Patent ID: 8246919

Claim:
A rack for a plurality of capped tubes, comprising a frame having: a longitudinally extending bottom base member having a row of spaced open top recesses, each of said recesses adapted to receive one of the capped tubes; vertical supports at the ends of the row of recesses, said supports fixing a cover member above said base member, said cover member having openings therethrough adapted to prevent the capped tubes from passing through the openings; a wall along one longitudinal side between said base member and said cover member, wherein another longitudinal side between said base member and said cover member is open; and support fingers extending horizontally from said wall toward said open longitudinal side to positions vertically aligned between said recesses to secure capped tubes received by the recesses through the open longitudinal side in a generally vertical direction in a longitudinally extending vertical plane; wherein the base member and the cover member are vertically spaced a distance to permit capped tubes having a height greater than the distance between the base member and the cover member to be moved into the frame through the open longitudinal side by tipping the capped tubes, dropping the capped tubes into the open top recesses and tipping the capped tubes back to an upright vertical position so the capped tubes may be secured by the support fingers.