Chromatography analysis apparatus and method

Claim 1

A METHOD OF CHROMATOGRAPHY ANALYSIS ACCORDING TO WHICH THERE IS PROVIDED A CHROMATOGRAPHY COLUMN HAVING AN UPPER INLET FOR THE SUPPLY OF AN ELUTING LIQUID TO THE COLUMN AND HAVING A LOWER OUTLET FOR THE DISCHARGE OF ELUENT FROM THE COLUMN AND ACCORDING TO WHICH THERE IS EMPLOYED AN AUTOMATIC ANALYSIS APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING THE ELUENT DISCHARGING FROM SAID COLUMN, SAID METHOD COMPRISING DETACHABLY CONNECTING A LENGTH OF TUBING TO THE OUTLET OF SAID COLUMN FOR COLLECTING AND STORING THE ELUENT DISCHARGED FROM THE COLUMN THROUGH SAID OUTLET, INTRODUCING AN INERT GAS INTO THE ELUENT AS IT FLOWS FROM THE OUTLET OF SAID COLUMN INTO SAID LENGTH OF TUBING AND THEREBY FORMING THE ELUENT INTO A STREAM OF SUCCESSIVE SEGMENTS OF ELUENT SPACED FROM EACH OTHER IN THE LINE OF FLOW BY INTERVENING SEGMENTS OF SAD GAS, WHEREBY DIFFUSION OF SUCCESSIVE PORTIONS OF THE ELUENT WITH EACH OTHER IN SAID LENGTH OF TUBING IS PREVENTED, AND THEREAFTER CONNECTING SAID TUBING TO SAID AUTOMATIC ANALYSIS APPARATUS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF THE ELUENT COLLECTED IN SAID TUBING.