Multiple column gas chromatography

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF A MULTICOMPONENT VAPOR SAMPLE WHICH COMPRISES FIRST COLUMN MEANS CONTAINING MATERIAL FOR SEPARATING THE MORE HIGHLY RETENTIOUS COMPONENTS FROM SAID MULT-COMPONENT VAPOR SAMPLE; CONDUIT MEANS FOR INTRODUCING MULTI-COMPONENT SAMPLE VAPOR AND CARRIER GAS INTO SAID FIRST COLUMN MEANS; SECOND COLUMN MEANS CONTAINING MATERIAL FOR SEPARATING THE LESS RETENTIOUS COMPONENTS FROM SAID MULTI-COMPONENT VAPOR SAMPLE NOT SEPARABLE WITH MEASURABLE RESOLUTION IN SAID FIRST COLUMN MEANS; MEASURING CELL MEANS; CONDUIT MEANS COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE OUTLET OF SAID FIRST COLUMN MEANS AND BOTH THE INLET OF SAID SECOND COLUMN MEANS AND SAID MEASURING CELL MEANS, SAID CONDUIT MEANS INCLUDING VALVE MEANS FOR ALTERNATELY DIRECTING, AT PRE DETERMINED INTERVALS, FLOW FROM SAID OUTLET OF SAID FIRST COLUMN MEANS TO SAID MEASURING CELL AND TO SAID INLET OF SAID SECOND COLUMN MEANS; AND CONDUIT MEANS COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE OUTLET OF SAID SECOND COLUMN MEANS AND SAID MEASURING CELL WHEREBY SUCCESSIVE SPECIFIC COMPONENTS OF SAID SAMPLE ARE SUPPLIED TO THE MEASURING CELL FIRST FROM THE FIRST COLUMN MEANS AND THEN FROM THE SERIES COMBINATION OF THE FIRST AND SECOND COLUMN MEANS.