Continuous gel casting method and apparatus

The method of continuous casting of acrylamide or other gels for use in separations of proteins, nucleic acids or other biological materials comprising:

• a) introducing into a molding space a reaction mixture comprising an reaction mixture capable of becoming a gel and initiators of its polymerization in a controlled manner, and wherein a casting manifold encloses said molding space and said casting manifold creates a continuously moving, sealed laminar cavity for maintaining a reacting gel solution at a modest pressure during a gelation process;
• b) formulating a vertical gradient of composition in a plurality of components within said reaction mixture as said reaction mixture enters said molding space by pre-formulating the composition of an incremental reaction mix formula;
• c) displacing air entrained in the reaction mixture within the molding space by use of a venting means disposed within said casting manifold;
• d) initiating a polymerization process as said reaction mixture enters said mold space;
• e) controlling a temperature of the reaction mixture during the gelation process as the reaction mixture travels through the apparatus;
• f) removing a polymerized gel from the mold space, cutting the gel to a desired length, removing excess gel formed during the process, and stacking the polymerized, cut gels, further comprising:
• 1) a portion of the continuous gel moving into a cutting space in a cutting means;
• 2) said portion of the continuous gel is sheared from an upstream gel portion on a downstream side of a mold flash so that this flash will be attached to the downstream side of the next upstream gel, so that any mold flash, attached to the downstream side of the gel is cut off on the next round with this same shearing actuation at the downstream end of the gel;
• 3) a small extension of an actuating platen remains against the downstream shearing surface after a main platen returns in order to isolate the removed mold flash in a chamber at the extreme downstream end of the line where it can be washed away;
• and
• 4) stacking the completed gels or masks onto a washing belt or other support for further processing or stacking the completed gels or masks into running cassettes ready for use.