Patent GB-1489601-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for feeding different liquids into a common tube
IPC: G01N1/00
Filed: 1975-02-24
Abstract: 1489601 Automatic analysis; feeding different liquids into common tube HOOK & TUCKER Ltd 24 Feb 1975 [11 Jan 1974] 01330/74 Heading G1B Apparatus for feeding different liquids into a common tube comprises (Fig. 1) horizontally spaced apart first and second container supports 10, 11, only support 11 being mounted for vertical movement, a horizontally and vertically movable tube support 14 for supporting liquid feed tube 16, 17, support 14 being adapted to be disposed in the position shown with tube 16 located in a container 12 carried on support 10, and movement-effecting means for sequentially effecting the steps of (a), lifting support 14 to withdraw tube 16 from container 12, as shown on rotation of driving disc 45 which carries roller 46 on its periphery, roller 46 as it rises bearing on bar 43 and so raising the bar, and with it distance piece 42, tubular member 33 towards its upper stop 50, tube support 14 and container support 11, (b) moving at least part of tube support 14 horizontally in a predetermined direction to position the tube 16 above a second container 13 on support 11, as shown when the upper end of member 33 reaches its stop 50 while continued rotation of disc 45 makes roller 46 continue to raise bar 43, distance piece 42 and container support 11 until peg 51 carried by container support 11 bears on lower lever 22 of tube support 14 and makes levers 21, 22 pivot about their mountings 23, 24 to move tube 16 horizontally to a position above container 13 (Fig. 4, not shown), by lifting the second container support 11 so that tube 16 is disposed in container 13, as shown when peg 51 slides on the lower surface of lever 22 until it engages in an aperture 52 in the lever so allowing further upward movement of support 11, (d) lowering support 11, (e) moving tube support 14 horizontally in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction of (b) to position the tube 16 above a container 12 on container support 10, and (f) lowering tube support 14 so that tube 16 is disposed in container 12, steps (d), (e) and (f) in the embodiment shown taking place on continued rotation of disc 45 in the same direction. In another embodiment (Fig. 6), the first container 66 is carried on a turntable stepped by interaction of horizontally movable pawl 117 and rack 115 formed on turn-table support 113, pawl 117 being horizontally moved with slide 84 when parts of rotary cam member 75 engage cam followers 82, 83 which are mounted on slide 84. The second container 70 is vertically movable between its upper position (shown) when rod 69 is supported on lever 105 which is itself raised into the support position by engagement of its member 107 with an arm 76 mounted for rotation with driving disc 74 on shaft 73. Tube support 71, 87 is horizontally movable between positions over containers 70, 66 by movement of its support block 86 which is secured to slide 84. Rod 87 is vertically slidable in the support block and on movement of the slide to the right from the position shown block 86 moves from a position where it rests on fixed support 91 to a position (Fig. 8 not shown) where it rests on a flange 92 of a lever 93 which is pivotably mounted at 94, lever 93 having secured to it camplate 96 having cam surface 97 with dwell portion 98, pegs 100, 101 mounted on driving disc 74 alternately engaging the cam surface 97, engagement of a peg with the dwell portion 98 providing for the temporary retention of lever 93 in a horizontal position. Samples travelling through tube 16 or tube 72 may be subjected to continuous analysis or may be presented for discrete colorimetric, or flame photometric or atomic absorption measurements.