Method and apparatus for flushing a delivery tube for automatic liquid sample supply apparatus

Patent 4302421 Issued on November 24, 1981. Estimated Expiration Date:

February 22, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

3192968

3266322

3430495

Sample processor for the automatic extraction of families of compounds from liquid samples and/or homogenized solid samples suspended in a liquid Patent #: 4186187
Issued on: 01/29/1980
Inventor: Jahnsen , et al.

Inventor

Baker, Stephen J.

Assignee

Application

No. 06/123858 filed on 02/22/1980

US Classes:

422/64, Means is turntable (circular)356/312, By electrical resistance heating (e.g., graphite tube)422/102, Container422/63, Sample mechanical transport means in or for automated analytical system436/49, With treatment or replacement of aspirator element (e.g., cleaning, etc.)73/864.16, Piston and cylinder73/864.22With pipette contacting second fluid supply

Examiners

Primary: Serwin, Ronald

Attorney, Agent or Firm

International Class

G01N 1/00 (20060101)

Foreign Application Priority Data

1979-02-27 GB

Abstract

An automatic sample supply apparatus is provided with a delivery tube which aspirates liquid samples from sample containers mounted on a turntable and delivers the samples to a dosing aperture of a graphite tube of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer or to the sample input of other analytical instruments. The turntable also carries at least one flushing discharge container which is of similar form to the sample container, but has an aperture in the side wall. When the turntable is indexed so that the delivery tube enters the flushing discharge container, a solenoid valve is opened to allow a flushing liquid from a container to flow through the delivery tube and into the flushing discharge container. The aperture in the wall of the flushing discharge container is dimensioned so that the flushing liquid will only flow through it when a given head of liquid exists above the top of the aperture.