Free fall bottom sampler

Claim 2

A free fall recoverable device for obtaining a picture of the bottom of a body of water comprising, in combination a frame; buoyant means carried by said frame; releasable ballast means carried by said frame; said device, with said ballast means, exhibiting negative buoyancy, whereby said device will sink to the bottom of the body of water when released from the surface; said device, without ballast means, exhibiting positive buoyance, whereby said device will return to the surface of the body of water when the ballast means is released; a sealed housing carried by said frame, said housing having a transparent wall portion, and a wall portion of non-magnetic material; a camera within said housing and positioned to obtain a picture through said transparent wall portion; camera operating means within said housing and including a magnetically responsive actuating element adjacent the inside of said wall portion of non-magnetic material; means outside said housing to operate said actuating element, said means comprising a magnet at the outside of said wall portion of non-magnetic material and positioned adjacent said actuating element; magnet operating means responsive to impact of said re-coverable device with the bottom of the body of water to cause said magnet to operate said actuating element; and means for releasing said ballast means in response to impact of the recoverable device with the bottom of the body of water; whereby, the device returns to the surface of the body of water by virtue of its positive bouyancy after a picture is taken and the ballast means is released.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1 wherein said sealed housing is fixed to said frame, and said camera is fixed in said housing; a flash unit is secured in said housing; and said camera operating means operates said flash unit in synchronism with the camera.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2 wherein said magnetically responsive actuating element is a magnetically operable switch; said camera operating means includes said magnetically operable switch, a solenoid operably associated with said camera and electrically connected to said switch, and electRical energy storing means to operate said solenoid in response to operation of said switch.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 3 wherein said magnet is a permanent magnet; said switch is normally open; and said magnet operating means, in response to impact of said recoverable device with the bottom of the body of water, moves said magnet to a position to close said normally open switch.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 4 wherein said electrical energy storing means is a battery.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 1 wherein said magnet is a permanent magnet; guide means are carried by said frame at a location adjacent said wall portion of non-magnetic material to guide said magnet along a predetermined path; and said magnet operating means, responsive to impact of the device with the bottom of the body of water, moves said magnet along said guide means.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 1 wherein said frame is vertically elongated; said buoyant means carried by said frame includes a hollow sphere adjacent the upper end of the frame; and said releasable ballast means includes a weight adjacent the lower end of the frame.

Claim 9

A free fall recoverable device for obtaining a picture of the bottom of a body of water at substantial underwater depths comprising, in combination a frame; means defining a sealed high pressure resistant housing carried by said frame, said housing having a transparent wall portion; a camera within said housing, said camera having a shutter, and a lens within the housing; means for mounting the camera in the housing to take an underwater photograph through said transparent wall portion; circuit means within said housing to operate the shutter of said camera, said circuit means including switch means within said housing said switch being operable to a first condition in which the circuit means is in an energized condition and the shutter is operated, and a second condition in which the circuit means is in an unenergized condition; switch operating means outside said housing and completely isolated from said circuit means, both electrically and mechanically to operate said switch means to said first position in response to engagement of said recoverable device with the bottom of the body of water; said switch operating means including a switch operating element adjacent the outside of the housing and moveable along a predetermined path in response to engage-ment of the recoverable device with the bottom of the body of water; said switch means including means mounted on the inside of the housing along the path of travel of the switch operating element and responsive to a physical characteristic of the switch operating element so that movement of the switch operating element along its path operates the switch means from one of its conditions to the other; whereby, said recoverable device is particularly characterized by the absence of mechanical and electrical connections from the outside of the housing to the inside of the housing, to operate the shutter of the camera.

