Elevational operating device for a rotary evaporator

Claim 2

Apparatus for elevatably supporting the unbalanced load of a rotary evaporator sample vessel in vertically elevatable relation alongside the supporting apparatus, comprising: a pole substantially vertically mounted on a base; a elevating member mounted for free vertical movement on said pole; a rotatable operating rod substantially vertically mounted on said base in parallel relation to said pole; a nut member mounted on said elevating member and operatively engaging said operating rod so as to impart vertical movement to the elevating member in response to rotation of the operating rod; said elevating member including means to support a sample vessel in horizontal spaced relation to said operating rod, whereat the weight of the sample vessel acts as an unbalanced load on the operating rod; and means designed for substantially precluding vibration and squeaking of said elevatable support apparatus while supporting an unbalanced load, including means operatively associated with said nut member and said elevating member to allow the nut member to undergo a limited amount of vertical motion reltive to the elevating member as the operating rod rotates.

Claim 3

Appparatus as in claim 1, wherein said nut member is mounted on said elevating member in a hole coaxial with said operating rod and with sufficient clearance from the elevating member to allow said relative vertical movement; and further comprising resilient means disposed between said nut member and said elevating member to undergo a limited amount of elastic deformation when the nut member commences said elevation, so as to cushion the mechanical shock and vibration.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein: said operating rod has a lower end rotatably supported on a subbase which is supported by said base; motive means mounted on said subbase and operative to rotate said operating rod so as to raise or lower the elevating member and sample flask; and elastic means connecting said subbase to said base so that said lower end of the operating rod can undergo a limited extent of radial movement with the subbase when an unbalanced load acting on the operating rod causes the operating rod to curve while rotating, whereby the limited radial movement of said lower end and the subbase accommodates dislocations at the lower end of the operating rod as the limited movement between the nut member and elevating member accommodates operating rod dislocation at the elevating member, caused by an unbalanced load acting on the operating rod.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein: said operating rod has an upper end rotatably mounted in fixed relation to said pole so that the radial dislocations of the operating rod caused by the unbalanced load will occur at the elevating member or at the lower end, where such dislocations are accommodated.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 2, further comprising: supporting means fixedly attached to said pole and circumferentially engaging an adjacent portion of said rotatable operating rod in a fixed spaced apart relation to the pole; and said circumferential engagement by the supportinq means permitting free rotation of the operating rod yet restraining said adjacent portions of the operating rod from radial displacement caused by curvature of the operating rod due to the unbalanced load acting thereon.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 5, further comprising: resilient means interposed between said supporting means and said pole to absorb vibration from the rotating operating rod.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 2, further comprising: an upper limit setting device for setting the upper limit location of said elevating member; a lower limit setting device for setting the lower limit location of said elevating member; both of said upper and lower limit setting devices being mounted to said pole so as to freely adjust the upper and lower vertical location limits of the elevating member; and motor for rotation of said operating rod and operative for being stopped after the vertical location of said elevating member has arrived at said upper or lower limit setting device.

Claim 9

Apparatus for elevatably supporting the unbalanced load of a sample vessel in vertically elevatable relation alongside the supporting apparatus, comprising: a pole substantially vertically mounted on a base; a elevating member mounted for free vertical movement on said pole; a rotatable operating rod substantially vertically mounted on said base in parallel relation to said pole; a nut member mounted on said elevating member and operatively engaging said operating rod so as to impart vertical movement to the elevating member in response to rotation of the operating rod; said elevating member including means to support a sample vessel in horizontal spaced relation to said operating rod, whereat the weight of the sample vessel acts as an unbalanced load on the operating rod; and means designed for substantially precluding vibration and squeaking of said elevatable support apparatus while supporting an unbalanced laod, including supporting means fixedly attached to said pole and circumferentially engaging an relation to said pole; and said circumferential engagment by the supporting means being operative to permit free rotation of the operating rod but restricting radial displacement of said adjacent region of the operating rod caused by the unbalanced load acting thereon.

Claim 10

Apparatus for elevatably supporting the unbalanced load of a sample vessel in vertically elevatable relation alongside the supporting apparatus, comprising: a pole substantially vertically mounted on a base; a elevating member mounted for free vertical movement on said pole; a rotatable operating rod substantially vertically mounted on said base in parallel relation to said pole; a nut member mounted on said elevating member and operatively engaging said operating rod so as to impart vertical movement to the elevating member in response to rotation of the operating rod; said elevating member including means to support a sample vessel in horizontal spaced relation to said operating rod, whereat the weight of the sample vessel acts as an unbalanced load on the operating rod; and means designed for substantially precluding vibration and squeaking of said elevatable support apparatus while supporting an unbalanced laod, including supporting means fixedly attached to said pole and circumferentially engaging an relation to said pole; and said circumferential engagment by the supporting means being operative to permit free rotation of the operating rod but restricting radial displacement of said adjacent region of the operating rod caused by the unbalanced load acting thereon.