Depth gauges

Claim 2

In a depth gauge comprising a rigid cup-shaped casing containing a Bourdon tube, a dial and an indicator to register movements of the Bourdon tube on the dial, the casing being filled with an inert liquid, and a transparent face covering the dial and sealed to the casing, the improvement that the transparent face includes at least a portion of which is movable under external pressure to transmit such pressure to the inert liquid.

Claim 3

The gauge of claim 1, in which the face has an enlarged edge provided with a groove accommodating a sealing ring which bears against a surface of the casing, and a central boss bored to accommodate a plug member that is removable to allow filling of the casing with the liquid, the zone of the face between the enlarged edge and the central boss being flexible.

Claim 4

The gauge of claim 1, in which the whole transparent face is flexible.

Claim 5

The gauge of claim 3, in which the face covers the mouth of the casing and bears on it through a sealing ring, the face being pressed in place by a retaining ring screwed on to a threaded portion of the casing.

Claim 6

The gauge of claim 3, including a removable plug member located in a hole in the casing to allow filling of the casing with the liquid.

Claim 7

A pressure responsive instrument, comprising: a rigid housing defining a chamber, said housing having an opening therein communicating with said chamber, a transparent pressure responsive closure member mounted in said opening for limited movement toward and away from said chamber, a liquid in said chamber and substantially filling the same, means for sealing said closure member in said opening throughout its limited range of movement, to seal said liquid within said chamber, and means disposed in said chamber for indicating pressure of said liquid, whereby pressure exerted upon said closure member is transmitted to said liquid and visibly indicated by said indicating means through said transparent pressure responsive closure member.

Claim 8

A pressure responsive instrument, comprising: a rigid housing defining a chamber, said housing having an opening therein communicating with said chamber, a transparent pressure responsive closure member mounted in said opening for limited movement toward and away from said chamber, a liquid in said chamber and substantially filling the same, means for sealing said closure member in said opening throughout its limited range of movement, to seal said liquid within said chamber, and means disposed in said chamber for indicating pressure of said liquid, whereby pressure exerted upon said closure member is transmitted to said liquid and visibly indicated by said indicating means through said transparent pressure responsive closure member.

Claim 9

A depth gauge, comprising: a housing defining a chamber, said housing having an opening therein communicating with said chamber, a closure member resiliently mounted in said opening in sealing relation to said housing for limited motion toward and away from said chamber in response to pressure exerted upon said closure member, said closure member being transparent, a liquid sealed within said chamber, and indicating means disposed within said chamber for indicating the pressure of said liquid, said indicating means being visible through said closure member.

Claim 10

A depth gauge, comprising: a housing defining a chamber, said housing having an opening therein communicating with said chamber, a closure member resiliently mounted in said opening in sealing relation to said housing for limited motion toward and away from said chamber in response to pressure exerted upon said closure member, said closure member being transparent, a liquid sealed within said chamber, and indicating means disposed within said chamber for indicating the pressure of said liquid, said indicating means being visible through said closure member.

Claim 11

The gauge of claim 7 wherein said indicating means comprises a Bourdon tube mounted in said chamber, a dial disposed between said Bourdon tube and said closure member and having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said chamber, and a pointer operatively connected with the Bourdon tube for movement over said dial.

Claim 12

The gauge of claim 7 wherein said chamber is generally cylindrical and has an axial length less than its diameter, wherein a fixed end member is sealed to said housing at one end of said chamber, and wherein said opening is substantially co-extensive with the other end of said chamber.

Claim 13

A pressure responsive instrument comprising: a rigid housing defining a chamber, said housing having an opening therein communicating with said chamber, a pressure responsive closure member formed of a transparent plate substantially completely filling said opening, said transparent plate being mounted in said opening for limited movement toward and away from said chamber, a liquid in said chamber and substantially filling the same, means for sealing said transparent plate in said opening to seal said liquid within said chamber, said sealing means comprising: a flexible element interposed in sealing relationship between the periphery of said plate and the portion of said housing encompassing said opening, and means disposed in said chamber for indicating pressure of said liquid, whereby pressure exerted upon said transparent plate is transmitted thereby to said liquid and visibly indicated by said indicating means through said transparent plate.

