US2185711A

US2185711A - Biological apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2185711A
Application number: US204251A
Authority: US
Inventors: James A Reyniers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-04-25
Filing date: 1938-04-25
Publication date: 1940-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1957-01-02

Description

Jan. 2, 1940. J REYNIERS 2,185,711

BIOLOGICAL APPARATUS Filed April 25, 1938 F76. 1. F/G. Z

INVENTOR. L/fl/Wf-J ,4. ffir/m ai BY 05% W ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,185,711 BIOLOGICAL APPARATUS A 7 James A. Reyniers, South Bend, Ind.

Application April 25, 1938, Serial No. 204,251

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in biological apparatus, and has for its primary object to maintain a biological specimen in a controlled germ-free environment for an indefinite period of time, and to provide means for handling, feeding, cleaning, treating and otherwise manipulating the specimen without destroying said environment.

A further object is to provide a sealed container having spaced access openings, wherein one of said openings is sealed by an antiseptic liquid and the other is sealed by a flexible glove.

A further object is to provide a device of this character comprising a container open at its lower end and resting in an antiseptic liquid, and provided with means for maintaining a continuous supply of fresh and filtered air therein.-

A further object is to provide a device of this character including a liquid container providedwith a support for mounting a bell shaped housing in a position above the bottom of the container and below the liquid level in the container to seal the bell and at the same time accommodate manual access to the interior thereof.

A further object is to provide a liquid sealed device of this character with means for retaining a specimen in a selected access position remote from the liquid seal.

Other objects will be apparent from the description and appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a front view of the device with part shown in section taken on line 1-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral i designates a liquid container having a bottom H and side walls l2, said container being open at its top. A horizontal false bottom 13 is fixedly mounted in container ill in substantially spaced relation above the'bottom and preferably somewhat below the upper edges of the side walls l2. False bottom I3 has a large opening l4 at one end thereof and has an opening l5 therein spaced from opening I4 and from the side walls i2.

A shelf structure is supported by false bottom l3 at the margin of opening 15, and preferably comprises a ring l6 resting on said false bottom and carrying a plurality of uprights H. A ring 18 is secured to uprights II in horizontal position intermediate the ends thereof, and said ring l8 serves to support a shelf 19 having a central opening 20 therein. The uprights I! support a shelf 2| at their upper ends in spaced relation above shelf l9. Shelf 2| has a central opening 22 therethrough at the margin of which is seend of the collar 21 may be provided with a cir- -cumferential bead 29 or the like in which the open end of an elongated rubber glove 30 fits. A ring clamp 3| fits snugly within the end of the glove to lock the same to the collar in air tight peripheral relation. I

An elongated tubular member 32 is supported in vertical position adjacent the bell 24, as by a bracket 33. The lower end of the tube 32 is preferably out-turned at 34 and terminates in a nipple portion 35 which projects through the adjacent side wall 12 of the container ill adjacent the topthereof. The tube 32 preferably contains suitable material 36 for filtering air, and is preferably sealed at its upper end, as by a rubber cork 31. A conduit 38 extends through collar 21 below the mounting of glove 30 and is connected to tube 32, as by a nipple 39 adjacent the top of said tube.

A similar elongated tube 40 is mounted by bracket 41 adjacent the bell 24 and is out-turned at 42 at its lower end to project through the upper end of an adjacent side wall I2 of container l0. Tube 40 contains an air filter 43. Tube 40 is sealedat its upper end by a rubber cork 44 and has a nipple 45 therebelow for connection with one end of a conduit 46 whose opposite end extends through and communicates with the interior of collar 21 below the mounting for glove 30.

In. use, the biological specimens to be maintained in the apparatus are placed upon the top shelf 2|, on which they are confined by the wall of bell 24 and by the cylindrical projection 23. The container I0 is then filled with an antiseptic liquid to a level above the false bottom as designated by line 50 in Figs. 1 and 2. The nipple 35 of tube 32 is then connected to a source of air at a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure. Air is thus passed through tube 32 to be filtered by material 36 therein and passes into the bell 24 through conduit 38. Tube 40 is open to atmosphere, and the air in the tube is expelled therethrough by the slight pressure differential. Intake conduit 38 and outlet conduit 46 are preferably positioned in opposite relation so that the glove will be interposed therebetween to insure circulation of the air through the bell. It will be observed that the liquid in container Ill forms an air seal at the bottom of bell 2|; and the connections of collar 21 with the bell neck and with the periphery of the open end of the sleeve are air-tight. Thus the supply of air to the apparatus is restricted to the filter tube 42 and eliminates infection of the contained specimen by air-borne infective units. The filter 43 in outlet tube 40 is not strictly necessary, but is desirable to guard against back-pressure in the event of reduction of pressure in the air supply line.

The rubber glove 30 is preferably of sufllcient length to reach lower shelf l9 which is preferably used for storage of food, instruments or the like, the glove passing through cylinder 23 of the upper shelf as illustrated. Thus the operator may insert his hand and arm into the glove for full access to the specimens and to the material stored without danger of infection of the specimen by contact. Food and water for the specimen is preferably sterilized exteriorly and introduced into the apparatus by means of scaled containers therefor. To introduce such containers, or instruments, etc., the operator reaches through opening l4 in the false bottom, thence below said false bottom to opening l5, and thence up within the bell to storage shelf Hi. In this way the material introduced and the operator's arm are both efiectively disinfected before reaching the interior of the bell.

