Abstract: A beam director (360) for directing a beam (356, 358) comprises a director base (464), a reflective element (462), a base pivot (474A), an element pivot (470), and a first element fastener (468A). The director base (464) is positioned adjacent to a mounting base (226). A first interface between the director base (464) and the mounting base (226) is in a first interface plane that is orthogonal to a first axis. The base pivot (474A) provides a base pivot axis for selectively rotating the director base (464) and the reflective element (462) relative to the mounting base (226) about the first axis. The element pivot (470) guides the rotation of the reflective element (462) relative to the director base (464) about a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis. The first element fastener (468A) is selectively movable between a locked position and an unlocked position to selectively inhibit rotation of the reflective element (462) relative to the director base (464) about the second axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting racks of sealed sample tubes, mixing a sample material contained within the tubes, and aspirating samples from the tubes. The apparatus includes a car which runs along a rail. The car drives racks containing the sample tubes into a mixer channel disposed above and running parallel to the rail. The mixer channel is mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the rail to mix samples and position the tubes to be aspirated. A push pin mounted adjacent to the mixer channel extends into the mixer channel and urges individual tubes against an aspirator assembly mounted on the opposite side of the mixer channel. An input queue is disposed proximate the input side of the rail and an output queue disposed proximate the output side of rail. The input queue supports the racks and feeds them into position to be driven by the car mechanism into the mixer channel.