Hanger design for a swinging centrifuge rotor

Claim 1

In a swinging bucket centrifuge rotor of the type having a plurality of peripheral cavities equally spaced about the axis of rotation of the rotor, each of the cavities having a hanger member mounted therein for pivotally supporting a bucket, the bucket adapted to pivot from a vertical position when the rotor is at rest to a horizontal position when the rotor is rotating, the hanger member being radially movable with respect to the axis of rotation, for each hanger member and cavity the improvement comprising: a non-circular recess formed in an inner wall of the cavity; an elongated guide sleeve having a non-circular cross section, one end of the guide sleeve being disposed in the non-circular recess and confined therein against rotational movement by the cooperating non-circular shape of the guide sleeve and the recess, the guide sleeve extending radially outward into the cavity; fastening means extending through the guide sleeve, having one end fastened to the rotor within the recess; the bucket hanger member being mounted on the guide sleeve, the hanger member including a portion thereof conforming to and closely abutting the exterior surface of the non-circular guide sleeve, thereby permitting the hanger member to slide radially on the guide sleeve but preventing rotation thereof; and spring means confined in an area defined by the interior of the hanger member and the exterior to the guide sleeve exerting a radial force on the hanger member in a direction toward the axis of rotation of the rotor.