Patent ID: 7723701

Claim:
A system for preserving material samples, comprising: a container having an interior volume, said container comprising a bottom portion and a top portion, wherein said bottom portion is receivable within said top portion in telescoping fashion, and said bottom portion is movable within said top portion to vary the size of said interior volume; an inlet opening which is capable of being selectively opened and closed, said inlet opening being adapted for connection to a source of clean inert gas; an outlet opening disposed on said container top portion which is capable of being selectively opened and closed, said outlet opening being adapted for exhausting gas from said interior volume; a sealing O-ring disposed on an outer surface of said container bottom portion; and a specimen sample holder disposed within said interior volume; wherein when said outlet opening is open, the bottom portion is disposed within the top portion such that the sealing O-ring is located just below said outlet opening, and when said outlet opening is closed, the bottom portion is disposed within the top portion such that the sealing O-ring is located just above said outlet opening.