Patent ID: 8464745

Claim:
A pressure equalizer for an underwater vessel having an interior, said equalizer comprising: a pneumatic reservoir; a pressure compensating valve (PCV); said PCV further comprising a valve body having an interior orifice, a pneumatic inlet orifice, a backflow orifice and an environment orifice, a valve plug having a substantially uniform cylindrical surface positioned within said valve body with no substantial gap between the valve body and the cylindrical surface, said valve plug being formed with a longitudinal conduit and at least one transverse duct in fluid communication with said conduit; and, said PCV being adapted to establish a path of fluid communication from said reservoir through said valve plug and into said interior while said valve plug isolates a fluid path from an environment from said interior, said PCV further being adapted to establish a path of fluid communication from the environment through said valve plug and into said interior while said valve plug isolates said environment from said reservoir.