Abstract: A method is described for centering and aspirating containers filled with a body fluid and having different diameters, in which the containers are situated on a moveable tray having receptacles for holding a plurality containers of different diameters. The tray is then placed in a pivotable transporter within an analyzer having a scanning and an aspiration station situated along a transport path of the transporter. Scanning elements at the scanning station sense and fix by contact the position of the container and tray respectively so as to locate the center of the container being scanned. Signals from sensing elements aligned with the scanning elements align and position an aspiration probe at the aspiration station to coincide with the centerline axis of the container in order to withdraw all of the body fluid contained therein, regardless of the container diameter.

Abstract: An analyzer is disclosed having a device for removing and inserting a stopper from and into the opening of a container for liquids arranged in a tray, particularly test tubes filled with body fluids, a gripper which performs rotary movements frictionally interacting with stopper and a lifting means feeding the container to the gripper and fixing it.The gripper features three radially arranged clamping elements with rollers on an inner carrier member, said clamping elements being radially movable by control elements associated therewith and mounted on an outer hollow-cylindrical housing portion. The control elements are coaxially arranged in the form of a ring and each consists of a cam section having a small radius and a cam section having a larger radius, said sections being interconnected via a ramp and having a threshold.

Abstract: An analyzer is described including a mechanism for scanning containers having variable diameters arranged in a tray and filled with body fluids, and for fixing the container and tray relative to an aspiration station for purposes of centering the aspiration probe to the containers. The scanning and positional centering mechanism include two movable scanning elements and a sensor which is associated with both elements and can be activated by them. The scanning elements are arranged normal to a pivotable transporter providing a transport path for the containers and preferably by means of two spring elements, retained in initial positions towards the transport path. By pivoting the transporter from a tray track to a scanning station for the containers, the scanning elements are moved to end positions and the sensor produces a signal which will depend upon the diameter of the container as positioned at the scanning station.

Abstract: A device for moving film from a supply magazine to a cassette loading station, the film removing device being in a unit with a film holding channel formed by parallel groups of rollers which engage opposed edges of the film.