Claim 10

A free fall recoverable device for obtaining a picture of the bottom of a body of water at substantial underwater depths comprising, in combination a frame; means defining a sealed high pressure resistant housing carried by said frame, said housing having a transparent wall portion; a camera within said housing, said camera having a shutter, and a lens within the housing; means for mounting the camera in the housing to take an underwater photograph through said transparent wall portion; circuit means within said housing to operate the shutter of said camera, said circuit means including switch means within said housing said switch being operable to a first condition in which the circuit means is in an energized condition and the shutter is operated, and a second condition in which the circuit means is in an unenergized condition; switch operating means outside said housing and completely isolated from said circuit means, both electrically and mechanically to operate said switch means to said first position in response to engagement of said recoverable device with the bottom of the body of water; said switch operating means including a switch operating element adjacent the outside of the housing and moveable along a predetermined path in response to engage-ment of the recoverable device with the bottom of the body of water; said switch means including means mounted on the inside of the housing along the path of travel of the switch operating element and responsive to a physical characteristic of the switch operating element so that movement of the switch operating element along its path operates the switch means from one of its conditions to the other; whereby, said recoverable device is particularly characterized by the absence of mechanical and electrical connections from the outside of the housing to the inside of the housing, to operate the shutter of the camera.

Claim 11

A device according to claim 8 wherein said operating means includes resilient means, and means normally restraining said resilient means and releasable in response to engagement of the device with the bottom of the body of water.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 9 wherein said resilient means includes at least one elastic band.

Claim 13

An underwater camera arrangement for obtaining an undistorted underwater picture and capable of use in deep water at substantial pressures comprising, in combination, a sealed housing having a curved transparent wall and resistant to substantial external pressure; a chamber inside the housing and defined in part by an inside surface of the curved wall, the chamber comprising a flat transparent plate extending across an inside surface of the curved wall, means securing the plate to The inside surface of the curved wall in sealed relation to the wall, and a transparent liquid within the chamber and contacting substantial portions of the surfaces of the curved wall and plate defining the chamber, the liquid having an index of refraction approximately the same as the index of refraction of water; a camera within the enclosure and outside the chamber defined by the flat plate and curved wall; means mounting the camera with its lens axis generally perpendicular to the flat wall to obtain a photograph through the flat wall, transparent liquid, and curved wall; whereby a photograph taken by the camera when the housing is underwater, is essentially undistorted.

Claim 14

An underwater camera arrangement for obtaining an undistorted underwater picture and capable of use in deep water at substantial pressures comprising, in combination, a sealed housing having a curved transparent wall and resistant to substantial external pressure; a chamber inside the housing and defined in part by an inside surface of the curved wall, the chamber comprising a flat transparent plate extending across an inside surface of the curved wall, means securing the plate to The inside surface of the curved wall in sealed relation to the wall, and a transparent liquid within the chamber and contacting substantial portions of the surfaces of the curved wall and plate defining the chamber, the liquid having an index of refraction approximately the same as the index of refraction of water; a camera within the enclosure and outside the chamber defined by the flat plate and curved wall; means mounting the camera with its lens axis generally perpendicular to the flat wall to obtain a photograph through the flat wall, transparent liquid, and curved wall; whereby a photograph taken by the camera when the housing is underwater, is essentially undistorted.

Claim 15

An underwater camera arrangement according to claim 11 wherein a light source is positioned within the enclosure in spaced relation to the camera lens to illuminate the region to be photographed by the camera; light emitted by the light source passes through a region of the plate, transparent liquid, and curved wall which is spaced from the lens axis; and an optically black strut extends between the transparent plate and the curved wall to isolate the portion of the chamber through which light from the source passes from the portion of the chamber through which the lens axis of the camera passes.

Claim 16

A free fall recoverable device for obtaining a picture of the bottom of a body of water comprising, in combination a frame; buoyant means carried by said frame; releasable ballast means carried by said frame; said device, with said ballast means, exhibiting negative buoyancy, whereby said device will return to the surface of the body of water after release of the ballast means; a sealed housing carried by said frame, said housing having a transparent wall portion, and a wall portion of non-magnetic material; a camera within said housing and positioned to obtain a picture through said transparent wall portion; camera operating means within said housing and including a magnetically responsive actuating element adjacent the inside of said wall portion of non-magnetic material; means outside said housing to operate said actuating element, said means comprising a permanent magnet at the outside of said wall portion of non-magnetic material and positioned adjacent said actuating element, and guide means carried by the frame at a location adjacent the non-magnetic material wall portion to guide the magnet along a predetermined path; magnet operating means responsive to impact of said recoverable device with the bottom of the body of water to move said magnet along the guide means to operate said actuating element, said magnet operating means including resilient means urging the magnet operating means toward a position in which said magnet is operated, and latch means responsive to impact with the bottom of the body of water to release said operating means.

