Controllable underwater drainage apparatus

Claim 2

In a drainage device for draining fluids from a cavity comprising an inlet opening adapted to be placed in fluid communication with the cavity to be drained, a vacuum opening adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source and with the inlet opening for drawing fluid from the cavity into the device, and a manometer for regulating the vacuum, said manometer comprising first and second columns in fluid communication with each other, said manometer adapted to receive a body of liquid within the first and second columns, the first column being exposed to atmosphere and the second column being exposed to the vacuum source; the improvement including, a measuring means formed in said manometer for measuring the rate of airflow therethrough, whereby when the pressure in the first column exceeds the pressure in the second column by a sufficient amount so that air bubbles can flow from said first column, said measuring means measures the rate of said airflow.

Claim 3

A drainage device as claim 1, wherein the said measuring means includes a gas flow meter, said meter comprising a partition member located in the interior of the manometer and having a plurality of holes formed therein, said holes being arranged such that as the said pressure differential force causing the bubbling increases, the number of holes through which air bubbles pass also increases.

Claim 4

A drainage device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said partition member extends across the bottom of the said second column generally horizontAlly, and said holes are located progressively farther away from the first column, whereby air bubbles first pass through only the hole closest to the first column and whereby as the said force increases, air bubbles also pass through holes farther away from the first column.

Claim 5

A drainage device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second column comprises two portions in fluid communication with each other at their upper ends, wherein both portions are exposed to the vacuum source, and including means for confining air bubbles to only one of said portions, whereby the liquid in the other portion remains relatively calm.

Claim 6

A drainage device as claimed in claim 3, including a baffle means for preventing liquid rising with the air bubbles from passing through the said vacuum opening.

Claim 7

A drainage device as claimed din claim 5, wherein said second column comprises two portions in fluid communication with each other at their upper ends and wherein both portions are exposed to the vacuum source, said baffle means comprising an arrangement for confining the air bubbles to only one of the two portions, and a baffle member located above the said one portion in the path of the rising bubbles whereby the liquid which rises with the bubbles engages the baffle member and falls downwardly as the air continues to flow towards the vacuum opening.

Claim 8

A drainage device as claimed claim 1, including a seal chamber having first and second columns in fluid communication with each other at their lower ends, said seal chamber forming a part of the fluid communication between the vacuum opening and the inlet opening, the first seal chamber column being in fluid communication with the cavity being drained and the second seal chamber column being in fluid communication with said vacuum source, and including a measuring means formed in the seal chamber for measuring the rate of gas flow through the seal chamber, whereby when the pressure in the first seal chamber column exceeds the pressure in the second seal chamber column by a sufficient amount so that gas bubbles can flow from said first seal chamber through sad second seal chamber column, said seal chamber measuring means will measure the rate of said gas flow.

Claim 9

A drainage device as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said measuring means comprises a flow meter comprising a partition member located in the interior of its respective chamber and having a plurality of holes formed therein, said holes of each flow meter being arranged such that in each chamber, as the associated pressure differential force causing the bubbling in the heat chamber increases, the number of holes through which the bubbles pass also increases.

Claim 10

A drainage device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the partition member in the manometer extends across the bottom of the second column generally horizontally, said holes being located progressively farther away from the first column, and wherein the partition member in the seal chamber extends horizontally across the bottom of the second column of the seal chamber and wherein the holes are located progressively farther away from the first column of the seal chamber.

Claim 11

A drainage device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said second column of the manometer comprises two portions in fluid communication with each other at their upper ends, wherein both portions are exposed to the vacuum source, and including means for confining air bubbles to only one of said portions, whereby the liquid in the other portion remains relatively calm.

Claim 12

A drainage device as claimed in claim 9, including a baffle means for preventing liquid rising in the second column of the manometer with the air bubbles from passing through the said vacuum opening.

Claim 13

A drainage device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said second column of the manometer comprises two portions in fluid communication with each other at their upper ends and wherein both portions are exposed to the vacuum source, said baffle means comprising an arrangement fOr confining the air bubbles to only one of the two portions and a baffle member located above the said one portion in the path of the rising bubbles, whereby the liquid which rises with the bubbles engages the baffle member and falls downwardly as the air continues to flow towards the vacuum opening.

