Abstract: A pneumatic apparatus is employed to automatically load blood extracting devices. The apparatus includes a cylinder and a piston slidably receivable therein. The piston is connected to a casing or housing which supports a blood extracting device. The cylinder may be partially evacuated by forcing it into the housing. Once evacuated the cylinder is maintained in the biased position by a locking lever. The cylinder may be connected either to a blood receiving vessel or to a piston receivable within the blood receiving vessel through which the blood may be extracted. In order to extract blood the extracting device is first positioned in the vein of a patient in the conventional manner. The locking lever is then released and the partial vacuum within the cylinder causes the plunger within the blood receiving vessel to draw blood inwardly. A check valve and parallel channel arrangement in the plug at one end of the cylinder serves to slow and control the rate at which the blood is extracted.

Abstract: A multi-purpose syringe for extracting a body fluid, storing the fluid and being adapted to be employed as the test vial for centrifugation. The syringe includes a vial and at the forward end a nozzle which is threadedly connected for sealing purposes to a cap which has a spike extending into the passageway through which blood is drawn. A threaded end cover sealingly engages the rearward end of the vial and piston rod protrudes therethrough. The rod has at the forward end a piston head provided with a rearwardly extending sleeve which is placed into sealed locking engagement with the end cover after the specimen has been introduced or drawn into the vial. The combination of the cap at one end and the cover member at the other end provides a complete seal for the container. The piston rod has two portions which can be severed from each other.