Patent ID: 7872224

Claim:
An apparatus, for holding a discharge tube having a distal end for receiving fluid and a proximal end for discharging fluid, which discharged fluid is to be received in an orifice of a detector, said discharge tube having at least one wall defining an external surface and at least one wall defining an internal surface, comprising: a tube housing for mounting at or about an orifice of a detector, said tube housing having at least one exterior surface and at least one internal wall defining a chamber having a proximal opening for positioning about said orifice of a detector and a distal opening away for said orifice of a detector, said chamber constructed and arranged to receive a discharge tube in said distal opening and projecting from said proximal opening, said chamber in communication with source of a carrier gas, said carrier gas conveyed to the proximal opening of said chamber between the external wall of said discharge tube and said internal wall of said chamber; said chamber having a wide section at said distal opening, and a narrow section towards said proximal opening, and a conical section, said conical section interposed between said narrow section and said wide section and; tube securing means affixed to said wide section and conical section of said tube housing and engaging said discharge tube in a release mode and a securing mode, in said release mode said discharge tube is slideably engaged to allow said discharge tube to be moved within said chamber in a selected position with respect to said proximal opening of said tube housing, and in said securing mode said discharge tube is fixed, said tube securing means having sealing means for substantially closing said distal opening with said discharge tube to said carrier gas when said tube securing means is in said securing mode, and at least one of said tube housing and said tube securing means capable of securing said tube housing at or about said orifice of said detector to facilitate the alignment of said discharge tube with said orifice of said detector.