Mask-type respirator

Claim 1

In a mask-type respirator including a head-supported, cup-like mask opened at the rear and shaped to be adapted to engage the face and to enclose the nose and mouth of a wearer and having air inlet means whereby air under pressure is introduced into the interior of said mask at a point above the mouth of the wearer, the features comprising: (a) an opening in the front of said mask, (b) compressed air valve means located in said mask front opening, said valve means having an outlet into the interior of said mask and an exterior inlet for connection to a supply of compressed air, said valve means being adapted to be manually adjusted by the wearer of said mask to thereby vary the flow of air into said mask, (c) compressed air supply means connected to said valve means inlet, (d) a coupler element positioned in said air supply means, adjacent said mask valve means whereby said mask can be uncoupled from said air supply, (e) baffle means located within said mask, intermediate said valve means outlet to said mask interior and the nose of the wearer of said mask, whereby air entering said mask through said valve means is directed downwardly within said mask below the nose of the wearer, (f) outlet means from said mask for exhaled breath of the wearer, said outlet means comprising the sides of said mask, in the regions of the cheeks of the wearer below the mouth of the wearer, being shaped to be in spaced relationship with respect to the cheeks of the wearer, and provides an essentially tight fit about the bridge of the wearer's nose and chin and along the cheeks of the wearer from the bridge of the nose to a point below the wearers mouth where said outlet means is provided whereby said mask sides and the cheeks of the wearer define therebetween narrow openings to the atmosphere from the interior of said mask, whereby a main flow of air autogenously is established through said mask that follows a path downwardly from said air inlet, then downwardly around said baffle means, then downwardly past the mouth of the wearer, and downwardly then out of said mask through said mask outlet means.