Abstract: A method and apparatus for conveying liquids to and from a reaction cell in an automated sample handling apparatus. The conveyance apparatus includes a track and car system. A method and apparatus is disclosed which precisely positions the cars on the track. This positioning method and apparatus includes a plurality of apertures and spaces on the track of a size and spacing to allow the cars to accurately position themselves.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for automatic colorimetric analysis. The apparatus includes a mixing chamber wherein a measured amount of sample and reagent are mixed by turbulence, and a colorimeter for measuring the extent of color development. The invention is particularly useful for analyzing samples which contain dangerous, toxic, flammable, or carcinogenic substances; and for the analysis of high temperature and/or pressure samples. A special application is the quantitative determination of hydrogen chloride in samples of vinyl chloride monomer.

Abstract: The disclosed distributing nozzle sucks liquid from a first vessel and discharges the sucked liquid into a second vessel, which distributing nozzle has an ionic sensor formed an insulated-gate field-effect transistor to measure specified ionic concentration of the liquid.

Abstract: A liquid treating device for chemical analysis apparatus which is provided with a nozzle for successively sucking various kinds of liquids such as a test liquid, wash liquid, reagent, standard liquid having a known ion concentration or the like and having one end connected to a liquid sucking means and another end operative to be penetrated into a liquid to be treated, said nozzle being surrounded by a cylindrical cell provided at its upper and lower end portions with branch pipes selectively connected to a wash liquid supply means. When both the liquid sucking means and wash liquid supply means are operative, the inner and outer wall of the nozzle are washed with the washed liquid.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically typing HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) is disclosed. An optical image of a sample containing lymphocytes is formed by a phase-contrast microscope. The optical image is transformed into electrical picture signal through a image pick-up unit which in turn is transformed into binary picture patterns for a predetermined area site in the image through a window circuit. The obtained binary picture patterns are compared with template patterns of predetermined features corresponding to reacted and non-reacted lymphocyte images to detect and type the lymphocyte image. With this typing apparatus, HLA typing test can be conducted automatically with high accuracy.

Abstract: An explosive gas detector wherein power to a catalytic impedance element is held at a constant impedance level via a D.C., amplified, automatic bridge balancing circuit, and gas levels are indicated by an electrical meter connected between the output of a bridge and an adjustable level D.C. bias.

Abstract: A fluid collection device for collecting and separating a liquid into its phases is provided which includes a collection container and an elongate housing having gel-like sealant therein. The sealant has a specific gravity between those of the separated low and high density phases. The housing has a sealant flow control valve in the low density phase portion of the container which is opened in response to a decrease in the specific gravity of the liquid adjacent the valve.

Abstract: The gas monitor of the present invention is capable of simultaneously determining the concentrations of two members of a family of oxygen-containing gases present in an air sample. The monitor utilizes a four electrode potentiostat (58, 70, 12, 14) including two indicating electrodes (58, 70) mounting in a single electrochemical cell (8) and immersed in an aqueous electrolyte (10). The air sample containing the two family members is initially passed to the first indicating electrode (58), where electroreduction of the first family member produces a first electrical current directly proportional to the concentration of the first family member in the sample. Thereafter, the gas sample is passed through an oxidizing means (4) interconnected between the two indicating electrodes (58, 70), where all of the second family member is converted into the first family member.

Abstract: A device is used in a chemical analysis of substances containing volatile components wherein the volatile component sought to be identified is volatilized off for reaction with a reagent to produce a color change or the like which indicates the presence of the volatile component.

Abstract: An automatic analytical apparatus which comprises a single reaction line and in which reaction vessels are carried step by step along the reaction line, a sample and reagent are delivered to the reaction vessel during each carrying step to obtain a test liquid, and the test liquid thus obtained is subjected to a photometric operation, characterized by comprising (a) sample and reagent delivering means for delivering the sample and reagent into a plurality of reaction vessels in succession, respectively, during each carrying step of the reaction vessel, and (b) means for subjecting the photometric operation to a plurality of test liquids at separate positions at the same time during each carrying step of the reaction vessel.

