Coupling means for test tubes and the like

Coupling means for test tubes and the like, the coupling means enabling the coupling of test tubes to other objects or devices for various purposes, as for example, support purposes. In one embodiment of the invention, the coupling means is comprised of a flexible, resilient, tubular body portion which is open at each end and which is adapted to be slidably circumposed on a portion of the periphery of a conventional tubular test tube of the type that is closed at one end, the coupling means also including a pair of circumferentially spaced, flexible, resilient and integral flange portions which project longitudinally outwardly from one end of the tubular body portion and which define openings adjacent the free ends thereof adapted to receive a cooperating member such as the stem of a conventional funnel, a support rod, a thermometer or other object to which it is desired to couple a test tube. In another embodiment of the invention, the coupling means is formed integrally with the body portion of a test tube.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to coupling means and, more particularly, to an 
improved coupling means particularly adapted to use in coupling test tubes 
to other objects or devices for various purposes, as for example, support 
purposes, While this invention is particularly intended for use with test 
tubes of the type that are of generally tubular configuration and closed 
at one end, it will be understood that the present invention is also 
applicable to other uses. 
As is well known in the art, test tubes are usually made in the form of a 
substantially cylindrical tube which is closed at one end, the opposite 
end of the test tube often being provided with an integral, 
circumferential, radially extending flange portion. The present invention 
is particularly intended for use in coupling test tubes to other objects 
or devices. By way of example, a coupling means embodying the present 
invention may be utilized to couple a test tube to the stem of a funnel, 
which stem may or may not project into the test tube. The funnel, in turn, 
may support the test tube in a conventional vacuum flask or other vessel 
for filtering or other purposes. By way of further example, the coupling 
means embodying the present invention may be utilized to couple a test 
tube to either a horizontal or a vertical support rod in a manner such 
that the contents of the test tube are readily visible at all times. In 
addition, coupling means embodying the present invention may be utilized 
to support a test tube in an inverted position for drying purposes or to 
suspend a thermometer or other object in a test tube. Moreover, the 
coupling means may be utilized to support a test tube for gravity 
filtering purposes; to support a test tube for rotational purposes whereby 
centrifugal forces may be applied to ingredients contained in the test 
tube; or to support a test tube from a conduit for test purposes, such as 
a bubble test. 
An object of the present invention is to overcome disadvantages in prior 
devices utilized for supporting test tubes or connecting test tubes to 
other objects and to provide an improved coupling means incorporating 
improved means for coupling a test tube to another object or device for a 
wide variety of purposes. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved test tube 
coupling means which may be easily and quickly mounted on and/or removed 
from a test tube by the user thereof without requiring special training or 
tools. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved test tube 
coupling means that may, if desired, be formed as an integral part of a 
test tube. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved test tube 
coupling means that is economical to manufacture, durable, efficient and 
reliable in operation. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupling 
means which enables a test tube to be conveniently supported within 
another container and which also enables another object or device to be 
supported within the test tube. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved test tube 
coupling means that enables ingredients to be added to or removed from a 
test tube while the coupling means is mounted thereon, and which enables a 
test tube to be supported in a manner such that the contents of the test 
tube are readily visible at all times. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved coupling 
means which may be utilized to support a test tube for rotational purposes 
whereby centrifugal forces may be applied to ingredients contained in the 
test tube, and which also may be utilized to support a test tube in an 
upright position, an inverted position, or in a suspended condition. 
