Abstract: A detecting device is fitted so as to span a row of adjoining receptacles which are set in a reciprocating continuous motion, so that each receptacle passes within the scanning field of the detecting device. The latter sends the signals sequentially to a processor for elaboration into point curves showing the courses of each reaction through time. The row of receptacles may be set in a reciprocating motion by a rack, a stepping motor, a cam-type control or a coupling device, etc.

Abstract: A sampled flow of water is extracted from a water conduit 1 carrying impure water by a sampling tube 2, the pressure at a point in the sampling tube is kept constant by a constant pressure maintaining valve 4, and the sampled water passed through a filter 7. The flow rate of sampled water passing through the filter 7 is measured by a flow meter 8. A value corresponding to the total amount or level of impurity in the sampled water is evaluated by an operation circuit 9 at a prescribed time interval, based on the time-dependent change in the result of measurement of the flow meter 8 and the total amount or level of impurities in pure water is thus measured indirectly.

Abstract: A sealed-type flexible reservoir constituting part of the blood circulating circuit of a membrane-type artificial lung is regulated to a specified volume by a pair of opposing planar restricting members, thereby specifying the amount of blood circulating through the circuit. The reservoir comprises a vessel provided at its upper portion with deaeration ports, a blood inflow tube having two or more side apertures for communication with the interior of the vessel, and a blood outflow port for guiding blood exiting from the vessel. The side apertures are located at a position higher than the blood outflow port, with the blood inflow tube and blood outflow port being spaced away from each other by a predetermined distance, Accordingly, air bubbles carried into the reservoir by the flowing blood may be removed from the deaeration ports without being drawn out through the blood outflow port.

Abstract: A method for the quantitative determination of lithium in a liquid test sample employing turbidimetric or nephelometric techniques to measure the maximum rate of change in the optical density of a reaction mixture containing precipitated lithium. The lithium is precipitated by a lithium precipitating reagent to result in dispersed, suspended particles, and the maximum rate of change in optical density determined to provide a linear dose response which can be quantitatively correlated to the amount of lithium present in the test sample.

Abstract: A sealed reagent container structure that contains reagent material, has a body portion with length and width dimensions each greater than its height dimension and port defining neck structure upstanding from the upper wall of the body portion and asymmetrically located so that it is close to one endwall of the body portion. Coupling structure on the bottom wall of the body portion is provided for interengagement with a transport mechanism so that a series of reagent containers may be disposed on the transport mechanism for movement past a reagent station where the reagent material is transferred from the reagent container to the analysis cuvettes for mixing with sample material and analysis.

Abstract: A disposable rebreathing canister is disclosed for administering oxygen and anesthesia to patients. The canister essentially comprises a housing for a scrubber, including a manifold plate and a rigid container, and a flexible liner disposed within the rigid container. The liner forms an imperforate barrier between the interior of the rigid container and the manifold plate. A scrubber disposed between the manifold plate and liner chemically reacts with gases conducted to it through one of a pair of coaxial passages formed in the manifold plate. Reacted gases are then moved through a tortuous passage either back to the other one of the coaxial passages or removed through an exhaust port.The interior of the rigid container connects with a source of pressure that allows the flexible liner to be collapsed, thus forcing treated gases, fresh oxygen and anesthesia into the lungs of the patient.

Abstract: The invention features a unique pH control system and method for maintaining the proper pH in a continuous process stream. The system backmixes a sample stream, which decreases the dynamic gain of the control system, and which allows for the ease of adding a controlled amount of reagent or buffer to the process stream on a continuous basis.

Abstract: A liquid handling system that is particularly useful in a clinical analysis system includes a cuvette loading station for receiving a centrifugal analyzer rotor with two compartment cuvettes. Fixedly mounted on transfer structure are two spaced apart liquid handling probes such that the two probes may be simultaneously inserted into the two compartments of an analysis cuvette. A sample station has a sample container support mechanism, and means for indexing the support mechanism past the sample station for sequentially positioning successive sample containers at the sample station. An auxiliary station that is spaced from the sample station a distance corresponding to the spacing of the two probes includes a support mechanism for supporting a plurality of auxiliary containers and a drive mechanism for selectively positioning auxiliary containers at the auxiliary station.

Abstract: A method for continuously analysing total gaseous mercury in a mercury compound-containing gas, characterized in that the gas is treated with a reducing agent to reduce the mercury compound in the gas to metal mercury prior to the measurement of the total gaseous mercury.

Abstract: An automatic oxygen absorption measuring system has a controllable source of pressurized oxygen, a controllable venting device, and a device for indicating incremental gas volume changes connected through a controlled gas reservoir to an oxygen circulating testing section where oxygen is passed through a liquid sample at a fixed temperature. Upon the liberation of other gases than oxygen or absorption of oxygen, the gas pressure changes a liquid fluid level in the device for indicating incremental gas changes. An electronic circuit causes the venting or inputting of gas until an equilibrium pressure is obtained. Each change is noted on a recording device. The device for indicating incremental gas volume changes has two glass bulbs attached in line with a manometer filled with electrically conductive liquid fluid. Four electrical contacts placed about the bulbs indicate the level of the liquid fluid.

Abstract: A centrifugal analysis device is provided in which a plastic rotor has peripheral cells each containing a reagent. The rotor is configured such that sample fluid within a central receptacle is equally dispensed to each of the peripheral cells. An outlet orifice is positioned at a radial distance greater than the inlet orifice to each cell such that each cell is permitted (1) to be completely filled with fluid and (2) simultaneously such that all reactions take place at the same beginning point.