Claim 14

A pressure responsive instrument comprising: a rigid housing defining a chamber, said housing having an opening therein communicating with said chamber, a pressure responsive closure member formed of a transparent plate substantially completely filling said opening, said transparent plate being mounted in said opening for limited movement toward and away from said chamber, a liquid in said chamber and substantially filling the same, means for sealing said transparent plate in said opening to seal said liquid within said chamber, said sealing means comprising: a flexible element interposed in sealing relationship between the periphery of said plate and the portion of said housing encompassing said opening, and means disposed in said chamber for indicating pressure of said liquid, whereby pressure exerted upon said transparent plate is transmitted thereby to said liquid and visibly indicated by said indicating means through said transparent plate.

Claim 15

A depth gauge, comprising: a housing defining a chamber, said housing having an opening therein communicating with and substantially coextensive with one end of said chamber, said housing being generally cylindrical and having an axial length less than its diameter, a fixed end member sealed to said housing at the other end of said chamber, a transparent pressure responsive closure member resiliently mounted in said opening in sealing relation to said housing for a limited motion toward and away from said chamber in response to pressure exerted upon said closure member, a liquid sealed within and filling said chamber and in full contact with said rigid transparent closure member, and indicating means disposed within said chamber and visible through said transparent pressure responsive closure member for indicating pressure of said liquid.

Claim 16

A depth gauge, comprising: a housing defining a chamber, said housing having an opening therein communicating with and substantially coextensive with one end of said chamber, said housing being generally cylindrical and having an axial length less than its diameter, a fixed end member sealed to said housing at the other end of said chamber, a transparent pressure responsive closure member resiliently mounted in said opening in sealing relation to said housing for a limited motion toward and away from said chamber in response to pressure exerted upon said closure member, a liquid sealed within and filling said chamber and in full contact with said rigid transparent closure member, and indicating means disposed within said chamber and visible through said transparent pressure responsive closure member for indicating pressure of said liquid.

Claim 17

An underwater depth gauge comprising: a rigid housing defining a chamber, said housing having an opening therein communicating with said chamber, a transparent pressure responsive closure member mounted in said opening for limited movement toward and away from said chamber, a liquid in said chamber, means for securing and sealing said closure member to and within said opening to seal said liquid within said chamber, to retain said closure member in a predetermined position when it is subjected to substantially atmospheric pressure, and to permit limited movement thereof when it is subjected to the greater pressure of a body of water in which the gauge is submerged, said securing and sealing means comprising means circumscribing the periphery of said closure member and secured throughout its extent in sealing relation both to said closure member and to the opening of said chamber, and means within said chamber and visible through said transparent closure member for indicating pressure of said liquid, whereby pressure exerted upon said closure member is transmitted to said liquid and visibly displayed by said indicating means through said transparent pressure responsive closure member.

Claim 18

An underwater depth gauge comprising: a rigid housing defining a chamber, said housing having an opening therein communicating with said chamber, a transparent pressure responsive closure member mounted in said opening for limited movement toward and away from said chamber, a liquid in said chamber, means for securing and sealing said closure member to and within said opening to seal said liquid within said chamber, to retain said closure member in a predetermined position when it is subjected to substantially atmospheric pressure, and to permit limited movement thereof when it is subjected to the greater pressure of a body of water in which the gauge is submerged, said securing and sealing means comprising means circumscribing the periphery of said closure member and secured throughout its extent in sealing relation both to said closure member and to the opening of said chamber, and means within said chamber and visible through said transparent closure member for indicating pressure of said liquid, whereby pressure exerted upon said closure member is transmitted to said liquid and visibly displayed by said indicating means through said transparent pressure responsive closure member.

Claim 19

A depth gauge for strapping on the wrist of a skin diver, which comprises: a shallow, cup-shaped, substantially rigid housing which is open at the upper end thereof, a dial provided in generally parallel relationship to said open upper end of said housing, an indicator mounted within said housing and movable to different positions relative to said dial, at least part of said indicator being visible through said open upper end of said housing, a Bourdon tube mounted within said housing and operatively connected with said indicator, whereby the pressure sensed by said Bourdon tube will effect a corresponding positioning of said indicator relative to said dial, a substantially incompressible liquid substantially completely filling said housing and immersing said Bourdon tube and said indicator, a member disposed at the open upper end of said housing to confine said liquid therein, the periphery of said member being adjacent said open upper end of said housing, at least parts of said member being transparent whereby to permit the diver to look through said member and see said indicator, and resilient sealing and motion-permitting means provided between the periphery of said member and said open upper end of said housing, said last-named means effecting sealing of said member relative to said housing whereby to prevent either ingress of sea water into said housing or egress of said liquid from said housing, said last-named means permitting a small degree of movement of said member toward the bottom of said housing in response to a descent by the diver into the sea, said small degree of movement effecting an increase in the pressure of said liquid within said housing to thus cause said Bourdon tube to move said indicator relative to said dial.