Claim 17

A free fall recoverable device for obtaining a picture of the bottom of a body of water comprising, in combination a frame; buoyant means carried by said frame; releasable ballast means carried by said frame; said device, with said ballast means, exhibiting negative buoyancy, whereby said device will return to the surface of the body of water after release of the ballast means; a sealed housing carried by said frame, said housing having a transparent wall portion, and a wall portion of non-magnetic material; a camera within said housing and positioned to obtain a picture through said transparent wall portion; camera operating means within said housing and including a magnetically responsive actuating element adjacent the inside of said wall portion of non-magnetic material; means outside said housing to operate said actuating element, said means comprising a permanent magnet at the outside of said wall portion of non-magnetic material and positioned adjacent said actuating element, and guide means carried by the frame at a location adjacent the non-magnetic material wall portion to guide the magnet along a predetermined path; magnet operating means responsive to impact of said recoverable device with the bottom of the body of water to move said magnet along the guide means to operate said actuating element, said magnet operating means including resilient means urging the magnet operating means toward a position in which said magnet is operated, and latch means responsive to impact with the bottom of the body of water to release said operating means.

Claim 18

A free fall recoverable device according to claim 1 wherein said means for releasing the ballast means and said magnet operating means include a common latch responsive to impact of the free fall device with the bottom of the body of water to actuate both said means.

Claim 19

An underwater camera arrangement for obtaining an undistorted underwater picture and capable of use in deep water at substantial pressures comprising, in combination, a sealed housing having a curved transparent wall and resistant to substantial external pressure; a chamber inside the housing and defined in part by an inside surface of the curved wall, the chamber comprising a flat transparent plate extending across an inside surface of the curved wall, means securing the plate to the inside surface of the curved wall in sealed relation to the wall, and a transparent liquid within the chamber and contacting substantial portions of the surfaces of the curved wall and plate defining the chamber, the liquid having an index of refractiOn approximating the index of refraction of the curved portion of the transparent wall; a camera within the enclosure and outside the chamber defined by the flat plate and curved wall; means mounting the camera with its lens axis generally perpendicular to the flat wall to obtain a photograph through the flat wall, transparent liquid, and curved wall; a second chamber is defined in part by an outside surface of the curved wall of the housing, the second chamber comprising a second flat transparent plate extending across an outside surface of the curved wall in parallel opposed relation to the first mentioned flat plate, means securing the second plate to the outside of the curved wall to define the second sealed chamber, and a transparent liquid within the second chamber and completely filling the second chamber, the transparent liquid having an index of refraction approximating the index of refraction of the material of the curved transparent wall; whereby a photograph taken by the camera, when the housing is underwater, is essentially undistorted.

Claim 20

An underwater camera arrangement for obtaining an undistorted underwater picture and capable of use in deep water at substantial pressures comprising, in combination, a sealed housing having a curved transparent wall and resistant to substantial external pressure; a chamber inside the housing and defined in part by an inside surface of the curved wall, the chamber comprising a flat transparent plate extending across an inside surface of the curved wall, means securing the plate to the inside surface of the curved wall in sealed relation to the wall, and a transparent liquid within the chamber and contacting substantial portions of the surfaces of the curved wall and plate defining the chamber, the liquid having an index of refractiOn approximating the index of refraction of the curved portion of the transparent wall; a camera within the enclosure and outside the chamber defined by the flat plate and curved wall; means mounting the camera with its lens axis generally perpendicular to the flat wall to obtain a photograph through the flat wall, transparent liquid, and curved wall; a second chamber is defined in part by an outside surface of the curved wall of the housing, the second chamber comprising a second flat transparent plate extending across an outside surface of the curved wall in parallel opposed relation to the first mentioned flat plate, means securing the second plate to the outside of the curved wall to define the second sealed chamber, and a transparent liquid within the second chamber and completely filling the second chamber, the transparent liquid having an index of refraction approximating the index of refraction of the material of the curved transparent wall; whereby a photograph taken by the camera, when the housing is underwater, is essentially undistorted.