Centrifuge apparatus for reorienting gradients

A centrifuge having a rotor and sample containers for reorienting gradients and separating the components of a sample, the combination comprising:

• a rotor having a top surface containing a plurality of cylindrical recesses, said recesses equally spaced, and generally parallel with the rotational axis of said rotor;
• said recesses being open at the top and having a concave hemispherical bottom;
• a sample container formed in the shape of a hollow sphere disposed in the spherical cavity of each said recess, and supported by the hemispherical bottom of said recess;
• a cylindrical plug member having its lowermost end formed in the shape of a concave hemisphere, and said end engaging the upper surface of said sample container;
• and
• means for retaining said cylindrical plug member in said recess wherein said means comprises a threaded plug engaging screw threads in the mouth of said recess.

A centrifuge having a rotor and sample containers for reorienting gradients and separating the components of a sample, the combination comprising:

• a rotor having a top surface containing a plurality of cylindrical recesses equally spaced, and oriented at a fixed angle with respect to the rotational axis of said rotor;
• said recesses being open at the top and having a concave hemispherical bottom;
• a sample container formed in the shape of a hollow sphere disposed in each said recess and supported by said concave hemispherical bottom;
• and
• a cylindrical plug member having its lowermost end formed in the shape of a concave hemisphere, and said end engaging the upper surface of said sample container.

A centrifuge having a rotor and sample containers for reorienting gradients and separating the components of a sample, the combination comprising:

• a first sample container formed in the shape of a hollow sphere disposed in each said cylindrical recess and supported by said concave hemispherical bottom;
• a first cylindrical plug member having both ends formed in the shape of a concave hemisphere, the lowermost end engaging the upper surface of said first sample container;
• a second sample container formed in the shape of a hollow sphere disposed in each said cylindrical recess on top of said first cylindrical plug member and supported by the hemispherical end of said cylindrical plug member;
• a second cylindrical plug member having its lowermost end formed in the shape of a concave hemisphere, said lowermost end engaging the upper surface of said second sample container;
• and
• means for retaining said first and second cylindrical plug members in each said recess.