Abstract:
An apparatus and method for carrying out the Korsakovian dilution of a master tincture contained in a bottle. The bottle is drained through a vacuum pump acting by way of a control water trap. Then the feed station sends a dose of distilled water into the bottle while the agitator processes the mixture. With each new cycle a programmed display is provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus making it possible to carry out automatically and in an industrial sequence dilutions of the type done particularly for producing homeopathic medicines. 
     The method and apparatus relates more particularly but not exclusively to the operation known under the name of &#34;Korsakovian dilution&#34;. 
     The manufacture of a homeopathic medicine by this process requires impregnating the inner wall of a bottle with a master tincture, filling the bottle with a premeasured amount of distilled water, then agitating the water by repeated standard shakings, and emptying the bottle. Since traces of the solution to be diluted still adhere to the inner wall of the bottle, it is filled anew with a new premeasured amount of distilled water, and subjected to a new agitation operation, and so on. 
     Traditionally, the dilution operations were performed manually. Besides the fact that this involves a considerable expenditure of manual work, there is a danger of error in counting the successive dilution cycles, especially if there are many cycles. 
     The primary object of the present invention is to avoid these disadvantages by providing a method and an apparatus capable of carrying out the successive Korsakovian dilution operations of the type of those observed in the production of homeopathic medicines, in an automatic sequence and without any risk of error. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for a Korsakovian dilution intended to process at least one bottle for refilling it, agitating its contents and emptying the latter before starting another similar cycle. The apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that it includes two distinct subassemblies. 
     The first subassembly is a mechanical apparatus where the bottle is mounted on the shaking clamp of an agitator. The bottle is connected by a first pipe to a feed station filled with distilled water. The bottle is connected by a second pipe with a draining station. 
     The second subassembly is a control apparatus including the electronic components which automatically insure control of the dosing, the starting of each operation and the display of the number of dilutions made. A first counter serves to display the number of dilutions desired. A second counter indicates at any moment the number of dilutions made. 
     According to another feature of the present invention, the mechanical unit has two similar stations where two identical operations take place completely independently. 
     According to still another feature of the present invention, the dosing is insured by piston syringes, each of which has a selectively adjustable filling stroke. 
     According to yet another feature of the present invention, a three-way cock is provided at each dosing station for the intake and delivery of the liquid. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The attached drawings illustrate an example of an apparatus according to the present invention and are provided as a nonlimiting example to facilitate understanding of the many objects, features, and advantages of the present invention. 
     FIG. 1 is an overall view diagrammatically illustrating the principle of operation of a dilution apparatus according to the present invention with two operating stations; 
     FIG. 2 shows the corresponding mechanical unit where two bottles are processed at the same time; 
     FIG. 3 shows details of the &#34;water trap&#34; according to the present invention provided for verifying that the corresponding bottle is emptied; 
     FIG. 4 is a cutaway view and illustrates the principle of operation of each dosing station according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevational view showing the whole of the control box of the control unit; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of portions of the control box of FIG. 5; and 
     FIG. 7 is a front view of a possible embodiment of a control console through which an operator operates and controls the apparatus of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIG. 1, a mechanical apparatus 26 according to the invention is provided for processing two bottles 1 and 2 independently but with the same cycle. Each of these bottles contains a solution of a medicinal master tincture which is proposed to reduce in concentration by the Korsakov method until homeopathic dilutions are obtained. 
     As best shown in FIG. 2, the mechanical apparatus 26 includes two agitators 3 and 4, each of which has a clamp 5. Each clamp 5 is placed at the end of an arm 6 which can swing around a fixed pin 7. The end of the arm 6 beyond the fixed pin 7 is pivotally mounted to one end of a rod 8 driven by an eccentric 9. A motor, not represented, drives the rotation of the eccentric 9 during the agitation cycle. Thus, each clamp 5 is subjected to a shaking motion transmitted to the bottle 1 or 2 which it contains. 
     The mechanical apparatus 26 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 moreover includes two feed stations 10 and 11. These two stations are identical to one another. The station 10 has been illustrated in more detail in FIG. 4. 
     The station 10 includes two vertical syringes 12 and 13, the fixed cylinders 12a and 13a, respectively, of which are placed side by side. The pistons 12b and 13b, respectively, of each syringe 12 and 13 are interconnected with a base plate 15. The base plate 15 is a distance 16 from a drive carriage 17 which is fixed, but adjustable by means of a knurled nut 18. The carriage 17 causes the emptying of the cylinders 12a and 13a by an alternating vertical movement in the direction of the arrow 19. For this purpose, the face of the base plate 15 opposite the pistons 12b and 13b has a roller 20. An eccentric 21 driven by a motor, not illustrated, rotates thereunder and engages the roller 20. The useful stroke of the pistons 12b  and 13b, respectively, for the two syringes 12 and 13 can be adjusted, as desired, by rotation of the knurled nut 18 to adjust the distance 16. 
     The cylinders 12a and 13a are surmounted by a valve box 22, the intakes 23 of which are connected to a distilled water reservoir 24, shown only in FIG. 1, surmounting the assembly. The delivery openings of the valve box 22 are each connected by a flexible line 25 to the detachable bottle fitting of the corresponding bottle 1 or 2 into which it empties. The detachable bottle fitting is not illustrated in the drawing but is provided generally at 14, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     Thus, the syringes 12 and 13 draw in an amount of distilled water which can be proportioned with the aid of the knurled nut 18, and then they deliver it into the bottles 1 and 2, respectively. 
