Dragerwerk Aktiengesellschaft

Ernst Warncke

Adalbert Pasternack

Hans Matthiessen

Joachim Schlobohm

Georg-Wilhelm Oetjen

Manfred Gdulla

Jorg Winkler

Karl-Heinz Huneke

Jurgen Behnke

Jo/ Rg Winkler

A gas mask comprises an outer full mask and an inner half mask for closed cycle respirators leaving an interspace between the half mask and the full mask. The outer mask is sealed around the person's face by one or more sealing frames and the inner mask is sealed with the face around the wearer's nose and mouth. The construction includes a passage between the half mask and a full mask with a check valve which opens with exhalation resistance in a direction toward the space between the full mask and the half mask. The outer full mask has a wall with a linkage compensation device which is closed by a cover and includes a bellows which expands and contracts in the device in accordance with variations in pressure within the interspace between the two masks. A spring is employed to bias the bellows into one of an expanded or contracted situation so that the bellows may either expand or contract against the spring pressure during operation and provide a leakage compensation in the space between the masks.

Gas mask construction

In many instances, particularly in mining underground, sudden gas outbursts (of methane, CO.sub.2) make it necessary for workers to have recourse to respiratory protection within seconds. Taking for granted that under such circumstances protective helmets are worn too, it is provided to combine a helmet with a protective breathing hood. At standby, the hood is carried in folded state in a closed space formed at a bent-out rim portion of the helmet. The hood is connected to a breathing gas supply. Upon opening the supply, the breathing gas flows into double-walled portions of the hood and causes unfolding or unrolling, i.e. stretching of the hood, thus dropping from the helmet around the user's head downwardly. The breathing gas continues to flow into the interior of the hood.

Protective breathing hood for escape purposes

A respirator comprises a respirator which includes a closed circulation circuit for breathing gas which has in any phase of the breathing process a slight overpressure compared to the ambient atmosphere. The excess pressure in the circuit is maintained by a combination of lung controlled amount of air and an amount of oxygen added independent of the oxygen content in the expiration air. Leakages are compensated to maintain proper breathing. The lung controlled amount of equalizing air prevents the possibility of hazardous outflow in case of leakages. The switchable connection is maintained between the compressed air line and the lung control valve with the oxygen line to ensure the supply of proper circulating air even in a failure of the electrical control of the oxygen supply. For the ratio of the two pressure gas supplies to each other it was expedient to select a ratio of air to oxygen of about 1:4. For a 2 hour apparatus, a 1.2 liter bottle with 200 bar filling pressure can be selected for the compressed oxygen, so that an oxygen supply of 240 liters is obtained, and a content of 0.3 liters at 200 bar can be selected for the compressed air bottle, which yields an air supply of 60 liters. The total breathing gas supply is then 300 liters which is sufficient for an operating time of 2 hours.

Respirator having circulating breathing gas

A protective breathing apparatus comprises a breathing gas supply tube fitted into a protective face mask which has an opening to which the tube extends and which has a peripheral sealing lip adapted to seal the mask around the user's face. The mouthpiece is attached to the inner end of the tube into the mask and it is engageable by the user's mouth through association with the mouth for breathing. The mask advantageously includes a thickened area on each side of the person's nose to constrict the nose so that breathing is through the mouth, and the mouthpiece advantageously includes bite nipples which are engageable by the mouth in order to hold the tube in the vicinity of the mouth for breathing. Alternatively, the mouthpiece comprises an end having a plurality of serrations along it which fits into the mouth.

Protective breathing apparatus including a mask and mouthpiece

A closed cycle respirator is disclosed which includes a respiration air cycle having a breathing bag and a carbon dioxide absorber with connecting lines between the breathing bag and absorber and to a junction adapted for use by the user of the equipment. A pressurized oxygen bottle is provided with a controllable valve for supplying oxygen to the cycle in case the oxygen drops below a selected value in the breathing bag. In case of failure of the controllable valve, a separate oxygen supply connection is provided to the breathing cycle with a valve which senses a reduction of pressure in the breathing cycle and opens the connection to the oxygen bottle for emergency supply of oxygen to the cycle.

Electrically and mechanically controllable closed cycle respirator

A closed cycle respirator with emergency oxygen supply is disclosed which comprises a main oxygen flow path from an oxygen bottle into a breathing bag of the closed breathing cycle. A switching valve is provided in the first path and branches off into a second path also for supplying oxygen into the bag. The first oxygen flow path has a solenoid valve therein which is controlled by a first oxygen sensor in the breathing bag. The switching valve is controlled by a second oxygen sensor in the breathing bag for switching oxygen supply over to the second flow path in case the solenoid valve malfunctions or anytime the oxygen in the bag falls below or rises above a set desired limit.

Closed cycle respirator with emergency oxygen supply

A pressure gas ventilated pressure suit comprises a suit adapted to cover a person which includes a head portion with a face encompassing part which defines a breathing space in front of the person's face and which also includes a body portion defining a pressure space around the person's body and parts of the person's head which is separate from the breathing space. A connection is established between the breathing space and the pressure space through a check valve which permits inhaling of the air found in the pressure space through the breathing space to the wearer. The pressurized breathing gas is connected to discharge gas into the pressure space to maintain it at a predetermined pressure which advantageously provides an inflation of the body portion of the suit. During breathing the wearer inhales in the breathing space and pulls in some of the air from the pressure space through the check valve. The air is exhaled through an exhaling valve connected into the breathing space. The suit advantageously provides a device for adjusting the pressure in the body portion through the regulation of a pressure regulating valve which is connected to the discharge of a compressed air tank.

