Hydroscope

Abstract

A device for viewing underwater objects, comprising a buoyant housing, a transparent sleeve extending through the housing and a pair of mirrors are adjustable parallel to one another in the top and bottom portions of the sleeve respectively. The bottom portion of the tube and part of the housing are adapted to be immersed in a body of water such as the sea, a river or lake. A slot is provided in the housing for viewing the underwater image shown on the upper mirror. The housing is formed with a chamber for ballast, such as sand, rocks and the like. The lower mirror may also be provided on its periphery with illuminating lights for better viewing.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to periscopes in general and in particular to a hydroscope or a device which will facilitate vision under water.

Observation of the flora and fauna in sea, rivers or lakes etc., is an important part of aquatic activity. For years necessity and sometimes sheer curiosity has taken men into the marine depths, whether seeking sunken treasure or studying algae and fish morphology. Men's inventiveness discovered helpful apparatus such as the diver's helmet, the diving bell, and, more recently, glass-bottom boats and the snorkel and mask, all very practical and efficient within their limits.

Unfortunately, most of these devices were designed to be used in very deep water where the user is more likely to be exposed to danger; very often surface air pumps or individual compressed air bottles have to be used. Consequently, many persons are discouraged from making use of them, with the result that much of the beauty of the ocean depths remains unseen. As far as the diving helmet is concerned, it is heavy to carry or wear on land, and the cost places it outside the reach of many of those brave enough to use it. The diving bell requires not only enormous funds but also extensive scientific knowledge. The glass-bottom boat is not designed to be used individually and also presupposes the availability of large funds. The snorkel and mask force the observer to maintain an uncomfortable position and to breathe through a tube with the resultant discomfort to his mouth and the necessity to surface frequently.

Because of the aforementioned difficulties, it is frequently necessary for a boat to be taken ashore for hull inspection and, for wharf inspection and upkeep, special skin divers must often be used. In war time, frogmen have to battle the ocean depths in the search for underwater mines and other obstacles. Underwater radar has to be used extensively in many cases. For underwater photography very expensive equipment is needed to keep the cameras dry. It is highly desirable that all these different activities should be carried out from above the water without the use of diving equipment. At a time when psychologists are seeking to divert the attention of children from the use of toy guns, peaceful and more instructive activities are needed. The hydroscope can fill this need in the form of a toy.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a hydroscope which does away with the above mentioned deficiencies and is adapted for observation of underwater areas.

Another object of the invention is to render easier the saving of the lives of drowning persons.

A further object of the invention is to facilitate scientific study of the wealth of aquatic life.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the aesthetic experience of observing the kaleidoscopic effects of the underside of the waves.

In other words, the hydroscope permits observation of any object under water, in ocean, river, lake, swimming pool or any volume of water, without obliging the person to dive under water and without making use of other equipment such as the diving helmet, diving bell, glass-bottom boat or snorkel and mask and their respective disadvantages. Another object of the invention is to put at the disposal of the average person a piece of equipment, modest in price, simple in upkeep and easily transported to the location of use.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved with the hydroscope by providing a lower viewing system, synchronized with an upper viewing system through a transparent medium which flattens the waves.

An observer in or above water should be able, by looking through the hydroscope, to have a view of an underwater area whose dimensions vary with the circumstances: place, position, lighting, construction, etc. Illumination can be provided by any proper illumination system, including floodlights, infrared light, etc., to either increase the viewable area or to provide for use in darkness, murky or dirty liquid or many other composite media. Magnifying devices, such as lenses, mirrors, prisms, etc., to increase facilities of observation, like sharpness of the image, viewing distance, etc., can be mounted on the hydroscope.

The upper viewing system may consist of any object which properly serves the purpose, e.g. mirror, prism, steel, etc. The transparent medium at intermediary level may consist of any material sufficiently transparent to allow the light waves to pass without excessive hindrance, for instance, glass, plastic, etc.

The lower viewing system may be either of the same composition as the top upper one or any material which suits the purpose--mirror, prism, steel, etc.

The housing and frame may be of any material light enough not to sink, such as plastic, paper mache, aluminum, cork, rubber, wood, etc., or any combination of these. (If the skeleton and body are too heavy to float, provision may be made for the hydroscope to float.)

An additional device controls the level of immersion of the hydroscope. This system may provide for the hydroscope to be only partly underwater and may consist of suitable ballast, such as sand, lead, rocks, gas, etc.

If the weight of any one of the constituents or the sum of then (without ballast) would allow the hydroscope to sink under its own weight, the immersion level device would permit the hydroscope to remain at the desired level by the use of gases, cork, plastic, etc., or any combination of these.

The housing and frame may have any shape which will suit the purpose. It may be spherical, ovoid, cubic, prismoid, cylindrical, pyramidal, etc., or any combination of these. Any part of the system may adopt any one of these shapes. Dimensions may vary according to the circumstances such as place of use, position, lighting, construction, usage, purpose, etc. A material of dark color or producing darkness may best suit the purpose, helping to provide sharpness of the images.

The top and bottom viewing systems should be synchronized to provide for a better image. This synchronization may be provided by a possible alteration of the angle of viewing mirrors or prism, etc., with retaining nuts, screws, etc. Moreover, the area covered by the lower viewing system may be variable and permit one to see the undersurface of the water, or, if in the sea, the undulation of the bottom of the waves. This alteration could be possible by any means, one of them being the modification of the angle of the lower mirror in relation with the upper. This would be the same for the top viewing mirror in relation to the bottom.

