US2786464A - Biological apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 26, 1957 P. c. TREXLER BIOLOGICALAPPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 16. 1955 IN VEN TOR. P/m /P 62 725x; 55.

BY W

March 26, 1957 c, TREXLER 2,786,464

BIOLOGICAL APPARATUS Filed June 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tia-4- UTE-'5 INVENTOR.

PH/LB/YP C. /EEXZ.E.

emf M United States Patent BIOLOGICAL APPARATUS Philip C. Trexler, Niles, Mich., assignor to University of Notre Dame du Lac, Notre Dame, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application June 16, 1955, Serial No. 515,959

12 Claims. (Cl. 1281) This invention relates to improvements in biological apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus of the character illustrated in my Patent No. 2,705,489, dated April 5, 1955. I

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device of this character having a novel sealed entrance for accommodating passage of a worker encased within a diving suit into a specimen-containing room or his exit from such room in a manner to insure against change of the controlled environment existing within the specimen-containing room, and which eliminates certain mechanical difficulties with fasteners experienced with the mechanism illustrated in my prior patent and which also requires less room or space than is required by the diving chamber construction as shown in Fig. 1 of my prior Patent No. 2,705,489.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having an access chamber construction which is applicable to any room entrance or doorway and which will permit entrance into and exit from a specimen room by one person, while one or more other persons are in the room, without interfering with the controlled environment within the specimen-containing room.

A further object is to provide a device of this character with an access unit providing convenience of entry and including a lock construction having one or more air conduits connected permanently thereto and provided with detachable connectors adapted to be engaged with a diving suit while the latter is worn by a user, so as to limit the manipulation of a hose required in the operation of passing through the access unit to enter or leave a specimen-containing chamber.

A further object is to provide an access unit for a specimen-containing chamber, which is characterized by a lock construction having a flexible entry tube adapted to be clamped to seal it and also having a closure provided with a liquid seal.

A further object is to provide an access member for a specimen container which is characterized by a flexible access tube adapted to be sealed by clamping means and carrying a telltale to permit ready determination of the effectiveness of the seal of the tube by the clamp.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawing:

Fig.1 is a vertical sectional view of the device with parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clamp for sealing the entry device;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. i;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the invention; and

horizontal sectional view taken Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view of the seal for the dome of the device.

. 2,786,464 Patented Mar. 26, 1957' Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a room or chamber which is preferably sealed throughout and provided with means for maintaining it in a predetermined condition. Air will be supplied to and withdrawn from the room by any suitable means. Thus an air supply conduit 12 may be provided with a filter 14 and will discharge into the room, and a conduit 16 will be provided for exhaust of air from the chamber 10. The air supply 12 may be under a slight positive pressure to maintain a condition within the chamber 10 in which the air is at a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure so that air flow will be controlled. The room has an opening 18 for access purposes and my invention relates particularly to the means for permitting access of a worker into the room and his movement from the room without destroying the con, trolled environment within the room.

A sterile lock or chamber 20 is provided within the chamber 10 adjacent the access opening 18. This chamber may be formed in any suitable manner and as here shown is provided with columns or other vertical structural members 22 which support a top member 24 having a top opening 26. The parts 22 and 24 may be formed of metal or any other suitable material. The opening 26 is outlined by a vertical inner wall 28 of a channel having an outer vertical wall 30, the channel being open at its top. A top closure, preferably of domelike character and having a central or closure portion 32 and a continuous marginal depending flange or skirt portion 34, serves to seal the opening 26. The skirt 34 is of a circumferential or perimetral dimension greater than that of the channel wall 28 and less than that of the channel wall 30 so as to fit therebetween, that is, within the channel, the skirt 34 being of a height greater than the height of the inner channel wall 28. The closure 32 seals the opening 26 in conjunction with a liquid seal 36 contained within the channel 28, 30. The liquid 36 may be water or an aqueous germicide, but I prefer to employ a plastic gum, such as a. silicone, for this purpose.

In order to facilitate manipulation of the closure 32 it may be counterweighted. One counterweight construction is illustrated in Fig. 1, wherein the closure 32 is shown as being suspended by means of a centrally located cord, cable or chain which is trained around pulleys suspended from the ceiling of the chamber 10 and which carries a counterweight 42 at its free end. This counterweight will be of a mass less than the mass or weight of the closure 32, 34, so that the closure will normally remain in closed and sealed position but may easily be lifted to accommodate passage between the chamber 10 and the lock 20.

