Abstract: Apparatus for spectrophotometric analysis of material in vials 16 in which material in each vial is subjected to a beam 4 at a scanning station 20. An array of the vials 16 is carried by a carousel 60 for each vial 16 automatically and sequentially to be delivered to the scanning station and thereafter removed following scanning by the beam 4. Rotation of the carousel 60 to feed the vials to the scanning station and to remove them from that station is controlled by a computer 3 which also controls spectrophotometric measurement of the material in the respective vials whilst at the scanning station.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for spectrophotometric analysis of a material in a container by reflectance of a beam applied to the material through an aperture in a primary mask. A restricted beam resulting from the primary mask is applied through a port in an opaque secondary mask to the material. The restricted beam is wholly within the port and radiation reflected from the material passes through the port to detectors for analysis. The secondary mask defines by its port an area on the base of the container through which the restricted beam is applied to the material and is not subjected to spurious reflections and refractions otherwise created by the container between its base and side wall. The container may be spaced from the secondary mask and inclined relative thereto so that the secondary mask shields the top and bottom ends of the container.