face in communication with his lungs, through an inhalation conduit extending from the regulator to such fitting, and for controlling the escape of expired gas from said fitting into a body of water in which the diver is immersed, through an exhalation conduit extending from said fitting to said regulator comprising: a casing having an inlet for receiving gas from said source and an outlet for delivering the gas to said inhalation conduit; a diaphragm cooperating with said casing to define a transfer chamber in communication with said inlet and outlet, through which the compressed gas is metered from said source to said inhalation conduit in response to suction applied to said chamber by the divers inhalation, said diaphragm having a buoyant central section of less weight in air than the weight of the water displaced thereby when submerged, with a prede termined measure of buoyancy to approximate normal breathing conditions by rendering said diaphragm virtually weightless when under water and therefore eliminating the expending by the diver of extra effort in lifting the weight of the diaphragm when breathing; a normally 6 closed metering valve controlling the flow through said inlet; and means for opening said metering valve in response to inhalation-induced inward movement of said diaphragm.

6. A regulator for controlling flow of breathable gas from a source of such gas under pressure to a fitting that is attachable to a divers face in communication with his lungs, through an inhalation conduit extending from the regulator to such fitting, and for controlling the escape of expired gas from said fitting into a body of water in which the diver is immersed, through an exhalation con duit extending from said fitting to said regulator comprising: a casing having an inlet for receiving gas from said source and an outlet for delivering the gas to said inhalation conduit; a diaphragm cooperating with said casing to define a transfer chamber in communication with said inlet and outlet, through which the compressed gas is metered from said source to said inhalation conduit in response to suction applied to said chamber by the divers inhalation, said diaphragm having a buoyant central section of less weight in air than the weight of the water displaced thereby when submerged, with a predetermined measure of buoyancy to approximate normal breathing conditions by rendering said diaphragm virtually weightless when under water and therefore eliminating the expending by the diver of extra effort in lifting the weight of the diaphragm when breathing; a normally closed metering valve controlling the flow through said inlet; means for opening said metering valve in response to inhalation-induced inward movement of said diaphragm; a cover attached to said casing and securing said diaphragm thereto in sealed relation thereto, said cover defining an exhalation chamber and having an opening through which Water will fill said exhalation chamber; a normally open exhalation escape valve supported by said cover within said exhalation chamber; a union extending through the wall of said cover, communicating with said escape valve, and providing for connection of said exhalation conduit thereto; and an actuator attached to the outer side of said diaphragm, moving therewith and operable, in response to said inhalation induced inward movement of the diaphragm, to mechanically actuate said escape valve to a closed condition.

7. A regulator as defined in claim 5 wherein said diaphragm comprises a peripheral section of rubber, and a pair of rigid discs attached and sealed around their edges to the inner margin of said peripheral section and having an air space between them to provide said buoyancy.

S. A regulator as defined in claim 5, wherein said diaphragm has a central section of cellular foamed material embodying a large number of small air pockets to provide said buoyancy.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 1,102,561 France May 11, 1955

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