The lock 20 is defined by an imperforate wall structure. This wall structure may be formed of any impervious material and constitutes a membrane or sheet material 44 which may be formed of synthetic resin or sheet metal. Any of a large variety of plastic films are available on the market which are suitable for this service, and one material of which such film may be formed is vinyl chloride. The wall-forming film or membrane 44 is so constructed that all seams therein are sealed. The upper and lower margins of the walls are continuously clamped or anchored by members 46 to the top of the chamber 24 and to the floor of the chamber 10, respectively. The sterile lock may be of the substantially rectangular shape illustrated in Fig. 2, and has projecting from wall 48 thereof an entry tube 50 having a sealed joint therewith. The entry tube may be of the crosssectional character illustrated in Fig. 5, being of sufficient height and width to permit a person to pass there= through to enter into the lock 20 and withdraw from the lock '20. In this connection the view in Fig. 5 being a vertical sectional view, it will be seen that the vertical cross-section of the tube 50 is endless except for the tube 52 extending therethrough adjacent the outer end thereof for purposes to be described hereinafter; The outer end of the tube 5i will be open and the inner end of the tube 50 will be effectively sealed to the Walls of the lock 29 around the access opening thereto, as for example, will be effectively sealed to plastic membrane 44 in the form illustrated at the wall 48 thereof.

Means are provided to selectively seal the access tube 50, and as here illustrated, such means preferably consist of two rigid clamp plates 54 preferably of a length greater than the height or vertical dimension of the entry tube 50 which are preferably interconnected by hinging the member 56. The clamping plates 54 are positioned at opposite sides of the entry tube 5b so as to position the part thereof carrying the tube 52 clear of the clamping-plates, as seen in Fig. 4. The end portion 58 of the entry tube is then turned back between the clamping plates, as seen in Fig. 4, and in engagement with an expansible flexible tube or bladder 60 which extends between plates 54 for full length thereof. The member 60 is preferably closed at one end and has connection with a source of liquid pressure. Any suitable looking or retaining means 62 may be provided to hold the members 54 at a selected spaced location less than a dimension equal to the combined thicknesses of the parts 50 and 58 and the extended dimension of the member 6'9. Consequently, upon subsequent fillltg of the tube 60 with liquid under pressure, the expansion thereof will serve to cause a continuous and effective seal of the tube St? for the full height thereof and to spaced points thereof at opposite sides of the telltale tube 52, thus defining a chamber 64 in the portion of the tube communicating with the telltale 52 into which liquid may be introduced for purposes to be described.

Air lines are provided which lead into the lock 20 and are adapted for connection with the air line attached to a diving suit (not shown) worn by an operator. Such diving suits completely encase the worker so that an external source of air is necessary for breathing. The nature of the air supply system will vary, depending upon the condition of the chamber in which the work is being conducted. In cases where the chamber 10 is maintained in a sterile or germ-free condition, two lines for supply and exhaust of air, respectively, will be provided. Thus, an air inlet line 70 has a filter 72 and passes through the wall of the lock at a sealed joint 74 to terminate in a coupling member 76 with which the line attached to a diving suit is adapted to be detachably connected. An outlet line 78 is similarly sealingly connected to the lock wall at St! and has a coupling 82 by means of which an air exhaust line from the suit can be detachably connected. It will be understood that in instances where the chamber 10 contains contamination, the discharge line 78 may be omitted and the diving suit may be constructed so that the exhalation of the worker will be discharged to atmosphere within the contaminated space 10.

