Programming apparatus for an automatic radioactivity counting system

Claim 2

In an automatic liquid scintillation counting system which includes a sample transfer station; conveying apparatus for Removably storing a plurality of liquid scintillation samples and transporting said samples in seriatim order to said sample transfer station; said samples being arranged on said conveying apparatus in groups such that a first-to-be-counted sample in each group arrives first at said sample transfer station followed by the remaining samples in each said group; a sample counting station located at a position underneath said sample transfer station; sample transfer apparatus for alternately lowering a sample at said transfer station from said conveying apparatus to said counting station and raising said sample back to said conveying apparatus; and sample counting apparatus including means for storing a plurality of counting programs each identified by a separate program number and each determining at least the discriminator levels, the preset condition for terminating counting, and the low count reject limit, and means for counting a sample at said counting station in accordance with one of said counting programs; improved sample group programming apparatus comprising: indicating means, including a support structure adapted to be removably mounted on said conveying apparatus and constructed to cover substantially one of said first-to-be-counted samples, for indicating a preselected one of said program numbers, and coding means comprising a preselected number greater than one of light opaque and light transmissive portions arranged in a regular pattern within a pluarlity of groups equal in quantity to the number 2 raised to the power equal to the aforesaid preselected number to define a sequence of binary coded decimal numbers each comprising the aforesaid preselected number of binary digits; and reading means mounted in a reading position relative to said sample transfer station operative to read said preselected program number on said indicating means when it arrives at said reading position and to signal said preselected program number to said sample counting apparatus.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coding means is mounted on said support structure such that each of said groups may be selectively indexed to a preselected operate location on said support means; and said indicating means further includes: light conducting means mounted in said support means operative to transmit light from a preselected remote location on said support means to said operate location; and wherein said reading means comprises: a light source; a number of light responsive elements equal to said selected number of binary digits; and a second support structure supporting said light source and said light responsive elements in prearranged positions such that said light source illuminates said light conducting means and said light responsive elements are selectively responsive to light emanating from separate light transmissive portions of said coding means in said operate position when said indicating means arrives at said reading location.

Claim 4

In an automatic liquid scintillation counting system which includes a sample transfer station; conveying apparatus for removably storing a plurality of liquid scintillation samples and transporting said samples in seriatim order to said sample transfer station; said samples being arranged on said conveying apparatus in groups such that a first-to-be-counted sample in each group arrives first at said sample transfer station followed by the remaining samples in each said group: a sample counting station located at a position underneath said sample transfer station; sample transfer apparatus for alternately lowering a sample at said transfer station from said conveying apparatus to said counting station and raising said sample back to said conveying apparatus; and sample counting apparatus including means for storing a plurality of counting programs each identified by a separate program number and means for counting a sample at said counting statIon in accordance with one of said counting programs; improved sample group programming apparatus comprising: indicating means, including a support structure adapted to be removably mounted on said conveying apparatus and constructed to cover substantially one of said first-to-be-counted samples, for indicating a preselected one of said program numbers; and wherein said support structure comprises a generally hollow support member having an open end adapted to be mounted over a liquid scintillation sample and a closed end providing a horizontal mounting platform; and said indicating means further comprises: a generally circular, substantially opaque disc rotatably mounted on said platform, said disc defining a plurality of radially arrayed binary coded number indicia in the form of the presence and absence of apertures through said disc at preselected radial distances; and a light pipe mounted in said platform and being of a configuration such as to conduct light from a remote location on said platform to a preselected area underneath said disc corresponding to an operate location whereat light will be provided to apertures comprising one of said binary coded number indicia; reading means mounted in a reading position relative to said sample transfer station operative to read said preselected program number on said indicating means when it arrives at said reading position and to signal said preselected program number to said sample counting apparatus. and wherein said reading means comprises: a support member extending over said conveying apparatus with a bottom portion slightly higher than the top surface of said disc; a light source mounted in said support member to illuminate said light pipe at said remote location when said indicating means is in said reading position; and a number of light responsive elements mounted in said support member and communicating with said bottom portion, said elements being positioned to detect the presence and absence of apertures of one of said binary coded number indicia at said operate location when said indicating means is in said reading position.

