Automatic sampler apparatus

Claim 2

A fluid sample apparatus for injection into a chromatograph: a. an injection syringe defined by a tubular syringe barrel, a canula extending from said syringe barrel, a side-arm defining a side arm location, and a plunger movably supported in said barrel; b. syringe barrel supporting structure; c. plunger supporting structure; d. an actuator connected between said syringe barrel supporting structure and said plunger supporting structure for reciprocating said syringe barrel and said plunger relative to each other so that said plunger is movable into and out of said syringe barrel; and e. dosage stop means in operation reacting between said syringe barrel supporting structure and said plunger supporting structure for limiting relative motion of said plunger into said syringe barrel to control volume of fluid in said injection syringe when said plunger is between said side-arm location and said canula; f. said dosage stop means comprising: i. a stop element movable between a first position wherein said syringe barrel and plunger supporting structures are freely movable with respect to each other and a second position wherein said stop element reacts between said structures for limiting relative movement therebetween; and ii. locating means for detachably connecting said stop element to one of said supporting structures; g. said dosage stop means supported on said one supporting structure for adjusting movement relative to both of said supporting structures to adjustably position said stop element to control the dose in said syringe barrel and said locating means effective to secure said dosage stop means in said adjusted position wherein said actuator comprises a doubleacting ram operable to move one of said structures to a position in engagement with said stop element when said stop member is in said second position and to maintain said one structure in said position without exerting substantial force on said stop element, and further comprising a stop element actuator for moving said stop element to said first position from said second position.

Claim 3

In a fluid sample apparatus: a. an injection syringe defined by a tubular syringe barrel, a caNula extending from said syringe barrel and a plunger movably supported in said barrel; b. syringe barrel supporting structure; c. plunger supporting structure; d. an actuator connected between said syringe barrel supporting structure and said plunger supporting structure for reciprocating said syringe barrel and said plunger relative to each other so that said plunger is movable into and out of said syringe barrel; and e. dosage stop means reacting between said syringe barrel supporting structure and said plunger supporting structure for limiting relative motion of said plunger into said syringe barrel to control volume of fluid in said injection syringe; f. said dosage stop means comprising: i. a stop element movable between a first position wherein said syringe barrel and plunger supporting structures are freely movable with respect to each other and a second position wherein said stop element reacts between said structures for limiting relative movement therebetween; and ii. locating means for detachably connecting said stop element to one of said supporting structures; g. said dosage stop means supported on said one supporting structure for adjusting movement relative to both of said supporting structures to adjustably position said stop element to control the dose in said syringe barrel and said locating means effective to secure said dosage stop means in said adjusted position and further comprising a second dosage stop means including a second stop element and second locating means for detachably connecting said stop element to said barrel supporting structure, said first and second dosage stop means slidably supported in first and second slots, respectively, said slots extending along said syringe barrel supporting structure in the direction of relative movement between said supporting structures, said first and second locating means detachably securing said first and second dosage stop means to said barrel supporting structure at desired locations along said respective slots.

Claim 4

In a fluid sample apparatus: a. an injection syringe defined by a tubular syringe barrel, a caNula extending from said syringe barrel and a plunger movably supported in said barrel; b. syringe barrel supporting structure; c. plunger supporting structure; d. an actuator connected between said syringe barrel supporting structure and said plunger supporting structure for reciprocating said syringe barrel and said plunger relative to each other so that said plunger is movable into and out of said syringe barrel; and e. dosage stop means reacting between said syringe barrel supporting structure and said plunger supporting structure for limiting relative motion of said plunger into said syringe barrel to control volume of fluid in said injection syringe; f. said dosage stop means comprising: i. a stop element movable between a first position wherein said syringe barrel and plunger supporting structures are freely movable with respect to each other and a second position wherein said stop element reacts between said structures for limiting relative movement therebetween; and ii. locating means for detachably connecting said stop element to one of said supporting structures; g. said dosage stop means supported on said one supporting structure for adjusting movement relative to both of said supporting structures to adjustably position said stop element to control the dose in said syringe barrel and said locating means effective to secure said dosage stop means in said adjusted position and further comprising a second dosage stop means including a second stop element and second locating means for detachably connecting said stop element to said barrel supporting structure, said first and second dosage stop means slidably supported in first and second slots, respectively, said slots extending along said syringe barrel supporting structure in the direction of relative movement between said supporting structures, said first and second locating means detachably securing said first and second dosage stop means to said barrel supporting structure at desired locations along said respective slots.

Claim 5

In a system as claimed in claim 1 further including apparatus for withdrawing quantities of fluid from individual fluid sample containers at said station, said apparatus comprising a dipper tube member and a dipper tube actuator for advancing said dipper tube member into a container at said station and retracting said dipper tube from said container, means for aligning individual sample container locations with said dipper tube wherein said alignment means includes a motor for coarse alignment and a cam and a cam follower urged into engagement with said cam, one of said cam and cam follower supported for movement with said container supporting members and the other of said cam and cam follower fixed against movement with said container supporting members, said cam and cam follower biased into engagement and effective to shift said container supporting members relative to said station to a relative position at which individual ones of said container support locations are aligned with said dipper tube.