Apparatus for automatically carrying out chemical analyses

Abstract

Abstract A MEASURING SAMPLE TRANSFER OR "DOSING" DEVICE FOR USE IN AN AUTOMATIC ANALYSIS APPARATUS OF THE TYPE IN WHICH EACH OF A SERIES OF SAMPLE VESSELS CONTAINS A DIFFERENT LIQUID SAMPLE, AND MEASURED AMOUNTS OF SAMPLE FROM EACH SAMPLE VESSEL ARE TO BE TRANSFERRED INTO A PLURALITY OF REACTION VESSELS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SUCH SAMPLE VESSEL. THE DISCLOSED SAMPLE "DOSING" DEVICE INCLUDES A FIRST SAMPLE MEASURING PUMP DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE SAMPLE INTAKE (AND DISCHARGE) LINE (WHICH IS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO A SAMPLE VESSEL TO TAKE UP SAMPLE AND THEN INTO EACH OF ITS ASSOCIATED REACTION VESSELS IN TURN TO DISCHARGE A MEASURED AMOUNT OF THE SAMPLE), AND IS CONNECTED BY A SEPARATE SUPPLY LINE HAVING A FIRST AND SECOND CONTROL VALVE TO A SUPPLY OF WASH LIQUID (OR REAGENT); AND A (SECOND) SCAVENGING PUMP IS CONNECTED TO THIS SUPPLY LINE AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE THESE TWO VALVES. WITH THE SYSTEM FILLED WITH WASH LIQUID BUT BOTH PUMPS IN THEIR DISCHARGE (EMPTY) POSITION, THE FIRST VALVE IS CLOSED AND THE (FIRST) MEASURING PUMP SUCKS UP SAMPLE FROM THE SAMPLE VESSEL THROUGH ITS INTAKE LINE, WHILE THE SCAVENGING PUMP IS FILLED WITH WASH LIQUID BY MEANS OF THE SUPPLY LINE. IF THE SAMPLE INTAKE LINE IS OF GREATER VOLUME THAN THE INTAKE STROKE OF THE SAMPLE PUMP, THEN NO SAMPLE REACHES THE PUMP ITSELF. THE INTAKE LINE IS THEN INTRODUCED INTO EACH ASSOCIATED REACTION VESSEL IN TURN AND A MEASURED AMOUNT OF SAMPLE IS DISCHARGED IS EACH SUCH REACTION VESSEL. FINALLY, THE FIRST VALVE IS OPENED WHILE THE SECOND VALVE IS CLOSED, A DISCHARGE OF THE SCAVENGING PUMP CLEARS THE INTAKE LINE OF ANY RESIDUAL SAMPLE (EITHER INTO THE LAST REACTION VESSEL OF AN ADDITIONAL WASTE VESSEL). THE CYCLE THAN MAY BE REPEATED FOR THE NEXT SAMPLE VESSEL WITHOUT DANGER OF CONTAMINATION BY THE SAMPLE JUST TRANSFERRED. D R A W I N G

Inventors

• 👤 Peter Paatzsch

Bibliographic Details