Photoacoustic spectrometer

Claim 1

A photoacoustic spectometer including a mounting block and a detector block carried thereby, said mounting block having a vertically-oriented opening therethrough and a horizontal opening therein communicating with said vertical opening; support means movably carried in said vertically oriented opening; vertical adjustment means carried by said horizontal opening and engaging said support means for effecting vertical motion thereof; said detector block being supported from said mounting block and have an overhanging portion, said overhanging portion including at least one opening therethrough; said detector block including, in addition, a sample bed portion, said sample bed portion including a recess in the lower surface thereof adapted to receive said support and at least one upper recess in the upper surface thereof adapted to receive a sample dish, said upper recess being positioned to be, in use, aligned with said at least one opening in said overhanging portion of said detector block; a window covering said upper recess; an O-ring surrounding said window; said sample bed portion including, in addition, a reference chamber; a tunnel fluid-coupling said reference chamber to said upper recess; a pair of thermo-sensitive elements supported at the reference chamber end of said tunnel and each having terminals for connection to external electrical circuits; said reference chamber having means for connecting to an external source of a fluid; said sample bed portion and said "O"-ring being forced into sealing engagement with said overhanging portion upon upward movement of said support means by adjustment of said vertical adjustment means, to form a sealed chamber.