Circular thin-layer chromatographic apparatus

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR CIRCULAR THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY COMPRISING: (A) A DISH HAVING A RELATIVELY FLAT BOTTOM SURFACE, AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING SIDE WALL AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE DISH, AND A LATERALLY PROJECTING LIP AT THE TOP OF THE SIDE WALL, THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE LIP HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD FROM THE CENTER OF THE DISH IN THE SAME HORIZONTAL PLANE THROUGHOUT THE PERIPHERY OF THE LIP; (B) A FLAT PLATE ENGAGING SAID UPPER SURFACE OF THE LIP AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE DISH AND THEREBY FORMING A VAPOR-RESTRICTED SEAL BETWEEN THE PLATE AND THE DISH, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE PLATE HAVING CHROMATOGRAPHIC MATERIAL ADHERING THERETO; (C) A CHROMATOGRAPHING SOLVENT CONTAINED IN THE DISH; (D) AN UNGLAZED CERAMIC BODY HAVING A HEIGHT LESS THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BOTTOM INSIDE SURFACE OF THE DISH AND THE BOTTOM OF THE LAYER OF CHROMATOGRAPHIC MATERIAL ON THE PLATE, BUT OF SUFFICIENT HEIGHT TO HAVE ITS LOWER PORTION WETTED BY THE SOLVENT WHEN ITS UPPER SURFACE IS IN CONTACT WITH THE CHROMATOGRAPHIC MATERIAL ON THE PLATE; AND (E) A PLASTIC BODY, MADE OF A PLASTIC WHICH IS INERT WITH RESPECT TO THE SOLVENT AND WHICH IS ELASTIC WHEN IN RELATIVELY THIN STRIPS OF RELATIVELY NARROW WIDTH, POSITIONED BETWEEN THE CERAMIC BODY AND THE BOTTOM INSIDE SURFACE OF THE DISH AND SUPPORTING THE CERAMIC BODY ON THE DISH, SAID PLASTIC BODY HAVING SUFFICIENT INHERENT ELASTICITY, DUE TO ITS THINNESS AND SHAPE, FOR MAINTAINING THE TOP SURFACE OF THE CERAMIC BODY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CHROMATOGRAPHIC MATERIAL ON THE PLATE WITHOUT CAUSING THE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE PLATE WITH THE LIP OF THE DISH.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR CIRCULAR THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY COMPRISING: (A) A DISH HAVING A RELATIVELY FLAT BOTTOM SURFACE, AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING SIDE WALL AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE DISH, AND A LATERALLY PROJECTING LIP AT THE TOP OF THE SIDE WALL, THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE LIP HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD FROM THE CENTER OF THE DISH IN THE SAME HORIZONTAL PLANE THROUGHOUT THE PERIPHERY OF THE LIP; (B) A FLAT PLATE ENGAGING SAID UPPER SURFACE OF THE LIP AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE DISH AND THEREBY FORMING A VAPOR-RESTRICTED SEAL BETWEEN THE PLATE AND THE DISH, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE PLATE HAVING CHROMATOGRAPHIC MATERIAL ADHERING THERETO; (C) A CHROMATOGRAPHING SOLVENT CONTAINED IN THE DISH; (D) AN UNGLAZED CERAMIC BODY HAVING A HEIGHT LESS THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BOTTOM INSIDE SURFACE OF THE DISH AND THE BOTTOM OF THE LAYER OF CHROMATOGRAPHIC MATERIAL ON THE PLATE, BUT OF SUFFICIENT HEIGHT TO HAVE ITS LOWER PORTION WETTED BY THE SOLVENT WHEN ITS UPPER SURFACE IS IN CONTACT WITH THE CHROMATOGRAPHIC MATERIAL ON THE PLATE; AND (E) A PLASTIC BODY, MADE OF A PLASTIC WHICH IS INERT WITH RESPECT TO THE SOLVENT AND WHICH IS ELASTIC WHEN IN RELATIVELY THIN STRIPS OF RELATIVELY NARROW WIDTH, POSITIONED BETWEEN THE CERAMIC BODY AND THE BOTTOM INSIDE SURFACE OF THE DISH AND SUPPORTING THE CERAMIC BODY ON THE DISH, SAID PLASTIC BODY HAVING SUFFICIENT INHERENT ELASTICITY, DUE TO ITS THINNESS AND SHAPE, FOR MAINTAINING THE TOP SURFACE OF THE CERAMIC BODY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CHROMATOGRAPHIC MATERIAL ON THE PLATE WITHOUT CAUSING THE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE PLATE WITH THE LIP OF THE DISH.