Interlock vessel for hyperbaric transfer system
OwnerRobert D. Bartlettinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An interlock vessel has an air-tight body having open opposing ends. A portion of the body is designed to fit into a decompression (hyperbaric) chamber, wherein a diver or a patient undergoing a decompression treatment is positioned. The opposing ends are closed by pivotally moveable doors and latching assemblies that retain the door in a closed position until the pressure inside the decompression chamber and the exterior of the chamber is equalized. Both latching assemblies are manually operated.
Claims52
An interlock assembly for use with decompression chambers, comprising:
- an air tight vessel provided with one opening at each of the vessel ends;
- an outer door mounted at an exterior end of the vessel;
- an inner door mounted at an interior end of the vessel, said inner door selectively communicating with the decompression chamber when the inner door is open;
- a first latch means mounted at the exterior end of the vessel for selectively locking the outer door in a sealed engagement with the exterior end of the vessel, said first latch means allowing the outer door to move between a locked position and a plurality of selectively open positions;
- a second latch means mounted at the interior end of the vessel for selectively locking the inner door in a sealed engagement with the inner end of the vessel;
- and
- a pressure relief valve operationally connected to the first latch means for rapidly venting pressure inside the vessel when the first latch means is moved to an open position.
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said door has a pre-determined thickness, and wherein the peripheral edge has a reduced thickness in relation to thickness of the central portion, such that an inwardly facing shoulder is formed between an inside surface of the peripheral edge and an inside surface of the central portion, said inwardly facing shoulder facilitating alignment of the inner door with the interior end of the vessel.
An interlock assembly for use with decompression chambers, comprising:
- an air tight vessel provided with one opening at each of the vessel ends and a sidewall extending between opposing ends of the vessel, said sidewall being provided with a peripheral shoulder-forming ring secured at an exterior end of the vessel;
- an outer door mounted at the exterior end of the vessel, said door being adapted for a limited rotational and pivotal movement in relation to the exterior end of the vessel;
- an inner door mounted at an interior end of the vessel, said inner door selectively communicating with the decompression chamber when the inner door is open;
- a first latch means mounted at the exterior end of the vessel for selectively locking the outer door in a sealed engagement with the exterior end of the vessel, said first latch means allowing the outer door to move between a locked position and a plurality of selectively open positions, said first latch means comprising at least one sliding lock pin for preventing rotational movement of the outer door;
- a second latch means mounted at the interior end of the vessel for selectively locking the inner door in a sealed engagement with the inner end of the vessel;
- and
- a pressure relief valve operationally connected to the first latch means for rapidly venting pressure inside the vessel when the first latch means is moved to an open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.