Abstract: A disposable one-time use, inexpensive, capillary-action safety micro-pipet for obtaining a sample of blood or other liquid comprises a transparent glass tube which is capable of drawing blood or other liquid into the tube by capillary action, and a resilient sheet, with an adhesive layer adhering the resilient sheet in one or more layers around the outside surface of the tube for covering the outside surface of the tube and protecting a user against being cut by any jagged edges of a broken tube.

Abstract: A pipet gun assembly with a handle and a barrel extending from the handle and a pipet stand, wherein a pipet tube connected to the barrel is supported upright by the base of the handle and the stand connected to the barrel so that the pipet tube does not touch anything and can remain sterile. The pipet tube is supported with its admitting-emitting end below the level of its connecting end that is connected to the pipet gun so that any liquid in the pipet tube does not flow back through the tube and into the pipet gun.

Abstract: A valve for use in a pipette gun for selectively providing different ranges of flow rates through a pipette cooperating with the pipette gun. The valve has a predetermined number of discrete settings, each of which provides a range of fluid flow rates between zero and a different maximum flow rate. The operator controls the flow rate by depressing the gun trigger a selected distance. To change the flow rate setting, the operator simply rotates the gun trigger to a desired setting. The present valve also eliminates the "piston effect" of prior art valve elements by isolating the pipette chamber while the valve element operably slides in and out of engagement with a port thereby connecting the pipette with a fluid source either under pressure or at a vacuum.

Abstract: A pipette gun in which the pump mechanism for creating suction to draw liquids into the pipette and for creating pressure for forcing the liquid out of the pipette includes a generally oval flexible diaphragm.

Abstract: A disposable one-time use, inexpensive, capillary-action safety micro-pipet for obtaining a sample of blood or other liquid comprises a transparent glass tube which is capable of drawing blood or other liquid into the tube by capillary action, and a resilient sheet, with an adhesive layer adhering the resilient sheet in one or more layers around the outside surface of the tube for covering the outside surface of the tube and protecting a user against being cut by any jagged edges of a broken tube.

Abstract: A pipetter for picking up, holding and then ejecting a pipet tube, without touching the pipet tube with the hands, which includes a housing, a collet which comprises fingers mounted at the forward end of the housing, and an outer or holding sleeve which closes the fingers when the outer sleeve is positioned forwardly on the housing and which allows the fingers to open when the outer sleeve is retracted on the housing, and an ejector sleeve which has a spring that pushes it against the fingers to open them and eject the tube. The outer sleeve has a holding spring mounted between the housing and the outer sleeve, and the outer sleeve holding spring urges the outer sleeve forwardly to push against the outer surface of the fingers to close them and hold them closed, when the ejector sleeve is pushed into a retracted position in the housing by a pipet tube.

Abstract: A method of automatically filling a pipet tube with a desired fill of liquid and automatically dispensing desired aliquots of liquid successively into wells in a tray or the like, comprises the steps of providing a syringe having a piston in a cylinder with the top of the cylinder connecrted to the top of a pipet tube by a flexible hose, moving the piston to its home position at the top of its travel in the cylinder and dispensing any liquid from the pipet tube, signalling a controller that the piston is in its home position and recording that information in the memory of the controller, drawing liquid into the pipet tube to a desired fill volume, signalling the controller that the desired fill volume has been reached and recording that fill volume in the memory of the controller, dispensing a desired aliquot of liquid from the pipet tube, signalling the controller that a desired aliquot has been dispensed from the pipet tube and recording the size of the dispensed aliquot in the memory of the controller, aut

Abstract: A disposable preselected-volume capillary pipet device comprises a capillary tube having an admitting emitting end for liquids and a vent end for passing air from the tube as the liquid is being drawn into the tube by capillary action, a port at the admitting-emitting end for admitting and emitting liquids to the capillary tube, a port at the vent end of the tube for passing air freely from the tube, a barrier plug for passing air and stopping the passage of liquid through the tube, with the barrier plug being positioned in the tube at a preselected distance from the admitting-emitting port to define a liquid chamber of preselected volume, and a plunger for pushing the barrier plug from the vent end to push the preselected volume of liquid out of the liquid chamber. The barrier plug may be mounted in the tube or in the head of the plunger.

Abstract: A process for making optical mirrors which includes making a rough plaster casting to about the desired shape of the mirror, with the casting having a rough surface, and then applying successive thin layers of polyester resin to the surface of the rough casting to form a finished casting having a smooth coated surface suitable for use as an optical mirror.

Abstract: A disposable capillary tube device has a support member to which a capillary tube is secured with one end of the tube extending beyond the support member for the pickup of a liquid. A plunger is releasably mounted for axial movement on the support member with space for the passage of air out of the capillary tube as it picks up liquid. The plunger is mounted on the axis of the capillary tube for passage through the capillary tube to expel liquid from the capillary tube.

Abstract: A pipet gun for drawing liquid into and expelling it from a pipet comprises a housing which includes a hand grip portion and a barrel portion with a pipet-supporting portion connected to the barrel portion, conduits in the housing adapted to connect an air pressure source and a vacuum source to the pipet-supporting portion, valves carried by the hand grip portion in operative engagement with the conduit and operable to selectively establish, and cut off, communication between the pipet-supporting portion, air pressure source, and vacuum source. The valves include a molded plastic valve body with a molded plastic back portion connected to a molded plastic front portion with a gasket positioned therebetween, and the necessity of precision drilling of long bores is eliminated.

Abstract: A pipette device comprises one or more pipette tubes. Hydrophobic filter paper secured to each tube limits the upward movement of an aqueous liquid in each tube to provide for a predetermined amount of liquid in each tube. The device can be adapted to be connected to a manifold for alternately applying a vacuum and pressure to the pipette tubes through the filter paper. Alternatively it may have, as an integral part thereof, a manifold for the same purpose.

Abstract: Calibrating means for a microdispenser of the type wherein a plunger is operable to automatically draw a fixed volume of fluid into, and expel the liquid from, a precision capillary tube. The calibrating means includes a graduation marking on the capillary tube indicating the precise, predetermined quantity of fluid to be drawn into the tube. Calibration is effected by varying the degree of engagement of the microdispenser end cap with the microdispenser barrel, which effects corresponding longitudinal movement of the plunger with respect to the capillary tube until the outer terminal thereof is aligned with the graduation marking on the capillary tube. Friction means are provided for preventing accidental movement of the end cap after the calibration adjustment has been made.

Abstract: Apparatus for drawing liquids into, and expelling liquids from, a pipette including a housing comprising a hand-held pistol grip to which is connected a pipette-supporting portion. Valve means mounted on the pistol grip beneath two fingers of the user permit selective application of pressure or vacuum to one end of the pipette for drawing the liquid into, and expelling the liquid from, the pipette.