Method and Apparatus for Orientating a Solid Growth Culture Medium Plate

(canceled)

An apparatus for orientating a solid growth culture medium plate from an original orientation to a worked orientation, the plate having a lid and a bottom, the apparatus including an orientation mechanism that includes opposed jaws able to receive and hold a plate therebetween in a held position that defines a notional tube above and below the plate, the orientation mechanism being mounted on a jaw support member such that the jaw support member is rotatable such that at least the plate bottom rotates about a generally horizontal axis that intersects the notional tube to orientate at least the plate bottom from the original orientation to the worked orientation.

(canceled)

A method for orientating a solid growth culture medium plate from an original orientation to a worked orientation, the plate having a lid and a bottom, the method including the steps of:

• a) clamping a plate in its original orientation between opposed jaws mounted on a jaw support member of an orientation mechanism, thus forming a held position that defines a notional tube above and below the plate;
• and
• b) rotating at least the plate bottom about a generally horizontal axis that intersects the notional tube to orientate at least the plate bottom from the original orientation to the worked orientation.