Controlled environment work enclosure

A controlled subatmospheric pressure environment work enclosure for use in mixing, mulling, cutting, and storing amalgam comprising:

• a. interconnected front, back, side, bottom, and top walls defining an enclosed work space, said top wall having a viewing panel provided therein;
• b. a perforated work platform disposed intermediate said top and bottom walls;
• c. glove means replaceably mounted on said front wall for receiving the hands of an operator and permitting manipulation of articles disposed upon said work platform;
• d. at least one air inlet provided in said back wall above said work platform for permitting air to be drawn inwardly from the exterior of said working enclosure;
• e. first filter means cooperatively associated with said air inlet for preventing passage therethrough to the exterior of said enclosure of mercury in vapor or particulate form;
• f. an air outlet provided in said bottom wall below said work platform for permitting the ejection of air from said enclosure;
• g. suction means for continuously maintaining subatmospheric pressure in said work station and for continuously drawing a stream of air inwardly through said air inlet and then rapidly in a downward direction from said air inlet past said work platform in a direction toward said air outlet;
• and
• h. second filter means interposed in said stream of air for filtering the air passing past said work platform thereby preventing mercury in vapor or particulate form contained therein from escaping from said work station through said air outlet.

A controlled subatmospheric pressure environment work enclosure for use in combination with an amalgamation unit for mixing, mulling, cutting, and storing amalgam comprising:

• a. interconnected front, back, side, top and bottom walls defining a closed chamber, said top wall having a pass-through opening therein;
• b. a subfloor mounted within said chamber intermediate said bottom and top walls, said subfloor having a central opening therein and being sealably connected at its margins with said side, front and back walls to define, in cooperation with said bottom wall, an air passageway;
• c. a perforated work platform disposed intermediate said top wall and said subfloor, said work platform being adapted to support the amalgamation unit;
• d. a pair of spaced apart air inlet ports provided in said back wall above said work platform for permitting air to be drawn inwardly from the exterior of said work enclosure;
• e. first filter means replaceably mounted in said air inlet ports for preventing passage of mercury therethrough to the exterior of said enclosure;
• f. second mercury filter means replaceably mounted in said central opening in said subfloor;
• and
• g. suction means mounted below said subfloor for drawing air into said enclosure from the exterior of said work enclosure, through said air inlet ports and urging it downwardly within the closure past said work platform and through said second filter means into said air passageway for ejection to the exterior to said work enclosure.