Appeal No. 1997-1669
Application No. 08/185,649
APPENDIX
13. A transport device for conveying sample vials having
caps with a septum therein to a sampling site for withdrawing
material from the headspace of said vials for analysis by gas
chromatography, comprising:
a platen having a plurality of chambers rotatable around
a central axis, said chambers with reduced diameters at the
bottoms thereof for retaining one of said sample vials within
at least one of said chambers above said reduced diameter and
providing access to retained sample vials from below, said
platen secured against axial movement during the entire
operation of conveying sample vials to the sampling site;
an electrically powered heater located within said
platen;
at least one temperature measuring probe located within
said platen for measuring the temperature of said platen;
a platen gear connected to said platen and rotatable
about the same axis as said platen;
a drive motor having a drive gear connected thereto, said
drive gear cooperating with said platen gear;
a first vial transport having a first displaceable rod
including a first rod drive on the transport device operable
to move the first displaceable rod to enter said chamber from
below to engage and convey said vial into said chamber from a
point above said chamber, and the reverse;
a vial mixing device having a second displaceable rod and
a second displaceable rod drive on the transport device
operable to move the second displaceable rod to enter said
chamber from below to contact said vial, and to mix the
contents by pulsation of said rod to increase the rate of
transport of gaseous components from the liquid in said sample
vial to said headspace, and the second displaceable rod drive
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