Abstract: A process for measuring the relative equilibrium moisture content, particularly of surface samples such as papers, films, woven material or the like, with which the sample is introduced into a hermetically sealable measuring tube and then the equilibrium moisture content arising from a temperature which is predetermined and adjustable by means of a thermostat is measured by a moisture sensor inserted into the measuring tube and not touching the sample. An apparatus serves to carry out the process which has a measuring tube which can be sealed on both sides and can be inserted into a thermostat, in which measuring tube frames are arranged for holding the sample to be examined, and which has a moisture sensor provided at the side sealing the measuring tube.

Abstract: The presence of carbon dioxide contained in a gas can be detected through measurement of the change in the electrical resistance of a hydroxyapatite in contact with carbon dioxide gas. The sensitivity of the hydroxyapatite to carbon dioxide gas can be enhanced by the formation of a composite of the hydroxyapatite with an inorganic carbonate, e.g., sodium carbonate or calcium carbonate. The sensitivity to carbon dioxide gas can be further enhanced by the formation of a composite of the hydroxyapatite with an inorganic halide, e.g., calcium chloride.

Abstract: An oxygen detector for detecting the presence of trace levels of oxygen in an anaerobic environment consisting of a sample chamber wherein a sample from the anaerobic environment is exposed to a catalyst, such as palladium, which promotes the exothermic chemical reaction of oxygen with hydrogen. The presence of oxygen will cause such reaction to occur on the catalyst and the consequent generation of heat. A thermistor which is in thermal proximity to the catalyst detects this heat and provides a signal. The sampling chamber is enclosed by an enclosure which serves to volumetrically and thermally confine the sample during the measurement thereby enabling small levels of exothermic heat of reaction to be detected. Entrance to the sampling chamber is through a membrane which is permeable to lower molecular weight gases such as oxygen and hydrogen which thus enables diffusion of the anaerobic atmosphere into the chamber.

Abstract: Method for the treatment of fluidized carbon black with gases in a fluidized bed, wherein the carbon black and the treatment gases are conveyed for introduction in an unique operating procedure into the treating region in a countercurrent stream manner. The mass streams of the carbon black and the treating gases are held constant and the mass streams of the starting carbon black or the treated carbon black is regulated with the help of an optical electrical level sensor so that the height of the fluidized bed is held on a predetermined level. An apparatus is shown for the carrying out of the fluidized bed countercurrent process which has a novel carbon black product delivery system and is provided with a optical electrical level sensor means for controlling the level of the fluidized bed. The sensor comprises a hair pin shaped lighting circuit composed of two legs or rods separated by a gap.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for the rapid detection and (or) purification of analytes in a sample. The system makes use of a fluid receptacle containing a capture reagent and a manifold having two ports. A sample containing an analyte disposed within the fluid receptacle is subjected to a capture reagent and processed by inserting the open end of the receptacle in one port. Vacuum, gas, reagents, and wash fluids are then applied to the second port to effect rapid interaction between the capture reagent and analyte, efficient washing of the capture reagent and detection and/or collection of the analyte.The system and method provide a rapid safe, uncomplicated means of automating processes based on affinity complexation principles. Encompassed within this category of processes are immunoassays, nucleic acid hybridization tests and affinity separations.

Abstract: A feedstock pipe for a FCC unit is provided with a plurality of turbulence generating members mounted on its interior surface. Each of the turbulence generating members has a pointed tip pointing toward the discharge end of the pipe and a ramp inclined toward the center of the pipe leading to the pointed tip.

Abstract: A method for producing carbon fibers in a vertical carbonizing furnace and an apparatus for producing carbon fibers using such a method are disclosed. The furnace includes a heating chamber for carbonizing fibers, the furnace including,(i) a fiber inlet at the upper end of the chamber(ii) an air tight sealed fiber outlet at the lower end of the furnace,(iii) an inert gas inlet provided on the wall of the chamber and above the fiber outlet,(iv) at least one inert gas injection portion, formed on the wall of the chamber, each capable of forming a curtain of inert gas across the heating chamber, each injection portion being provided between the gas inlet and the fiber inlet,(v) at least one outlet each being provided below each inert gas injection portion, and(vi) a heating member capable of controlling the temperature in the heating chamber in such a manner that the temperature gradually increases from the upper end toward a lower end of the heating chamber.

Abstract: Coagulation is detected in a fluid sample such as blood which has been inserted into a cartridge and operated on by an actuator mechanism. The cartridge may be of either of two types: a plunger sensor cartridge wherein a plunger assembly is reciprocated in a predetermined manner within the fluid sample and the descent of the plunger assembly is sensed to determine coagulation conditions, and a gas flow cartridge wherein gas is passed through the fluid sample to transmit liquid in bubbles and the accumulation of the coagulating liquid from the bubbles is sensed to detect coagulation. An actuator mechanism operates with either one or both types of cartridges to create the conditions under which coagulation can be detected and to sense the coagulation detection conditions. The actuator mechanism reciprocates the plunger assembly and forces gas through the liquid sample to create the bubbles.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved extractor (10) for removing a liquid from a solid carrier medium in which the liquid is entrained. The extraction process is accomplished by utilizing both percolation and immersion removal methods. The extractor (10) includes a plurality of pools (12, 12') through which the solid entraining the liquid therein is moved in a direction counter-flow to that in which a solvent passes through the extractor (10). Percolation removal is effected at the overflow (48, 48') of each pool (12, 12') as solvent washes through the solids being processed. Immersion is effected at the lower end of a sloped floor (22, 22') of each pool (12, 12') where the solids are soaked in the solvent. A final percolation bath (14) can be provided as a last stage of the extractor (10).