Abstract: A device for dispensing a rolled web of material having a plurality of laterally-extending, longitudinally-spaced lines of perforation. The device has a frame for supporting the rolled web such that lengths of the web are removed from the roll in a direction of advancement as the roll rotates. An infeed roller pair is rotatably mounted on the frame. The infeed roller pair provides a nip therebetween for receiving the web from the roll and for moving it forward in the direction of advancement. A pair of delivery rollers is rotatably mounted on the frame in spaced relation with the first pair of rollers. The second pair of rollers receives the web from the first roller pair and provides a nip therebetween for moving the web in the direction of advancement. Motor means drives the infeed roller pair and the delivery roller pair.

Abstract: A diaphragm pump with a bi-component diaphragm pump housing. The housing has a top component and a bottom component that connect along first and second complimenting connection interfaces and form an interior pump chamber, an exterior pressure port, an exterior vacuum port, and fluid communication channels connecting the exterior ports with the interior chamber. The first and second connection interfaces are oriented transverse to one another. The components of the pump are self-locking and can be assembled without the use of tools.

Abstract: A pipette gun and holster apparatus having a remote source of positive and negative air pressure. The holster supports the pipette gun above a work table with the pipette connector oriented generally, vertically downwardly. The holster has a base which may be fastened to a vertical wall. A mounting bracket is fixed to and extends transverse to the base. The bracket has a bottomless socket constructed and arranged to receive and removably hold the pipette gun by inserting the pipette connector into the socket. A switch deactivates the remote air pressure source when the pipette gun is parked in the holster and energizes the remote air pressure source when the pipette gun is removed from the holster. A method of metering fluid using a pipette gun and holster apparatus. The holster is removable fastened to a vertical surface next to or proximate a horizontal work table top.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a disposable, preselected-volume, capillary pipette device for picking up and transferring a selected volume of a liquid sample such as blood.

Abstract: A user-replaceable grip for use on the handle of a pipette gun. The grip has a length, width, thickness, attachment surface, and a gripping surface. The grip is releasably fastened to the handle of the pipette gun by fasteners without interfering with the trigger. A plurality of grips having different identifying indicia on the gripping surface are provided so that the pipette gun can be identified to ownership, function, status, or the like. Alternatively, a plurality of grips are provided having the same length and width but having a different thickness so that the shape and size of the pipette gun handle can be customized to the hand size of different technicians using the pipette gun. Since the grips are removably fastened to the pipette gun handle, the grips can be easily interchanged when the identity of the pipette gun changes or a different technician uses the pipette gun.

Abstract: A presealed integral hematocrit test assembly includes a holder, a bore molded into the holder, and a blood sample tube mounted on the holder adapted to receive a sample of blood by capillary action, whereby the blood sample tube is filled with blood from its inlet end by capillary action, and the test assembly is centrifuged into a column having a red corpuscles portion, white corpuscles portion, and a plasma portion. The method of using the presealed integral hematocrit test assembly includes the steps of measuring the length of the red cells column portion and measuring the total length of the blood column, and dividing the length of the red cells column portion by the total length of the blood column to make the hematocrit determination.

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 disposable, vented capillary draw device is described that is also capable of use for the syringe pressurized dispensing of liquid benignly drawn. The system includes a vented capillary collection tube for drawing liquid samples by capillary rise in a bubble-free manner. A reversible, positive vent shut-off is provided to help contain the drawn material in the capillary. A reciprocating, loose fitting, syringe plunger arrangement is also provided attached to and operable in the capillary tube. Initial axial displacement of the plunger in the capillary toward the open end is used to initially operate the vent seal or positive vent shut-off device to close the vent and, upon further advancement of the plunger, the plunger forces the liquid material back out of the draw 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 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: A pipette has an elongated body having a bore extending to the opposite ends thereof. A tube is secured to one end of the body. A plunger extends through the body with one end extending into the tube to draw liquid into the tube and discharge it from the tube. A first stop member is mounted on the plunger for rotation with the plunger and is axially movable relative to the plunger. This stop member is threaded to the body within the bore. A second stop member is mounted on the plunger and a spring biases this stop member towards the first stop member. A counter is driven by the rotation of the plunger.