US3467094A - Oxygen-isolation and overboard-dumping system - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 16, 1969 M. w. GOODMAN 3,467,094'

OXYGENISOLATION AND OVERBOARD-DUMPING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 1, 1966 'MAXWELL W. GOODMAN ATTK INVENTOR.

United States Patent US. Cl. 128-204 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An enclosed decompression chamber for diving personnel wherein a mask system normally isolates the users breathing fluids from the chamber atmosphere but when the pressure in the mask system suddenly drops, a valve permits chamber atmosphere to enter the mask system to prevent injury to the wearer.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to an oxygen system for use in a decompression chamber or tank. More specifically, the invention relates to a system which maintains the concentration of oxygen in the general atmosphere of the decompression chamber or tank at as low a level as possible to thereby minimize the hazard of fire during the decompression period when the persons being subject to the decompression are breathing pure oxygen. The problem to which this invention relates is associated with the problems encountered in subjecting the living human body to the unaccustomed environment of high pressure encountered in deep diving. Among the problems is the problem of absorption of gas into the blood stream when a person breathes gases under pressure in a pressurized environment and the attendant problem of removing these absorbed gases from the human system when the person is to be returned to an environment of normal pressure. One of the devices developed to facilitate the removal of the absorbed gases from the human system is the decompression chamber or tank into which the person in need of decompression is placed. In the chamber the person is allowed to breath pure oxygen as the pressure is gradually reduced to normal.

In the past decompression chambers or tanks, which are sometimes designed to house several people during a decompression cycle, have been subject to accumulations of large concentrations of oxygen in the general atmosphere of the tank, which produces a highly dangerous environment in which a small spark may produce a conflagration from any combustible matter within the tank, and has within recent times caused the death of several people.

The source of much of this excess oxygen in the general atmosphere within the tank results from the discharge of the exhaled gases directly into the tank from the oxygen masks worn by the people undergoing decompression. These exhaled gases include large concentrations of oxygen, containing from 40 to 60% of oxygen by volume. It therefore occurred to the inventor that one solution to the problem would be to pass the exhaled gases, including the excess oxygen, outside the tank.

Particularly dangerous is the concentration of oxygen about the head of the person undergoing decompression which results largely from the oxygen exhaled from the mask.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a system which minimizes the concentration of oxygen in a decompression tank.

3,467,094 Patented Sept. 16, 1969 It is a further object of this invention to provide means whereby the exhaled gases of the people undergoing decompression are passed to the exterior of the decompression tank.

\Another object of this invention is to produce a means for reducing the hazards of fire in a decompression tank.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as disclosure is made in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying sheets of drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a more detailed diagram of the mask and the attendant connection therewith.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the two views, there is shown in FIG. 1 a portion of a decompression tank 11 with an oxygen manifold 12 and an exhaust manifold 13. In the tank is shown a face mask 14 connected across the two manifolds by an oxygen intake tube 15 and an exhaust tube 16 with the oxygen intake tube 15 connected through a demand regulator 18. Also connected to the exhaust side of the mask is a breathing bag 17 which facilitates the normal breathing of the individual wearing the mask.

Now referring to FIG. 2 for greater details of the mask structure, the mask 14 is shown as having an inlet check valve 22 and an exhaust check valve 23. There is also .provided a flexible non-collapsible tube 25 within said bag through which the exhaled gases enter the bag and at the end of the breathing bag 17 there is also provided a valve 24 which serves to protect the individual against sudden drops in the internal pressure of the mask, such as might occur if the exhaust manifold control valves were suddenly opened by mistake. The tube serves to prevent complete collapse of the bag under a sudden drop in internal pressure. This is desirable since the interior of the chamber is at a much higher pressure than the atmospheric pressure outside and any sudden local drop in pressure such as might occur within the mask if the exhaust valve were open too widely, might produce injury to the individual wearing the mask. Valves 19 and 21 as shown in FIG. 1 are generally regulatory valves for adjusting the operation of the mask to the individual undergoing decompression. The valve 24 is a very sensitive check valve type which responds quickly to any change in pressure.

