Apparatus for delivering a gas into the lungs of a patient

Claim 1

A rescue kit for administering a respirable gas to a patient suffering from a respiratory insufficiency, which kit comprises: a. a harness structure having a holder for holding a source of respirable gas in position behind the patient''s neck to provide a neck support: b. a face mask having an inlet for receiving respirable gas from said source; c. head straps connected to the face mask and said holder for securing said face mask to at least a portion of the patient''s face, at least one of said straps being so disposed between said holder and said face mask in the secured position of said face mask as to hold the patient''s head and neck in an extended position serving to maintain an open airway from said face mask into the patient''s lungs; and, d. a control unit carried by said harness structure for controlling the flow of respirable gas from said source to said face mask, said control unit having an inlet including means to connect said control unit to said source during the use of the kit and an outlet including means to connect said control unit to the inlet of said face mask during the use of the kit, whereby, in the use of said rescue kit, tension in said straps maintains the patient''s head and neck in the extended position and the patient receives respirable gas from said source via said face mask through said open airway under the control of said unit.