Patent ID: 8778188

Claim:
A method of providing access to the interior of a chromatography column comprising the steps of: (a) providing said column with a column frame including: (i) a column wall with a upper first end and a lower second end; (ii) a first end plate assembly removably connectable to said first end of the column wall; and (iii) a second end plate assembly removably connectable to said second end of the column wall, (iv) a movable adapter, movable along the longitudinal axis of said column from a position inside said column to a position outside said column; wherein said first end plate assembly, said column wall and said second end plate assembly are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the column and wherein said column wall is rotatable about an axis of rotation wherein said axis of rotation is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said column and positioned outside the column; (b) disconnecting said column wall from said second end plate assembly and moving said column wall away from said second end plate assembly; (c) disconnecting said first end plate assembly from said column wall and moving said first end plate assembly away from said column wall; and (d) rotating said column wall about said axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal axis of said column.