Patent ID: 7867372

Claim:
An apparatus for performing vertical gel electrophoresis comprising: a) a main body further comprising a pair of H-shaped frames with each said frame further comprising two side panels and a bridge therebetween; and a base panel adapted for adjoining said bridges of said H-shaped frames such that a space created therebetween forms a partial upper buffer tank, said base panel acts as the floor of said partial upper buffer tank; b) at least one pair of gel plates; c) at least one pair of clamping devices attachable to said main body for securing said pair of gel plates to said main body such that said pair of gel plates may be attached to said main body in a position to form an upper buffer tank, wherein each said clamping device is U-shaped and further comprises a first ledge, a second ledge connected to and facing said first ledge, and a bolstering panel coupled to the interior side of said first ledge with a fixing mechanism for fixedly mounting said gel plates to said main body; and d) a lower buffer tank adapted to connect with said main body and said gel plates such that a gel cast within said pair of gel plates acts to electrically connect said upper and lower buffer tanks during operation; wherein said clamping devices are slidably attached to the sides of said main body in a manner to allow horizontal sliding movement of said clamping devices between a loading position and a locking position; said clamping devices in said loading position allow said gel plates to be inserted into said main body; said clamping devices in said locking position allow for secure attachment of said gel plates to said main body; each said side panel further comprises at least one inner abutment panel and at least one outer abutment panel extending therefrom; said inner abutment panel is positioned with said outer abutment panel in a manner that a channel is formed therebetween; said channel is adapted to accommodate said second ledge of said clamping device into said locking position such that said clamping device may be conveniently slid between said loading and said locking positions; each said side panels further comprises at least one side hole; and said apparatus further comprises an inverted V-shaped open conduit extending horizontally across and below said base panel with each of the two ends of said conduit connecting to each said side panel above said side hole such that during operation, bubbles formed in said lower buffer tank are diverged along said conduit to the sides of said main body through said side holes.