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Light microscopy processing apparatus

  • US 3,892,197 A
  • Filed: 04/22/1974
  • Issued: 07/01/1975
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1974
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A closed processing system enabling a plurality of individual specimens of tissue to be separately contained while being bathed simultaneously for varying lengths of time in successive selected tissue solutions including melted paraffin so as to fix, dehydrate and clear the specimens preparatory to embedding, comprising:

  • a. a plurality of uniform tissue receptacles each being adapted to contain and physically isolate a group of tissue specimens having at least one specimen per group, each receptacle having a body portion defining an open cavity adapted to receive and retain specimens and closure means removably received by said body to enclose said cavity, the material forming said receptacles being inert to all of said solutions and having for each of said solutions at least some portion through which each of said solutions may be transferred;

    b. a cabinet;

    c. an electrically heated, temperature controlled container mounted in said cabinet and having a movable cover and being adapted for melting and holding melted paraffin;

    d. a plurality of closed solution containers mounted in predetermined order in a storage compartment in said cabinet proximate said paraffin container, each solution container containing a particular tissue processing solution and with said melted paraffin container collectively containing all of the said tissue solutions in which said specimens are processed;

    e. air pump means having associated remotely electrically controllable first valve means mounted proximate said cabinet and associated interconnected piping means, said pump means providing a pressure and vacuum source and said first valve means being selectively operable to connect said source whereby to produce a selected pressure or vacuum condition in said piping means;

    f. a processing chamber mounted in said chamber and having an end wall immediately adjacent an end wall of said melted paraffin container, said chamber having a pressure sealable top cover and being adapted to receive and process therein selected numbers of said receptacles simultaneously said chamber being temperature controlled and electrically heated and being connected to said piping means thereby enabling the corresponding selected pressure and vacuum condition in said piping means to be produced in said chamber;

    g. a second remotely electrically controllable valve means mounted in said cabinet and having on one side a fluid connection to said chamber and on the other side A fluid connection to said paraffin container enabling the paraffin contents thereof to be exchanged between the chamber and said paraffin container, said fluid connections for said second valve means being of minimal length and being electrically heated and maintained at a temperature above the melting point of said paraffin;

    h. a third remotely electrically controllable valve means mounted in said cabinet and having on one side a fluid connection of minimal length to said chamber and on the other side a port for transfer of solutions therethrough;

    i. fourth remotely electrically controllable solution transfer valve means positioned in said cabinet between said processing chamber and said storage compartment, said fourth valve means being fluid connected on one side to said third valve transfer port and on the other side having separate fluid connections to each of said solution containers and being remotely electrically controllable for enabling each solution container connection on the one side of the fourth valve means to be selectively and independently connected to said transfer port for a predetermined time while all other solution container connections are isolated therefrom and at other times to isolate all of said solution container connections from said tranfer port;

    j. an electrical power source; and

    k. remotely operable electrical control means connected to said power source and mounted proximate said chamber for remotely powering and electrically operating each of said valve means and temperature controls in a predetermined time sequence program whereby with a selected number of said receptacles installed in said chamber and said cover sealed on said chamber, said solutions and said paraffin are successively, selectively and independently drawn from said solution and paraffin containers, are measured by timing the withdrawal and admitted to said chamber under a vacuum condition in a predetermined volume, retained for predetermined times at a predetermined pressure and at the end of each processing step being forced back to a respective said solution and paraffin container by pressure from said pump means source in a corresponding processing sequence such that selected of said solutions and said melted paraffin are separately and independently exchanged with each said group of specimens while maintaining said system closed, said paraffin transferred a minimal distance, and each said group physically isolated.

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