Automatic closed tube sampler

A rack for supporting a plurality of sealed sample tubes having different lengths and different diameters to be mixed and aspirated by an analytical device, said rack comprising;

• a front wall;
• a rear wall disposed behind said front wall;
• a plurality of side walls connected to said front wall and said back wall, said side walls defining a plurality of tube receptacles, each said tube receptacle having a center line;
• at least one ear mounted to each of an outermost pair of said side walls, wherein said ears are mounted at different vertical heights;
• a bottom wall connecting said front wall and said back wall, said bottom wall including a plurality of apertures, each one of said apertures located below one of said tube receptacles;
• a plurality of ribs disposed on said bottom wall;
• and
• biasing means disposed within each of said tube receptacles for supporting sample tubes therein, wherein said biasing means is adapted to center said sample tubes on said center lines regardless of the length and diameter of the sample tubes within a predetermined range.

A rack for supporting a plurality of sealed sample tubes having different lengths and different diameters to be mixed and aspirated by an analytical device, said rack comprising;

• a front wall
• a rear wall disposed behind said front wall;
• a plurality of side walls connected to said front wall and said back wall, said side walls defining a plurality of tube receptacles each, said tube receptacle having a center line;
• a bottom wall connecting said front wall and said back wall, said bottom wall including a plurality of apertures, each one of said apertures located below one of said tube receptacles;
• a plurality of ribs disposed on said bottom wall;
• and
• biasing means disposed within each of said tube receptacles for supporting sample tubes therein, wherein said biasing means is adapted to center said sample tubes on said center lines regardless of the length and diameter of the sample tubes within a predetermined range, said biasing means comprising at least one spring having an arcuate tube engagement surface.

A rack for supporting a plurality of sealed sample tubes to be mixed and aspirated by an analytical device, wherein said sample tubes have dimensions within a predetermined range, said rack comprising;

• a plurality of walls defining a plurality of tube receptacles, each said tube receptacle having an aperture located below said tube receptacle and a center line within said tube receptacle;
• at least one ear mounted to each of an outermost pair of said side walls, wherein said ears are mounted at different vertical heights;
• means for engaging a drive pawl mounted to at least one of said walls;
• and
• means for suporting said sample tubes within said tube receptacles and centering said sample tubes on said center lines regardless of the dimensions of said sample tubes within said predetermined ranges.

A rack for supporting a plurality of sealed sample tubes to be mixed and aspirated by an analytical device, wherein said sample tubes have dimensions within a predetermined range, said rack comprising:

• a plurality of walls defining a plurality of tube receptacles, each said tube receptacle having an aperture located below said tube receptacle and a center line within said tube receptacle;
• means for engaging a drive pawl mounted to at least one of said walls;
• and
• means for suporting said sample tubes within said tube receptacles and centering said sample tubes on said center lines regardless of the dimensions of said sample tubes within said predetermined ranges, said sample tube support means comprising at least one spring having an arcuate shaped tube engagement surface mounted within each of said tube receptacles.