Abstract: A nebulizer for use with spectroscopy having a main body member containing, within a guide bore, a venturi body, a liquid feed tube and a sleeve surrounding the tube and having air passages formed therein. The venturi body contains an axial throat which communicates directly with a relatively large chamber--e.g., at least four times the diameter of the throat--and that throat is held coaxial with the guide bore by radial confinement of the venturi body within that bore. The tube extends into the throat towards the chamber and terminates adjacent the outlet end of the throat. The sleeve fits within the guide bore and over the tube to hold the tube concentric with the throat and the outside diameter of the tube is approximately 75% of the throat diameter to provide clearance for passage of air. The air passages in the sleeve communicate with the inlet end of the throat through a space provided between respective frusto-conical end surfaces of the sleeve and venturi body.

Abstract: A metal foil or plate for use in the slit mechanism of optical systems and having two jaw sections between which the slit is defined. The jaw sections are interconnected through an integral hinge portion of the plate which is adaptable to flex so that the jaw sections can move towards and away from each other and thereby vary the slit width. When incorporated in actual slit mechanism, the plate, or at least a portion thereof, is interposed between two mounting surfaces so that the jaw sections are maintained coplanar, and an actuator for causing relative movement of the jaw sections is connected to another section of the plate which is integrally connected with each jaw section through a relatively narrow plate portion. The last mentioned section of the plate and the hinge means form the only connections between the jaw sections.