Rotary evaporator with control system

Claim 1

An evaporator system for supporting a flask and rotating the flask for concentrating a specimen solution contained in the flask, while simultaneously heating the specimen by means of an isothermal heating source, comprising: a lift means operatively supporting the flask for selective vertical movement of the flask relative to the isothermal heating source; a lift motor operatively associated with the lift means to move the flask up and down relative to the isothermal heating source; a motor selectively operative to rotate the flask supported by the lift means; a vacuum source; a three-way solenoid valve connected to the vacuum source and to atmospheric air pressure, and connected in communication with the interior of the flask for selectively communicating the vacuum source or atmospheric air pressure into the flask; a controlling apparatus operatively associated with the motor rotating said flask; said lift motor being operatively controlled by said controlling apparatus to raise the flask upwardly above the isothermal heating source for achieving a non-heating condition in response to passage of a predetermined concentrating time period; said flask-rotating motor being operatively associated with said controlling apparatus to automatically stop after operation of the solenoid valve, thereby automating procedures at the end of the concentrating process; and said controlling apparatus including means selectively operating the three-way valve to subject the interior of the flask to the vacuum source during rotation of the flask and to introduce atmospheric air pressure into the flask at a predetermined end of the concentrating process.