Anaerobic bacteria laboratory

Claim 2

The process of claim 2, further comprising the step of removing at least a portion of the deleted oxygen from the oxygen removing means subsequent to said withdrawal of the oxygen removing means from oxygen deleting communication with the recirculating atmosphere.

Claim 3

The process as in claim 2, wherein said step of introducing comprises passing the isolated atmosphere in oxygen adsorption communication with cobalt-di-(3fluorosalicyladehyde) ethylenediimine.

Claim 4

The process for establishing and maintaining a deoxygenated atmosphere suitable for anaerobic bacteria, comprising the steps of: defining a region which is isolated from oxygen-containing atmosphere; recirculating the atmosphere contained within the isolated region; measuring the oxygen content of the recirculating atmosphere to detect the presence of an excess concentration of oxygen; in response to the measured presence of an excess concentration of oxygen, introducing the recirculating atmosphere into oxygen deleting communication with a means which removes oxygen from the atmosphere; measuring the pressure of the recirculating atmosphere placed in said oxygen deleting communication to detect the presence of atmospheric pressure which is lower than a predetermined value; and adding to the recirculating atmosphere in response to atmospheric pressure lower than said predetermined value a quantity of anaerobic gas to supplement said atmospheric pressure.

Claim 5

Apparatus for providing a substantially deoxygenated environment, comprising: housing means defining a region which is isolated with respect to the surrounding ambient atmosphere; atmosphere flow recirculating means in flow communication with said isolated region to withdraw the atmosphere from a first location of said region and to recirculate the atmosphere to a second location of said region; oxygen responsive means operative to measure the concentration of oxygen in the recirculating atmosphere; deoxygenation means selectively operative for flow communication with the atmosphere in said flow recirculating means; and control means responsive to the oxygen concentration measured by said oxygen responsive means and operative to establish said flow communication of said deoxygenation means in response to the measured oxygen concentration exceeding a first predetermined concentration and operative to terminate said flow communication in response to the measured oxygen concentration becoming less than a second predetermined concentration.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 6, wherein, said atmosphere flow recirculating means is operative in response to the measured oxygen concentration exceeding said first predetermined concentration of oxygen to place all of the recirculating flow into said deoxygenation communication and is operative in response to the measured oxygen concentration becoming less than said second predetermined concentration of oxygen to completely terminate the flow communication with said deoxygenation means.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 7, wherein: said deoxygenation means includes removed oxygen purge means selectively oeprative in response to said termination of flow communication with said deoxygenation means to purge the oxygen which said deoxygenation means has removed from the recirculating flow atmosphere.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 8, wherein: said deoxygenation means comprises means operative to adsorb oxygen from the recirculating flow atmosphere and to evolve the adsorbed oxygen upon being heated; said purge means comprises heating means operative while said deoxygenation flow communication is terminated to apply oxygen evolving heat to said oxygen adsorbing means; and evolved oxygen removal means operative to remove said evolved oxygen from said oxygen adsorbing means.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 8, further comprising means to selectively direct a quantity of anaerobic gas onto said deoxygenation means in response to the atmospheric pressure of the recirculating flow passing therealong becoming less than a predetermined quantity.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 6, further comprising: air lock means disposed between said defined isolated region and the surrounding ambient environment and having door means to selectively enable communication between the air lock means and either the surrounding ambient environment or said isolated region; said atmosphere flow means including flow control means selectively operative to terminate said recirculating flow of the atmosphere in said isolated region and to establish closed circuit recirculation of the atmosphere in said air lock means with said deoxygenation means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 6, further comprising: specimen handling means receivable within said isolated region and having a specimen loop made of electrical resistance material and including a handle means having disposed therein first contact means in electrical communication with said specimen loop; means disposed within said isolated region and having a receptacle to receive said handle means; reciprocable means disposed in said receptacle and having second contact means to establish electrical circuit with said first contact means; said reciprocable means being retainably movable to a first position within said receptacle to apply electrical power to said second contact means and thus to said specimen loop and additionally to apply electrical power to a circuit breaking means; said circuit breaking means being operative in response to electrical current passing therethrough to enable said reciprocable means to move from said first position to a second position wherein electrical power is removed from said second contact means and from said circuit breaking means.