US 4,541,291 AGranted

Automatic sampling arrangement

AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation

InventorsJohn E. Churchill, Trevor J. Stockdale

Life of this patent

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Abstract

In automatic sampling arrangements for supplying liquid samples to analytical instruments, the samples are placed in open bottles in a circular ring in a turntable. The turntable is driven in rotation by a drive assembly under a sampling mechanism. To increase the storage capacity of the turntable, in accordance with the invention, a second ring of bottles is provided at a different radius to the first ring. The circumference of the turntable is provided with cut-outs with which the driving assembly engages. The driving assembly adopts one of two positions depending on the state of engagement with the cut-outs. The sampling mechanism is coupled to the driving assembly such that it adopts one of two positions in synchronism with the driving assembly positions with the first and second positions of the sampling mechanism lying on one or the other of the circular rings.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An automatic sampling arrangement for supplying liquid samples to an analytical instrument comprising

turntable means for carrying a plurality of removable sample containers, said sample containers being arranged in two circles of differing radii centered on an axis of rotation of said turntable means, said turntable means having a circumference provided with cut-outs,
sampling means for aspirating a sample from one of said sample containers by a sampling tube, said turntable means being indexed to bring said one of said sample containers into registration with said sampling tube, and
movable driving means for driving said turntable means upon engagement with said cut-outs, said driving means adopting one of two positions at said different radii depending upon engagement with said cut-outs,
said sampling means being coupled to said driving means for adopting one of two further positions in synchronism with said two positions of said driving means, said two further positions being respectively on said two circles,
wherein said sampling means radially alternates between said two circle to register with all locations of said sample containers during one turn of said turntable means.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/520,878Filed 5 Aug 1983
Priority: GB 822396420 Aug 1982
Granted: 17 Sep 1985
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G01N 35/1083
Characterised by the means for relatively moving the transfer device and the containers in an horizontal plane: with one horizontal degree of freedom
G01N 2035/0491
Details of actuating means for conveyors or pipettes: position sensing, encoding; closed-loop control
G01N 2035/1086
With one horizontal degree of freedom: cylindrical, e.g. variable angle
G01N
Investigating or analysing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties