Abstract:
A dive buoy/dry box assembly comprising a hollow canister-like main float assembly having a hinged latchable air-tight sealing lid, a collapsible marker flat and mast removably attached to the lid, a collapsible staff and ballast weight removably attached to the bottom of the float assembly and a buoy line storage reel detachably mounted surrounding the float assembly in a horizontal plane, the marker flat, mast ballast weight and staff all storable in said float assembly when collapsed.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to scuba diving equipment and more particularly to a combination dive buoy-dry box structure useful to mark a submerged scuba diver&#39;s location and as a water-tight “dry box” for temporary dry storage of materials and objects handily accessible to a diver while in the water as well as a convenient storage compartment for the dive flag and buoy stabilizer weight bar. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Dive buoys and flags are important safety devices used to warn boaters that divers are in that area of the water so that they may be alert for the divers or preferably to stay clear of the area. In some jurisdictions use of dive flags is required by law. The dive flag must be large enough and displayed high enough to be seen by boaters from at least about 100 yards distance. 
     Dive buoys also need an “anchor” line (sometimes called a buoy line) that may be played out from or taken back in to a storage device such as a reel or spool at the diver&#39;s option. 
     A dry storage compartment in the dive buoy can often eliminate numerous trips back to the diver&#39;s base often a boat or shore location. 
     U. S. Pat. No. 3,827,093 issued Aug. 23, 1974 to T. S. Davis discloses a spherical float having a circumferential groove in which the buoy line is stored. The wound line is covered and held within by means of an encircling band which acts as an unwinding break. During the course of the dive it is often desirable to re-spool portions of the buoy line to compensate for decreased depths. With this type of buoy it is impossible to re-spool the line to eliminate excess slack without returning to the surface. This represents a significant inconvenience since such frequent trips back and forth to the water surface decrease the diver&#39;s bottom time and, in fact, are potentially hazardous. Furthermore, there is no allowance for the required dive marker flag or a stabilizing depending counterweight assembly. Any addition of such required flag assemblies is precluded by the requirement of this dive buoy design that the line spool be in a vertical position to properly unwind. 
     U. S. Pat. No. 3,037,217 issued June 1962 to Mandra discloses a dive buoy structure comprising a spherical float with an integrated circumferential line spool about which the dive buoy line is stored. The line is retained on the spool by a resistive clip whose force must be overcome for each turn of line unspooled. With this type of buoy also, the diver is required to return to the surface to re-spool excess buoy line. It appears impossible to add the required dive flag assembly because the design of the buoy requires that the line spool be in a vertical position. 
     In U. S. Pat. No. 4,781,636 issued Nov. 1, 1988 to T. Schurr a portable marine buoy is disclosed wherein a marker flag and depending weight assembly are included with an integrated line spool. This type of buoy is not generally used by individual divers due to the anchor-type deployment. In most cases scuba divers clip the free end of the buoy line to their equipment and, in this case, they would still be required to return to the surface to make any adjustments in the length of the deployed buoy line. 
     U. S. Pat. No. 4,238,864 issued Dec. 16, 1980 to G. Kealoha integrates the concepts of a dive buoy line spool and dry storage compartment. In this design the line is retained on the spool by a pressure clip and the line is dispensed by overcoming the pressure clips retaining force. A dive flag structure is omitted. To add a dive flag to such a buoy appears impractical as the design of the buoy line spool requires it to be in a vertical position. If a protruding dive flag and corresponding stabilizing depending counterweight assembly were added, the line spool would be flipped into a horizontal position. In this position if force is applied to the buoy line in an attempt to overcome the resistive force of the retaining clip, the force would flip the flag assembly 90° into the water each time the diver attempts to deploy a length of line. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention improves over the prior art in providing a dive buoy/dry box comprising a molded plastic canister main body having a hinged lid providing a water-tight storage compartment when the lid is closed. Detachably mounted circumferentially on the main body in a horizontal orientation is a line reel storing a dive buoy line of appropriate length. 
     A dive flag that may be supported in a full open position by foldable rod members is mounted to a foldable staff that may be detachably mounted to the buoy lid for display during dives. A lead weight mounted at the end of a foldable rod may be detachably attached to the bottom side of the buoy canister to stabilize the buoy and flat in an upright position when in the water. The flag, its folding mast, the stabilizing weights and its folding rod may all be stored in the dry box cavity in the buoy when not in use. An added feature is a thumb screw operated purge valve in the buoy lid allowing pressure equalization for easier opening of the dry box cavity. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention are annexed hereto, so that the invention may be better and more fully understood, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the dive buoy of the present invention from slightly above when assembled for use; 
     FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the stabilizer weight and rod positioned for attachment to the dive buoy of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 illustrates in a perspective view the fold joint of the stabilizer rod and flag staff of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a view in elevation of the dive flag assembly of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5A and 5B illustrate the flag support latch of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial view in perspective of the buoy lid of the present invention showing the flag attachment structure and the pressure equalization valve; 
     FIG. 7 is a view in perspective from above showing the buoy of the present invention with the lid closed and the line spool detached; and 
     FIG. 8 is a view in perspective from above showing the buoy of the present invention with the lid open and the line spool attached. 