Means are provided within the sterile lock 2!) for sterilizing the diving suit. It will be apparent that in cases where the chamber 10 is germ free, it is necessary that the lock 20 be sterilized before it is opened in communication with the chamber 10, and also it is necessary that the diving suit or protective garment worn by the worker shall be completely sterilized before the worker transfers from the lock 20 to the chamber 10. In cases of a contaminated atmosphere within the chamber 14), sterilization of the lock 20 is necessary following withdrawal of a worker from the contaminated chamber Mi into the lock 20. This sterilization requires sterilization not only of the space within the lock 20 but also of the diving suit Worn by the worker. Suitable sterilization means may take different forms, and one such form as here shown in Fig. 2 constitutes a line 86 extending to an air compressor and preferably having a filter 88 interposed therein. An atomizer 90 communicates with the line 86 and contains the sterilization medium. The line 86 passes through the wall of the lock 20 at a sealing port 92 thereof, and at its inner end within the lock 29 the line 36 mounts nozzle means 94- for discharge of atomized sterilizing material. In cases where the nozzles are fixedly positioned, they will be so located as to insure that sterilization medium discharged therefrom will act effectively upon all parts of the lock 20, the interior of the tube 50 to the point at which the same is clamped for sealing purposes and also the entire exterior of the protective garment or diving suit worn by the operator.

Inasmuch as the exit opening 26 for the sterilizing lock 2% is located in the top thereof, suitable means must be provided for use by the operator in entering and leaving the chamber 16. Thus a ladder 96 may be provided within the sterile lock 20 and a ladder 5 8 may be provided in the specimen chamber 10 to facilitate passage of the worker between said chambers.

The air hose 1%, connected to the diving suit and also connected at the detachable couplings 75 and 82 aforementioned, must be accommodated as the operator passes from the sterile lock 20 into the chamber 18, and after his entry the closure 32 is rescaled. For this purpose grips or clamps 102 may be provided mounted upon the conduit 1% and which include hook or fastener portions 104 adapted to engage the edges of the walls 28 and 39. In addition, spacers 106 may span the channel 28, 39 at intervals, serving to support the bottom edge of the skirt portion 34. The spacers 106 will be of a vertical dimension greater than the thickness of the conduit so that it is possible for the conduit tea to pass under the skirt without being clamped or closed off thereby. This construction or arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 7 and it will be apparent that as the worker moves from the lock 20 into the chamber 10 he can apply the clamps 162, 104 on the conduit 1% to the channel walls in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7 and thereby insure against injury to the airlines while at the same time insuring that the liquid seal at 36 with the margin of the skirt 34- will be effective. This is important since it makes possible the opening of the lock 29 after one worker has entered the chamber 10 for the purpose of permitting additional workers to enter the chamber 10 by repeating the sterilization and entry process at spaced periods of time, all without altering or changing the condition within the chamber 10. Thus the only restriction which the device imposes with respect to the number of people who may pass through the lock to enter the chamber 10 is the size of the chamber 10 and the number of connections for airlines which the device possesses.

Assuming that the chamber 10 contains specimens in either a germ-free or a germ-laden atmosphere and that a worker is required to enter the chamber 10 to work upon, observe or attend those specimens, the normal condition of the device will be one in which the closure 32 between the chamber 10 and the lock 20 is sealed and the entry tube 50 into the lock 26) is sealed. In preparing for entry, the worker first dons the diving suit or protective garment aforementioned which is provided with a long length of hose or two lengths of hose terminating at couplings detachably connectable at 76 and 82 within the sterile lock. The sealing device for the entry tube 50, as best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, is then released so that the tube is open and the worker is enabled to pass therethrough for the purpose of entering the sterile lock 20. When he enters the sterile lock he immediately effects connection of his air lines 100 with the couplings 76 and 82. Thereupon an attendant outside of the device reseals the entry tube 50 by the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 and by the process of applying the tube between the clamping plates and in engagement with the expansible member 60, followed by introduction of liquid under pressure into the expansion member 60 to expand the same and to contract the tube 50 and its return bent end portion 58. Thereupon the outer worker introduces liquid into the chamber 64 through the telltale tube 52. The worker within the protective garment is then subjected to the action of sterilization of his garment and of the lock by germicide emitted from the nozzles or other outlets 94.

When the sterilizing and sealing operations have been completed, the worker may climb the ladder 96, open the closure 32 to pass through the opening 26. After he has passed through the opening 26 he clamps his air lines 164) to the channel parts 28 and 30, as shown in Fig. 7, and then recloses the closure 22 and goes about his Work within the chamber 10.

If, subsequently, another worker desires to enter the chamber 10 while the first worker is still within the chamber 10, the process is repeated.

