[0001] The present invention relates to the area of diving equipment and, more particularly,
to the sector thereof concerned with underwater electric torches. Even more specifically,
the invention relates to that type of underwater electric torch in which the bulb
or bulbs are powered by the electric current produced by an electromagnetic generator
operated by a pneumatic apparatus, both the said generator and pneumatic apparatus
having small dimensions and being housed in the casing of the said torch.
[0002] In the currently known electric torches of the type described above the compressed
air is drawn from a normal underwater diver's cylinder and, after entering into the
torch casing via a pressure regulator and performing expansion inside a pneumatic
apparatus (of the rotating or reciprocating type), is discharged externally at a lower
pressure without being able to be used any more. This means that a diver who intends
using a torch of this type must use part of the air contained in his/her cylinders
in order to operate it, resulting in a shorter duration of the cylinders or the need
to carry an additional cylinder to be used for said operation.
[0003] The inventor of the subject of the present application has overcome the abovementioned
major drawback by devising an underwater electric torch of the type illustrated hitherto
but in which all the components (various unions, pneumatic apparatus, electromagnetic
generator) are designed and have dimensions such that the air drawn from a cylinder,
after performing the said expansion inside the pneumatic apparatus, leaves the torch
casing via an outlet union connected to the diver's mouth-piece and may therefore
be used by the diver for breathing. As a result, the air contained in the cylinders
carried by an underwater diver is not wasted; moreover, in order to avoid any danger
to the health of the said diver, the inventor has envisaged manufacturing all the
components and the parts of the torch which come into contact with the air using material
which is non-toxic for the purposes of respiration.
[0004] The subject of the present invention therefore consists in an underwater electric
torch as described in the accompanying Claim 1. A more detailed description of a preferred
non-limiting example of embodiment of an underwater electric torch according to the
invention will now be provided; in this description reference will also be made to
the accompanying figure which shows a longitudinal section through the torch according
to the invention connected to a compressed air cylinder of the type usually used by
divers.
[0005] As can be seen in the figure, the electric torch 1 according to the invention comprises
a casing 1e housing a bulb 2, an electromagnetic generator 3 and a pneumatic apparatus
7 which operates the latter, being powered by the compressed air which, leaving the
first low-pressure stage of a cylinder 5, reaches the casing 1e via a connecting pipe
4 and a pressure regulator 8 which communicates with the inside of the said casing
1e (arrows A, B).
[0006] All the elements and component parts are designed and have dimensions such that the
abovementioned air, after performing a partial expansion inside the pneumatic apparatus
7 suitable for operation of the electromagnetic generator 3, leaves the casing 1e
(arrow C) via an outlet union 9 and is directed (arrow D) towards the diver's mouth-piece
(this mouth-piece is not shown) at a pressure sufficient to allow him/her to breathe
easily.
[0007] It is obvious that, in order to obtain the abovementioned result, it is necessary
to design the pneumatic apparatus 7 and the electromagnetic generator 3 in such a
way as to be able to generate the current necessary for powering the bulb 2, using
the abovementioned partial expansion of the air from the cylinder 5. In uniform and
constant breathing conditions, the abovementioned circulation of the air is guaranteed
by the fact that, as is known, the already mentioned pressure regulator connected
to the first stage of a cylinder automatically regulates the supply pressure depending
on the depth of immersion, or the pressure of the surrounding water, for which reason
air is automatically supplied at a pressure which, at any depth, operates the generator
in the manner described above and is discharged towards the mouth-piece, after performing
this operation, at a pressure within the range of values suitable for the respiration
of a diver.
[0008] In the case where this respiration is interrupted (for example in order to use another
mouth-piece), the inventor has envisaged mounting on the casing 1e, in the part thereof
containing pressurised air, a pre-calibrated check valve 10 which offers a resistance
to the outflow of the air which also varies with the depth, since the mechanical resistance
thereof produced by a resilient element is supplemented, at any depth, by the thrust
of the external pressure of the water. The air which is not used for breathing is
discharged externally (arrows E), while maintaining, however, inside the torch 1 an
overpressure condition suitable for allowing regular operation of the said torch 1
and its pneumatic and electromagnetic components.
[0009] It may also be advisable to mount a one-way valve (not shown) onto the said outlet
union 9 and fit hermetic seals (also not shown because of their generic nature) which
prevent the air reaching the electromagnetic generator 3 inside which, owing to the
operating temperatures and the type of materials usually used for its manufacture,
harmful gases may be produced, albeit in limited amounts. In order to achieve the
said object, namely that of preventing any danger to the health of the diver using
the underwater electric torch 1 according to the invention, the inventor, as already
mentioned, envisages that all its elements and component parts which come into contact
with the air are made of materials which are completely non-toxic for the the purposes
of respiration.
[0010] The electric torch therefore bases its operation on the conversion of energy (from
pneumatic energy, produced by the pressure of the gas, into mechanical energy and
then into electrical energy) with minimum energy losses during said conversion stages.
For example, a diver uses about 22 litres of air per minute, said quantity of air
being more than sufficient for operating said torch using a 20-Watt bulb and its use
being linked to and in parallel with the air consumption of the diver and therefore
not requiring any other type of external power. The air used by the current generator
is re-utilized in an entirely safe manner by the diver in order to be able to breathe.
1. Underwater electric torch (1) comprising one or more bulbs (2) powered by the electric
current produced by an electromagnetic generator (3) which is incorporated in the
casing (1e) of the electric torch (1) itself and is operated by a pneumatic apparatus
(7) inside which there occurs expansion of the compressed gas contained inside a cylinder
(5), the first supply stage of which is connected thereto by means of one or more
connecting pipes (4), characterized in that the parts are designed and have dimensions such that the air, after performing the
said expansion inside the said pneumatic apparatus (7), leaves the said casing (1e)
via an outlet union (9) at a pressure suitable for allowing it to be used for the
respiration of the underwater diver using the electric torch (1).
2. Electric torch according to Claim 1, in which a part of the casing (1e) containing
pressurised air is fitted with a pre-calibrated check valve (10) which offers a resistance
to the outflow of the air from the said casing (1e) which varies with the variation
in the immersion depth.
3. Underwater electric torch (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which all
its elements and parts which come into contact with the air are made of materials
which are non-toxic for the purposes of respiration.
