Ventilator anesthetic system having a manually operated safety valve device

In a ventilator/anesthetic system having a gas source and a breathing gas circuit, the improvement of a manually operated safety valve device comprising:

• A valve body having an input adapted for connection to said gas source and an output adapted for connection to said breathing gas circuit with a first flow-through channel in said valve body between said input and said output;
• said first flow-through channel having first flow resistance;
• a valve seat disposed in said valve body in said first flow-through channel;
• a valve element mounted in said valve body so as to be moveable relative to said valve seat between an unactuated, first position relative to said valve seat wherein said valve element does not permit gas to flow through said first flow-through channel and a manually actuated, second position relative to said valve seat wherein said valve element permits a first gas flow through said first flow-through channel, said first gas flow having a magnitude dependent of said first flow impediment;
• said valve body having a second flow-through channel therein between said input and said output;
• said second flow-through channel having a second flow resistance larger than said first flow resistant;
• and
• said valve element being mounted in said valve body for assuming a manually actuated, third position relative to said second flow-through channel for permitting a second gas flow dependent on said second flow resistance, said second gas flow being less than said first gas flow, to pass through said second flow-through channel.