Glove mounting ring device to permit of performing operations in a sealed container

Claim 1

An apparatus for use with a closed container having a wall provided with a passage extending therethrough, said passage section greater than that of the remainder of said passage, an apparatus for performing operations inside said container which comprises, in combination: a ring type device having two series of elements each element being hinged at its ends to two adjacent elements to form a closed chain, the second series of elements being inserted, in hinged pairs, respectively in each of the gaps between consecutive elements in the first series, the assembly being such that when the device is in an expanded position within a conduit the second series of elements forms a prolongation of the elements of the first series to form a substantially continuous ring bearing against the wall of said conduit, and the hinged pairs of the second series of elements jam in this expanded position, while in a retracted position of the device, the elements of the second series between said gaps are folded and are retracted to the inside of the chain so that the diameter of the device is reduced to permit fitting and removal of the device into and from the conduit, a flexible glove, and an expansible continuous annular part forming the edge of said glove adapted to fit against the inner wall of said housing, said annular part being gutter-shaped to accomodate the outer surface of said ring.

Claim 2

An apparatus for use with a closed container having a wall provided with a passage extending therethrough, said passage section greater than that of the remainder of said passage, an apparatus for performing operations inside said container which comprises, in combination: a ring type device having two series of elements each element being hinged at its ends to two adjacent elements to form a closed chain, the second series of elements being inserted, in hinged pairs, respectively in each of the gaps between consecutive elements in the first series, the assembly being such that when the device is in an expanded position within a conduit the second series of elements forms a prolongation of the elements of the first series to form a substantially continuous ring bearing against the wall of said conduit, and the hinged pairs of the second series of elements jam in this expanded position, while in a retracted position of the device, the elements of the second series between said gaps are folded and are retracted to the inside of the chain so that the diameter of the device is reduced to permit fitting and removal of the device into and from the conduit, a flexible glove, and an expansible continuous annular part forming the edge of said glove adapted to fit against the inner wall of said housing, said annular part being gutter-shaped to accomodate the outer surface of said ring.

Claim 3

An apparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment to the interior of a conduit comprising, in combination, an expandable ring and means for expanding said ring, said means for expanding said ring comprising: a tubular body adapted to fit in said conduit, means for securing said body in said conduit, a casing slidable in said tubular body toward and away from the inside of said container, means rotatable in said tubular body for causing said casing to slide therein, a central pinion coaxially rotatable in said casing, a plurality of pinions in Mesh with said central pinion around the periphery thereof, a hand-wheel coaxial with said central pinion and fixed thereto, a plurality of shafts parallel to the axis of said tubular body respectively coaxial with said peripheral pinions and fixed thereto, and arms fixed to said shafts and operatively connected to said expandable ring to force said expandable ring into its expanded position engaging said flexible glove with the inner wall of said housing when said pinions are rotated by said hand-wheel.

Claim 4

An apparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment to the interior of a conduit comprising, in combination, an expandable ring and means for expanding said ring, said means for expanding said ring comprising: a tubular body adapted to fit in said conduit, means for securing said body in said conduit, a casing slidable in said tubular body toward and away from the inside of said container, means rotatable in said tubular body for causing said casing to slide therein, a central pinion coaxially rotatable in said casing, a plurality of pinions in Mesh with said central pinion around the periphery thereof, a hand-wheel coaxial with said central pinion and fixed thereto, a plurality of shafts parallel to the axis of said tubular body respectively coaxial with said peripheral pinions and fixed thereto, and arms fixed to said shafts and operatively connected to said expandable ring to force said expandable ring into its expanded position engaging said flexible glove with the inner wall of said housing when said pinions are rotated by said hand-wheel.

Claim 5

An apparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment to the interior of a conduit comprising, in combination, an expandable ring, and means for expanding said ring, said ring comprising, in combination: a first set of ring elements respectively shaped to form non-contiguous portions of either of two closed rings, and a second set of ring elements forming groups each interposed by hinging between two successive ring elements of the first set, each of said groups consisting of at least two ring elements hinged together, the elements of each of said groups being shaped and dimensioned to jam together when they are unfolded and to form, in said unfolded position, extensions of the ring elements of the first set between which they are located, the whole of the ring elements of said first and second sets then forming a continuous ring, the ring elements of the first set forming portions of a non-continuous ring located inside said continuous ring when the ring elements of the second set are pivoted inwardly with respect to the ring elements of the first set, said ring constructed and arranged to fit inside said flexible tubing segment when in a first, contracted, position and to jam an annular section of said flexible tubing segment outward and into contact with said conduit when in a second expanded position.

Claim 6

An apparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment to the interior of a conduit comprising, in combination, an expandable ring, and means for expanding said ring, said ring comprising, in combination: a first set of ring elements respectively shaped to form non-contiguous portions of either of two closed rings, and a second set of ring elements forming groups each interposed by hinging between two successive ring elements of the first set, each of said groups consisting of at least two ring elements hinged together, the elements of each of said groups being shaped and dimensioned to jam together when they are unfolded and to form, in said unfolded position, extensions of the ring elements of the first set between which they are located, the whole of the ring elements of said first and second sets then forming a continuous ring, the ring elements of the first set forming portions of a non-continuous ring located inside said continuous ring when the ring elements of the second set are pivoted inwardly with respect to the ring elements of the first set, said ring constructed and arranged to fit inside said flexible tubing segment when in a first, contracted, position and to jam an annular section of said flexible tubing segment outward and into contact with said conduit when in a second expanded position.

Claim 9

An apparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment to the interior of a conduit comprising: a first set of ring elements respectively shaped to form non-contiguous portions of either of two closed rings and, a second set of ring elements forming groups each interposed by hinging between two successive ring elements of the first set, each of said groups consisting of at least two ring elements hinged together, the elements of each of said groups being shaped and dimensioned to jam together when they are unfolded and to form, in said unfolded position, extensions of the ring elements of the first set between which they are located, the whole of the ring elements of said first and second sets then forming a continuous ring, the ring elements of the first set forming portions of a non-continuous ring located inside said continuous ring when the ring elements of the second set are pivoted inwardly with respect to the ring elements of the first set, a plurality of pivot arms constructed and arranged to engage each of said groups of said second set of ring elements and force each of said groups outwardly when rotated, means to impart rotative motion to said pivot arms, said apparatus constructed and arranged to fit inside said flexible tubing segment contained within said conduit when in a first contracted position and to jam an annular section of said flexible tubing when said pivot arms are rotated forcing said second set of ring elements outwardly.

Claim 10

An apparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment to the interior of a conduit comprising: a first set of ring elements respectively shaped to form non-contiguous portions of either of two closed rings and, a second set of ring elements forming groups each interposed by hinging between two successive ring elements of the first set, each of said groups consisting of at least two ring elements hinged together, the elements of each of said groups being shaped and dimensioned to jam together when they are unfolded and to form, in said unfolded position, extensions of the ring elements of the first set between which they are located, the whole of the ring elements of said first and second sets then forming a continuous ring, the ring elements of the first set forming portions of a non-continuous ring located inside said continuous ring when the ring elements of the second set are pivoted inwardly with respect to the ring elements of the first set, a plurality of pivot arms constructed and arranged to engage each of said groups of said second set of ring elements and force each of said groups outwardly when rotated, means to impart rotative motion to said pivot arms, said apparatus constructed and arranged to fit inside said flexible tubing segment contained within said conduit when in a first contracted position and to jam an annular section of said flexible tubing when said pivot arms are rotated forcing said second set of ring elements outwardly.