© ⅯⅯⅩⅢ Kirby Morgan Dive Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Document # 130318002
17
Kirby Morgan
®
37SS
Chapter 2 - General Description
B
CAUTION
The bent tube assembly for the KM
37SS is a unique design and is not
interchangeable with the bent tube
assembly used on other Kirby Morgan
masks and helmets.
Although we have selected the valve for its reliability
and quality, inspection and maintenance of this valve
must be done regularly. It is very easy to disassemble
and inspect. (A rebuild kit for this valve is available).
B
WARNING
The one way valve must be tested
daily, prior to the commencement of
diving operations. Failure of one way
valve could cause serious injury or
death. Follow the procedures for test-
ing the valve in this manual.
The emergency gas comes from a tank of compressed
gas worn by the diver. It enters the system through
the Emergency Gas valve when the diver turns the
control knob on. The flow then enters the side block.
B
DANGER
Never connect the main gas supply hose
from the diving station/umbilical to the
auxiliary valve. There is no one way valve
in the emergency gas valve. If this mis-
take is made, any break in the supply
hose could possibly result in a “squeeze”.
This could result in serious injury or
death.
Both sources of gas flow through the same passage in
the side block body to three exits. One exit is always
open to supply gas to the demand regulator assembly.
The second exit is to the defogger valve (also known
as the free-flow or steady-flow valve) assembly. The
third is to the port on the side block to connect a dry
suit inflator hose.
A second port is located on the top of the sideblock.
This port is controlled by the defogger control knob
and only supplies air when the defogger knob is the
open position. This port is not for dry suit or buoy-
ancy compensator use.
The diver controls the flow of gas through the defog-
ger system with the control knob. The gas enters the
helmet and flows through the air train which directs
the gas onto the face port to help eliminate or clear
fogging that forms on the port from the diver’s warm
breath. In the event water gets inside, the helmet
needs to be evacuated. Some of the air from the
airtrain will force this water out through the main ex-
haust valve found in the pod just below the oral nasal.
The gas flow continues into the oral nasal mask by
means of the oral/nasal valve. The diver can breathe
from this flow of gas if the demand regulator mal-
functions. The gas then flows into the regulator and
out through the regulator exhaust. From there it can
exit through either of the exhaust valves and out
through the whiskers.
Returning to the side block assembly: the other pas-
sage for gas is to the demand regulator. It goes to a
bent tube assembly that connects to the inlet nipple of
the demand regulator. The flow of gas in the demand
regulator assembly is controlled by the inlet valve that
supplies gas to the diver on inhalation “demand” only,
and shuts off during the exhalation cycle.
The side block on the helmet is drilled and tapped
to accept low-pressure inflator hoses. This allows
the diver the capability to inflate variable volume
dry suits and buoyancy compensators. It is tapped
with a 3/8-24 thread orifice, standard for American
first stage scuba regulator’s low-pressure auxiliary
fittings.
As an added precaution, the orifice for dry suit/buoy-
ancy compensator inflation is restricted to supply only
enough air for suit or BC inflation. Unlike other Kirby
Morgan helmets, no external restrictor is required.
B
WARNING
The side block inflator port is intended
for dry suits and buoyancy compensa-
tors only - no air tools. When using the
side block low-pressure inflator port,
only good quality hoses and fittings
should be used and must incorporate
an in-line flow restrictor to reduce gas
flow in the event of hose failure. Any
hose or fitting failure in this arrange-
ment will subject the diver to a de-
creased air supply.
