Remote control underwater observation vehicle

Claim 2

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle comprising: variable volume means for altering the buoyancy of the submarine vehicle; support means attached to the varying buoyancy means and extending downwardly therefrom; hydraulic motor means attached to said support means for providing a rotary motion; means attached to said hydraulic motor means for propelling the submarine vehicle through a body of water in response to rotary motion furnished by the motor means; instrument means effectively attached to said support means for providing navigational information useful in the remote control of the submarine vehicle; camera means mounted on the support means for viewing an area about the submarine vehicle and the instrument means; and control conduit means attached to the submarine vehicle and connected to the surface for supplying operational fluid under pressure and electrical energy to the variable volume buoyancy means, the motor means, and the camera means.

Claim 3

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle according to claim 1 in which the support means comprises an open framework of tubular members.

Claim 4

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle comprising: means for varying the buoyancy of the submarine vehicle including; two cylindrically chambers telescopically fit together for varying the enclosed volume as the two chambers are moved relative to one another, operator motor means effectively attached to one cylindrical chamber and fixedly attached to the other cylindrical chamber for moving the two chambers with respect to one another, a source of compressed gas mounted on one of the cylindrical chambers to supply gas to said enclosed volume, and valve means connected between the source of compressed gas and the enclosed volume for providing a passage for gas from the source of compressed gas for regulating the gas pressure therein, support means attached to the varying buoyancy means and extending downwardly therefrom; hydraulic motor means attached to said support means for providing rotary motion; means attached to said hydraulic motor means for propelling the submarine vehicle through a body of water in response to the rotary motion furnished by the motor means; instrument means effectively attached to said support means for providing navigational information useful in the remote control of the submarine vehicle; camera Means mounted on the support means for viewing an area about the submarine vehicle and the instrument means; and control conduit means attached to the submarine vehicle and connected to the surface for supplying fluid pressure and electrical energy to the varying buoyancy means, the motor means, and the camera means.

Claim 5

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle comprising: means for varying the buoyancy of the submarine vehicle including; two cylindrically chambers telescopically fit together for varying the enclosed volume as the two chambers are moved relative to one another, operator motor means effectively attached to one cylindrical chamber and fixedly attached to the other cylindrical chamber for moving the two chambers with respect to one another, a source of compressed gas mounted on one of the cylindrical chambers to supply gas to said enclosed volume, and valve means connected between the source of compressed gas and the enclosed volume for providing a passage for gas from the source of compressed gas for regulating the gas pressure therein, support means attached to the varying buoyancy means and extending downwardly therefrom; hydraulic motor means attached to said support means for providing rotary motion; means attached to said hydraulic motor means for propelling the submarine vehicle through a body of water in response to the rotary motion furnished by the motor means; instrument means effectively attached to said support means for providing navigational information useful in the remote control of the submarine vehicle; camera Means mounted on the support means for viewing an area about the submarine vehicle and the instrument means; and control conduit means attached to the submarine vehicle and connected to the surface for supplying fluid pressure and electrical energy to the varying buoyancy means, the motor means, and the camera means.

Claim 6

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle according to claim 3 wherein the varying buoyancy means further includes: seal means annularly disposed about the outer edge of the smaller of the two cylindrical chambers for providing a gas tight seal between the two chambers; and expansible enclosure means attached to the outer surface of the larger diameter cylindrical chamber and extending over the smaller cylindrical chamber to be movable therewith for isolating the sliding surfaces of the two cylindrical chambers and the seal from the ambient sea water.

Claim 7

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle according to claim 3 wherein the operator motor attached to the cylindrical chambers includes a double acting fluid motor.

Claim 8

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle according to claim 5 wherein the varying buoyancy means further includes pressure actuated valve means mounted on one of the cylindrical chambers and communicating between the enclosed volume and the ambient environment for bleeding off excess gas as the submarine vehicle ascends through the water toward the surface.

Claim 9

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle comprising: means for varying the buoyancy of the submarine vehicle; support means attached to the varying buoyancy means and extending downwardly therefrom; hydraulic motor means attached to said support means for providing a rotary motion; means attached to said hydraulic motor means for propelling the submarine vehicle through a body of water in response to the rotary motion furnished by the water means; combination instrument means effectively attached to said support means for providing an indication of heading, inclination from the horizontal, and the number and direction of complete turns that the vehicle has made subsequent to its launch; camera means mounted on the support means for viewing an area about the submarine vehicle and the instrument means; and control conduit means attached to the submarine vehicle and connected to the surface for supplying fluid pressure and electrical energy to the varying buoyancy means, the motor means, and the camera means.

Claim 10

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle comprising: means for varying the buoyancy of the submarine vehicle; support means attached to the varying buoyancy means and extending downwardly therefrom; hydraulic motor means attached to said support means for providing a rotary motion; means attached to said hydraulic motor means for propelling the submarine vehicle through a body of water in response to the rotary motion furnished by the water means; combination instrument means effectively attached to said support means for providing an indication of heading, inclination from the horizontal, and the number and direction of complete turns that the vehicle has made subsequent to its launch; camera means mounted on the support means for viewing an area about the submarine vehicle and the instrument means; and control conduit means attached to the submarine vehicle and connected to the surface for supplying fluid pressure and electrical energy to the varying buoyancy means, the motor means, and the camera means.

Claim 11

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle according to claim 7 wherein the combination instrument includes: transparent container means having a cylindrical top portion and a hemispherical bottom portion, cover means closing the transparent container means and having a threaded shaft depending axially and downwardly therefrom to extend into the transparent container means, a transparent compass card threadably mounted on the threaded shaft, a fluid droplet within the transparent container and resting on the hemispherical bottom portion such that its position thereon is dependent upon the angular orientation of the transparent container; and graduation markings on the hemispherical bottom portion of a transparent container means cooperating with the droplet to indicate the angular orientation.

Claim 12

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle according to claim 8 wherein a combination instrument further includes revolution counter means attached to said cover and cooperatively disposed with respect to said compass card so as to indicate the number of revolutions of the card on the threaded shaft.

Claim 13

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle according to claim 9 wherein the combination instrument further includes a mirror means disposed beneath the transparent container means and positioned with respect thereto so as to permit the viewing of the compass card and fluid droplet from a position alongside the transparent containEr means so as to thereby present a view of the compass card, the revolution counter means and the fluid droplet.

Claim 14

A remotely powered and controlled submarine vehicle according to claim 10 wherein said combination instrument further includes a light source positioned above the transparent cover for illumination of the compass card, revolution counter, and fluid droplet; and lens means cooperatively positioned with respect to the transparent container means so as to provide the aforesaid camera means with a focussed image of the combination instrument.