The above as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention 
will become apparent from this specification including the appended claims 
and the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of the present invention is 
illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8 thereof, and is comprised of a coupling 
means, generally designated 10. The coupling means 10 is primarily 
intended for use in coupling a conventional test tube 12 to other objects 
or devices for various purposes, although it will be understood that 
coupling means embodying the present invention are applicable to other 
uses. As shown in the drawings, the coupling means 10 is comprised of a 
flexible, resilient, right circular, cylindrical, tubular body portion 14 
which defines an internal passageway 16 that is open at each end, the body 
portion 14 being adapted to be slidably circumposed on a portion of the 
periphery of a conventional test tube 12, as illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 
8. The coupling means 10 also includes a pair of circumferentially spaced, 
flexible, resilient and integral flange portions 18 and 20 which project 
longitudinally outwardly from the end 22 of the tubular body portion 14 
and which define elongate, open ended, diametrically opposed slots 24 and 
26 therebetween. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the flange portions 18 and 
20 each define a segment of a right circular cylindrical tube having the 
same inside diameter and the same outside diameter as the tubular body 
portion 14, the cylindrical tubular segments being circumferentially 
spaced and being separated by the opposed slots 24 and 26. In this 
embodiment of the invention, the flange portions 18 and 20 also define 
transverse openings 28, 28A, 28B and 30, 30A, 30B, respectively, at a 
position near, but spaced from, the free ends thereof. The openings 28, 
28A, 28B and 30, 30A, 30B are adapted to be aligned in various 
combinations so as to receive a cooperating member, such as the stem 32 of 
a conventional funnel 34, as illustrated in FIG. 6; a horizontal support 
rod 36, as illustrated in FIG. 7; fluid conduits 37A and 37B, as 
illustrated in FIG. 8; or other object to which it is desired to couple a 
test tube, such as a thermometer or a vertical support rod. The coupling 
means 10 may be formed of any desired or conventional flexible, resilient, 
and preferably elastic material, such as plactic or rubber, having 
sufficient strength to withstand the forces exerted thereon. 
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8, the 
centers of the openings 28 and 30, 28A and 30A, and 28B and 30B, 
respectively, are aligned on a horizontal axis, as viewed in FIGS. 2, 3 
and 4. The openings 28, 28A and 28B are also preferably of different 
diameters, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and the diameters of the openings 30, 
30A and 30B preferably correspond with the diameters of the openings 28, 
28A and 28B, respectively. 
FIG. 6 illustrates the manner by which the coupling means 10 may be mounted 
on and utilized to support a conventional test tube 12 within a 
conventional vacuum flask 38 having a diverging body portion 40 closed by 
a bottom wall 42, and a substantially cylindrical neck portion 44 formed 
integrally with the body portion 40. The vacuum flask 38 thus defines an 
internal chamber 46, and the vacuum flask is also provided with an 
integral tubular inlet 48 which may be connected to a suitable source of 
vacuum (not shown) by a flexible tube 50 whereby vaccum may be applied to 
the chamber 46. As previously mentioned, the coupling means 10 may be 
utilized to couple the test tube 12 to the stem 32 of a conventional 
funnel 34 whereby the test tube 12 is supported within the vacuum flask 
38. As shown in FIG. 6, for such use, the stem 32 of the funnel is 
initially passed through a passageway 52 defined by a conventional stopper 
54 after which the stem 32 of the funnel may be passed, for example, 
through the aligned openings 28 and 30 defined by the flange portions 18 
and 20 of the coupling means 10 so as to couple the test tube 12 to the 
stem 32 of the funnel. The test tube 12 with the coupling means 10 mounted 
thereon is then inserted into the flask and the stopper 54 inserted into 
the neck portion 44 of the flask 38 whereby the test tube is supported 
within the flask. With such a construction, various liquids or other 
ingredients may be vacuum filtered, as for test purposes, directly into 
the test tube 12 through a suitable filter 56 supported within the 
diverging portion 58 of the funnel 34 without contaminating the vacuum 
flask 38. Consequently, it is not necessary to clean the relatively large 
and complex vacuum flask after each filtering operation, it only being 
necessary to clean the test tube 12 if it is desired to reuse the same. 
It will be noted that because of the inherent difference in the radii of 
curvature of the flange portions 18 and 20 of the coupling means 10 
provided when the stem 32 of the funnel 34 is inserted through the 
openings 28 and 30 defined by the flange portions 18 and 20 of the 
coupling means 10, the flexible, resilient, segmental flange portions 18 
and 20 tend to grip the stem 32 of the funnel tightly and also hold the 
rest tube 12 in tilted relationship with respect to the stem 32 of the 
funnel. Such tilted relationship may be utilized advantageously in that 
liquid or other ingredients flowing out of the stem 32 and into the test 
tube flow smoothly down the inner wall of the test tube and does not tend 
to fall and splash into the bottom of the test tube. 