    
    
     Numeral references are employed to designate like parts throughout the various figures of the drawing. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown in perspective view the diver marker buoy assembly  10  of the present invention. Assembly  10  comprises a float/dry box element  11  to which are detachably affixed a line reel  12 , a collapsible marker flag assembly  13  and a collapsible counterweight ballast  14 . 
     Counterweight ballast assembly  14  is detachably connected to the bottom side  15  of the float element  11  as by threaded engagements  17   a  and  17   b  (see FIG. 2) or any suitable form “snap-spring” attachment element. Marker flag assembly  13  is detachably connected to the top side of surface  16  of float element  11  as by threaded engagement  18  or suitable “snap-spring” attachment. 
     Line reel  12  with a buoy line wound thereon is detachably connected to the float element  11  near the upper end of the float and encircling it. Attachment may be by offset bearing couple  19  or other “quick-release” element. When attached to the float  11 , reel  12  may be used as a carrying handle for the marker buoy assembly  10 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the counterweight ballast assembly  14  is comprised of a collapsible shaft  21 . Shaft  21  has a counterweight such as a lead ingot  22  attached to one end thereof and a threaded plug element  17   a  affixed to the other end. Plug element  17   a  is threaded to match threads in recess  17   b  in the bottom surface  15  for attachment of the ballast assembly  14  to the float element  11 . 
     Collapsible shaft  21  is comprised of a pair or more of tubular members  23  and  24  with an elastic cord  25  such as a Bunge cord connected internally between them in tension such that tubes  23  and  24  are urged together in alignment. A sleeve member  26  slideally surrounds tube  24 . As shown in FIG. 2, sleeve  26  provides rigidity for shaft  21  in its straightened position when slid over the junction of the members  23  and  24  and latched with notch slot  27  and engaging pin  28  (see FIG.  3 ). Tubular units  23  and  24  and sleeve  26  may be made of fiberglass or other suitable plastic or metallic materials. 
     Turning now to FIG. 4, there is shown the collapsible marker flag assembly  13  of the present invention. Assembly  13  comprises a collapsible flag staff  31  having affixed at its lower end an internally threaded attachment  18   a  for affixing flag staff  31  to the externally threaded attachment stud  18 b on the top surface  16  of float element  11 . Elements  18   a  and  18   b  may be made of high impact plastic, corrosion-resistant metal or other suitable materials. 
     Attachment elements  18   a  and  18   b  are in “inverse” relationship to the attachments elements  17   a  and  17   b  for the ballast staff. That is, the plug member  17   a  is on the ballast staff but it is the recess member  18   a  that is attached to the flag staff. Thus, the ballast staff and the flag staff cannot be attached in the wrong locations. Other arrangements to prevent attachment of the flag staff or the ballast staff at incorrect locations on the float assembly may be used such as, for example, making the attachment means  17   a  and  17   b  structurally similar but of different size from the attachment means  18   a  and  18   b.    
     Flag staff  31  may be of a design similar to the collapsible shaft  21 . As shown, it comprises four tubular elements  32 ,  33 ,  34  and  35  of fiberglass urged together in alignment by one or more internally connected elastic cords, not shown. Three sleeves  36 ,  37  and  38  each slide over a joint between tubular units and when in place hold the tubular units aligned in a rigid staff. Sleeves  36 ,  37  and  38  are provided with internal obstructions or constrictions at approximately their mid-sections that prevent passage of the tubular units completely through the sleeve. Thus, when the staff  31  is being erected, the tubular units may be aligned in an upright position and pulled apart against the elastic cord. Then each of the sleeves is pulled by gravity down over the tubular unit below it. Each tubular unit is then guided into the sleeve below it so that a rigid staff is formed. The elastic bands or cords retain the tubular members seated in the sleeves. No latch slots are needed to hold the sleeves of staff  31  to the tubular units above them since, unlike the shaft  21 , there is no weight tending to pull the tubular units apart. 
     To complete the marker flag assembly  13 , a flag  39  is attached to upper staff units  34  and  35  just above the clamp  40 . Flag  39  may be attached in any convenient way such as by sliding the upper tubular units of the staff through a sleeve in the flag or by tying the flag to the staff. 
