Method and means for effecting entrance into germ free enclosures and the like

Claim 1

THE COMBINATION WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL STERILE ENCLOSURE INCLUDING A WALL AND PROVIDED WITH A CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE, SAID WALL INCLUDING LATERALLY SPACED ENTRANCE MEANS, AND SAID EXPERIMENTAL ENCLOSURE ADAPTED TO BE SEALED BY A PAIR OF RUBBER GLOVES USED FOR MANUAL MANIPULATION WITHIN THE EXPERIMENTAL STERILE ENCLOSURE, OF AN ENTRANCE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PAIR OF ANNULAR GLOVESUPPORTING MEMBERS PROVIDING SAID ENTRANCE MEANS AND INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SIMILARLY FORMED OUTER AND INNER ANNULAR COMPLEMENTALLY FORMED AND AXIALLY POSITIONED GLOVE-RECEIVING MEANS, SAID GLOVE-RECEIVING MEANS AXIALLY POSITIONED ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE ANNULAR GLOVE-SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID WALL, SAID GLOVE-SUPPORTING MEMBERS AFFIXED IN FLUID-TIGHT RELATIONSHIP IN LATERALLY SPACED OPENINGS PROVIDED IN THE WALL OF THE EXPERIMENTAL STERILE ENCLOSURE AND DEFINING SAID ENTRANCE MEANS THERETO, ONE OF SAID GLOVE-RECEIVING MEANS OF THE ANNULAR GLOVE-SUPPORTING MEMBERS FOR OPERATIVELY RECEIVING A PAIR OF RUBBER GLOVES POSITIONED EXTERIORLY OF SAID WALL OF SAID STERILE ENCLOSURE, AND SAID ANOTHER OF SAID GLOVE-RECEIVING MEANS FOR OPERATIVELY RECEIVING A SECOND PAIR OF RUBBER GLOVES FROM WITHIN THE EXPERIMENTAL STERLIE ENCLOSURE BY MANUAL MANIPULATION BY AN OPERATOR OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF RUBBER GLOVES AFFIXED TO SAID OUTER GLOVE-RECEIVING MEANS EXTERIORLY OF SAID WALL AND WITHIN THE EXPERIMENTAL STERILE ENCLOSURE, WHEREBY UPON REMOVAL OF THE FIRST PAIR OF RUBBER GLOVES AFFIXED TO SAID OUTER GLOVE-RECEIVING MEANS, THE SECOND PAIR OF RUBBER GLOVES WHEN AFFIXED TO ANOTHER OF SAID GLOVE-RECEIVING MEANS MAINTAINS THE STERILIZED CONDITION OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID EXPERIMENTAL STERILE ENCLOSURE.