Patent GB-958692-A (GB)
Title: Automatic titration apparatus
IPC: G01N31/16
Filed: 1961-06-20
Abstract: 958,692. Automatic titration apparatus. FISHER SCIENTIFIC CO. June 20, 1961 [Sept. 27, 1960], No. 22207/61. Heading B1X. [Also in Divisions F1 and G1] Titrations are performed automatically in an apparatus comprising a reaction cell in which the titrations are conducted, means for dispensing titrant into said cell continuously at controlled rates, an electric drive for said dispensing means, electrodes in the reaction cell for receiving the electrical output of reactions in said cell during titrations and an electric circuit responsive to said electrical output for driving the dispensing means at a constant rate until the titration reaches a predetermined point in advance of the end point, for slowing said drive after the titration has reached said predetermined point at a rate proportional to the distance from the end point and for stopping said drive after it has reached said end point. The means for dispensing may consist of a syringe, Fig. 2, comprising a tube 18 in which a plunger 19 is lowered or raised to fill the syringe or dispense titrant through a tube 20 supported on a cylinder 17 which in turn is supported on the top 16 of a hollow base 15. The plunger rests in recess 21 of travelling nut 22, which rides on lead screw 23 mounted on bearings 24 and having arm 25 in slot 26 to prevent turning with screw 23. Switches 27 and 28 can act as limits for the plunge stroke and motors, 29 for fast dispensing drive, and 30 for filling drive, are connected via gears 31, 34 and 35 to extension 36 of screw 23. Extension 36 extends into shaft 39, which is driven by servomotor 40, for slow, variable dispensing drive, through magnetic clutch 41 via one-way drive 42, the clutch being energized only on activation of motor 40. The syringe is controlled by the voltage difference of the sum of the reaction cell voltage during titration and the reference electrode voltage, from D.C. supply 44, Fig. 3a, applied to ensure that valve 47 operates on the straight line portion of its characteristic curve, compared with a preset voltage being equal to the sum of the reference voltage and the voltage of the reaction cell at the desired end-point. This voltage difference is amplified first by triodes 47 and 48 and then by a conventional second stage amplification 63 and a third stage amplification 65, the output of which passes through a polarity reverse switch to a transistorized relay which is triggered when the ammeter 66 shows no current deflection, i.e. when the plate voltages on 47 and 48 are equal and the titration is at an end, and which actuates the stepping switch which programmes the entire analysis procedure. Part of the output of 63 goes via dual potentiometer 69 and third stage amplification 70 to a relay 68b, Fig. 4, which switches the syringe drive from motor 29 to motor 40 after a given quantity, determined by the positions of potentiometer arms 69a and 69b, of titrant has been added. When the relay is in the position shown in Fig. 4 the fast motor 29 is connected to A.C. supply 43 but when the relay is triggered it connects the supply with the main winding 71 of the servomotor 40, the control winding of which is controlled by a servo amplifier 73 which in turn is controlled by third stage amplification 65 via the ammeter circuit 66, a polarity reverse switch and an input transformer. Should the difference between the opposing voltage be too small to actuate the servo motor the relay 68a may be tripped at an arbitrary set point determined by the positions of potentiometer arms 75a and 75b. A calomel electrode may be used for the reference electrode and the measuring electrode is usually a glass electrode. The apparatus may be calibrated to read directly in pH values on potentiometer 49 and provision is made in the circuit for automatically refilling pipettes and the syringe after use for subsequent titrations. An example illustrates the use of the apparatus for determining the quantity of caustic soda, sodium carbonate and alumina in sodium aluminate liquors by subsequent titrations using hydrochloric acid after addition of sodium gluconate, sodium hydroxide and sodium fluoride respectively. Specification 928,026 is referred to.