In operation, the mask is adjusted to the individual to reduce the leakage to a minimum around the mask and then the valves 19 and 21 are adjusted to supply an adequate amount of oxygen to the mask and a sufficient exhaust from the mask so that the input and exhaust from the mask are equalized. The bag 17, being made of a substantially air tight material, such as rubber or cloth impregnated with rubber, inflates during the exhaust cycle of the breathing of the wearer of the mask so that the excess of the exhaust over the amount permitted by the valve 19 to pass into the manifold is stored temporarily in the bag 17 and is then fed off through the manifold during the inhaling portion of the breathing cycle. Valves 22 and 23 operate in a usual manner as check valves 22, closing during the exhaling portion of the breathing cycle and valve 23 closing during the inhaling portion of the breathing cycle.

The aforedescn'bed system thus provides means for preventing a buildup of the oxygen concentration in a decompression tank from the exhalant of the persons undergoing decompression, thereby lessening the chances of accidental fire in the decompression tank.

It will be noted that the present system lends itself to the controlled study of the gases exhaled in the process of human respiration since all the exhaled gases are passed through a manifold which could be connected to suitable analytic equipment.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A decompression system for providing decompression for diving personnel returning to atmospheric pressure during a period in which the diving personnel may breathe a gas mixture containing a relatively high percentage of oxygen, said system comprising:

a fluid tight decompression chamber for said diving personnel, said chamber being provided with means for controlling a decompression cycle employing essentially atmospheric gas of inherently low oxygen content in said chamber;

first and second fluid tight conduits each passing through a wall of said decompression chamber in a fluid tight manner, said first conduit adapted for being connected to a source of oxygen externally of said chamber;

a plurality of valve means located on each of said first and second conduits at spaced apart positions within said chamber;

said second fluid tight conduit being connected to exhaust externally of said chamber;

a fluid tight breathing mask for personnel use connected across said first and second conduits at each location of said valve means thereon;

each of said masks having an inlet tube connected to said first conduit and an outlet tube connected to said second conduit;

a demand regulator coupled to the intake tube of each mask;

a bag for each mask, said bag having check valve means mounted therein to prevent exhaustion of bag contents to the chamber and to enable ambient atmosphere to enter the bag when the pressure therein drops below the ambient pressure within the chamber;

check valve means in each of the inlet and outlet tubes;

whereby during decompression of diving personnel there is prevention of oxygen accumulation in the general atmosphere due to exhalation within the decompression chamber thereby minimizing the chance of oxygen ignition.

2. In a breathing system for an individual undergoing decompression in a chamber pressurized with a gaseous mixture:

a face mask adapted to be worn by said individual;

a supply system for providing a breathing mixture to 4 the interior of said face mask to satisfy the breathing demands of said individual;

a container coupled to said face mask and adapted to receive the exhalations of said individual during the discharge portion of his breathing cycle.

means for continually venting the contents of said container to a location exterior to said pressurized chambet; and

means responsive to the occurrence of an inadequate amount of said breathing mixture at the interior of said face mask and to the resulting decrease in the pressure level within said container caused by the breathing demands of said individual not being satisfied from said supply system for connecting said chamber to said last-mentioned means,

whereby the gaseous mixture in said chamber is also vented to the exterior of said pressurized chamber and the pressure therein lowered to a level which will permit said individual to remove said face mask and supply his breathing demands from the gaseous mixture in said chamber.

3. The system recited in claim 2 wherein said venting means comprises:

an exhaust line coupled at one end to said container and at the other end to the exterior of said chamber, said exhaust line having means for restricting gaseous flow therethrough; and

suction means coupled to said other end of said exhaust line for aiding in the expulsion of the gaseous contents of said line.

4. The system as recited in claim 3 wherein said container is deformable.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein said connecting means includes a check valve mounted on said deformable container and adapted to permit a one way flow of gas from the exterior to the interior of said container and wherein said deformable container is provided with means for maintaining a fluid passage between said check valve and said one end of said exhaust line during collapse of said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,561,086 11/1925 Korvibski 128---142.3 2,119,446 5/1938 Sholes 128-202X 3,348,538 10/1967 Benzel 128l42 FOREIGN PATENTS 248,289 8/1962 Australia.

WILLIAM E. KAMM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 128-142

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