Apparatus for taking underwater pictures

Claim 1

An apparatus for taking underwater pictures on making contact with the sea-bed, the apparatus comprising a sealed casing provided with at least one window; camera means and a flash generator housed within the casing; a framework on which the casing is adjustably mounted; means for connecting the framework to a float and means for detachably connecting the framework to ballast; electromagnetic triggering means arranged between the float and the ballast to close an electric circuit when contact is made with the sea-bed; an electromagnetic control device arranged within the sealed casing to actuate the camera means and the flash generator on closing of said electrical circuit; and an electric cable which provides a sealed connection between the electromagnetic triggering means and the electromagnetic control device; wherein said framework is provided with two parallel upright members which are formed with series of aligned holes, and said casing is clamped in a collar secured on the framework by transverse screws which extend through two aligned holes of said series; wherein said framework includes a tubular member through which a cable extends to connect the framework to the float; wherein said sealed casing comprises two windows, one facing the object lens of the camera means and the other facing the flash generator; and wherein each of the said windows has a frustoconical part in mating engagement with a corresponding frustoconical part of said casing, and a toroidal sealing joint is interposed between the two frustoconical parts.

Claim 2

An apparatus for taking underwater pictures on making contact with the sea-bed, the apparatus comprising a sealed casing provided with at least one window; camera means and a flash generator housed within the casing; a framework on which the casing is adjustably mounted; means for connecting the framework to a float and means for detachably connecting the framework to ballast; electromagnetic triggering means arranged between the float and the ballast to close an electric circuit when contact is made with the sea-bed; an electromagnetic control device arranged within the sealed casing to actuate the camera means and the flash generator on closing of said electrical circuit; and an electric cable which provides a sealed connection between the electromagnetic triggering means and the electromagnetic control device; wherein said framework is provided with two parallel upright members which are formed with series of aligned holes, and said casing is clamped in a collar secured on the framework by transverse screws which extend through two aligned holes of said series; wherein said framework includes a tubular member through which a cable extends to connect the framework to the float; wherein said sealed casing comprises two windows, one facing the object lens of the camera means and the other facing the flash generator; and wherein each of the said windows has a frustoconical part in mating engagement with a corresponding frustoconical part of said casing, and a toroidal sealing joint is interposed between the two frustoconical parts.

Claim 3

An apparatus for taking underwater pictures on making contact with the sea-bed, the apparatus comprising a sealed casing provided with at least one window; camera means and a flash generator housed within the casing; a framework on which the cAsing is adjustably mounted; means for connecting the framework to a float and means for detachably connecting the framework to ballast; electromagnetic triggering means arranged between the float and the ballast to close an electric circuit when contact is made with the sea-bed; an electromagnetic control device arranged within the sealed casing to actuate the camera means and the flash generator on closing of said electrical circuit; and an electric cable which provides a sealed connection between the electromagnetic triggering means and the electromagnetic control device; wherein said casing is removably mounted on said framework and said electric cable provides a removable connection between said electromagnetic triggering means and said electromagnetic control device; wherein said electromagnetic triggering means comprise a cylindrical member formed with a blind axial bore; a plunger which is axially movable in said bore; a permanent magnet mounted on the head of the plunger which faces the normally upper end of said bore; means for holding the plunger with the magnet within the bore; means for urging the plunger and the magnet towards the upper end of the bore; a reed switch which is arranged in a recess in said cylindrical member adjacent the closed upper end of said bore and which is connected in series in said electrical circuit; wherein said plunger extends out of said bore as a rod of smaller diameter and an apertured plug is screwed into the bore to hold the plunger and said permanent magnet within the bore; wherein said means for urging said plunger and said permanent magnet upwardly comprise first connecting means on said plunger, second connecting means on said cylindrical member, and at least one elastic member stretched between the first and second connecting means; and wherein said first connecting means comprises a small plate which is formed with lugs and is arranged at right angles to the axis of said plunger and remote from the said permanent magnet, and which is clamped in position between a nut and a check nut, said second connecting means comprises recesses in said cylindrical member, and a pair of elastic members in the form of loops are anchored in said recesses and stretched round the lugs of said small plate.

Claim 4

An apparatus for taking underwater pictures on making contact with the sea-bed, the apparatus comprising a sealed casing provided with at least one window; camera means and a flash generator housed within the casing; a framework on which the cAsing is adjustably mounted; means for connecting the framework to a float and means for detachably connecting the framework to ballast; electromagnetic triggering means arranged between the float and the ballast to close an electric circuit when contact is made with the sea-bed; an electromagnetic control device arranged within the sealed casing to actuate the camera means and the flash generator on closing of said electrical circuit; and an electric cable which provides a sealed connection between the electromagnetic triggering means and the electromagnetic control device; wherein said casing is removably mounted on said framework and said electric cable provides a removable connection between said electromagnetic triggering means and said electromagnetic control device; wherein said electromagnetic triggering means comprise a cylindrical member formed with a blind axial bore; a plunger which is axially movable in said bore; a permanent magnet mounted on the head of the plunger which faces the normally upper end of said bore; means for holding the plunger with the magnet within the bore; means for urging the plunger and the magnet towards the upper end of the bore; a reed switch which is arranged in a recess in said cylindrical member adjacent the closed upper end of said bore and which is connected in series in said electrical circuit; wherein said plunger extends out of said bore as a rod of smaller diameter and an apertured plug is screwed into the bore to hold the plunger and said permanent magnet within the bore; wherein said means for urging said plunger and said permanent magnet upwardly comprise first connecting means on said plunger, second connecting means on said cylindrical member, and at least one elastic member stretched between the first and second connecting means; and wherein said first connecting means comprises a small plate which is formed with lugs and is arranged at right angles to the axis of said plunger and remote from the said permanent magnet, and which is clamped in position between a nut and a check nut, said second connecting means comprises recesses in said cylindrical member, and a pair of elastic members in the form of loops are anchored in said recesses and stretched round the lugs of said small plate.

