Patent Number: 050846256
Section: summary

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of transporting hazardous materials, especially radioactive materials, to an apparatus for measuring and testing, especially an apparatus for differential thermal analysis. Radioactive materials are often handled in a containment area such as a glovebox. However, apparatus for analyzing radioactive materials is often located outside of the containment area. For example, a sample of radioactive material may be taken in a glovebox for analysis in a differential thermal analyzer located outside the glovebox. More specifically, a standard commercial differential thermal analysis (DTA) apparatus would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to operate inside a glovebox due to the fact that the DTA apparatus components are extremely fragile. Moreover, milligram quantities of the sample material must be handled with a precision that is extremely difficult and time consuming to perform within the confines of a containment device such as a glovebox. Furthermore, proper maintenance of a DTA apparatus would be difficult inside a glovebox. In addition, a furnace for DTA may routinely operate at 1,000 degrees Centigrade, thereby making it economically unfeasible to adequately cool the glovebox to within current specifications for proper fire prevention. In analyzing a radioactive sample in an apparatus outside a glovebox, it is desirable that the radioactive sample does not come into contact with either personnel or the environment outside the analytical apparatus. More specifically it is desirable that a radioactive sample remain untouched by personnel and isolated from the environment as the sample is taken, as the sample is loaded into a sample transporter in a glovebox, as the sample is transported to an analytical apparatus, as the sample is analyzed and as the analyzed sample is returned to the glovebox. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a transporting apparatus for a radioactive sample whereby the sample remains untouched after the sample is taken and loaded into the sample transporter in a glovebox, as the sample is transported to an analytical apparatus, as the sample is analyzed, and as the analyzed sample is returned to the glovebox. Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that effectively contains radioactive samples that are accidentally dropped when being transported from a glovebox to a measuring or testing apparatus. Another object is to provide a sample transporter for crucibles used in a DTA apparatus wherein the transporter accommodates different crucible sizes that are utilized by various DTA equipment. Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, an improved apparatus and method are provided for selectively receiving, transporting, and releasing a hazardous sample for analysis on an analytical apparatus. The subject apparatus includes a portable storage member for storing and transporting the sample. The storage member includes a top side and a bottom side. An adjustable top door is located on the top side of the storage member, and the top door permits the sample to enter the storage member through the top side when the top door is in an open position. The top door isolates the sample within the storage member when the top door is in a closed position. An adjustable bottom door is located on the bottom side of the storage member. The bottom door isolates the sample in the storage member when the bottom door is in the closed position and the bottom door permits the sample to leave the storage member through the bottom side when the bottom door is in the open position. More specifically, the storage member includes a plurality of storage chambers arrayed circumferentially with respect to a central axis. An adjustable top door is located on the top side of the storage member, and the top door includes a channel capable of being selectively placed in registration with the respective storage chambers thereby permitting the samples to selectively enter the respective storage chambers through the top side when the top door is in an open position. The top door isolates the respective samples within the storage chambers by placing the top door channel out of registration with the respective storage chambers when the top door is in a closed position. In addition, a plurality of adjustable bottom doors are located on the bottom sides of the respective storage chambers. The bottom doors isolate the samples in the respective storage chambers when the bottom doors are respectively in the closed position. The bottom doors permit the samples to leave the respective storage chambers from the bottom side when the respective bottom doors are in respective open positions. The bottom doors are supported by a base member that is located below and supports the storage member. Preferably, the bottom doors include springs for biasing the doors in the closed position. The bottom doors also include actuator means for engaging a hand-held implement for opening the doors. The apparatus of the invention can be especially adapted for use with a DTA apparatus. In this respect, the apparatus further includes a channel for receiving a sparge tube of the DTA apparatus. For use with a DTA apparatus, the apparatus of the invention further includes a support for supporting the sample transporter so that the sample transporter is properly positioned with respect to the sample receiving portion of the DTA apparatus. To facilitate alignment of the sample transporter with the DTA apparatus, a lock is provided to lock the two elements together. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of handling hazardous analytical samples is provided. In the method, a plurality of sample containers are first loaded into a plurality of storage chambers of a portable transporter in a containment area. The transporter serves to isolate the sample containers from the environment. The transporter containing the sample containers are then transported to an analytical apparatus, such as a DTA apparatus. The transporter is placed in close proximity to a sample receiving portion of the analytical apparatus, such that a sample container is permitted to move directly from a storage chamber in the transporter to the receiving portion of the analytical apparatus. The transporter is then moved away from the analytical apparatus. After an analysis is performed, the transporter is once again placed in close proximity to the sample receiving portion of the analytical apparatus. The sample container is then moved from the analytical apparatus directly into a storage chamber in the transporter, and the sample container is isolated from the environment by being in the storage chamber.