Abstract: A system for charging compressed air cylinders with air for breathing incorporates a fragmentation containment chamber having walls of 1/4" minimum thickness steel plate and a carousel mounted in the front panel for transferring the cylinders into and out of the chamber. Specially configured locking plates are moved in and out of locking position for the carousel in accordance with the pressurizing operation. A rotary valve serves to insure that compressed air can only be transferred to the cylinders within the cylinder when they are in position for charging and not to the cylinders outside the chamber. A grating at the bottom of the chamber permits high pressure air to exit the chamber safely in case of any malfunction. Safety interlocks and automatic controls operate in accordance with rotation of the cylinders on the carousel results in the easy, rapid and safe charging of the breathing air cylinders.

Abstract: A system for detecting specific contaminants in a gas such as compressed air and automatically indicating the degree of detected contamination. The system is selectively operable in either a PURGE mode or a TEST mode. During the PURGE mode, air flow rate is adjusted to a selected level by reference to a flow indicator. The system includes automatic timing control, operable in the TEST mode, to cause an air sample of prescribed volume to flow through a detection chamber. The system uses commercially available detector tubes which are specific to the particular contaminant suspected and which provide a positive indication of the degree of detected contamination for the volume of air in the sample. The system performs automatically in response to the operation of selected switches in a prescribed sequence, without any need for instrument calibration, thus permitting its use by virtually anyone inclined to use it.

Abstract: A compressor system which may be mounted for mobile use including dual power systems for driving the compressor. An electric motor is located in driving relationship to the compressor so that air is compressed when the rotor shaft of the motor is rotated. Rotation of the rotor shaft may be accomplished either by energizing the stator of the motor or by driving the rotor directly from an associated engine, coupled thereto by means of an electromagnetic clutch. If desired, the engine may also be utilized to drive a generator in order to provide electrical power to other devices. The control circuit may include safety interlocks which prevent energization of both the electric motor and the electromagnetic clutch simultaneously. Other safety devices may also be employed to disconnect power from the motor and the clutch, as necessary, if certain contaminants are sensed in the compressed air, to shut off the engine for over-limit conditions of temperature, air pressure, and the like.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating vapor from pressurized gas and for then purifying the gas comprises a cylindrical pressure tank having a lower opening closed by a removable base member and having disposed within the tank a gas purifying element. An annular vapor separating chamber is formed in the base member and an annular passageway communicating therewith is formed between the outer wall of the purifying element and the inner wall of the tank. A formed tube connected to an inlet passageway in the base member directs a pressurized gas-vapor mixture tangentially into the annular chamber and in a plane generally at right angles to the axis thereof, thereby causing vortexing of the mixture around the chamber and upwardly, around the annular passageway between the purifying element and tank, to a gas permeable upper region of the purifying element. Vapor is centrifugally separated from the vortexing gas-vapor mixture, the condensate being gravity collected in the bottom of the annular chamber.