Pressure gas ventilated protective suit and method of operating the suit

A valving mechanism for a lung controlled pressure respirator system which uses a mask which fits to the head of a person and includes an outer mask portion adapted to be sealed around the periphery of the person's face and an inner mask portion arranged within the outer mask portion, comprises a housing wtih a flexible diaphragm which extends across the interior of the housing. On one side of the diaphragm the housing is exposed to atmospheric pressure and on the opposite side it is connected to a pressure space defined between inner and outer mask portions of the oxygen mask. The housing also has a control valve portion in communication with the opposite side of the diaphragm. A respirator breathing air supply conduit is connected to the control valve portion. The closing piston valve is movable in the control valve portion and has a port which is alignable with the breathing air supply conduit to permit flow from the breathing air supply conduit to the control valve portion and through the communication of the control valve to the pressure space between the inner and outer mask of the oxygen breathing mask. The construction includes a control tipping lever which is pivotally mounted between the control diaphragm and the closing piston valve and has an arm portion which is engageable with the diaphragm and is displaceable by movement of the diaphragm to displace the closing piston between positions in which the port varies its position in respect to disalignment witwh the supply conduit so as to vary the amount which is supplied into the pressure space between the inner and outer mask of the breathing mask.

Lung controlled pressure gas respirator for use with an oxygen mask and

An excess pressure respirator with automatic or manual shutoff valve is disclosed. A breathing bag having at least one movable plate member is utilized to receive and supply breathing air from a user. The plate member is biased to reduce the volume of the bag and apply pressure to the contents of the bag. A pressurized gas source is connected through a connecting line to the bag. A dosing valve is positioned in the connecting line to be opened when the volume of the bag is reduced during an inhalation cycle and then closed so that a dosed quantity of oxygen is supplied to the bag. A shutoff valve is also provided in the connection for shutting flow of breathing gas from the source entirely when the bag falls below a minimum volume which is indicative of a large leak or the removal of a gas mask from the user's face. A manual shutoff may also be provided in the form of a movable block which stops the movement of the biased plate member before it engages the dosing valve to open it.

Excess pressure respirator with pressurized breathing gas shutoff

A readiness receptacle for housing a device such as a respirator, includes a first shell portion hingedly connected to a second shell portion. The connected shell portions define a space in which the device is disposed in a tearable bag sealed on all sides. At least one of the shell sections is pivotable to open said receptacle. A tear strap is connected to the tearable bag and portions of the tear strap are connected to each of the shell portions for tearing open the tearable bag simultaneously with the opening of the shell portions.

Readiness receptacle for respirators

A warning device for breathing apparatus which has a respiratory gas conduit through which respiratory gases are passed and which includes three interconnected chambers. Two of the chambers include diaphragm valves operable, responsive to pressure conditions therein, to actuate a piston in the third chamber which moves a signaling element into the gas conduit to signal a low pressure condition.

Warning device for breathing apparatus having a pressure gas supply

A chemical cartridge for giving off oxygen for use in respirators, comprises, a container having an oxygen-liberating chemical therein, with a spark plug engaged in the chemical and developing heat and oxygen when started to ignite and aid in the combustion of the chemical. A container of a shape to extend around at least the sides and one end of the spark plug is filled with water and it has an opening which is closed by a plug. The plug is made so that it will open during the burning of the spark plug and supply water to the chemical.

Chemical cartridge for respirators

A respirator package for carrying on a person includes a tubular frame which forms a container for a high pressure gas such as oxygen. A respiratory air circulating system is adapted to be mounted on the frame and connected to the high pressure gas therein for the selected circulation of the gas and respiratory air to and from the wearer and also advantageously includes means for regenerating the breathing air and supplementing it with the gas such as oxygen. The high pressure gas container comprises a frame made up of successive windings of a tube to form a closed container having a connecting valve associated therewith. The frame thus formed is advantageously provided with straps so that the frame can be carried on a wearer's back and it provides a spacing and insulation for a breathing system which advantageously includes a regenerator which is likely to heat during operation. The parts of the system are held in place on the frame by means of a casing which is secured to the frame.

Respirator package for carrying on a person

A warning device for indicating a reduction of breathing gas supply pressure in an air breathing conduit includes a warning device member disposed in the breathing conduit which has a connection to the gas supply and is movable in response to a drop in the air supply pressure beyond the predetermined amount into at least a partially blocking position so as to increase the flow resistance through the breathing conduit so that the patient using the device is warned by the condition. The device includes a correction element connected to the conduit which moves the warning member in a direction away from the blocking position so that the warning cycle is again initiated.

Warning signal producing device for protective breathing apparatus

A breathing device to facilitate a person's respiratory breathing of air with sufficient oxygen, comprises a breathing conduit adapted to be connected to a person for breathing. A breathing bag surrounds a portion of the conduit and it is connected into the conduit through suitable check valve elements to permit respiratory breathing along the conduit and from and to the bag. A first chemical cartridge has a first housing with an opening therethrough through which the conduit extends and it has an oxygen-liberating chemical therein which surrounds and is spaced radially outwardly from the conduit. An annular passage is defined in the space between the chemical and the conduit which communicates with the bag. The conduit has an end adjacent the bottom end of the first cartridge which is connectable to a central tube of a second chemical cartridge. The central tube has an end portion which interengages with the bottom end portion of the first conduit. The tubular conduit portion of the second chemical cartridge housing is spaced from the bottom end of the housing and respiratory air may circulate downwardly from the breathing conduit through the tubular central portion of the second chemical cartridge and back upwardly through the oxygen-liberating chemical which is contained in the second cartridge. The second chemical cartridge functions as a spare or an additional cartridge and the construction is such that the initial cartridge may be continued to be used while the second cartridge is cut into the breathing conduit line.

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Lubeck, Germany

Ernst Warncke