US2121347A - Apparatus for generating oxygen, especially for breathing purposes - Google Patents

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Jun 21, 1938. M. HAusMANN APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OXYGEN, ESPECIALLY FOR BREATHING PURPOSES Max Haus mann .alii

Filed oct. 8, 193e all In ven f or Patented June 21, 193s PATENT QFFICE APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OXYGEN,

ESPECIALLY FOR. BREATHING PURPOSES Max Hausmann, Berlin-Zehlendorf-Mitte, Germany, assignor to I.

G. Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschaft, Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany Application October 8,

1936, Serial No. 104,586

In Germany November 27, 1935 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for generating oxygen, especially `for breathing purposes, and is a modiiication of certain details of apparatus which have been disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application bearing Ser. No. 104,585A of even date herewith and entitled improvements in or relating to Apparatus for generating oxygen, especially for breathing purposes.

In cases of gas poisoning and similar contingencies extensive use is made, for articial respiration, of portable oxygen rescue apparatus, i. e`., a box in which there is disposed a suitable source of oxygen together with a respiratory bag and the pipe connections necessary for delivering the oxygen to the bag and thence to the patient. The source of oxygen may be a cylinder of compressed oxygen gas. However, particular advantages are afforded by the use, for this purpose, of chemical compositions in which the oxygen is generated by thermal decomposition of substances such as chlorates and/or perchlorates in the presence of an oxidizablematerial such as iron or iron oxide. Generally these compositions are employed in the form of a moulded body which is enclosed in a metal casing and in which the reaction producing oxygen, once it is started by a suitable ignition device, proceeds along the length of the body with generation of a substantially constant current of oxygen. A device of this kind is described, for example, in British specication 451,170.

In oxygen rescue apparatus of the foregoing kind there is always the possibility of the case or housing enclosing the oxygen-generating body being closed up after the rescue work without removing the still highly heated and in many cases not completely consumed oxygen-generating body therefrom. The accumulation of heat ensuing from such procedure may lead to damage to the whole apparatus, and particularly to the respiratory bag.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which efciently prevents the closing up of the housing or box containing the oxygen-generating body prior to the removal of the partly or Wholly spent body therefrom.

The invention is based on the consideration that, in order to remove a spent cartridge from said housing or box, it is necessary to uncouple the connection between said cartridge and the pipes provided for conducting the generated oxygen to the point of consumption, and on the consideration that, when such uncoupling is deliberately carried out, it will not be forgotten to remove the exhausted cartridge or cartridges from said housing or box.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 shows a -device according to the present invention in elevation, whilst Figure 2 is a detail of said device on an enlarged scale and Figure 3 is a plan view of part of the device showing the detail of the valve.

With reference to Figure 1, a base-plate c is pivoted on a hinge m in a protective housing or box l provided with a suitable lid (not shown), said plate being provided at both ends with rests for receiving the cylindrical container a supplying the oxygen. At the top end of the container there is provided an ignition knob b, which lies close to the Wall of the housing when the plate is in the lowered position, while its lower end is, by means of a screw coupling g, connected with pipe. f for leading away the evolved oxygen to a main pipe 1c with connection piece l by way of valve h. e is a notch catch fitted between the two containers and provided with a spring, said catch locking the base-plate in the raised position when said plate is raised into the working position with the aid of the handle n. Connection pipe f is made of metal, in order to avoid its being damaged by the heat, and in accordance with the invention it serves at the same time as a lever to open or close valve h. A spring z' causes an automatic closing of the valve h when the screw coupling is disconnected.

When the apparatus is put into use the lid of the box is rst opened and the base plate together with the container lying thereon is raised by means of the handle n until the catch e springs into locking position (see Fig. 1). The ignition cap, hitherto protected from being actuated by the wall of the box, is thus exposed. After actuating the ignition device a uniform current of oxygen is evolved, the dissipation of the heat thus developed being facilitated by the inclined position of the container a. The oxygen passes through pipe i and through valve h into the main pipe 7c, and is conducted through the connection Z to the place of consumption.

With reference to Figure 2, the valve cone h is provided with a cam o, while the base plate c this swing is to cause the cam o to press the nose r mounted on the catch spring back into the original position, and thus enable the base-plate to be lowered on to the floor of the case, so that the case can then be closed.

The detail of the valve cone h may be seen in Fig. 3. As shown the pipe j is connected to the oxygen-generating cylinder by means of coupling g. In this position the opening in the valve cone h registers with the opening in main pipe lc thereby permitting passage of oxygen from the cylinder a through pipe f, and valve h into main pipe 1c whence it passes into the connection piece l. It is clear that when pipe ,f is uncoupled and assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the opening in the Valve cone h is turned in the opposite direction and the valve cone h then serves to close olf the pipe f from the main pipe 1c.

Obviously, the arrangement may be easily so modified as to provide two or more separate containers mounted on the same base plate and working, with their delivery pipes, on the main connection l.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for generating oxygen comprising a housing, a base plate pivotally mounted near one of its ends in said housing whereby said base plate may be raised from an inoperative position within the housing to an inclined or operative position, means for locking the base plate in operative position, means for detachably securing a cartridge containing oxygen generating material to said base plate, a connection member pivotally mounted in said housing adjacent said base plate pivot carrying means at one end for coupling said connection member to said cartridge, means rigidly attached to the opposite end of said connection member for disengaging said locking means and a spring attached to said connection member for maintaining the locks disengaging means in operative position when said coupling means is not attached to a cartridge.

2. Apparatus for generating oxygen comprising a housing, a base plate pivotally mounted near one of its ends in said housing whereby said base plate may be raised from an inoperative position within said housing to an inclined or operative position, an opening in said base plate, a catch resiliently mounted in said housing protruding through said opening, means for detachably securing a cartridge containing oxygen generating material to said base plate, a connection member pivotally mounted in said housing adjacent said base plate pivot carrying means at one end for coupling said connection member to said cartridge, the opposite end of said connection member forming a cam, a spring attached to said connection member for maintaining said cam in contact with said catch to hold the same in inoperative position when said coupling means is not attached to a cartridge said catch being so constructed and positioned as to spring into engagement with said base plate and lock the same when the base plate is raised to operative position and said coupling means is attached to a cartridge.

MAX HAUSMANN.

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