Claim 14

In a device for regulating the pressure within a cavity of a person, comprising a trap chamber and an underwater seal chamber, said trap chamber having located at its upper end an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said seal chamber also having located at its upper end an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the seal chamber inlet being in fluid communication with the trap chamber outlet, said trap chamber openings being separated from each other so that liquid received from the cavity can fall into the trap chamber while gas can pass through said trap chamber outlet into the seal chamber, and the seal chamber having first and second columns in fluid communication with each other at their lower ends, the seal chamber inlet being located at the upper end of the first column, whereby the first column is exposed to pressure conditions in the trap chamber, and the seal chamber outlet being located at the upper end of the second column, whereby the second column is exposed to pressure conditions other than that in the trap chamber; the improvement including, a measuring means formed in said seal chamber for measuring the rate of gas flow therethrough, whereby when liquid is placed in the seal chamber and the pressure in the first column exceeds the pressure in the second column by a sufficient amount so that gas bubbles can flow from said first column through said second column, said measuring means measures the rate of said gas flow.

Claim 15

In a device for regulating the pressure within a cavity of a person, comprising a trap chamber and an underwater seal chamber, said trap chamber having located at its upper end an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said seal chamber also having located at its upper end an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the seal chamber inlet being in fluid communication with the trap chamber outlet, said trap chamber openings being separated from each other so that liquid received from the cavity can fall into the trap chamber while gas can pass through said trap chamber outlet into the seal chamber, and the seal chamber having first and second columns in fluid communication with each other at their lower ends, the seal chamber inlet being located at the upper end of the first column, whereby the first column is exposed to pressure conditions in the trap chamber, and the seal chamber outlet being located at the upper end of the second column, whereby the second column is exposed to pressure conditions other than that in the trap chamber; the improvement including, a measuring means formed in said seal chamber for measuring the rate of gas flow therethrough, whereby when liquid is placed in the seal chamber and the pressure in the first column exceeds the pressure in the second column by a sufficient amount so that gas bubbles can flow from said first column through said second column, said measuring means measures the rate of said gas flow.

Claim 16

In a device for regulating the pressure within a cavity of a person, according to claim 13, said trap chamber including a pediatric collection compartment and at said trap chamber including a pediatric collection compartment and at least one other collection compartment, the two compartments being located side by side and in fluid communication with each other only through an upper opening located at their upper ends, said pediatric collection compartment being located directly beneath the inlet opening to the trap chamber such that all liquid entering the trap chamber first enters the pediatric collection compartment, until the pediatric collection compartment is filled up to the upper opening, and after which additional liquid entering the trap chamber spills through the upper opening into the said other collection compartment, said pediatric collection compartment being of sufficiently narrow cross section such that the volume of liquid collected therein may be readily ascertained in increments of approximately one cubic centimeter.

Claim 17

A drainage device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the said measuring means includes a gas flow meter, said meter comprising a partition member located in the interior of the seal chamber and having a plurality of holes formed therein, said holes being arranged such that as the said pressure differential force causing the bubbling increases, the number of holes through which bubbles pass also increases.

Claim 18

A drainage device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the said partition member extends horizontally across the bottom of the seal chamber at the bottom of the second column, said holes being located progressively farther away from the said first column, whereby bubbles first pass through only the hole closest to the first column, and whereby as the said force increases, air bubbles also pass through the other holes.

Claim 19

A drainage device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said seal chamber also includes a baffle means for preventing liquid which rises with air bubbles in the first column of the seal chamber from being carried over into the trap chamber, whereby when the said other pressure exceeds the pressure in the trap chamber by a sufficient amount so that all the liquid in the seal chamber rises inTo the first column and air bubbles rise therein, the rising liquid will engage the baffle means and fall downwardly back into the seal chamber, as the bubbles continue to travel through the seal chamber inlet to the trap chamber.

Claim 20

A drainage device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the baffle means comprises a separation chamber located at the upper end of the first column directly above the first column, and including an enlarged upper reservoir immediately adjacent and in fluid communication with the separation chamber, and the said seal chamber inlet in fluid communication with the trap chamber being located on the side of the reservoir opposite from the separation chamber, whereby the gases which pass said baffle means pass through the enlarged reservoir to the trap chamber.