Claim 5

In an automatic liquid scintillation counting system which includes a sample transfer station; conveying apparatus for removably storing a plurality of liquid scintillation samples and transporting said samples in seriatim order to said sample transfer station; said samples being arranged on said conveying apparatus in groups such that a first-to-be-counted sample in each group arrives first at said sample transfer station followed by the remaining samples in each said group: a sample counting station located at a position underneath said sample transfer station; sample transfer apparatus for alternately lowering a sample at said transfer station from said conveying apparatus to said counting station and raising said sample back to said conveying apparatus; and sample counting apparatus including means for storing a plurality of counting programs each identified by a separate program number and means for counting a sample at said counting statIon in accordance with one of said counting programs; improved sample group programming apparatus comprising: indicating means, including a support structure adapted to be removably mounted on said conveying apparatus and constructed to cover substantially one of said first-to-be-counted samples, for indicating a preselected one of said program numbers; and wherein said support structure comprises a generally hollow support member having an open end adapted to be mounted over a liquid scintillation sample and a closed end providing a horizontal mounting platform; and said indicating means further comprises: a generally circular, substantially opaque disc rotatably mounted on said platform, said disc defining a plurality of radially arrayed binary coded number indicia in the form of the presence and absence of apertures through said disc at preselected radial distances; and a light pipe mounted in said platform and being of a configuration such as to conduct light from a remote location on said platform to a preselected area underneath said disc corresponding to an operate location whereat light will be provided to apertures comprising one of said binary coded number indicia; reading means mounted in a reading position relative to said sample transfer station operative to read said preselected program number on said indicating means when it arrives at said reading position and to signal said preselected program number to said sample counting apparatus. and wherein said reading means comprises: a support member extending over said conveying apparatus with a bottom portion slightly higher than the top surface of said disc; a light source mounted in said support member to illuminate said light pipe at said remote location when said indicating means is in said reading position; and a number of light responsive elements mounted in said support member and communicating with said bottom portion, said elements being positioned to detect the presence and absence of apertures of one of said binary coded number indicia at said operate location when said indicating means is in said reading position.

Claim 6

In an automatic liquid scintillation counting system which includes a sample transfer station; conveying apparatus for removably storing a plurality of liquid scintillation samples and transporting said samples in seriatim order to said sample transfer station; said samples being arranged on said conveying apparatus in groups such that a first-to-be-counted sample in each group arrives first at said sample transfer station followed by the remaining samples in each said group; a sample counting station located at a position underneath said sample transfer station; sample transfer apparatus for alternately lowering a sample at said transfer station from said conveying apparatus to said counting station and raising said sample back to said conveying apparatus; and sample counting apparatus including means for storing a plurality of counting programs each identified by a separate program number and means for counting a sample at said counting station in accordance with one of said counting programs; improved sample group programming apparatus comprising: a program indicating elements comprising a support structure with an open end adapted to be mounted over one of said first-to-be-counted samples in a fixed position on said conveying apparatus and a closed end forming a platform horizontally disposed over said sample; a binary coded disc defining a radially disposed array of apertures carried on said platform; a light conducting element mounted in said platform with one portion beside said disc and another portion extending under a radial portion of said disc; said disc being rotatably mounted to position selected radial portions over said light conducting member so that light from said element will be conducted through apertures in said disc defining one of a plurality of binary coded decimal numbers; and a program reading element mounted over said conveying apparatus at a location relative to said sample transfer station, said element having a horizontal support arm with a light source mounted therein at a position such as to register with said one portion of said light conducting element and a plurality of light responsive elements corresponding in number to the number of digits in said binary coded decimal numbers, said light responsive elements being mounted in said support arm in positions to detect said one binary coded decimal number in accordance with the position and number of apertures defining said number, when said program indicating element arrives under said horizontal support arm.