Claim 5

An apparatus for taking underwater pictures on making contact with the sea-bed, the apparatus comprising a sealed casing provided with at least one window; camera means and a flash generator housed within the casing; a framework on which the casing is adjustably mounted; means for connecting the framework to a float and means for detachably connecting the framework to ballast; electromagnetic triggering means arranged between the float and the ballast to close an electric circuit when contact is made with the sea-bed; an electromagnetic control device arranged within the sealed casing to actuate the camera means and the flash generator on closing of said electrical circuit; and an electric cable which provides a sealed connection between the electromagnetic triggering means and the electromagnetic control device; wherein said small plate has two symmetrical lugs corresponding to two anchoring recesses formed symmetrically in said cylindrical member, and two elastic loops are anchored symmetrically in the recesses and stretched symmetrically around said lugs; wherein said cylindrical member of the electromagnetic triggering means is connected by a fitting member to said framework and said plunger of the triggering means is arranged to be connected to said ballast in a separable manner by means of a cable and an automatic releasing device; wherein said fitting member comprises a stirrup passing round part of said framework, the yoke of the stirrup being formed with an opening through which said cylindrical member extends, and a screw-threaded cap being screwed onto the cylindrical member to abut against said yoke; and wherein said framework includes a tubular member through which a cable extends to connect the framework to the float.

Claim 6

An apparatus for taking underwater pictures on making contact with the sea-bed, the apparatus comprising a sealed casing provided with at least one window; camera means and a flash generator housed within the casing; a framework on which the casing is adjustably mounted; means for connecting the framework to a float and means for detachably connecting the framework to ballast; electromagnetic triggering means arranged between the float and the ballast to close an electric circuit when contact is made with the sea-bed; an electromagnetic control device arranged within the sealed casing to actuate the camera means and the flash generator on closing of said electrical circuit; and an electric cable which provides a sealed connection between the electromagnetic triggering means and the electromagnetic control device; wherein said small plate has two symmetrical lugs corresponding to two anchoring recesses formed symmetrically in said cylindrical member, and two elastic loops are anchored symmetrically in the recesses and stretched symmetrically around said lugs; wherein said cylindrical member of the electromagnetic triggering means is connected by a fitting member to said framework and said plunger of the triggering means is arranged to be connected to said ballast in a separable manner by means of a cable and an automatic releasing device; wherein said fitting member comprises a stirrup passing round part of said framework, the yoke of the stirrup being formed with an opening through which said cylindrical member extends, and a screw-threaded cap being screwed onto the cylindrical member to abut against said yoke; and wherein said framework includes a tubular member through which a cable extends to connect the framework to the float.

Claim 7

An apparatus for taking underwater pictures on making contact with the sea-bed, the apparatus comprising a sealed casing provided with at least one window; camera means and a flash generator housed within the casing; a framework on which the casing is adjustably mounted; means for connecting the framework to a float and means for detachably connecting the framework to ballast; electromagnetic triggering means arranged between the float and the ballast to close an electric circuit when contact is made with the sea-bed; an electromagnetic control device arranged within the sealed casing to actuate the camera means and the flash generator on closing of said electrical circuit; and an electric cable which provides a sealed connection between the electromagnetic triggering means and the electromagnetic control device; wherein said electric cable is connected to said electromagnetic triggering means and to said electromagnetic control device by means of terminals embedded in a semi-rigid resin with the interpositioning of a toroidal sealing joint around said cable; and wherein said electric cable is connected to said electromagnetic control device by means of a sealed connector which comprises a plug formed with an axial recess and screwed into said casing with the interpositioning of a sealing joint, screw-threaded rods electrically connected to said cable and with an interposed lining of polymerisable resin passing through tapped holes in said plug between the plug recess and the inside of the casing, a second toroidal joint around said cable inside the plug recess, a lining or filling of semi-rigid resin in the plug recess, a resilient sleeve around said cable at the outside of the plug recess and substantially in contact with said filling, and a sealing ring screwed into said plug to hold said resilient sleeve in position.

Claim 8

An apparatus for taking underwater pictures on making contact with the sea-bed, the apparatus comprising a sealed casing provided with at least one window; camera means and a flash generator housed within the casing; a framework on which the casing is adjustably mounted; means for connecting the framework to a float and means for detachably connecting the framework to ballast; electromagnetic triggering means arranged between the float and the ballast to close an electric circuit when contact is made with the sea-bed; an electromagnetic control device arranged within the sealed casing to actuate the camera means and the flash generator on closing of said electrical circuit; and an electric cable which provides a sealed connection between the electromagnetic triggering means and the electromagnetic control device; wherein said electric cable is connected to said electromagnetic triggering means and to said electromagnetic control device by means of terminals embedded in a semi-rigid resin with the interpositioning of a toroidal sealing joint around said cable; and wherein said electric cable is connected to said electromagnetic control device by means of a sealed connector which comprises a plug formed with an axial recess and screwed into said casing with the interpositioning of a sealing joint, screw-threaded rods electrically connected to said cable and with an interposed lining of polymerisable resin passing through tapped holes in said plug between the plug recess and the inside of the casing, a second toroidal joint around said cable inside the plug recess, a lining or filling of semi-rigid resin in the plug recess, a resilient sleeve around said cable at the outside of the plug recess and substantially in contact with said filling, and a sealing ring screwed into said plug to hold said resilient sleeve in position.