Tubing support system

In a solid phase synthesis apparatus, the improvement comprising:

• a plurality of bodies to which tubes are to be secured in fixed positions, each body having a plurality of smooth bore holes, each hole having a specified diameter and an axis;
• plurality of tubes made of a first material with an inner diameter accommodating fluid flow and having an outer diameter passing through the holes in a slip fit relation with the smooth bore of the hole;
• a plurality of threaded holes with helical grooves, each threaded hole having an axis parallel to the axis of a smooth bore hole and located such that grooves of the threaded hole intersect the diameter of the smooth bore hole;
• and
• a plurality of set screws made of a second material tougher than the first material of the tubes and having threads that will seat in the respective threaded holes in a manner such that advancing the set screw scratches the outer diameter of the tubes to a depth wherein the set screws retain the tubes in place without deformation of the inner diameter of the tubes whereby fluid flow in the tubes is not affected by advancement of the set screws while the tubes are retained in place by the set screws.

A method for securing tubes in fixed positions in a body comprising:

• providing a body having a plurality of smooth bore holes therein;
• providing tubes of a first material and having a specified outer and inner diameter accommodating fluid flow, the tubes arranged in spaced apart positions passing through the smooth bore holes in the body in slip fit relationship, the smooth bore holes having parallel axes;
• providing a plurality of threaded holes with helical grooves and with axes parallel to the smooth bore hole axes and located such that grooves of at least one threaded hole intersects one of the smooth bore holes;
• providing a plurality of plurality of set screws made of a second material tougher than the first material and having threads that will seat in the threaded holes;
• and
• advancing the set screws to an extent that the set screws scratch the outer diameter of the tubes to a depth wherein the set screws retain the tubes in place without deformation of the inner diameter of the tubes whereby fluid flow in the tubes is not affected.