Patent ID: 7735366

Claim:
An apparatus useful for measuring on a laboratory balance the volume of an object, said apparatus comprising: (a) a mercury cup; (b) a cup holder basin; and (c) a support assembly; said mercury cup being an open container suitable for holding liquid mercury and having inside horizontal dimensions larger than the outside horizontal dimensions of said object; said cup holder basin having a top and a bottom; said top having a continuous sidewall and a continuous interior wall forming a spill basin for retaining said liquid mercury there between, said interior wall forming an interior space for holding said mercury cup; said bottom being suitable for resting said cup holder basin on the weighing mechanism of said laboratory balance; said support assembly comprising: (a′) a top plate, said top plate comprising an access port through which said mercury cup can be accessed and retrieved; (b′) at least two side supports, each of said side supports attached to said top plate; and (c′) at least two support brackets, each of said support brackets attached to one of said side supports and removably attached to a fixed member of said laboratory balance.