Diver heater system

Claim 2

A heater system for warming the body of a diver while underwater comprising a supply of air under pressure; air intake control means for controlling the intake of air from said air supply; a fuel storage canister; a fuel supply in said storage canister; fuel regulator means for controlling the intake of fuel from said fuel supply for use in the diver heater system; water intake means for permitting the controlled introduction of water into the diver heater sytem; pumping means for converting the high-pressure air from the air supply into reduced-pressure air for operating said air intake control means, for controlling said fuel regulator means, and for circulating water, said reduced-pressure air and said fuel; a combustion chamber; air-fuel conduit means for admixing said reduced-pressure air and said fuel, and for passing the resultant air-fuel mixture into said combustion chamber; spark-generating means for igniting said resultant air-fuel mixture in said combustion chamber; heat-exchanger means for permitting the water circulated therethrough by said pumping means to absorb the heat generated in said combustion chamber by the combustion of said air-fuel mixture; and water conduit means for passing the resultant heated water from said heat-exchanger means.

Claim 3

The diver heater system according to claim 1 including a diver underwater suit having means for the passage of water therethrough in conduction proximity to said diver's skin, said suit having means for connection to said water conduit means.

Claim 4

The diver heater system according to claim 1, which further comprises: air flow control means for adjusting the volume of said reduced-pressure air before said reduced-pressure air enters said air-fuel conduit means; and fuel flow control means for adjusting the volume of said fuel before said fuel enters said air-fuel conduit means.

Claim 5

The diver heater system according to claim 3, further comprising means for exhausting the products of said combustion from said combustion chamber to the ambient.

Claim 6

The diver heater system according to claim 4, which further comprises: a preheating section housing, wherein said air intake control means, said fuel regulator means, said water intake means, said pneumatic pumping means, and said air-fuel conduit means are contained, said preheating section housing being detachably connected to said fuel storage canister; and a combustion-heater-exchanger section housing, wherein said combustion chamber, said spark-generating means, said heat-exchanger means and said means for exhausting the products of said combustion are contained, said combustion-heat-exchanger section housing being detachably connected to said preheating section housing.

Claim 7

The diver heater system according to claim 5, wherein said pumping means is an air-regulating positive displacement piston pump which comprises: said preheater section housing having a water-entrance passage leading into a water chamber, an air-entrance passage leading into an air chamber, and an intermediate air passage leading from said air chamber to both said fuel regulator means and said air flow control means; a piston, so positioned that the air-contacting end of said piston faces into and is adapted to move axially within said air chamber, while the opposite water-contacting end of said piston faces into and is adapted to move axially within said water chamber; and a resilient biasing element, mounted so that it exerts its biasing foce against said water-contacting end of said piston; whereby, when high-pressure air from the scuba air supply tank is introduced into said air chamber through said air-entrance passage, said piston is moved against both said resilient biasing element and the water in said water chamber, in a water-pumping direction, the high-pressure air being converted to said reduced-pressure air, whereupon said resilient biasing element moves said piston in the opposite air-pumping direction, forcing said reduced-pressure air from said air chamber, through said intermediate air passage and into both said fuel regulator means and said air flow control means.

Claim 8

The diver heater according to claim 6, wherein said air intake control means comprises: a valve seat situated within said air-entrance passage; a valve ball, adapted to rest on said valve seat and thereby close said air-entrance passage; and a valve-opening pin, mounted so that when said piston is moving in its air-pumping direction, said valve-opening pin displaces said valve ball from said valve seat, thus permitting high-pressure air to enter said air chamber, whereas when said piston is moving in its water-pumping direction, said valve-opening pin releases said valve ball, which returns to said valve seat, thus shutting off the high-pressure air supply.

Claim 9

The diver heater according to claim 7, wherein said valve-opening pin is resiliently mounted on said air-contacting end of said piston.

Claim 10

The diver heater according to claim 7, wherein said valve ball and said valve seat are carried in said air-contacting end of said piston, and said valve-opening pin is mounted in the wall of said air chamber which opposes said air-contacting end of said piston.

Claim 11

The diver heater system according to claim 1, further comprising combustion-catalytic material contained within said combustion chamber.