The hydroscope may be used in any sufficiently large volume of water, such as ocean, river, lakes, swimming pools, etc., to look at flora and fauna or the undulation of the bottom of the waves. It can also be used for wharf or underwater construction maintenance, for fishing, salvage work and for life saving. It may be used directly in the water. It can be mounted on boats, aquaplanes, etc. It may be used by frogmen. It may be used for scientific, military, instructive purposes or as a toy, or any underwater filming and photography may be possible either directly or by mounting suitable equipment on the hydroscope.

These and other important objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing:

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the device,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view thereof, partly in section, and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of the adjusting means for the mirrors of the device.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the device, indicated generally by the numeral 10, comprises an upper housing part 12 provided with a carrying handle 11 and an inclined peripheral wall 13. Housing parts are formed of flexible plastic. Secured to the upper housing part 12, in a manner to be described below, is a lower housing part 14 in which is mounted a tube 16 having a lower substantially semicylindrical portion 38 and an upper cylindrical portion 36. An upper mirror 18 enclosed in a frame 41, to which are secured, on opposite sides, threaded shafts 45 held in place by setscrews 43, is pivotably mounted in a pair of bushings 42 having flanges 44, on either side of the wall, and made watertight by means of rubber or plastic seals 46. These, together with adjusting knob 48, threadedly engaged with the free ends of shafts 45, comprise an adjusting means 22.

The mirror 40 can thus be adjusted to any angle by loosening the knob 48, pivoting the mirror to the desired position and tightening the bushings 44 and seals 46 by means of said knob 48.

A lower mirror 20 is pivotably secured in the substantially semicylindrical lower portion 38 of the tube 16 in the same manner as the upper mirror 40, the adjusting mechanism 22' being similar to the adjusting mechanism 22. Both mirrors can thus be adjusted in parallel relation to one another.

The upper part of tube 36 extends through an opening in the bottom of the lower housing part 14 and is made watertight with said bottom part by means of a gasket 29 and flange 34, appropriately secured by a waterproof adhesive (not shown), so that the bottom of the housing is made watertight. The upper portion of tube 36 is further provided with a snap ring groove 37 and a snap ring 37', by means of which a transparent plastic or glass disc 35 is held in place. The reflection of an image appearing on the lower mirror 20 can thus pass unobstructed to the upper mirror 18.

The upper housing part 12 is formed with a peripheral beaded flange which snaps into the peripheral groove 30, due to the elasticity of the plastic material from which both parts of the housing are formed. A circular gasket 27 is provided between the flange 26 and the edge of the lower housing portion, to form a watertight seal therebetween.

An observation window 24 made of a transparent plastic material is secured by means of a waterproof adhesive 25 in the upper part 12 of the housing. The entire housing is thus made waterproof, so that undulations of the water and consequent tilting of the device will not result in its sinking.

A chamber 50 is formed between the wall of the upper part 36 of the tube and the wall of the lower housing part 32. This chamber is filled to a desired level with sand, pebbles, etc., at the site of observation, thus providing stability to said device. After use, the ballast may be discarded by separating the upper and lower housing parts.

The device may be provided with illuminating means for observation in darkness. For this purpose lamps 51 and 52, shown in dotted lines, may be peripherally secured to the mirror 20 and a self-contained battery power source 53, controlled by a switch 54 connected to said lamps in known manner, provided. Furthermore, the semicylindrical lower portion of the tube 16, may be made of any desired length, as indicated in dotted lines and by the numeral 16'.

The operation of the device is extremely simple. The mirrors are adjusted parallelly to a desired angle, the housing is filled with the ballast, as described above, and the device is floated in the water. Observation is made by viewing the mirror 18 through window 24, as shown in FIG. 2. Holes 39 may be provided to prevent the formation of an air pocket.

It should be understood that various changes in detail construction of the device may be made and that the latter is not limited to the described embodiment, but encompasses various modifications thereof within the scope of said invention.

Claims

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A hydroscope comprising a floatable housing, an upper mirror secured at an angle in said housing, said housing having a transparent bottom portion, a lower mirror, means securing said lower mirror below said bottom portion in parallel relationship with said upper mirror and a window in said housing for viewing an underwater object reflected by said lower mirror upon said upper mirror, said housing consisting of an upper housing part and a lower housing part, both said parts being provided with means for securing them together in watertight manner, means in said upper housing for adjusting the upper mirror at an angle and means for adjusting said lower mirror at an angle relative to said upper mirror, said means securing said lower mirror being a tube having a cylindrical upper portion and a substantially semicylindrical lower portion, said lower mirror being secured to said lower semicylindrical lower portion, said upper cylindrical portion extending into said lower housing part and forming with the wall of said lower housing part a chamber for ballast therebetween, said adjusting means consisting of a pair of shafts secured to opposite ends of each of said mirrors, and watertight bushing means and a knob secured to the free end of each of said shafts.

2. A hydroscope as set forth in claim 1, further provided with a plurality of lamps and reflectors secured about the periphery of said lower mirror, for illuminating a subject under condition of darkness and a power source for said lamps mounted in said housing.

3. A hydroscope as set forth in claim 2, further provided with a carrying handle secured to said upper housing portion.