Claim 7

In an automatic liquid scintillation counting system which includes a sample transfer station; conveying apparatus for removably storing a plurality of liquid scintillation samples and transporting said samples in seriatim order to said sample transfer station; said samples being arranged on said conveying apparatus in groups such that a first-to-be-counted sample in each group arrives first at said sample transfer station followed by the remaining samples in each said group; a sample counting station located at a position underneath said sample transfer station; sample transfer apparatus for alternately lowering a sample at said transfer station from said conveying apparatus to said counting station and raising said sample back to said conveying apparatus; and sample counting apparatus including means for storing a plurality of counting programs each identified by a separate program number and means for counting a sample at said counting station in accordance with one of said counting programs; improved sample group programming apparatus comprising: a program indicating elements comprising a support structure with an open end adapted to be mounted over one of said first-to-be-counted samples in a fixed position on said conveying apparatus and a closed end forming a platform horizontally disposed over said sample; a binary coded disc defining a radially disposed array of apertures carried on said platform; a light conducting element mounted in said platform with one portion beside said disc and another portion extending under a radial portion of said disc; said disc being rotatably mounted to position selected radial portions over said light conducting member so that light from said element will be conducted through apertures in said disc defining one of a plurality of binary coded decimal numbers; and a program reading element mounted over said conveying apparatus at a location relative to said sample transfer station, said element having a horizontal support arm with a light source mounted therein at a position such as to register with said one portion of said light conducting element and a plurality of light responsive elements corresponding in number to the number of digits in said binary coded decimal numbers, said light responsive elements being mounted in said support arm in positions to detect said one binary coded decimal number in accordance with the position and number of apertures defining said number, when said program indicating element arrives under said horizontal support arm.

Claim 8

In an automatic system for measuring and counting separately the radioactive emissions from a plurality of discrete radioactive samples including a sample transfer station; conveying apparatus for removably storing a plurality of discrete radioactive samples and transporting said samples in seriatim order to said sample transfer station; said samples being arranged on said conveying apparatus in groups such that a first-to-be-counted sample in each group arrives first at said sample transfer station followed by the remaining samples in each said group; a sample counting station located at a position removed from said sample transfer station; sample transfer apparatus for alternately transporting a sample at said transfer station from said conveying apparatus to said counting station and returning said sample back to said conveying apparatus; and sample counting apparatus including means for storing a plurality of counting programs each identified by a separate program number and each determining at least the discriminator levels, the preset condition for terminating counting, and the low count reject limit, and means for counting a sample at said counting station in accordance with one of said counting programs; improved sample group programming apparatus comprising: indicating means, including a support structure adapted to be removably mounted on said conveying apparatus and constructed to cover substantially one of said first-to-be-counted samples, for indicating a preselected one of said program numbers, and coding means comprising a preselected number greater than one of light opaque and light transmissive portions arranged in a regular pattern within a plurality of groups equal in quantity to the number 2 raised to the power equal to the aforesaid preselected number to define a sequence of binary coded decimal numbers each comprising the aforesaid preselected number of binary digits; and reading means mounted in a reading position relative to said sample transfer station operative to read said preselected program number on said indicating means when it arrives at said reading position and to signal said preselected program number to said sample counting apparatus.