In cases where a germ-laden atmosphere exists within the chamber 10, sterilization of the chamber 20 will exist prior to entry of the worker therein, so that the only operations then required of the worker within the protective garment are first to connect his air lines to the connectors 76 and 82 when he enters the sterile lock 20, and then to seal the entry tube before he opens the closure 32 leading to the chamber 10. In such cases the attendants must operate the sterilizing means to sterilize the lock 20 after the worker has passed from the lock 20 into the chamber 10 before another worker can enter. If a second worker is not required within the chamber, sterilization of the chamber 20 may await the return trip of the first worker, as will be obvious.

The provision of the chamber 64 containing liquid is of interest by reason of the fact that it constitutes means to ascertain the eifectiveness of the seal. Thus the liquid within the chamber 64 will normally remain at a constant level which may be determined by a pipette passed through the tube 52. If a test with the pipette reveals that the level of the liquid has dropped within the chamber 64 without evidence at the exterior of the entry tube of leakage from the tube SO, the person making the test is assured that leakage has occurred through the tube past the clamp and is thus assured that an effective airtight seal of the entry tube 50 is lacking. Suitable precautions can then be taken if such condition is observed, as by repair of the device or delay of opening of the closure 32 until the source of trouble can be located and remedied.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 6, the specimencontaining chamber 110 has projecting therefrom a low level chamber portion 112 provided with an access opening 114 at its top which is bounded by a continuous upwardly projecting flange 116. A second continuous upright flange or wall 118 is spaced from the flange 116 and cooperates therewith and with the top wall 120 of the projection chamber 112 to define a liquid-containing channel.

A closure 122 has a continuous marginal skirt 124 of a size to fit into the channel for the purpose of immersion in liquid contained within the channel 116, 118. This cover or closure 122 preferably mounts a bacteria-excluding filter member 125. Any suitable means for suspension of the closure 122 may be provided. Thus ,the closure 122 may be connected to a chain or cable 126 which is trained around pulleys 128 and carries a counterweight 139 at its free end.

The base 132 of the chamber 112 has an endless liquid trap carried thereby which may be defined by an inner endless channel wall 134 and an outer endless channel wall 136. The channel contains liquid for sealing purposes.

A seamless flexible tube 138 has a sealed connection with the inner channel wall 116 at its upper end, said seal being continuous. The tube 138 is preferably formed of flexible synthetic resin film material, such as vinyl chloride film or like material, which is substantially airtight, flexible, strong and resistant to corrosion by sterilizing materials; The tube'138 is suspended within the chamber 112 and at its lower end carriesa metal ring or other weight member 140 to hold the same taut and to fit within the channel 134, 136 and immerse the lower margin of the tube 138 in liquid within the liquid trap defined between the parts 134 and 136.

V A ladder or other access means 142 is mounted within the device to assist passage of a worker through the opening 114 when the closure member 122 is removed. A worker entering the device within a protective garment having airlines will preferably clamp those airlines to the channel walls 116 and 118 in the same manner illustrated in Fig. 7 before the closure 122 is lowered. After the worker enters the tube 138 the closure 122 can be replaced to 'reseal the same. 'Thereupon germicide or sterilizing medium. may be circulated within the tube 138 as through the discharge nozz1e144 discharging into the interior of the tube 138 and connected at the compressed air line 146 with which an atomizer 148 is con- IleCtCd- After sterilization of both the interior of the tube 138 and the exterior of the protective garment worn by the worker, the worker can raise the lower end of the tube 138, as by grasping straps 150 thereon. This permits the worker to move into the main body of the device, that is, into the chamber 110. In this connection, as the worker passes into the chamber 110, he may connect his air line to the walls 134 and 136 of the lower liquid trap in the same manner illustrated in Fig. 7. Thereupon, the flexible tube 138 may again be lowered so that its lower end weighted by ring 140 again is immersed in the liquid contained within the annular liquid trap.

