Flow-through cell including means for providing a uniform flow pattern therethrough

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR USE IN OPTICAL MONITORING OF FLOWING FLUID FRACTIONS, A FLOW-THROUGH CELL COMPRISING A CELL BLOCK HAVING AN OPEN-ENDED PRECISE AXIAL BORE OF KNOWN PREDETERMINED VOLUME AND SEALING MEANS, INCLUDING TRANSPARENT WINDOWS, DISPOSED OVER THE ENDS OF SAID BORE, CONDUITS DEFINING INLET AND OUTLET PORTS COMMUNICATING TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CELL BLOCK ADJACENT RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BORE, AN INTERNAL PORTION WITHIN SAID CELL BLOCK AND LOCATED BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID BORE, SAID INTERNAL PORTION HAVING OPPOSITE END SURFACES, SAID INTERNAL PORTION HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION OF ONE END SURFACE THEREOF FLUSH WITH THE WINDOW ADJACENT THERETO AT THE INLET PORT, AND THE OPPOSITE END SURFACES AT EACH END OF SAID INTERNAL PORTION DEFINING A CHANNEL BETWEEN ITS ADJACENT WINDOW AND THE RESPECTIVE END SURFACE COMMUNICATING RESPECTIVELY BETWEEN THE INLET AND OUTLET PORTS AND THE AXIAL BORE TO DIRECT THE FLUID IN A SWEEP ACROSS THE WINDOW IN ITS PASSAGE THEREPAST AND SIMULTANEOUSLY IMPARTING TO SAID FLOWING FLUID, AN INCREASED MOMENTUM ALONG SELECT PORTIONS THEREOF DURING PASSAGE OF SAID FLUID FRACTIONS THROUGH THE AXIAL BORE COMPENSATING FOR NORMAL LAG OF SAID SELECT PORTIONS WHEREBY TO MAINTAIN THE FLOWING FLUID IN DISCRETE FRACTIONS DURING PASSAGE THROUGH THE CELL.