Method and apparatus for unloading gels from isoelectric gel tubes

An apparatus for unloading a substance from a tube onto a surface, said apparatus comprising:

• a first support having a first side and a second side with at least one aperture extending between said first side and said second side, and having a movable carriage;
• a tube support member for supporting at least one tube containing said substance, said tube support member being coupled to said first side of said first support so that said tube is aligned with said at least one aperture;
• a second support spaced from said first support;
• at least one plunger rod having a first end coupled to said second support and a second end received in said at least one aperture of said first support;
• and
• a drive assembly for moving said carriage, in a linear path toward said second support whereby said plunger rod passes through said tube to unload said substance onto a surface.

An apparatus for unloading an electrophoresis gel from an electrophoresis gel tube onto a gel slab, said apparatus comprising:

• a first support having a first side and a second side with a plurality of apertures extending through said first support between said first side and said second side and having a movable carriage;
• a gel tube member having a plurality of electrophoresis gel tubes containing said electrophoresis gel, said electrophoresis gel tube having a first end coupled to said gel tube support member and a second end spaced from said first support member, said gel tube support member being coupled to said first side of said first support so that said electrophoresis gel tubes are aligned with said plurality of apertures;
• a second support spaced from said first support;
• a plurality of plunger rods having a first end coupled to said second support and a second end received in said plurality of apertures of said first support;
• a plurality of vertically oriented gel slabs having their top edges aligned with plurality of electrophoresis gel tubes;
• and
• a drive assembly for moving said carriage toward said second support whereby plurality of plunger rods passes through said plurality of electrophoresis gel tubes to unload said electrophoresis gel onto said top edges of said plurality of vertically oriented gel slabs.

An apparatus for unloading a gel from an isoelectric focusing gel tube, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a first end, a second end opposite said first end and a side wall, said housing having an axial passage extending between said first and second ends, said axial passage having a first open end at said first end of said housing and a second open end at said second end of said housing;
• a plunger rod having a first end positioned in said first open end of said axial passage of said housing;
• a gel tube having an axial bore containing an isoelectric focusing gel, said gel tube having a first open axial end and a second open axial end, said first open axial end of said gel tube being positioned in said second open end of said axial passage;
• and
• a resilient plunger member positioned between said first end of said plunger rod and said gel within said gel tube, said resilient plunger member having an outer dimension to fit within said bore of said gel tube.

A method of unloading an isoelectric focusing gel from a gel tube, said method comprising:

• providing a gel tube having an axial bore containing an isoelectric focusing gel, said gel tube having a first open axial end and a second open axial end;
• coupling said first end of said gel tube to a first end of an unloading assembly, said unloading assembly having a flexible plunger member aligned with said first open axial end of said gel tube and a reciprocating plunger rod aligned with said plunger member and said first open axial end of said gel tube;
• and
• moving said plunger rod against said plunger member and forcing said plunger member and said first end of said plunger rod through said axial passage of said gel tube to unload said gel.