Appeal No. 1997-2954
Application No. 08/401,876
Stone lacks 1) an automated vial transport that conveys a vial
into a chamber from a point above the chamber, 2) agitating
the vial while in the sample tray and 3) means to heat the
sample tray. The examiner relies on Otson to teach the use of
a liquid autosampler for sampling head space gas for gas
chromatography. Chlosta is relied upon by the examiner
(answer, page 5) to teach a device for feeding sample vials
into a gas chromatograph including a rotatable heatable metal
block or sample vessel store (30) which is heated by an
electrically powered heater element, a lifting member (52)
comprising a vertically displaceable rod to transport vials
into the sample vessel store (30) from below the vessel store
and out of the vessel store and a second device for lifting
the sample vessel store (30) and the sample vials so the
sample vials engage a stationary needle (34). The examiner
relies upon Lorch to teach a displaceable rod (46, 48) for use
on an analysis device (3) to transport sample containers (9)
between an upper transport mechanism and a lower centrifuge
device. The examiner relies on Fujitsuka and Natelson or
Yamano (answer, page 6) to teach apparatus that agitate and
heat sample vials during preparation.
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