FIG. 7 illustrates the manner by which the coupling means 10 may be mounted 
on a test tube 12 and utilized to support the test tube on a horizontal 
support rod 36 by passing the support rod 36 through, for example, the 
aligned openings 28 and 30 defined by the flange portions 18 and 20 of the 
coupling means 10, it being understood that the aligned openings 28A and 
30A or the openings 28B and 30B may be utilized if desired. The support 
rod 36, in turn, may be secured to a fixed support 60 as schematically 
illustrated in FIG. 7. Such a construction renders the contents of the 
test tube visible at all times and also enables ingredients to be easily 
added to or removed from the test tube through the slots 24 and 26 defined 
between the flange portions 18 and 20 of the coupling means 10. It will 
also be appreciated that a suitable rod, manually or otherwise supported, 
may be inserted through the aligned openings, such as 28 and 30, of a 
coupling means mounted on a test tube whereby the test tube may be swung 
or otherwise rotated so that centrifugal forces may be applied to 
ingredients contained in the test tube. 
FIG. 8 illustrates the manner by which the coupling means 10 may be 
utilized to suspend a test tube 12 from fluid conduits 37A and 37B, as for 
example, for bubble test purposes. For such use, the conduit 37A may be 
passed through the opening 28 defined by the flange portion 18, and the 
conduit 37B passed through the opening 30 defined by the flange portion 
20, as illustrated in FIG. 8. The free ends of the conduits 37A and 37B 
are then connected to tubes 39A and 39B, the tubes 39A and 39B, in turn, 
passing through a conventional stopper 41 inserted into the open end of 
the test tube 12 whereby the test tube is supported by the coupling means 
10, and the coupling means 10 is supported by the conduits 37A and 37B. 
With such an arrangement, the flexed and resilient segmental flange 
portions 18 and 20 also apply forces to the conduits 37A and 37B tending 
to hold the stopper 41 tightly in the test tube 12. 
Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 of the 
drawings, and is comprised of a coupling means, generally designated 110, 
which is also intended for use in coupling a conventional test tube 12 to 
other objects or devices for various purposes, although it will be 
understood that the coupling means 110 embodying the present invention is 
also applicable to other uses. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the coupling 
means 110 is comprised of a flexible, resilient, tubular body portion 114 
which defines an internal passageway 116 that is open at each end, the 
body portion 114 being adapted to be slidably circumposed on a portion of 
the periphery of a conventional test tube 12, as illustrated in FIG. 6. 
The coupling means 110 also includes a pair of circumferentially spaced, 
flexible, resilient and integral flange portions 118 and 120 which project 
longitudinally outwardly from the end 122 of the tubular body portion 114 
and which define elongate, open ended, diametrically opposed slots 124 and 
126 therebetween. Each of the flange portions 118 and 120 also defines a 
segment of a right circular cylindrical tube having the same inside 
diameter and the same outside diameter as the tubular body portion 114, 
the cylindrical tubular segments being circumferentially spaced and being 
separated by the opposed slots 124 and 126. In this embodiment of the 
invention, the flange portions 118 and 120 also define transverse openings 
128 and 130, respectively, adjacent the free ends thereof. In this 
embodiment of the invention, the centers of the openings 128 and 130 are 
off set, as illustrated in FIG. 9, and the openings 128 and 130 are thus 
disposed at unequal distances from the free ends of the flange portions 
118 and 120, respectively. The openings 128 and 130 are adapted to receive 
a cooperating member, such as the stem of a conventional funnel, a 
thermometer 162, as illustrated in FIG. 10, or other object to which it is 
desired to couple a test tube. The coupling means 110 is also preferably 
formed of any desired or conventional flexible, resilient, and preferably 
elastic material, such as plastic or rubber, having sufficient strength to 
withstand the forces exerted thereon. 
