Automatically actuated parallel sample injector valve

A sample injector valve for use in injecting samples of material into a combinatorial chemistry system, the sample injector valve comprising:

• a block and a shuttle, the block having carrier fluid entry passages and carrier fluid exit passages therein, the carrier fluid entry passages being adapted for connection to a source of pressurized carrier fluid for urging carrier fluid to flow through the valve, and further comprising sample entry passages and sample vent passages, the shuttle being slidingly received in substantially sealing relationship with the block, the shuttle having transfer passages therein having sample collection volumes;
• one actuator operatively connected to the shuttle for moving the shuttle in the valve between a first position in which samples of material to be analyzed can be collected in the shuttle and a second position in which multiple collected samples can be fed into said carrier fluid exit passages for delivery to the combinatorial chemistry system, in the first position at least some of the transfer passages of the shuttle being substantially in registration with respective ones of the sample entry passages and sample vent passages for receiving a volume of sample material substantially equal to the sample collection volume of the transfer passage, in the second position at least some of the transfer passages being substantially in registration with respective ones of said carrier fluid entry and exit passages for substantially simultaneous delivery of the multiple collected samples in the transfer passages into said carrier fluid exit passages under pressure of the carrier fluid.