Pipette tip mounting and transfer apparatus

A pipette tip assembly, comprising:

• at least one longitudinally extending pipette tip, said tip defining a tapered portion which comprises a tapered abutment member inwardly tapered from an upper plane towards a lower plane and having a lower end disposed adjacent to the lower plane, wherein the upper and lower planes are transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tip when the tip is vertically oriented and wherein the lower plane is disposed above a lower end of the tip;
• a tip support defining a support surface and adapted to receive the lower end of the tip with the lower end of the abutment member resting upon the support surface when the tip is vertically oriented;
• a tip holder, having at least one aperture in which the tip is removably disposed, the tip holder disposed between the upper plane and the support surface, the tip holder selectively movable from an upper position relative to both the tip and the tip support, to a lower position in contact with the support surface, when in the upper position, the tip holder held above the support surface and rigidly maintaining the tip from wobble in the tip holder until selectively moved from the upper position, when in the lower position, the tip being removable from the tip holder;
• and,
• a position-maintaining structure adapted to hold said tip holder in the lower position until said tip holder is selectively moved from the lower position.