Claim 9

In an automatic system for measuring and counting separately the radioactive emissions from a plurality of discrete radioactive samples including a sample transfer station; conveying apparatus for removably storing a plurality of discrete radioactive samples and transporting said samples in seriatim order to said sample transfer station; said samples being arranged on said conveying apparatus in groups such that a first-to-be-counted sample in each group arrives first at said sample transfer station followed by the remaining samples in each said group; a sample counting station located at a position removed from said sample transfer station; sample transfer apparatus for alternately transporting a sample at said transfer station from said conveying apparatus to said counting station and returning said sample back to said conveying apparatus; and sample counting apparatus including means for storing a plurality of counting programs each identified by a separate program number and each determining at least the discriminator levels, the preset condition for terminating counting, and the low count reject limit, and means for counting a sample at said counting station in accordance with one of said counting programs; improved sample group programming apparatus comprising: indicating means, including a support structure adapted to be removably mounted on said conveying apparatus and constructed to cover substantially one of said first-to-be-counted samples, for indicating a preselected one of said program numbers, and coding means comprising a preselected number greater than one of light opaque and light transmissive portions arranged in a regular pattern within a plurality of groups equal in quantity to the number 2 raised to the power equal to the aforesaid preselected number to define a sequence of binary coded decimal numbers each comprising the aforesaid preselected number of binary digits; and reading means mounted in a reading position relative to said sample transfer station operative to read said preselected program number on said indicating means when it arrives at said reading position and to signal said preselected program number to said sample counting apparatus.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said coding means is mounted on said support structure such that each of said groups may be selectively indexed to a preselected operate location on said support means; and said indicating means further includes light conducting means mounted in said support menas operative to transmit light from a preselected remote location on said support means to said operate location; and wherein said reading means comprises: a light source; a number of light responsive elements equal to said selected number of binary digits; and a second support structure supporting said light source and said light responsive elements in prearranged positions such that said light source illuminates said light conducting means and said light responsive elements are selectively responsive to light emanating from separate light transmissive portions of said coding means in said operate position when said indicating means arrives at said reading location.

Claim 11

In an automatic system for measuring and counting separaTely the radioactive emissions from a plurality of discrete radioactive samples including a sample transfer station; conveying apparatus for removably storing a plurality of discrete radioactive samples and transporting said samples in seriatim order to said sample transfer station; said samples being arranged on said conveying apparatus in groups such that a first-to-be-counted sample in each group arrives first at said sample transfer station followed by the remaining samples in each said group; a sample counting station located at a position removed from said sample transfer station; sample transfer apparatus for alternately transporting a sample at said transfer station from said conveying apparatus to said counting station and returning said sample back to said conveying apparatus; and sample counting apparatus including means for storing a plurality of counting programs each identified by a separate program number and means for counting a sample at said counting station in accordance with one of said counting programs; improved sample group programming apparatus comprising: program indicating elements comprising a support structure with an open end adapted to be mounted over one of sand first-to-be-counted samples in a fixed position on said conveying apparatus and a closed end forming a platform horizontally disposed over said sample; a binary coded disc defining a radially disposed array of apertures carried on said platform; a light conducting element mounted in said platform with one portion beside said disc and another portion extending under a radial portion of said disc; said disc being rotatably mounted to position selected radial portions over said light conducting member so that light from said element will be conducted through apertures in said disc defining one of a plurality of binary coded decimal numbers; and a program reading element mounted over said conveying apparatus at a location relative to said sample transfer station, said element having a horizontal support arm with a light source mounted therein at a position such as to register with said one portion of said light conducting element and a plurality of light responsive elements corresponding in number to the number of digits in said binary coded decimal numbers, said light responsive elements being mounted in said support arm in positions to detect said one binary coded decimal number in accordance with the position and number of apertures defining said number, when said program indicating element arrives under said horizontal support arm.

