High pressure column assembly for a liquid chromatograph system

Claim 1

In combination in a liquid chromatography column assembly including a hollow cylindrical separation column containing a packing material constituting the stationary phase, a liquid permeable discoid frit mounted at each end of the column for retaining the packing material, and a cylindrical housing enveloping the column, a column coupling assembly for each end of said column, comprising: a tubular coupler member having at one end a concentric radially outwardly extending annular flange disposed coaxially with said column and with the front face of the flange in confronting relation to the end of said column, said front face containing a concentric annular groove radially disposed to be in apposition to the end of said column and the outermost circumferential portion of said discoid frit; an annular gasket member disposed in said groove and projecting beyond said face of the flange; a cylindrical collar member having an inwardly extending radial flange at one end, disposed in coaxial relation to said coupler member and said housing, the inwardly extending radial flange of said collar member and outwardly extending annular flange of said coupler member having radial dimensions such as to place the respective back faces of said flanges in apposition, the inner diameter of the collar member flange being sufficient to accommodate passage of said tubular coupler member except for the outwardly extending flange thereof; and means for threadedly coupling said collar member to the end of said housing member, whereby rotation of the collar in one direction relative to the housing member produces axial relative displacement therebetween with concomittant engagement of said apposing flange back faces toward each other and compression of said gasket against the end of said column and circumferential portion of said frit without substantial rotational displacement of said gasket relative to said column end.