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Here is one of several interesting patent I have come across. I have no affilitation with the inventor or any company. Whether this is science fiction or not I don't know. You do not need to provide a working model to the US Pat office to get a patent, but the idea must be feasable and the patent must describe completely the means for a competent technition to build the device. -------------- Patent Number: 4181126 Title: Cryogenic, underwater-breathing apparatus Inventor(s): Hendry; Stephen M. Carlsbad CA Abstract: A cryogenic, submersible, synthetic air-breathing system which provides the diver with a proper breathing atmosphere, including provisions for a water-jet propulsion unit to propel the diver to an extended underwater range. The system utilizes liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen, each stored in respective tanks, whereby the gases pass through a series of heat exchangers, regulators, check valves and a slider valve into which the regulated gases enter a mixing chamber wherein breathable air is generated therein, and then delivered to the diver's face mask-an unmixed portion of the gas being used as the means to power a conventional air motor which, in turn, powers an underwater jet engine. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises two cylindrically shaped tanks, known as Dewars, one containing 4 liters of liquid oxygen and the other 6 liters of liquid nitrogen, each having its respective boil-off rates and temperatures. Each tank includes flexible, thermal-insulated lines feeding to their respective heat exchangers or expansion chambers. The gases leaving the heat exchangers/gas expansion chambers are routed by thermal-conductive lines to a pressure-differential shuttle valve. Disposed between each exchanger and the shuttle valve is a low pressure regulator whereby the gases leaving the regulators are routed through the shuttle valve. A second line is also provided whereby gas pressure is supplied to an air motor by way of a manually operated, pressure-control valve which allows the diver to vary the supply of gas delivered to the air motor. A lined cable connected to the diver's trigger-control mechanism operates the air-motor speed regulator. The pressure differential shuttle valve is a safety feature to prevent the diver from inadvertently breathing unmixed gas. Thus, the gases are fed from the shuttle valve directly into a mixing chamber which basically defines a submersible carburetor for the nitrogen and oxygen. Attached to the exit side of the chamber is a one-way check valve to prevent backflow from the emergency priority valve. Thus, the pressure-differential shuttle valve serves two purposes; one, it is a check-and-balance system for the two 120 psi regulators; two, it is a safety feature to prevent the diver from breathing only unmixed gas. Accordingly with both gases being of equal temperature and pressure, they can be mixed to create a synthetic breathing atmosphere through the mixer chamber. To ensure the safety of the diver, there is provided an emergency priority valve which operates either manually or automatically to activate a back-up air bottle, whereby emergency air can be instantly applied to the diver upon malfunctioning of the basic system. The emergency air bottle is connected to the emergency priority valve which discharges air directly into any known suitable mouthpiece. Claims: I claim: 1. A cryogenic, underwater-breathing apparatus comprising: a first tank having liquid nitrogen stored therein; a second tank having liquid oxygen stored therein; a pair of heat exchangers defining a gas-expansion chamber, each heat exchanger being connected to respective first and second tanks of liquid nitrogen and oxygen, whereby said gases therefrom pass through said respective heat exchangers; a gas-mixing chamber connected to both of said heat exchangers wherein said nitrogen and oxygen are mixed together as breathable air under a predetermined pressure; a shuttle-valve means operably interposed between said heat exchangers and said mixing chamber, whereby gases under equal pressure from said tanks are allowed to flow through said shuttle valve means under a balanced condition, and whereby gases under unequal pressure from said tanks cause said shuttle-valve to become unbalanced, preventing gases from flowing therethrough and entering said mixing chamber; a pair of low-pressure regulator means, each being operably interposed between respective heat exchangers and said shuttle valve means, whereby the gas pressure from each tank is equalized prior to entering said shuttle valve; and a mouthpiece regulator operably interconnected to said mixing chamber so as to receive the mixed gases from said mixing chamber for breathing by the diver while submerged underwater. 2. A breathing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes: an emergency, priority-valve means interposed between said mixing chamber and said mouthpiece regulator, whereby said gas from said mixing chamber can be prevented from reaching said mouthpiece; and an emergency air bottle connected to said emergency, priority-valve means to supply air through said priority valve when said valve is actuated to a closed mode, or when said gas from said mixing chamber drops below a predetermined pressure. 3. A breathing apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the connection between said air bottle and said priority valve includes a relief-valve flap arranged to open when the gas pressure within said priority valve drops below a predetermined pressure. 4. A breathing apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said apparatus includes a jet-powered propulsion unit operably connected and interposed between said heat exchangers and said low-pressure regulator means whereby gas pressure is received from said exchangers to drive said propulsion unit. 5. A breathing apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said jet-powered propulsion unit comprises: an air-motor, pressure-control means arranged to receive gas from at least one of said tanks under predetermined pressure, and to discharge gas therefrom under variable pressures; an air motor operably arranged to receive the variable pressure from said pressure-control means; a jet pump driven by said air motor; means for releasably attaching said jet pump to said apparatus; and means for manually controlling said air-motor, pressure-control means whereby the discharged gas pressure is regulated to control the speed of said air motor. 6. A breathing apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said air-motor-pressure-control means includes: a pair of inlets; a discharge outlet; a pair of pressure regulators, each being disposed in respective intlets to regulate the flow of nitrogen and oxygen gases entering said pressure-control means; and a pressure-relief valve. 7. A breathing apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein an alarm-indicator means is interposed between said air bottle and said priority-valve means, to indicate when said air from said bottle is being used. 8. A breathing apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said apparatus includes means to manually operate said priority-valve means, and is operably mounted to said priority means. 9. A breathing apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein a one-way check valve is positioned between said mixing chamber and said priority valve, to prevent a back flow of gas from said priority valve. 10. A breathing apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the pressure from said emergency bottle is regulated to approximately 90 psi and controlled by said relief-valve flap; and wherein the pressure entering said priority valve from said mixing chamber is approximately 120 psi, said relief valve flap operates when said pressure from said mixing chamber drops below 90 psi. 11. A breathing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes a jet-powered propulsion unit operably connected between said heat exchangers and said low pressure regulator means,, whereby gas pressure is received from said exchangers to drive said propulsion unit. ------------ Mark - scuba@uc* Is that Tech enough for you guys? ;} (Sorry if my mailer screws the post up) "The man with a new idea is a Crank until the idea succeeds." - Twain
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