Claim 21

A drainage device as claimed in claim 18, including a pair of vertically spaced openings between the first column and the reservoir, the upper of the two openings being positioned so that gases can pass therethrough to the trap chamber and so that some of the liquids which engage the baffle means can pass therethrough to the reservoir, and the lower of the two openings being positioned so that liquid in the reservoir can pass therethrough and rise with the bubbles to the separation chamber.

Claim 22

A drainage device as claimed in claim 18, including a manometer having first and second columns in fluid communication with each other at their lower ends, the first manometer column being exposed to atmosphere and the second manometer chamber being in fluid communication with the second column of the seal chamber, the two second columns thereby forming a common space exposed to said other pressure conditions and a vacuum opening from said common space adapted to be connected to a vacuum source.

Claim 23

A drainage device as claimed in claim 20, wherein said second column of the manometer includes 20, manometer baffle means which prevents liquid, which may rise in the second column when the said other pressure is less than atmospheric pressure by a sufficient amount, from passing through said vacuum opening of the common space to the vacuum source.

Claim 24

A drainage device as claimed in claim 21, wherein said second column of the manometer comprises two portions in fluid communication with each other at their upper ends and wherein both portions are exposed to the vacuum source, said manometer baffle means comprising an arrangement for confining the air bubbles to only one of the two portions and a manometer baffle member located above the said one portion in the path of the rising bubbles, whereby the liquid which rises with the bubbles engages the baffle member and falls downwardly as the air continues to flow towards the vacuum opening.

Claim 25

In a drainage device for draining fluids from a cavity comprising, an inlet opening adapted to be placed in fluid communication with the cavity to be drained, a vacuum opening adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source and with the inlet opening for draining fluids from the cavity into the device, and a manometer for regulating the vacuum, said manometer comprising a first and a second column, said manometer being adapted to receive a body of liquid therein within the first and second columns, the first column being exposed to the atmosphere and the second column being exposed to the vacuum source; the improvement, wherein said second column includes a baffle means for catching liquids splashed upwardly with the air bubbles which pass through the manometer when the vacuum source pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure by a sufficient amount, said baffle means being arranged to direct the liquid downwardly back into the second column while permitting air to pass by said baffle means, whereby the splashed liquid remains in the second column while the air is permitted to pass through to the vacuum opening, said second column comprising two vertically extending portions separated by a partition and in fluid communication with each otHer via upper and lower openings above and below the partition, respectively, and wherein both portions are exposed to the vacuum source, said partition arranged such that air bubbles from the first column are directed substantially up into only one of the two portions, said baffle means comprising a baffle member located above the said one portion in the path of the rising bubbles, such that the liquid which rises in the said one portion with the bubbles engages the baffle member and falls downwardly as the air continues to float toward the vacuum source, some of this liquid falling into the second portion, and wherein an amount of makeup water flows from the second portion to the first portion through the lower opening, such that flow of at least some liquid is created around the partition, up in the first portion, through the upper opening, and down in the second portion through the lower opening.

Claim 26

In a drainage device for draining fluids from a cavity comprising, an inlet opening adapted to be placed in fluid communication with the cavity to be drained, a vacuum opening adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source and with the inlet opening for draining fluids from the cavity into the device, and a manometer for regulating the vacuum, said manometer comprising a first and a second column, said manometer being adapted to receive a body of liquid therein within the first and second columns, the first column being exposed to the atmosphere and the second column being exposed to the vacuum source; the improvement, wherein said second column includes a baffle means for catching liquids splashed upwardly with the air bubbles which pass through the manometer when the vacuum source pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure by a sufficient amount, said baffle means being arranged to direct the liquid downwardly back into the second column while permitting air to pass by said baffle means, whereby the splashed liquid remains in the second column while the air is permitted to pass through to the vacuum opening, said second column comprising two vertically extending portions separated by a partition and in fluid communication with each otHer via upper and lower openings above and below the partition, respectively, and wherein both portions are exposed to the vacuum source, said partition arranged such that air bubbles from the first column are directed substantially up into only one of the two portions, said baffle means comprising a baffle member located above the said one portion in the path of the rising bubbles, such that the liquid which rises in the said one portion with the bubbles engages the baffle member and falls downwardly as the air continues to float toward the vacuum source, some of this liquid falling into the second portion, and wherein an amount of makeup water flows from the second portion to the first portion through the lower opening, such that flow of at least some liquid is created around the partition, up in the first portion, through the upper opening, and down in the second portion through the lower opening.