Claim 20

A depth gauge for strapping on the wrist of a skin diver, which comprises: a shallow, cup-shaped, substantially rigid housing which is open at the upper end thereof, a dial provided in generally parallel relationship to said open upper end of said housing, an indicator mounted within said housing and movable to different positions relative to said dial, at least part of said indicator being visible through said open upper end of said housing, a Bourdon tube mounted within said housing and operatively connected with said indicator, whereby the pressure sensed by said Bourdon tube will effect a corresponding positioning of said indicator relative to said dial, a substantially incompressible liquid substantially completely filling said housing and immersing said Bourdon tube and said indicator, a member disposed at the open upper end of said housing to confine said liquid therein, the periphery of said member being adjacent said open upper end of said housing, at least parts of said member being transparent whereby to permit the diver to look through said member and see said indicator, and resilient sealing and motion-permitting means provided between the periphery of said member and said open upper end of said housing, said last-named means effecting sealing of said member relative to said housing whereby to prevent either ingress of sea water into said housing or egress of said liquid from said housing, said last-named means permitting a small degree of movement of said member toward the bottom of said housing in response to a descent by the diver into the sea, said small degree of movement effecting an increase in the pressure of said liquid within said housing to thus cause said Bourdon tube to move said indicator relative to said dial.

Claim 21

A depth gauge for a skin diver comprising: a rigid housing having a side wall and first and second ends, said housing defining a chamber that extends substantially throughout the entire housing, said housing having an opening therEin extending substantially across one end of said chamber, a fixed end member sealed to said housing at the other end of said chamber, indicator means mounted within said chamber and movable to different positions to provide a visual display of pressure, a Bourdon tube mounted within said chamber and operatively connected with said indicator means, whereby pressure exerted upon said Bourdon tube will effect a corresponding display of said indicator means, a substantially incompressible liquid substantially completely filling said chamber and immersing said Bourdon tube and said indicator means, a pressure responsive closure member positioned in said opening for limited movement toward and away from said chamber, said closure member having its inner face in substantially full contact with said liquid, at least part of one of said members being transparent whereby to permit the diver to look through said one member and see said indicator means, means for mounting said closure member to said housing for said limited motion, and for resiliently securing and sealing said closure member to and within said opening to resiliently retain said closure member in position and to seal said liquid within said chamber, said mounting, securing and sealing means comprising a resilient element continuously interconnected to and between the periphery of said closure member and the surrounding portion of said chamber within said opening, said resilient element being secured throughout its extent in sealing relation to said closure member and to the opening of said chamber, whereby an increase in pressure exerted upon said closure member is transmitted to said liquid over substantially all of said closure member face by limited motion of said closure member toward said chamber, to thereby compress said Bourdon tube and move said indicator means to provide a display of pressure visible through said one transparent member part, and whereby said closure member is returned to an initial position when said increase in pressure is no longer exerted upon said closure member.

Claim 22

A depth gauge for a skin diver comprising: a rigid housing having a side wall and first and second ends, said housing defining a chamber that extends substantially throughout the entire housing, said housing having an opening therEin extending substantially across one end of said chamber, a fixed end member sealed to said housing at the other end of said chamber, indicator means mounted within said chamber and movable to different positions to provide a visual display of pressure, a Bourdon tube mounted within said chamber and operatively connected with said indicator means, whereby pressure exerted upon said Bourdon tube will effect a corresponding display of said indicator means, a substantially incompressible liquid substantially completely filling said chamber and immersing said Bourdon tube and said indicator means, a pressure responsive closure member positioned in said opening for limited movement toward and away from said chamber, said closure member having its inner face in substantially full contact with said liquid, at least part of one of said members being transparent whereby to permit the diver to look through said one member and see said indicator means, means for mounting said closure member to said housing for said limited motion, and for resiliently securing and sealing said closure member to and within said opening to resiliently retain said closure member in position and to seal said liquid within said chamber, said mounting, securing and sealing means comprising a resilient element continuously interconnected to and between the periphery of said closure member and the surrounding portion of said chamber within said opening, said resilient element being secured throughout its extent in sealing relation to said closure member and to the opening of said chamber, whereby an increase in pressure exerted upon said closure member is transmitted to said liquid over substantially all of said closure member face by limited motion of said closure member toward said chamber, to thereby compress said Bourdon tube and move said indicator means to provide a display of pressure visible through said one transparent member part, and whereby said closure member is returned to an initial position when said increase in pressure is no longer exerted upon said closure member.