Method and apparatus for streaking agar
OwnerThomas W. Astleinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for streaking a sample on agar plates where the sample is dispensed from a flexible tube which is oscillated while the plate is rotated. The plates are stored in a refrigerated compartment and selectively presented to a transfer position where they are transferred to a first position to have a lid removed, to a second position to be streaked, and third position to be re-lidded and moved to a classification stack for removal to an incubator.
Claims40
Apparatus for streaking media with a specimen comprising a magazine for selectively storing plates containing various agar media having lids thereon and movable to present a selected plate to a delivery position, means for delivering a selected plate to a first position, means for removing the lid at said first position, means for streaking a specimen on the media in said plate, means for moving said plate after streaking to another position and replacing the lid thereon, and means for moving said plate from said lid replacing position to a pick-up position, said means for delivering comprising a pushing mechanism arranged to push a plate from a selected stack in said magazine from said delivery position to said first position, and further means for transferring the plate to a second position for streaking prior to transfer to said another position.
Apparatus for streaking agar in a plate with a liquid sample comprising a support member, rotatable means for supporting a plate, a guide on said support member for a length of flexible tubing, a member on said support member movable along said guide means, means providing a supply of flexible tubing to said guide means along said support member, means for moving said support member to position the end of the tubing in a sample, and to position the end of the tubing on the agar in a plate on said rotatable means, contact means on said movable member for engaging the tubing in said guide means and progressively collapsing said tubing whereby said tubing aspirates the sample as said contact means moves upwardly on the tubing, and dispenses the sample as the contact means moves downwardly on the tubing, and means for oscillating the end of the tubing in said guide means eccentric to the center of the plate while said rotating means rotates the plate as said contact means dispenses the sample from said tubing.
A streaking apparatus in which a specimen is aspirated into a flexible tube and dispensed therefrom onto a media, comprising means for providing a supply of tubing, means defining a guide for the tubing, means for engaging the tubing and pulling it from the supply along said guide, a member having a tubing contacting means movable along said guide, means for moving said contacting means to cause said contacting means to contact and at least partially collapse the tubing so that when said contacting means is moved in a first direction on the tubing a specimen may be aspirated into the tubing and when said engaging member is moved in the other direction on the tubing the specimen may be dispensed from the tubing.
A method of streaking an agar sample with a specimen in an open dish comprising the steps of placing the specimen in a specimen carrier, contacting the end of the carrier to the agar sample eccentric to the center of the dish, oscillating the end of the carrier and simultaneously rotating the dish and dispensing the specimen from the carrier onto the sample to provide an annulus of the specimen on the sample.
Apparatus for streaking media with a specimen comprising a rotatable support member for a media containing plate, a member disposed above said support member and carrying a length of flexible tubing thereon, means for filling said tubing with a streaking specimen and dispensing the specimen therefrom, means for moving said member so that the end of said tubing contacts media in a plate on said support member eccentric to the center thereof, means for rotating said support member, and means for oscillating the end of said tubing while dispensing liquid from the tubing to define an annulus of the specimen on the media.
Apparatus for aspirating and dispensing a liquid specimen comprising, a support member, a guide on said support member for a length of resilient tubing, means for providing a supply of resilient tubing to said guide means, a member mounted on said support member and movable along said guide means, said member carrying an engaging member arranged to move into and out of contact with tubing in said guide means and at least partially collapse tubing in said guide means when in contact therewith, means for moving said member, and means for moving said engaging member, whereby when said member is moved along said guide means in an upwardly direction with said engaging means in contact with said tubing, a liquid specimen may be aspirated into said tubing and when said engaging means is moved downwardly in contact with said tubing a liquid specimen therein may be dispensed therefrom.
Apparatus for aspirating and dispensing a fluid comprising means providing a guide for a length of resilient tubing, a member movable along the length of said guide means, a tube engaging means on said member mounted for movement toward and away from said guide, means for moving said engaging means toward said guide to at least partially collapse tubing thereon, means for moving said engaging means along said guide in a position to collapse the tubing, another member having an opening therethrough for receiving an end of the tubing and means for oscillating said second member in a direction substantially perpendicular to said guide means.
Apparatus for streaking media with a specimen, comprising a platform for a media container, means for rotating said platform, means for translating said platform, a specimen dispensing apparatus comprising a support member, a guide for flexible tubing on said support member, a tubing engaging member adapted to contact the tubing and at least partially collapse the tubing, means for moving said engaging member along the length of the tubing to aspirate a specimen into said tubing and to dispense the specimen therefrom, and means for moving said support member between a position to aspirate a specimen into the tubing and a position to dispense the specimen in a media container on said platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.