US3551032A - Underwater viewer - Google Patents

Description

L. is. QU NN. J

UNDERWATER VIEWER Filed 00%. 22, .1968

TOR. S. DUNN Jr.

IN VEN LESLIE ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,551,032 UNDERWATER VIEWER Leslie S. Dunn, Jr., 717 W. 4th S., Brigham City, Utah 84302 Filed Oct. 22, 1968, Ser. No. 769,693 Int. Cl. G02b /08 US. Cl. 350-301 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An underwater viewer wherein a portable housing sup- BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swimming coaches and instructors have long considered it desirable to be able to observe from beneath the stroke and motions of their pupils. This, of course, helps them evaluate the actions used by the pupils and to more easily correct any faults.

To facilitate such underwater viewing, pools are frequently built such that an underwater window affords observation of the poo-l from an underwater viewing facility and, because of the additional expense involved, other pools are, even yet, frequently built without such facilities.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive apparatus that can be easily used in virtually any swimming pool to view underwater.

Principal features of the invention include an elongate, lightweight housing containing one or more mirrors arranged such that the image of an object positioned forwardly of the lower end of the housing will be reflected so as to be viewable by a user at the upper end thereof. An adjustable support arm has a platform on which the user stands to support the housing on the side of a pool, and a pair of arms provide means by which the housing is turned with respect to the support arm so that a maximum range of vision can be obtained.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings, disclosing what is presently contemplated as being the best mode of the invention.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the viewer of the invention;

FIG. 2, a front elevation view;

FIG. 3, a vertical section, taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, a side elevation view, showing the viewer positioned for use on the edge of a swimming pool which is shown fragmentarily, in section; and

FIG. 5, an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal section, taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4, and showing the spring clip that holds the support arm in its non-use position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings:

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the invention comprises an elongate housing made of a suitable lightweight, non-rusting and non-corrosive, opaque material such as plastic and a support arm shown generally at 11.

Housing 10 includes front and rear faces 12 and 13, respectively, interconnected by side walls 14 and 15. The

Patented Dec. 29, 1970 rear wall 13 and the side walls 14 and 15 extend from a top shoulder 16 downwardly to form the length of the housing and front wall 12 extends from the shoulder 16 to a point above the lowermost ends of the rear and side walls.

A transparent plastic window 17 extends downwardly from the lower end of the front wall to be even with the lowermost ends of the rear and side walls and thus forms a continuation of the front wall.

A mirror 18 is sealingly connected to the lowermost edge of window 17 and to the rear and side walls, and is diagonally positioned within the housing 10' such that the image of objects positioned in front of the window 17 will be reflected upwardly inside the housing to an image inverter, shown generally at 19.

The image inverter comprises a housing 20, that is fixed to and supported by a shoulder 21, spanning the walls of housing 10, and an inverter mirror 22 positioned in the housing 20 such that it receives the image reflected by mirror 18 and reflects it to be viewed by an observer looking through a window 23 of the image inverter.

A handle 24 is fixed to and projects outwardly from each of the side walls 14 and 15 to be grasped by a user of the viewer.

A bracket 25, including vertically spaced mounting ports 26 and 27 that are fixed to the rear wall 13 and a smooth vertical rod 28 that interconnects the mounting posts, provides a mounting means for the support arm 11.

Support arm 11 includes a collar 30 that fits tightly, but slidably around the rod 28, a universal coupling 31, connected to the collar 30, a platform 33 and a rod 34 that interconnects the universal coupling and the platform. A layer of rubber 35, or other suitable non-skid material, is preferably provided on the top surface of the platform 33.

A weight 36 is fixed to theside walls 14 and 15, below mirror 18, and a spring clip 37 is fixed to the upper mounting post 26 so that it will grip the rod 34 and hold the support arm in a folded position whenever it is not in use.

In operation, a user will grasp the handles 24 and will carry the viewer, which is quite light, to the edge of a swimming pool 38 where it is desired to view a swimmer. The lower end of the viewer is placed in the water and the weight 36 acts as ballast to stabilize the viewer. The support arm 11 is released from clip 37 and is pivoted at universal joint 31 until it is resting on the edge of the pool. The user will then stand on the platform 33 and his weight will thus hold the viewer in position. Thereafter the housing is moved up or down, as desired, by sliding rod 28 through collar 30. When the window 17 is positioned at the desired height beneath the surface of the water, the user observes the reflected image of objects positioned in front of window 17 and presented by mirrors 18 and 22 to the window 23. If he desires to change the angle of viewing he merely uses the handles 24 to turn the viewer or to swing the window 17 in or out, with respect to the edge of the swimming pool.

The universal connection 31 is tight enough to prevent undesired movement, but still allows ready manipulation by the user. Similarly, the collar 30 surrounds rod 28 tightly enough to prevent undesired movement of the rod, but the rod can be pushed or pulled through to change the elevation of the window 17. Obviously, if necessary, adjustment means could be used to positively clamp or release the universal connection and collar.

While the viewer has been here disclosed as having an inverter unit with the inverter mirror 22 therein, and this is highly desirable since it inverts and projects the image to be easily viewed by a user, the viewer can be built and/or used without the inverter unit.

When the inverter unit is not used, the top of the housing is left open and a user simply looks down into the housing to see the image reflected by mirror 18. The image will appear reversed, but it is a simple matter to get used to such a presentation.

Although a preferred form of my invention has been herein disclosed, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of example and that variations are possible, without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, which subject matter I regard as my invention.

I claim:

1. An underwater viewer comprising an elongate housing having opaque front side and rear walls;

a transparent window in the front wall at the lower end thereof;

a mirror sealingly connected to the lower portion of the window and extending diagonally upwardly therefrom in the housing to be sealingly connected to the side walls and rear wall such that the image of an object in front of the window is reflected upwardly inside the housing;

a rod extending upwardly along and spaced from the rear of the housing;

a universal coupling slidably but tightly mounted on the rod;

a support arm projecting from the coupling;

handle means projecting from the housing; and

platform means fixed to the free end of the arm and adapted to rest on the edge of a swimming pool and to provide a broad platform on which a user may stand.

2. An underwater viewer as in claim 1, further including a spring catch at the upper end of the rod and arranged to grip the support arm when it is pivoted to be substantially parallel to the housing. 3. An underwater viewer as in claim 1, further including a weight fixed in said housing below the mirror.

4. An underwater viewer as in claim 1, further includan inverter unit at the top of said housing, said inverter unit including an inverter mirror arranged to receive the image reflected upwardly in the housing and to reflect it in the direction of the rear wall of the housing and a window through which the image from the inverter mirror is reflected.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,680,398 6/1954 Kohut 350301 2,968,208 l/l961 Shaw 350-52 3,140,339 7/1964 Nisperly 350-301 3,084,687 4/1963 Kallmeyer 350-301 F DAVID SCHONBERG, Primary Examiner M. J. TOKAR, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 35 05 2

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