By the use of this apparatus a specimen may be confined in a completely controlled germ-free environment for long periods of time as may be necessary for observation or experiment.

While the apparatus here illustrated is of a size intended for small animals, such as guinea pigs or the like, it will be obvious that its size' may be increased and structural details changed to any extent desired as to accommodate humans or large animals, all without departing from the.

method being to create a suction in the bell by connecting nipple 35 to a suction pump and closing the open end of tube 40, whereby the necessary liquid to completely fill the bell may be drawn upwardly therein from container I0.

I claim:

1. Biological apparatus comprising a liquid container, a false bottom in said container having a pair of openings, a bell supported by said false bottom at the margin of one opening, said bell having an opening at its upper end, a glove mounted in peripherally sealed relation at said bell opening, and a support carried by said false bottom and positioned within said bell above the liquid level in said container.

2. Biological apparatus comprising a liquid container, 9. false bottom in said container having a pair of spaced openings, a bell having openings at opposite ends, said bell resting on said false bottom at the margin of one opening thereof, the liquid in said container filling the same to a level above said false bottom to seal the lower end of said bell, and a glove having its open end peripherally sealed at the upper opening of said bell to afford sealed access into said bell.

3. Biological apparatus comprising a container open at its top and containing a liquid, a housing, means supporting said housing with its lower end below the liquid level in said container and above the bottom of the container, said housing having an opening therein above saidliquid level, and an elongated flexible access member' sealing said opening.

4. Biological apparatus comprising a container open at its top and containing liquid, a housing open at its top and bottom, means supporting said housing in said container with its bottom opening below the liquid level and above the bottom of the container, a specimen support having an opening and positioned within said housing above the liquid level, and a glove sealing the upper opening of said housing to afi'ord sealed manual access to said support.

5. Biological apparatus comprising a container open at its top and containing liquid, a housing open adjacent its upper and lower ends, means supporting the housing with its lower opening above the bottom of the container and below the liquid level, a glove sealing the upper opening of said housing, and means for circulating air in said housing.

6. Biological apparatus comprising a container open at its top and containing liquid, a housing in said container having an opening above the liquid level and an opening below the liquid level, said latter opening being manually accessible, a specimen support in said housing above the liquid level and having an access opening therein, a glove, and means for sealing the periphery of the open end of said glove at the upper opening of said housing, said glove extending to said specimen support.

7. Biological apparatus comprising a housing, liquid trap means, the lower end of said housing being immersed in said trap to form a liquid seal, said housing having an opening above said trap, a glove, means peripherally mounting the open end of said glove in sealed relation at said housing opening, air intake and outlet conduits communicating with said housing and a filter in each conduit, said intake conduit containing air under pressure.

8. Biological apparatus comprising a housing having spaced openings, liquid containing means mounting said housing with one opening below the liquid level therein, flexible means sealed at the other opening and aifordingssea'led manual access within said housing, air intake means communicating with said housing and including a filter, and a filtered air exhaust for said housing.

9. Biological apparatus comprising a transparent housing open at its bottom and having a restricted open neck at its top, a'collar sealed at said neck and having spaced openings intermediate its ends', a conduit communicating with each opening, a rubber glove, means clamping the periphery of the glove at the outer end of said collar, and a water trap sealing the bottom opening thereof, said bottom opening being manually accessible through said trap.

l0. Biological apparatus comprising a transparent housing open at its bottom, a liquid container, a horizontal partition spaced above the bottom of said container and having spaced openings, said housing resting on said partition at the margin of one opening, and specimen supporting means within said housing supported by said partition and having an opening therein, and liquid filling said container to a level above said partition and below said supporting means.

11. Biological apparatus comprising a housing open at its bottom, means mounting said housing for manual access through said bottom including a liquid trap sealing said bottom, a specimen support in said housing above said water trap and manually accessible through said housing bottom, and a vertical wall projecting upwardly from said support at a portion thereof and cooperating with said housing to confine a specimen on said support.

12. Biological apparatus comprising a housing open at its bottom, a liquid container, means mounting said housing in said container with its bottom spaced above the bottom of the container and below the liquid level therein, an apertured specimen support in saidhousing above said liquid level, and a specimen retainer encircling the aperture in said support.

13. Biological apparatus comprising a housing having an opening adjacent its bottom, a liquid trap sealing said housing opening, a storage support in said housing, a specimen support spaced above said storage support in said housing, said supports having complementary apertures therein for manual access thereto from said opening, and specimen retaining means encircling the aperture in said specimen support.

14. Biological apparatus comprising a, housing having upper and lower openings, an elongated flexible glove peripherally sealed at said upper opening, a liquid trap sealing said lower opening,

a pair of spaced supports in said housing each manually accessible from each opening, and means projecting upwardly from one support and cooperating with said housing for retaining a specimen on said support.

15. Biological apparatus comprising a liquid container having an opening above the liquid level thereof, a housing carried by said container and having a manually accessible opening therein below said liquid level and an opening above said liquid level, and an elongated flexible access member sealing the housing opening above the liquid level.

JAMES A. REYNIERS.

Patent No. 2,185.711 Granted January 2, 1940 JAMES A. REYNIERS The above entitled patent was extended January 8, 1952, under the provisions of the act of June 30, 1950, for 2 years and 328 days from the expiration of the original term thereof.

Commissioner of Patents.