Claim 27

A drainage device as claimed in claim 23, said lower opening being shaped to prevent the passage of air bubbles therethrough from the first portion to the second portion.

Claim 28

A drainage device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the said lower opening is directed downwardly from said first portion to said second portion.

Claim 29

A drainage device as claimed in claim 23, wherein said manometer includes a measuring means for measuring the rate of flow of air through the manometer.

Claim 30

A drainage device as claimed in claim 23, including a seal chamber having first and second columns in fluid communication with each other at their lower ends, said seal chamber forming a part of the fluid communication between the vacuum opening and the inlet opening, the first seal chamber column being in fluid communication with the cavity being drained and the second seal chamber column being in fluid communication with said vacuum source, and including a measuring means formed in the seal chamber for measuring the rate of gas flow through the seal chamber, whereby when the pressure in the first seal chamber column exceeds the pressure in the second seal chamber column by a sufficient amount so that gas bubbles can flow from said first seal chamber through said second seal chamber column, said seal chamber measuring means will measure the rate of said gas flow.

Claim 31

A drainage device as claimed in claim 27, including a measuring means in the manometer for measuring the rate of flow of air passing therethrough.

Claim 32

A drainage device as claimed in claim 28, wherein each of said measuring means comprises a flow meter comprising a partition member located in the interior of its respective chamber and having a plurality of holes formed therein, said holes of each flow meter being arranged such that in each chamber, as the associated pressure differential force causing the bubbling in that chamber increases, the number of holes through which the bubbles pass also increases.

Claim 33

A drainage device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the partition member in the manometer extends across the bottom of the second column generally horizontally, said holes being located progressively farther away from the first column, and wherein the partition member in the seal chamber extends horizontally across the bottom of the second column of the seal chamber, and wherein the holes are located progressively farther away from the first column of the seal chamber.

Claim 34

In a device for regulating the pressure within a cavity of a person comprising a trap chamber and an underwater seal chamber, said trap chamber having located at its upper end an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said seal chamber also having located at its upper end an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the seal chamber inlet being in fluid communication with the trap chamber outlet, said trap chamber openings being spaced from each other so that liquid entering the inlet opening can fall downwardly in the trap chamber while gases entering the inlet opening may normally pass through the said chamber outlet to the seal chamber, said seal chamber having first and second vertically extending columns in fluid communication with each other at their lower ends, the seal chamber inlet being located at the upper end of the first column, whereby the first column is exposed to pressure conditions in the trap chamber, and the seal chamber outlet being located at the upper end of the second column whereby the second column is exposed to pressure conditions other than that of the trap chamber; the improvement wherein, said first column includes a baffle means for catching liquids splashed upwardly with air bubbles which pass through the first column of the seal chamber during abnormal conditions when the said other pressure exceeds the trap chamber pressure by a sufficient amount, said baffle means being arranged to direct the liquid downwardly back into the first column while permitting gases to pass by said baffle means and to said trap chamber, the baffle means comprising an inverted cup-shaped separation chamber located at the upper end of the first column directly above the main portion of the first column, and including an enlarged upper reservoir immediately adjacent and in fluid communication with the main portion of the first column adjacent the separation chamber, and the said sealed chamber inlet in fluid communication with the trap chamber being located on the side of the reservoir opposite from the main portion of the first column, whereby the gases which pass said baffle means pass through the enlarged reservoir to the trap chamber.

