The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 15, 1992
Filed:
May. 02, 1991
Gerald R Grafius, Erie, PA (US);
American Sterilizer Company, Erie, PA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method are described for opening, closing, and sealing the door of a sterilizer. The apparatus includes a clamping device for compressing a compressible gasket between the door and the chamber of the sterilizer, and the clamping device can provide variable clamping pressure. Further, the clamping device is self-locking and once in a clamped position it requires the positive application of hydraulic pressure to move it to an unclamped state. The apparatus also includes hydraulic mechanisms for opening and closing the door and raising and lowering the door against the face of the sterilizer. Each of these hydraulic mechanisms may be adjusted to vary the amount of force used to open and close the door or to raise and lower the door. In addition, the hydraulic mechanisms used for clamping the door, opening and closing the door, or raising and lowering the door are adapted so that they can be operated during a loss of electrical power.