It will be apparent that the same control of environment of the chamber 110 is possible by the Fig. 6 construction as is possible with the Fig. 1 construction. The mechanism in each instance is slightly different and, in each case, entails passage of the worker through a flexible tube which can be sealed before he enters the same and after he has entered the same. -In each instance the tube remains continuous at all times and only the access end thereof is unsealed at any time. Thus the need for providing closure members of the character illustrated in I) my prior Patent 2,705,489 is eliminated and other and more effective sealing means can be provided which are easily operated and less subject to jamming and to damage than the sealing means suggested in my prior patent.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. Biological apparatus comprising a chamber within which a predetermined environment is to be maintained, said chamber having an access opening, an access chamber communicating with said opening, a closure releasably spanning and sealing said access opening and including a liquid seal surrounding said opening, and means for selectively sealing said access chamber including a flexible tubular access part surrounding a second access opening and shifta'ble between open and sealed positions thereof, said access chamber being defined by material impervious to passage of air and liquid therethrough and having a continuous sealed joint with said first chamber.

2.v Biological apparatus comprising a specimen chamber having an access opening, releasable meaiis for seal ing said opening, an access chamber communicating with said access opening and sealingly connected to said specimen chamber said access chamber accommodating passage of a person therethrough to enter and leave said specimen chamber and including a flexible tubular portion open at one end, means for sealing the open end '7 of said tubular portion, said tubular portion assuming one position when open and a different position when closed and being flexed in at least one of said positions.

3. Biological apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said sealing means constitutes a clamp for pressing opposite portions of said tube into contact to close the tube.

4. Biological apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said sealing means constitutes a pair of spaced opposed members extending transversely of said tubular portion and receiving said tubular portion therebetween, and an expansible member interposed between said tubular portion and one of said rigid members and expansible to squeeze said tubular portion to closed position.

5. Biological apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said sealing means constitutes a clamp extending transversely of and gripping said tubular portion, said tubular portion being folded upon itself spaced outwardly from said clamp, the folded portion of said tubular portion having an opening in its upper portion to accommodate reception of liquid therein.

6. Biological apparatus as defined in claim 2, and an air supply system including a conduit extending into said access chamber and mounting a coupling member within said access chamber, and means associated with the sealing means for said access opening to sealingly position and embrace a flexible conduit extending between said chambers and through said opening.

7. Biological apparatus as defined in claim 2, and an air supply system including a flexible conduit extending through said access opening, said access opening sealing means constituting a liquid trap, and a closure having a marginal portion immersed in said trap, said liquid trap including a liquid containing porton below the bottom of said marginal closure portion for removable reception of said flexible conduit.

8. Biological apparatus as defined in claim 2, and an air supply system including a flexible conduit adapted to extend through said access opening, said access opening sealing means including an endless liquid containing channel having spaced projections in its bottom and a closure having a marginal portion immersed in the liquid in said channel and supported on said projections, said flexible conduit extending transversely of said channel between projections and below said closure marginal portion for immersion in said liquid.

9. Biological apparatus as defined in claim 2, and an air supply system including a flexible conduit adapted to extend through said access opening, said access opening sealing means including an endless liquid containing channel having spaced projections in its bottom and a closure having a marginal portion immersed in the liquid in said channel and supported on said projections, said flexible conduit extending transversely of said channel between projections and below said closure marginal portion for immersion in said liquid, and ciip means detachably connecting said conduit to said channel.

10. Biological apparatus as defined in claim 2, and an air supply system including a flexible conduit adapted to extend through said access opening, said access opening sealing means including an endless liquid containing channel having spaced projections in its bottom and a closure having a marginal portion immersed in the liquid in said channel and supported on said pro ections, said flexible conduit extending transversely of said channel between projections and below said closure marginal portion for immersion in saidliquid, said access chamber constituting an imperforate seamless tube sealingly connected to said specimen chamber at its upper end and depending therefrom, one of said sealing means constituting an endless channel containing liquid to receive and immerse the lower end of said tube.

ll. Biological apparatus comprising a specimen chamher having an access opening in an overhanging substantially horizontal wall spaced above a supporting surface exteriorly of said speciment chamber, an imperforate flexible tube sealingly secured to said wall around said opening and suspended therefrom, a releasable sealing closure for said access opening, and an endless liquid containing member immersing the lower marginal portion of said tube.

12. Biological apparatus as defined in claim 11, and a weight ring secured continuously to the lower margin of said tube and freely receivable in said liquid containing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,185,711 Reyniers Jan. 2, 1940 2,516,419 Reyniers July 25, 1950 2,705,489 Trexler 'Apr. 5, 1955

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