Patent GB-752484-A (GB)
Title: Automatic immersion apparatus
IPC: G01N1/31
Filed: 1954-04-09
Abstract: XX In processing apparatus in which a num ber of specimen holders are automatically moved from one treating liquid bath to an other, a cam control is provided whereby the holders when immersed in the liquids <PICT:0752484/III/1><PICT:0752484/III/2><PICT:0752484/III/3> are moved repeatedly up and down to as sist penetration of the liquids into the specimens.  As shown in Fig. 2 the appara tus comprises a spider 52 supporting a num ber of rods 55, 56 each carrying at its end a forked member 66 supporting an aper tured holder 74 for the material or speci men.  Each holder is shown immersed in treating liquid in a container 46 closed by a lid 54 loosely carried by the rod 76 sup porting a holder 74.  A number of con tainers are arranged in a circle so that to move the holders to the next containers the shaft 88 supporting the spider 52 is raised to remove the holders from the con tainers, rotated, and then lowered to im merse each holder in the next container in the sequence.  The shaft 88, Fig. 3 is verti cally slidable in bearings 110 and 112 and is raised and lowered by a cam (not shown) as described in Specification 697,162, and rotated by a Geneva mechan ism 124 operated as also described in that Specification.  Rigidly connected to the shaft 88 are collars 94 and 96 and rods 98.  The collar 96 is engaged by a roller 132 on a lever 126 pivoted at 128 and having at its other end a roller 138 engaging a cam 144.  The roller 132 is pressed against the collar 96 by a spring 146.  The cam 144 is ro tated continuously by an electric motor so causing the lever 126 to give the shaft 88 a continuous vertical oscillation and so to oscillate the holders 74 vertically in their respective liquids.  Alternatively the motor 140 may be in circuit with a switch closed by the collar 96 when in its lowered posi tion so that the oscillations take place only when the holders 74 are immersed.  In the modification shown in Fig. 8 the holders are supported by arms 180, 182 screwed to coupling elements 174 on a spider 172.  The spider 172 carries a vertical shaft 240 slid able within a tubular shaft 200 which is itself slidable and rotatable within a tube 202 fixed to the apparatus.  The shaft 240 has a pin 254 movable in a slot 252 of the shaft 200 and normally held at the bottom of the slot by a spring 256 engaging a ring 258.  The vertical oscillations of the spider 172 and thence of the holders within the liquids are effected by a cam 300 driven by a motor 280 through suitable gearing and engaging a roller 278 on a vertical shaft 260 sliding within the shaft 200 and abut ting against the lower end of the shaft 240.  Vertical movement of the spider to remove the holders from the liquids is effected by a cam (not shown) engaging a collar 235 carried by rods 232 fixed to a plate 170 at tached to the top of the tubular shaft 200.  The cam raises the plate 170 until it en gages the spider 172 and raises it to remove the holders from the liquids.  Rotation of the spider to move the holders to the next container is effected by a Geneva gear 260 as described in Specification 697,162.  The circuit of the motor 280 may, as before, be controlled by a switch 308 operated by the collar 235. Specification 570,430 [Group XX], also is referred to.