Apparatus for freeze drying products in small containers

Claim 1

IN A LYOPHILIZING APPARATUS, IN COMBINATION AN ENCLOSED BOX-LIKE CONTAINER UTILIZED AS A FREEZE DRYER, SAID BOX-LIKE CONTAINER HAVING A FLAT BASE OR FLOOR TO RECEIVE A PLURALITY OF BOTTLE SHAPED CONTAINERS AND THEIR CONTENTS IN NESTED ABUTTING RELATIONSIP IN WHICH ALL CONTAINERS ARE IDENTICAL IN SIZE AND IN WHICH EACH CONTAINER IS PROVIDED WITH AN OPEN NECK INTO WHICH AN ELONGATED STOPPER IN INSERTED, SAID BOX-LIKE CONTAINER PROVIDED WITH A COVER TO SEAL SAID FREEZE DRYER, A MOVABLE PLATEN WITHIN SAID FREEZE DRYER AND MOUNTED ABOVE SAID FLOOR AND PARALLEL THERETO, A COOLING COIL AND CONDENSER WITHIN SAID FREEZE DRYER, SAID COOLING COIL AND CONDENSER CONNECTED TO A REFRIGERANT SYSTEM, A FAN MOUNTED WITHIN SAID FREEZE DRYER TO MOVE THE INTERNAL ATMOSPHERE, A HEATING ELEMENT MOUNTED WITHIN SAID FREEZE DRYER AND IN THE FLOOR OF SAID CONTAINER TO PROVIDE HEAT BY CONDUCTIOON TO SAID BOTTLE SHAPED CONTAINERS WHEN DESIRED, SAID MOVABLE PLATEN RESILIENTLY MOUNTED AND PROVIDED WITH STOPS TO LIMIT ITS UPWARD MOVEMENT, MEANS TO PARTIALLY EVACUATE SAID FREEZE DRYER AND PARTICALLY POP SAID STOPPERS FROM SAID BOTTLE SHAPED CONTAINERS, MEANS TO FREEZE DRY THE CONTENTS OF SAID BOTTLE SHAPED CONTAINERS, AND MEANS TO LOWER SAID PLATEN AND RETURN ALL STOPPERS TO A SEALED POSITION IN EACH CONTAINER.