FIG. 10 illustrates the manner by which the coupling means 110 may be 
mounted on a test tube and utilized to support a thermometer 162 within 
the test tube with the longitudinal axis of the thermometer disposed in 
coaxially aligned relationship with the longitudinal axis of the test 
tube, the test tube 12, in turn, being supported by a conventional support 
member 161 which may rest on a horizontal surface 163 and which defines a 
recess 164 adapted to receive the lower end portion of the test tube. In 
this embodiment of the invention, since the centers of the openings 128 
and 130 are off set with respect to each other, when the flange portions 
118 and 120 are disposed in overlapping relationship whereby the openings 
128 and 130 are disposed in vertical alignment, and when the stem of the 
thermometer is inserted through the openings 128 and 130, the flexible, 
resilient flange portions 118 and 120 tend to tightly grip and hold the 
thermometer vertically, as illustrated in FIG. 10, and in coaxially 
aligned relationship with respect to the longitudinal axis of the test 
tube 12. Such aligned relationship may be utilized advantageously to 
support the thermometer in spaced relationship with respect to the inner 
walls of the test tube. It will be appreciated that this embodiment of the 
invention may be utilized to support the stem of a funnel in coaxially 
aligned relationship with respect to the longitudinal axis of the test 
tube and in spaced relationship with respect to the inner walls of the 
test tube if such a relationship is necessary or desirable, or this 
embodiment of the invention may be utilized to support a test tube in an 
inverted position, as for drying purposes, by passing a vertically 
disposed rod through the openings 128 and 130 so that the vertical rod is 
disposed in coaxially aligned relationship with respect to the 
longitudinal axis of the test tube and in spaced relationship with respect 
to the inner walls of the test tube. 
It will also be appreciated that the same coaxially aligned relationship 
between the test tube and the associated supporting or supported member 
may be obtained by the coupling means 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8, 
by utilizing, for example the opening 28 defined by the flange portion 18 
in conjunction with the opening 30A defined by the flange portion 20 in 
the same manner that the opening 128 is utilized in conjunction with the 
initially non-aligned or off set opening 130. 
Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 11, and 
is comprised of a combined test tube and coupling means, generally 
designated 210. As shown in FIG. 11, the combined test tube and coupling 
means includes a flexible, resilient, elongate tubular body portion 214 
which defines an internal chamber 216 that is closed at the lower end 217 
and open at the upper end 222, the body portion 214 thus being adapted to 
function in the manner of a conventional test tube. The combined test tube 
and coupling means 210 also includes a pair of circumferentially spaced, 
flexible, resilient and integral flange portions 218 and 220 which project 
longitudinally outwardly from the end 222 of the tubular body portion 214 
and which define elongate, open ended, diametrically opposed slots, 
similar to the slots 24 and 26, therebetween. The flange portions have the 
same tubular segmental configuration as the flange portions previously 
described. In this embodiment of the invention, the flange portions 218 
and 220 also define openings 228, 228A, 228B and 230, 230A, 230B, 
respectively, at a position near, but spaced from, the free ends thereof. 
Such openings are similar to the openings defined by the flange portions 
18 and 20 and are adapted to receive a cooperating member, such as the 
stem of a conventional funnel, a support rod, fluid conduits, or other 
object to which it is desired to couple a test tube, such as a 
thermometer, in the manner previously described. The combined test tube 
and coupling means 210 may also be formed of any desired or conventional 
flexible, resilient, and preferably elastic material, such as plastic or 
rubber, having sufficient strength to withstand the forces exerted 
thereon, the material preferably being inert with respect to the 
ingredients that may be placed in the chamber 216. 
It will be readily apparent that this embodiment of the invention will 
function in the same manner and may be utilized to obtain the same results 
as the embodiments of the invention previously described and illustrated 
in FIGS. 1 through 10. 
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and 
described, it will be understood that various changes and modifications 
may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.