Automatic centrifugal balancing mechanism

Claim 2

In an apparatus for generating centrifugal forces including a plate member adapted to rotate about an axis and holding means mounted on the plate member in rotation therewith, said holding means being positioned on the plate member radially of the axis of rotation of the plate member and being adapted to receive an article to be subjected to centrifugal force, the improvement comprising: (a) at least one counterweight means positioned on the plate member between said holding means and the axis of rotation of the plate member, said counterweight means having means to releasably engage a trigger means, and (b) trigger means positioned adjacent to said holding means and adapted to engage an article to be subjected to centrifugal force when such article is positioned in said holding means, thereby to engage the counterweight means and prevent displacement by centrifugal force of the counterweight means and to allow the counterweight means to be displaced toward said holding means when no article is positioned therein, thereby to counterbalance said holding means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in Claim 1, further including means for rotating the plate member about the axis.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in Claim 1, wherein said holding means are rotatable relative to the plate member during rotation of the plate member about its axis, thereby to change the direction of the centrifugal force acting on said article.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in Claim 3, further including means to rotate said holding means relative to the plate member.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in Claim 1, wherein the trigger means is capable of being pivoted in response to the placing of the article in said holding means so that the trigger means engages said counterweight means to maintains said counterweight means in a storage position.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in Claim 1, wherein the trigger means is biased away from engagement with said counterweight means so that the trigger means is maintained away from engagement with said counterweight means when no article is positioned in said holding means.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in Claim 1, wherein said counterweight means is biased toward the axis of rotation of the plate member.

Claim 9

In an apparatus for carrying out chemical testing under centrifugal force, including a plate member adapted to rotate about an axis and a holding means mounted on the plate member for rotation therewith, said holding means being positioned on the plate member radially of the axis of rotation of the plate member and being adapted to receive sample processor means for carrying out chemical testing under the influence of centrifugal force, the improvement comprising: (a) at least one counterweight means positioned on the plate member between said holding means and the axis of rotation of the plate member, the counterweight means having means to releasably engage a trigger means, and (b) trigger means positioned adjacent to said holding means and adapted to engage the sample processor means to be subjected to centrifugal force when such sample processor means is positioned in said holding means, thereby to engage the counterweight means and prevent displacement by centrifugal force of the counterweight means and to allow the counterweight means to be displaced toward said holding means when no sample processor means is positioned in said holding means, thereby to counterbalance said holding means.

Claim 10

In an apparatus for carrying out chemical testing under centrifugal force, including a plate member adapted to rotate about an axis and a holding means mounted on the plate member for rotation therewith, said holding means being positioned on the plate member radially of the axis of rotation of the plate member and being adapted to receive sample processor means for carrying out chemical testing under the influence of centrifugal force, the improvement comprising: (a) at least one counterweight means positioned on the plate member between said holding means and the axis of rotation of the plate member, the counterweight means having means to releasably engage a trigger means, and (b) trigger means positioned adjacent to said holding means and adapted to engage the sample processor means to be subjected to centrifugal force when such sample processor means is positioned in said holding means, thereby to engage the counterweight means and prevent displacement by centrifugal force of the counterweight means and to allow the counterweight means to be displaced toward said holding means when no sample processor means is positioned in said holding means, thereby to counterbalance said holding means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in Claim 8 which includes means for rotating the plate member about the axis.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in Claim 8, wherein said holding means is rotatable relative to the plate member during rotation of the plate member about its axis, thereby to change the direction of the centrifugal force.