Culture collecting apparatus

Claim 1

An apParatus for collecting a culture and the like and for maintaining the culture in a live condition for a period of time after collection, comprising in combination: an impervious cylindrical tube having an open end and an opposite closed end; an absorbent material filling a portion of the tube at the closed end thereof; a culture-sustaining liquid in the tube and absorbed in the absorbent material; a member longer than the tube and having one end disposed in the tube and another end projecting from the open end thereof to provide a handle; a swabbing tip on the one end of the member and adapted for collecting a culture and to be moistened by the culture-sustaining liquid; and a resilient sealing member on the member intermediate the ends thereof and including a body portion and an annular portion carried by the body portion for sealing against the inside of the tube, the body portion having a diameter less than the diameter of the annular portion and a length substantially longer than the annular portion, and the body portion sealing against the member and substantially preventing relative movement between the body portion and member during removal of the member from the tube and subsequent resealing.

Claim 2

An apParatus for collecting a culture and the like and for maintaining the culture in a live condition for a period of time after collection, comprising in combination: an impervious cylindrical tube having an open end and an opposite closed end; an absorbent material filling a portion of the tube at the closed end thereof; a culture-sustaining liquid in the tube and absorbed in the absorbent material; a member longer than the tube and having one end disposed in the tube and another end projecting from the open end thereof to provide a handle; a swabbing tip on the one end of the member and adapted for collecting a culture and to be moistened by the culture-sustaining liquid; and a resilient sealing member on the member intermediate the ends thereof and including a body portion and an annular portion carried by the body portion for sealing against the inside of the tube, the body portion having a diameter less than the diameter of the annular portion and a length substantially longer than the annular portion, and the body portion sealing against the member and substantially preventing relative movement between the body portion and member during removal of the member from the tube and subsequent resealing.

Claim 5

An apparatus for collecting a culture and the like and storing the same in a live condition for a period of time including: an impervious cylindrical tube formed of transparent plastic material and having rigid walls defining an open end and an opposite closed end; the walls having a smooth interior surface; a material in said tube at the closed end thereof and a culture-sustaining liquid in the material; an elongate member having a length at least twice the length of the tube and with one end disposed in the tube and another end projecting from the open end of the tube to provide an elongate handle for removing the elongate member therefrom; a culture-collecting tip at the one end of the elongate member and adapted to be moistened by the culture-sustaining liquid; and sealing means on the elongate member and closer to the one end than said other end for initially sealing against the interior surface of the walls of the impervious tube, for removal with the elongate member and swabbing tip when a culture is to be collected, and for resealing against the interior surface of the walls of the impervious tube; the sealing means including a sealing member formed of resilient material and having an annular surface of preselected width for sealing against the interior surface of the walls of the tube, the sealing member including a body portion that surrounds and seals against the elongate member for a distance considerably greater than said width of the annular surface to hold the sealing member securely in position during removal of the elongate member from the tube and during resealing.

Claim 6

An apparatus for collecting a culture and the like and storing the same in a live condition for a period of time including: an impervious cylindrical tube formed of transparent plastic material and having rigid walls defining an open end and an opposite closed end; the walls having a smooth interior surface; a material in said tube at the closed end thereof and a culture-sustaining liquid in the material; an elongate member having a length at least twice the length of the tube and with one end disposed in the tube and another end projecting from the open end of the tube to provide an elongate handle for removing the elongate member therefrom; a culture-collecting tip at the one end of the elongate member and adapted to be moistened by the culture-sustaining liquid; and sealing means on the elongate member and closer to the one end than said other end for initially sealing against the interior surface of the walls of the impervious tube, for removal with the elongate member and swabbing tip when a culture is to be collected, and for resealing against the interior surface of the walls of the impervious tube; the sealing means including a sealing member formed of resilient material and having an annular surface of preselected width for sealing against the interior surface of the walls of the tube, the sealing member including a body portion that surrounds and seals against the elongate member for a distance considerably greater than said width of the annular surface to hold the sealing member securely in position during removal of the elongate member from the tube and during resealing.