Solvent handling system

Claim 1

A solvent handling system for use with a liquid chromatograph comprising: a source of pressurized gas; means for regulating the pressures of the gas delivered from said source; a plurality of sealable, pressurizable solvent vessels, each of said solvent vessels having a sealing means, a gas inlet port, vent port and an outlet port; manifold means for simultaneously communicating said pressurized gas from said source to each of said solvent vessels, said manifold means having an inlet passage in communication with said source of said pressurized gas, a plurality of outlet passages each in corresponding communication with a gas inlet port of one of said solvent vessels, and a common chamber connecting said inlet and said plurality of outlets; hollow inlet conduit means connecting the gas inlet port of each said solvent vessels with a corresponding outlet passage in said manifold, said hollow conduit means being of a length sufficient to extend a distance beneath the surface of the operable solvent level associated with each said solvent vessel; hollow outlet conduit means to convey solvent from each of said solvent vessels to a point of use for said solvent; check valve means between said common chamber and each said solvent vessel for preventing flow from each of said solvent vessels into said manifold; and backflow prevention means associated with each solvent vessel for preventing backflow of solvent from that vessel through the corresponding hollow inlet conduit means when gas is not being delivered from the source.