Patent GB-1428067-A (GB)
Title: Automated sample-reagent loader
IPC: G01N35/02
Filed: 1974-03-27
Abstract: 1428067 Automatic analysis; rotor loading device UNITED STATES ENERGY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION 27 March 1974 [13 April 1973] 13505/74 Heading G1B An automatic loader for loading a photometer analyzer rotor 15 provided with a plurality of cavities comprises a rotor table 19, an inner ring 44 provided with a plurality of reagent cup-holding cavities and supported on the table and encompassing the rotor, and outer ring 45 provided with a plurality of sample cup-holding cavities and similarly supported so that each sample cup and reagent cup is radially aligned with a corresponding cavity in the rotor, a base-plate 21, a pair of horizontal slide rods 34 mounted on plate 21, a rotor table support mechanism slidably mounted on the  slide rods, a first pipette support member 26, 8, 31 fixed to plate 21, a second pipette support member 30 slidably supported on members 29 by member 31 to provide slight relative motion between members 30, 31 an off-centre spring 32 mounted between support member 30 and the rotor table support mechanism to effect the slight motion when the support mechanism is moved from one limiting position to another limiting position, four vertical slide rods 40 mounted on the support mechanism, the slide rods being spaced apart by given distances, each rod encompassed by a slide member 14, a respective horizontal bracket member 35 extending between and fixed to each pair of members 14, an L-shaped bracket 37 having vertical and horizontal portions and fixed to one of the bracket members 35, a vertical motion synchronous motor 36 fixed to the vertical portion of bracket 37, the horizontal portion of bracket 37 supporting the rotor table, a first crank arm (not shown) coupled between vertical motion motor 36 and the support mechanism, a first pair of limit switches 39 (one not shown) mounted on the support mechanism for sensing when the rotor table has reached its limiting positions in vertical travel, a synchronous table motor 41 mounted beneath the horizontal portion of bracket 37 and supported by it and coupled to the rotor table 19 to rotate table 19, a horizontal motion synchronous motor 22 mounted on base-plate 21, a second crank arm 23 coupled between motor 22 and the slidable support mechanism, a second pair of switches 27, 28 mounted on the first pipette support member 26, 8, 31, for sensing when the table support mechanism has reached its limiting positions in horizontal travel, a plurality of indexing notches 42 provided in the underside of rotor table 19, an indexing switch 43 for sequentially engaging each of notches 42 during the loading operation, a pair of automatic pipettes, 1, 2 coupled to respective ones of the supports 30, 31 and having tips 16, 17 respectively, the pipettes being stationary in use, electrical control means (not shown) mounted on base-plate 21 and connected to and controlling the vertical motion motor 36, the synchronous table motor 41 the horizontal motion motor 22, and the pipettes and provided with run/reset and start switches, the control means being operable to bring table 19, one sample cup and one reagent cup under the pipette tips, move table 19 upwardly to bring the cups to the pipette tips, effect the drawing of liquids from the cups by the pipettes, move the cups and table downwardly, move the table horizontally to bring the rotor cups under the pipette and then upwardly to bring the cavities under the tips, effect the dispensing of the liquids into the rotor cavities, lower the table, rotate the table to its next index position and then repeat the steps described until all of the cavities are filled. For multisample, one test reaction analysis or single sample - multi test reaction analysis, one of the rings 44, 45 may be removed and the single reagent or sample cup supported in arm 47, 48. The apparatus may include two-cup wash liquid tank 53 for distilled water, and in use to wash the pipettes, the wash liquid tank is positioned so that the pipette tips are in the wash liquid cups and diluent from the pipettes is dispensed into the cups.