Patent ID: 8696393
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: B63H

Abstract:
1. A thruster pod comprising a housing; a diaphragm; a control chamber on one side of said diaphragm; a source of water under pressure; an outlet port for projecting a flow of water under pressure outside said housing and a control valve being operable for changing a pressure in said control chamber, said diaphragm being operable for movement between a first position and a second position upon a change in pressure in said control chamber, said first position closing said outlet port, and said second position opening said outlet port to said source of water under pressure; said control valve having a cylindrical cavity; a first magnet mounted in a fixed manner in said cylindrical cavity and a second magnet movably mounted in said cylindrical cavity; said second magnet being movable between a first location in a proximity of said first magnet and a second location away from said first magnet; said first and second magnets being mounted to attract each other; said control valve also having a slot therein between said first and second magnets; said slot communicating with said source of water under pressure said chamber; said slot and said control chamber being selectively openable to said source of water under pressure when said second magnet is in said second location, and closed to said source of water under pressure and open to ambient water pressure when said second magnet is in said first location; and said control valve further having a solenoid mounted therein and said solenoid being operable for selectively moving said second magnet between said first and second locations.