Abstract: A multicuvette rotor assembly for use in a clinical chemistry analyzer of the centrifugal type includes a body member that defines a circumferential array of spaced radially extending recesses, with a divider member in each recess to define a first chamber and a second chamber radial outward from said first chamber; and a ring member that has a mating reference surface seated on an annular reference surface of the body member, with the inner peripheral surface of the ring member located outwardly of the middle of the second chambers.

Abstract: Method and device for continuous flow-through analysis with a non-segmented laminar carrier flow, to which reagents are added at programmable intervals. The programming can be done by switching in various loops with valves, interchangeable connections or by composing the apparatus of different prefabricated modules to produce the desired reaction conditions.

Abstract: Automatic analyzer including controlled dispensing and mixing of sample and reagents. Novel electroseparation process for separating certain molecules from other molecules in flowing streams. Apparatus for adding substrate, mixing and temperature control of separated isoenzyme streams. Apparatus for directly measuring change of optical properties of the streams with direct readout of results.

Abstract: Analysis apparatus which uses a solid reaction support designed to hold successively a quantity of first reagent such as a biological liquid which contains the substance to be analysed, and then a quantity of second reagent which contains a protein on which is fixed a biological indicator. The apparatus is constituted by an analysis rotor (1 ) which includes firstly a plurality of peripheral cells (2) each of which contains said reaction support (3) and secondly means which allow a washing liquid to be conveyed towards each cell, each of said cells (2) being provided with a peripheral orifice (7) for removing liquid and having an upper portion provided with a reagent inlet orifice (8) and a lower portion which accommodates said reagent.

Abstract: A train of cuvettes are held on a turntable and serum specimen is sequentially sampled each time the turntable makes a revolution through more than 360.degree.. While the turntable is at rest, blank solution is poured into one cuvette, reagent is put into another cuvette and reactant solution is drawn out of still another cuvette in specified positions respectively in the path along which the train of cuvettes are conveyed. During a single rotational operation of the turntable, these cuvettes sequentially transverses the light path in the photometer so that the light absorbances for the respective cuvettes are measured. Both the absorbances for cuvettes containing reactant solutions for different samples and the absorbance for a cuvette containing only the blank solution are measured by a single photometer.

Abstract: An improvement is provided in apparatus used to detect combustible gases, which embodies a Wheatstone bridge circuit including a refractory-coated detector element having thereon a catalyst for promoting oxidation of the combustible gas to be detected constituting one leg of the bridge and a refractory-coated reference element constituting a second leg of the bridge. The improvement, in its broadest aspect, consists in using a mixture of palladium, palladium oxide and nickel oxide as the catalyst on the detector element. In addition, an improved reference element is provided which has a coating of either sodium metasilicate or lead borate deposited thereon.

Abstract: A Peltier effect thermal control sample containment means for an automatic sample holding apparatus used in conjunction with a liquid chromatograph analysis. The apparatus provides for the cooling or heating of a plurality of liquid chromatography samples and the maintenance of said samples at specific temperatures for extended periods of time.

Abstract: A fluid is circulated in a loop at a predetermined pressure and temperature. A second immiscible fluid is added to the loop and maintained in a portion of the loop so that a portion of the loop is free of the second immiscible fluid. A chemical tracer is added to the fluids and allowed to partition between them. Samples are taken of the mixture of first fluid and tracer from a portion of the loop free of the second fluid. From this sample, calculations may be made to determine the partition co-efficient of the fluids.

Abstract: Method of and apparatus for obtaining a sample from a specimen of blood or the like in a closed container at a first pressure and for delivering the sample to an analyzer for analysis. The apparatus comprises a hollow needle for penetrating the closed container movable from a retracted position to an extended position in which it penetrates the container for drawing a specimen sample therefrom, and back to its retracted position. A conduit connects the needle and the analyzer for delivery of a specimen sample to the latter. An aspirator reduces the pressure in this conduit to a pressure less than the aforesaid first pressure when the needle is in its extended position, a specimen sample thereby being aspirated from the container into the conduit for delivery to the analyzer. The apparatus is responsive to this aspiration to initiate transfer of the specimen sample from the conduit into the analyzer.

Abstract: A membrane interface is provided over the sample inlet port of an ion mobility detector. Sample, included as a vapor component in a gas stream impinging the exterior surface of the membrane, penetrates the membrane and is carried into the ion mobility detector by means of a carrier gas which scrubs the interior surface of the membrane.