Claim 12

In an automatic system for measuring and counting separaTely the radioactive emissions from a plurality of discrete radioactive samples including a sample transfer station; conveying apparatus for removably storing a plurality of discrete radioactive samples and transporting said samples in seriatim order to said sample transfer station; said samples being arranged on said conveying apparatus in groups such that a first-to-be-counted sample in each group arrives first at said sample transfer station followed by the remaining samples in each said group; a sample counting station located at a position removed from said sample transfer station; sample transfer apparatus for alternately transporting a sample at said transfer station from said conveying apparatus to said counting station and returning said sample back to said conveying apparatus; and sample counting apparatus including means for storing a plurality of counting programs each identified by a separate program number and means for counting a sample at said counting station in accordance with one of said counting programs; improved sample group programming apparatus comprising: program indicating elements comprising a support structure with an open end adapted to be mounted over one of sand first-to-be-counted samples in a fixed position on said conveying apparatus and a closed end forming a platform horizontally disposed over said sample; a binary coded disc defining a radially disposed array of apertures carried on said platform; a light conducting element mounted in said platform with one portion beside said disc and another portion extending under a radial portion of said disc; said disc being rotatably mounted to position selected radial portions over said light conducting member so that light from said element will be conducted through apertures in said disc defining one of a plurality of binary coded decimal numbers; and a program reading element mounted over said conveying apparatus at a location relative to said sample transfer station, said element having a horizontal support arm with a light source mounted therein at a position such as to register with said one portion of said light conducting element and a plurality of light responsive elements corresponding in number to the number of digits in said binary coded decimal numbers, said light responsive elements being mounted in said support arm in positions to detect said one binary coded decimal number in accordance with the position and number of apertures defining said number, when said program indicating element arrives under said horizontal support arm.

Claim 13

In an automatic system for measuring and counting separately the radioactive emissions from a plurality of discrete radioactive samples, including a sample transfer station; conveying apparatus comprising a series of receptacles for removably storing a plurality of discrete radioactive samples and transporting said samples in seriatim order to said sample transfer station; said samples being arranged in receptacles on said conveying apparatus in groups such that a first-to-be-counted sample in each group arrives first at said sample transfer station followed by the remaining samples in each said group; a sample counting station located at a position removed from said sample transfer station; sample transfer apparatus for alternately transporting a sample at said transfer station from said conveying apparatus to said counting station and returning said sample to said conveying apparatus; and sample counting apparatus including means for storing a plurality of counting programs each identified by a separate program number and means for counting a sample at said counting station in accordance with one of said counting programs; improved sample group programming apparatus comprising: indicating means, including a support structure adapted to be removably mounted on any one of said receptacles in said conveying apparatus and constructed to cover substantially one of said first-to-be-cOunted samples, for indicating a preselected one of said program numbers; and reading means mounted in a reading position relative to said sample transfer station operative to read said preselected program number on said indicating means when it arrives at said reading position and to signal said preselected program number to said sample counting apparatus, wherein each of said receptacles in said conveying apparatus is constructed to be able to simultaneously accommodate a support structure in addition to a sample.

Claim 14

In an automatic system for measuring and counting separately the radioactive emissions from a plurality of discrete radioactive samples, including a sample transfer station; conveying apparatus comprising a series of receptacles for removably storing a plurality of discrete radioactive samples and transporting said samples in seriatim order to said sample transfer station; said samples being arranged in receptacles on said conveying apparatus in groups such that a first-to-be-counted sample in each group arrives first at said sample transfer station followed by the remaining samples in each said group; a sample counting station located at a position removed from said sample transfer station; sample transfer apparatus for alternately transporting a sample at said transfer station from said conveying apparatus to said counting station and returning said sample to said conveying apparatus; and sample counting apparatus including means for storing a plurality of counting programs each identified by a separate program number and means for counting a sample at said counting station in accordance with one of said counting programs; improved sample group programming apparatus comprising: indicating means, including a support structure adapted to be removably mounted on any one of said receptacles in said conveying apparatus and constructed to cover substantially one of said first-to-be-cOunted samples, for indicating a preselected one of said program numbers; and reading means mounted in a reading position relative to said sample transfer station operative to read said preselected program number on said indicating means when it arrives at said reading position and to signal said preselected program number to said sample counting apparatus, wherein each of said receptacles in said conveying apparatus is constructed to be able to simultaneously accommodate a support structure in addition to a sample.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 8 further characterized in that said indicating means indicates a preselected one of said program numbers determining at least the discriminator levels, the preset condition for terminating counting, and the low level reject limit.