Patent ID: 7105338

Claim:
A stand-alone apparatus for use with a turntable that includes an upper plate rotatably attached to a base wherein a top surface of the upper plate is fitted to accept a petri dish, and wherein the upper plate and the base are both made from a magnetically-sensitive material, the stand-alone apparatus comprising: a base plate including an upper surface for supporting the turntable one or more magnets extending from the upper surface of the base plate wherein the one or more magnets are adapted to apply a magnetic force releasably holding a portion of the base outer region of the turntable; a rotating magnetic member positioned such that the rotating magnetic member will come into contact with an upper plate outer region when the portion of the base outer region of the turntable is releasably held by the one or more magnets, and wherein the upper plate rotates in an opposite direction as that of the rotating magnetic member when the rotating magnetic member rotates, and wherein the rotating magnetic member is rotatably attached to a first end of an arm, and wherein a second end of the arm is attached to the stand-alone apparatus; and means for rotating the rotating magnetic member.