Dialysis apparatus

Claim 1

DIALYSIS APPARATUS, COMPRISING A DIALYZER HAVING COMPANION PLATES AND A MEMBRANE CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID PLATES AND MAINTAINING SAID PLATES IN SPACED RELATION SO THAT THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID MEMBRANE IS EXPOSED ALONG THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, SAID DIALYZER HAVING A FLUID INLET AND A FLUID OUTLET AT EACH SIDE OF SAID MEMBRANE, A RECEPTACLE FOR A BODY OF LIQUID, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID DIALYZER WITHIN SAID RECEPTACLE FOR IMMERSION IN SAID BODY OF LIQUID DURING THE OPERATION OF THE DIALYZER SO THAT SAID OUTER EDGE OF SAID MEMBRANE IS IN CONTACT WITH SAID LIQUID TO MAINTAIN THE DIALYZER MEMBRANE IN MOIST CONDITION BY CAPILLARY ATTRACTION OF SAID MEMBRANE, FLUID-SUPPLY CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING INTO SAID RECEPTACLE AND CONNECTED TO SAID FLUID INLETS OF SAID DIALYZER AT OPPOSITE SIDES, RESPECTIVELY, OF ITS MEMBRANE, FOR CONDUCTING SEPARATE STREAMS OF FLUID TO THE DIALYZER, FLUID-EXHAUST CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID FLUID OUTLET OF SAID DIALYZER AT OPPOSITE SIDES, RESPECTIVELY, OF ITS MEMBRANE FOR THE FLOW OF THE FLUID STREAMS FROM THE DIALYZER AND EXTENDING OUT OF SAID RECEPTACLE, AND MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID BODY OF LIQUID AT A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM TEMPERATURE IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE RATE OF DIALYSIS SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS COMPRISING A HEATER FOR THE LIQUID IN SAID RECEPTACLE, A STIRRER IMMERSED IN SAID LIQUID FOR MAINTAINING SAID LIQUID IN MOTION, A LIQUID CONTACT THERMOMETER FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF SAID HEATER, AND A HOLLOW TUBULAR MEMBER SUPPORTED ON SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID CONTACT THERMOMETER BEING REMOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID THERMOMETER IMMERSED IN SAID LIQUID.