Apparatus for administering a parenteral solution provided with a diaphragm float valve

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR ADMINISTERING A PARENTERAL SOLUTION TO A PATIENT, A CONTAINER HAVING A LOWER END WALL AND AN UPPER END ENCLOSED BY A CAP MEMBER IN WHICH AN AIR VENT IS FORMED, A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL, AND AN INLET TUBE MEANS WITH ONE END ADAPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH A SOURCE OF PARENTERAL SOLUTION AND THE OTHER COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER, A TUBING CLAMP MOUNTED ON SAID INLET TUBE MEANS, SAID CONTAINER HAVING SAID LOWER END WALL PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE AXIALLY DISPOSED REDUCING SECTION, A DRIP CHAMBER HAVING THE UPPER END THEREOF SEALABLY MOUNTED ON ONE SAID REDUCE ING SECTION, A REDUCED DIAMETER GENERALLY AXIAL TUBULAR OUTLET PASSAGE DISPOSED IN THE LOWER END WALL OF SAID CONTAINER AND EXTENDING A SHORT DISTANCE INWARDLY ABOVE SAID END WALL AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM WITH THE OUTER END PROJECTING INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE SAID DRIP CHAMBER, SAID DRIP CHAMBER HAVING AT THE LOWER END THEREOF A TUBULAR OUTLET MEANS WITH CLAMP MEANS MOUNTED THEREON TO REGULATE THE FLOW OF SOLUTION THERETHROUGH, A FLOAT LOCATED IN SAID CONTAINER AND COMPRISED OF A THIN, FLEXIBLE, ANNULAR DIAPHRGAM INDEPENDENTLY AND FLOATABLY SUPPORTABLE WITHIN SAID CONTAINER BY THE PARENTERAL SOLUTION THEREIN WHEN PARENTERAL SOLUTION IS CONTAINED IN SAID CONTAINER, SAID FLOAT BEING MAINTAINED IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID TUBULAR OUTLET PASSAGE BY MEANS OF SAID SOLUTION AND ADAPTED TO FORM SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TUBULAR OUTLET PASSAGE WHEN THE LIQUID LEVEL WITHIN THE CONTAINER FALLS TO THE UPPER END OF THE SAID TUBULAR OUTLET PASSAGE.