Claim 35

In a device for regulating the pressure within a cavity of a person comprising a trap chamber and an underwater seal chamber, said trap chamber having located at its upper end an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said seal chamber also having located at its upper end an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the seal chamber inlet being in fluid communication with the trap chamber outlet, said trap chamber openings being spaced from each other so that liquid entering the inlet opening can fall downwardly in the trap chamber while gases entering the inlet opening may normally pass through the said chamber outlet to the seal chamber, said seal chamber having first and second vertically extending columns in fluid communication with each other at their lower ends, the seal chamber inlet being located at the upper end of the first column, whereby the first column is exposed to pressure conditions in the trap chamber, and the seal chamber outlet being located at the upper end of the second column whereby the second column is exposed to pressure conditions other than that of the trap chamber; the improvement wherein, said first column includes a baffle means for catching liquids splashed upwardly with air bubbles which pass through the first column of the seal chamber during abnormal conditions when the said other pressure exceeds the trap chamber pressure by a sufficient amount, said baffle means being arranged to direct the liquid downwardly back into the first column while permitting gases to pass by said baffle means and to said trap chamber, the baffle means comprising an inverted cup-shaped separation chamber located at the upper end of the first column directly above the main portion of the first column, and including an enlarged upper reservoir immediately adjacent and in fluid communication with the main portion of the first column adjacent the separation chamber, and the said sealed chamber inlet in fluid communication with the trap chamber being located on the side of the reservoir opposite from the main portion of the first column, whereby the gases which pass said baffle means pass through the enlarged reservoir to the trap chamber.

Claim 36

A drainage device as claimed in claim 31, including a pair of vertically spaced openings between main portion of the first column and the reservoir, the upper of the two openings being positioned so that gases can pass therethrough to the trap chamber and so that some of the liquids which engage the baffle means can pass therethrough to the reservoir, and the lower of the two openings being positioned so that liquid in the reservoir can pass therethrough and rise with the bubbles to the separation chamber.

Claim 37

A drainage device as claimed in claim 31, including a manometer having first and second columns in fluid communication with each other at their lower ends, the first manometer column being exposed to atmosphere and the second manometer chamber being in fluid communication with the second column of the seal chamber, the two second columns thereby forming a common space exposed to said other pressure conditions and a vacuum opening from said common space adapted to be connected to a vacuum source.

Claim 38

A drainage device as claimed in claim 33, wherein said second column of the manometer includes a manometer baffle means which prevents liquid, which may rise in the second column when the said other pressure is less than atmospheric pressure by a sufficient amount, from passing through said vacuum opening of the common space to the vacuum source.

Claim 39

In a drainage device for draining fluids from a cavity comprising an inlet opening adapted to be placed in fluid communication with the cavity to be drained, a vacuum opening adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source and with the inlet opening for drawing fluids from the cavity into the device, and a manometer for regulating the vacuum, said manometer comprising first and second columns in fluid communication with each other, said manometer adapted to receive a body of liquid within the first and second columns, the first column being exposed to atmosphere and the second column being exposed to the vacuum source; the improvement wherein, said second column includes two portions in fluid communication with each other, said portions being arranged such that when the pressure of the vacuum source is reduced below atmospheric pressure by a sufficient amount so that air bubbles can pass from said first column upwardly through the second column, said bubbles are substantially confined to only one of said portions, whereby the other portion remains relatively calm so that the level of the liquId in the second column can be easily ascertained by observing the level of the liquid in the said calm other portion.

Claim 40

In a drainage device for draining fluids from a cavity comprising an inlet opening adapted to be placed in fluid communication with the cavity to be drained, a vacuum opening adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source and with the inlet opening for drawing fluids from the cavity into the device, and a manometer for regulating the vacuum, said manometer comprising first and second columns in fluid communication with each other, said manometer adapted to receive a body of liquid within the first and second columns, the first column being exposed to atmosphere and the second column being exposed to the vacuum source; the improvement wherein, said second column includes two portions in fluid communication with each other, said portions being arranged such that when the pressure of the vacuum source is reduced below atmospheric pressure by a sufficient amount so that air bubbles can pass from said first column upwardly through the second column, said bubbles are substantially confined to only one of said portions, whereby the other portion remains relatively calm so that the level of the liquId in the second column can be easily ascertained by observing the level of the liquid in the said calm other portion.

Claim 41

A drainage device as claimed in claim 35, wherein said tow portions are positioned adjacent each other, separated by a partition which has formed therein an upper opening for said communication between the portions near their upper ends and a lower opening for said fluid communication between said portions near their lower ends.

Claim 42

A drainage device as claimed in claim 36, wherein said lower opening comprises a passage directed downwardly from said one portion to the other portion to form a deflector to prevent air bubbles from passing through said lower openings to the said other portion.

Claim 43

A drainage device as claimed in claim 36, wherein said one portion includes a downwardly concave part above the said upper opening for deflecting downwardly the water which is splashed upwardly by the action of the bubbles passing through the said one portion thereby preventing the water from passing through said vacuum opening.