Carriage with clamp plate for securing sample-processing tubes

A carriage configured to mount to a processing device, the carriage comprising:

• a housing including an interior space, a side opening in communication with the interior space, and a bottom lip, wherein the interior space is configured to contain one or more tube holders comprising one or more tubes, wherein the side opening is configured to receive the one or more tube holders into the interior space, and wherein the bottom lip is configured to retain the tube holder with tubes within the carriage when the tube holder with tubes is in a seated positioned within the housing interior space;
• a clamp plate positioned within the housing interior space, including a vertically extending opening, and movable between a clamping position and a clearance position, wherein in the clearance position the clamp plate provides clearance enabling the one or more tube holders to be inserted into and removed from the interior space, and wherein in the clamping position, with the one or more tube holders within the interior space, the clamp plate contacts the one or more tube holders and/or the one or more tubes to retain the one or more tube holders and/or the one or more tubes between the clamp plate and the housing in a fixed position during use of the processing device to process the samples;
• and
• a controller adapted to selectively move the clamp plate between the clearance and clamping positions, wherein the controller includes an elongated rotary control member and a collar, wherein the control member includes screw threads, extends through the clamp plate opening, and is rotationally mounted to the housing so that the control member rotates, but does not move up or down, relative to the housing, and wherein the collar is fixedly attached to the clamp plate, is aligned with the clamp plate opening, receives the control member therethrough, and has screw threads that mate with the control member threads so that rotation of the control member drives the clamp plate between the clamping and clearance positions,
• wherein the housing and the clamp plate include abutting contact surfaces that restrain the clamp plate from rotating with the elongated rotary control member to thereby cause the clamp plate to move between the clamping and clearance positions.