     The eccentrics 21 are driven at the two feed stations 10 and 11. Thus, the syringe 12 of the feed station draws in a proportioned amount of distilled water, independently of the movement of the syringe 13 of the feed station 11. 
     The mechanical apparatus 26 also has an intake and drainage station 27, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The intake and drainage station 27, as shown in FIG. 1, consists of a vacuum pump 28 which, by way of a condenser 29, provides continuous suction in a line 30. The line 30 is divided by forking into two lines 31 and 32, each provided with an opening or closing electromagnetic valve 33 and 34, respectively. The line 31 is connected, by way of a control cell 35 or water trap, to a line 36 which goes through the detachable bottle fitting provided generally at 14, of the bottle 1 to go into the bottle 1. 
     Similarly, the line 32 is connected by a control cell 37 or water trap to an intake line 38 into the interior of the bottle 2. 
     Each of the intake lines 36 and 38 goes into the bottom of the corresponding bottle 1 or 2, in such a manner as to be able to empty the bottles as completely as possible. 
     The control cells 35 and 37 are identical, and only one of these, the cell 35, has been illustrated in detail in FIG. 3. The cell 35 consists of a reservoir 39 provided at its base with an opening or closing electromagnetic draining valve 40. The tight lid 41 of the reservoir 39 is crossed by the corresponding ends of the lines 31 and 36. The line 31 maintains a reduced pressure inside the reservoir 39. This reduced pressure has the effect of intake of the liquid 42 coming from the bottle 1. As long as the electromagnetic draining valve 40 remains closed, the liquid 42 accumulates in the reservoir 39, and a little ball 43 floats on its surface. A radiation transmitting cell 44 and a receiving cell 45 are built in face to face in the wall of the reservoir 39. If the level of the liquid 42 puts the floating ball 43 between the transmitting cell 44 and the receiving cell 45, the radiation transmitted by the radiation transmitting cell 44 becomes interrupted. The receiving cell 45 then detects the presence of the ball 43 and actuates the opening of the electromagnetic draining valve 40. When the ball 43 drops to the bottom of the reservoir 39, it is certain that the bottle 1 has been completely emptied, and the receiving cell 45 simultaneously actuates the closing of the two electromagnetic valves 33 and 40. 
     The control cell 37 operates in the same manner as the control cell 35. 
     By this arrangement, a single vacuum pump 28 is used to selectively empty one or another of the two bottles 1 and 2. 
     The control apparatus 70 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7. The control apparatus 70 insures the operation in sequence of the programs on the two stations of the mechanical apparatus 26. 
     The control apparatus 70, as shown in FIG. 5, includes a terminal unit 46, a supply transformer 47, memory relays 48, 49 and 50, timelag relays 51, and two counters 52 and 53 each relating to one of the feed stations 10 and 11, respectively, for counting their cycles. 
     The control apparatus 70 is further provided with a control console 54, best shown in FIG. 7. The control console 54 includes a general start-stop switch 55, a pilot lamp 56 for starting authorization, a pilot lamp 57 signaling the existence of voltage, and two control units 58 and 59 corresponding to each of the two feed stations, 10 and 11, respectively. 
     Each of the control units 58 and 59 includes digital indicators 60 which display, at each moment, the number of dilutions carried out and the desired number of dilutions and indicators 61 for monitoring the volume, as well as signals to indicate whether the dosing is good or if it is defective, or if some other defect appears. Each of the control units 58 and 59 further includes a display 62 for the automatic operation, that is, automatic start-stop, and a display 63 for manual control, that is, one grouping the buttons and indicators which makes it possible to actuate, one by one, the successive operations of starting, dosing, agitating, intake, draining, etc. 
     The operation of the present invention is as follows: 
     The operator initiates the operation of the apparatus by means of the start-stop switch 55. With the aid of the displays 62 and 63, the operator chooses an automatic operating sequence, or one with manual control, for the dilution operations. 
     When the bottle 1 is full of the diluted master tincture, the electromagnetic valve 33 is opened, which causes the intake of the liquid. Once the bottle 1 is emptied, the floating ball 43 causes the draining electromagnetic valve 40 to open, while the valve 33 is closed. Thus the vacuum is broken. 
     The syringes of the feed station 10 then send to the bottle 1 a proportioned quantity of distilled water, which makes the dilution, while the agitator 3 agitates the bottle 1. At the end of this operation the valve 33 is opened anew, which empties the bottle into the water trap 35. Once the emptying operation is complete, the electromagnetic draining valve 40 is opened anew. The above operations are, therefore, repeated for a preselected number of cycles. 
     The number of dilution cycles is automatically displayed on the control console 54. 
     As stated previously, the operating cycles are staggered on the two feed stations 10 and 11, which makes it possible to use only a single vacuum pump 28 connected alternately to the bottle 1, then to the bottle 2. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations are possible to the method and apparatus described above within the scope of the present invention. Such modifications and variations are within the intended scope of the claims appended hereto.