Rotary disk oxygenator and heater

Claim 1

A BLOOD HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS COMPRISING A TANK HAVING A CHAMBER FOR RECEIVING BLOOD THEREIN AND CLOSED FROM THE ATMOSPHERE, A ROTARY SHAFT IN SAID CHAMBER, DRIVING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT FOR EFFECTING ROTATION THEREOF, CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT FOR CIRCULATING THERETHROUGH A HEAT EXCHANGING FLUID, A PLURALITY OF SPACED DISKS ADAPTED TO BE AT LEAST PARTIALLY IMMERSED IN THE BLOOD IN SAID CHAMBER AND HAVING HUBS FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID SHAFT IN GOOD HEAT EXCHANGE RELATION, SAID DISKS BEING CONVOLUTED AND DISPOSED IN A SPACED BUT NESTED RELATION, SAID CONDUIT MEANS COMPRISING A HOUSING ENCIRCLING ONE END OF SAID SHAFT AND FORMING A CHAMBER THEREABOUT, SAID SHAFT INCLUDING THEREIN A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PASSAGES, SAID PASSAGES HAVING COMMUNICATION WITH EACH OTHER WITHIN ONE END OF SAID SHAFT, THE OTHER END OF ONE PASSAGE BEING CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING AND INLET MEANS AND OUTLET MEANS FOR A HEATING FLUID CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING AND TO THE OTHER END OF THE OTHER OF SAID PASSAGES.