     Clamp  40  pivotally mounts one end of flag extender rod  41  by means of pivot pin  42  extending through clamp  40  and rod  41 . Extender rod  40  is a collapsible element of construction similar to the flag staff  31  and shaft  21  having three tubular members  43 ,  44 , and  45  and two sleeves  46  and  47  and an internal elastic cord, not shown. The upper end of rod  41  is detachably affixed to the upper outer corner  48  of flag  39  by a quick-release latch element of a type commonly available as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5 b.    
     FIG. 5A shows element  49  in its latched position and FIG. 5B shows it in its unlatched position. The latch element  49  comprises an insert  49   a  and a receiver element  49   b.  These elements may be of a suitable metal or plastic. The tines  50  of insert  49   a  are flexible in their common plane and beveled along their outer sides from their outer ends to a shoulder  51  a short distance from their end. As the insert  49   a  is pushed into the receiver  49   b  the side walls of the receiver bear against the beveled sides flexing the tines inwardly until inserted far enough that the shoulders are passed the side walls of the receiver and spring out into the latched position as shown in FIG.  5 A. Thumb and finger pressure to flex the tines inwardly allows the insert to be unlatched and easily removed from the receiver. 
     Shown in more detail in FIG. 6 are the threaded engagement elements  18   a  and  18   b  by which the staff of the marker flag assembly  13  is attached to the top surface  16  (i.e., the lid  54 ) of the float element  11 . 
     Turning now to FIGS. 7 and 8, there is shown the main body of the marker buoy assembly  10  of the present invention being the float/dry box element  11 . The float/dry box element  11  comprises a canister-like main section  53  of generally cylindrical configuration closed at its bottom end. The top end of section  53  terminates in a generally square or rectangular section  57  with a peripheral wall portion  58  extending a short distance up from the level at which section  57  meets section  53 . 
     A sealing lid  54  is attached by hinges  55  and  56  to the section  57  as shown. Wall portion  58  has an upstanding ridge  59  along the full circumferential length of its upper edge. Sealing lid  54  is equipped with a groove  60  around its lower surface just inside its peripheral edge configured to match the line of and receive within it the ridge  59  of wall section  58 . An elastic sealing ring  61  which may be of rubber or neoprene, such as an “o” ring of appropriate size is provided within the groove  60  around its entire length so that upon closure of the lid  54  ridge  59  is pressed against the sealing ring  61  in groove  60  to provide an air/water-tight seal between the lid  54  and the canister portion  57  of the float element assembly  11 . 
     Both the main section  53  and the lid  54  may each be made of any appropriate plastic material or any other plastic material. Preferably both the main section  53  and the lid  54  are of molded polypropylene. 
     One or more latch elements  62  (two are shown) are provided on the side of lid  54  opposite the hinges  55  and  56 . Each latch element  62  may be hingeably attached to lid  54  and provided with a lip  63  configured to slide over and grip shoulder  64  appropriately positioned on the upper section  57  of canister  53  to hold lid  54  closed with a air/water-tight seal against canister  53 . 
     Optionally provided in lid  54  is vent valve operated by thumb screw  65 . Opening of the vent valve allows the pressure within the float assembly to be equalized with the external atmospheric pressure to allow easy opening of the sealed canister lid after a change in altitude, for example. 
     Line reel  12  is detachably affixed to the canister main section  53  by suitable quick-disconnect means such as a pair of “spring-loaded bearings.” 
     Line reel  12  is comprised of an inner bearing race ring  70  upon which is rotatably mounted outer spool ring  71  that carries a supply  72  of dive buoy line of the usual type and material wound thereon. The exact means by which spool ring is affixed to the inner bearing race ring  70  is immaterial to the present invention. 
     Line reel  12  is detachably attached to the canister main section  53  and surrounding the canister section, as shown. Attachment may be by means of a pair of spring-loaded bearing snaps  73  positioned on opposite sides of the ring  70  to engage (fastener bases)  74  positioned on opposite sides of the canister section  53 . A pair of shoulder elements  75  with guide slots are positioned on opposite sides of the ring  70  90° from the fastener  73  to match and engage shaped guide studs  76  mounted in appropriate positions on the canister section  53 . 
     Thus, there has been described a compact dive buoy/dry box for divers providing in use, a stabilized marker flat displayed at appropriate height, an accessible dry storage compartment and a buoy line on a storage reel suitable for lengthening or shortening by the diver without the necessity of his returning to the buoy. The assembly also provides, when not in use, a storage compartment for the collapsible marker flat and its staff and a ballast element and its collapsible attachment rod. The reel for buoy line provides a convenient handle for carrying the buoy assembly when attached to the assembly in its storage position.