Fraction collector

• US 3,168,124 A
• Filed: 11/13/1961
• Issued: 02/02/1965
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1961
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Andrew Lenkey
• Original Assignee: Andrew Lenkey
• Inventors: ANDREW LENKEY
• Application Number:
  US04/151,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• US Class Current: 141/284
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/18 with provision for splitting samples into portions G01N1/12, G01N1/14 take precedence; fraction-collection apparatus for chromatography B01D15/08

Claims

1. A FRACTION COLLECTOR FOR DELIVERING FLUID MATERIAL INTO CONTAINERS ARRANGED IN A TWO-DIMENSIONAL ARRAY OF COLUMS AND ROWS, SAID FRACTION COLLECTOR COMPRISING A TRAVELING SUPPORT MEMBER ARRANGED TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID ROWS, A FLUID MATERIAL DISPENSING MEANS ARRANGED TO MOVE ALONG SAID SUPPORT MEMBER IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID COLUMNS MEANS SERVING TO AUTOMATICALLY STEP SAID DISPENSING MEANS IN A FIRST DIRECTION ALONG SAID COLUMNS BY PREDETERMINED INCREMENTS FROM ONE CONTAINER TO THE NEXT, MOTIVE MEANS SERVING TO DRIVE SAID DISPENSING MEANS IN A SECOND DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION AFTER SAID MATERIAL HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO THE LAST CONTAINER IN THE COLUMN TEMPORALLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID DISPENSING MEANS, THE DRIVING IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION CONTINUING UNTIL THE FIRST ROW OF CONTAINERS HAS BEEN REACHED, MEANS FOR SUBSEQUENTLY AUTOMATICALLY RESUMING THE STEPPING OF SAID DISPENSING MEANS IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION, AND MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO ADVANCE SAID SUPPORT MEMBER IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID ROWS AND INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THE NEXT SAID COLUMN PRIOR TO RESUMING SAID STEPPING MOVEMENT.