Patent ID: 8919273

Claim:
A submersible vehicle comprising: a hull comprising a hull wall having inner and outer wall surfaces on opposite sides of said wall; a wall bore in said wall extending between and open to said inner and outer wall surfaces; and a valve installed in said wall bore, said valve comprising an inlet port accessible through said wall bore from outside said hull and an exit port accessible from inside said hull, said valve being recessed in said wall bore so that said valve does not extend above said outer wall surface, said valve being actuable through said inlet port to reversibly open and close a fluid pathway for transport of fluid through said valve said valve comprising a valve body that is secured to said hull wall in said wall bore, said valve body having a valve-bodybore with a mouth at a first end, said mouth open toward said outer wall surface, and a component cartridge removably installed in the valve-body bore through said mouth, said component cartridge comprising said inlet port and being actuable to reversibly open and close a fluid pathway for transport of fluid through said valve and thereby through said hull wall.