GB2101514A

GB2101514A - Work bench with centrifuge

Info

Publication number: GB2101514A
Application number: GB08116769A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeremy Macauley Cox; Ronald Francis Denman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-06-02
Filing date: 1981-06-02
Publication date: 1983-01-19
Also published as: GB2101514B

Abstract

A work bench 1 having a work surface 2 houses a centrifuge 10 mounted in a drawer 11. Means responsive to movement of the drawer allows operation of the centrifuge only when the drawer is closed. A locking mechanism is provided to prevent the drawer being opened until the centrifuge rotor has come to a standstill. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Work bench with centrifuge This invention relates to work benches housing centrifuges.

The invention provides a work bench housing a centrifuge which is mounted in the work bench for movement in and out beneath the work surface thereof between an open position which allows access to the centrifuge for loading and unloading and a closed position in which the centrifuge is withdrawn generally inside the cabinet, switching means being provided responsive to the said movement of the centrifuge to permit operation of the centrifuge only when in the closed position.

The centrifuge is preferably housed in a drawer which is rectilinearly movably mounted in the work bench to provide the said movement in and out of the work bench.

The work bench preferably comprises means responsive to operation of the centrifuge for locking the centrifuge in the closed position while in operation and may further house means for cooling the contents of the centrifuge. Such cooling means may comprise an evaporator of a refrigeration circuit.

The cooling means may be located over the centrifuge in the closed position; alternatively, if the centrifuge has a bowl in which the centrifuge rotor is rotated, the cooling means may be arranged around the bowl. In the former case, the cooling means may be mounted in the work bench for generally vertical movement, means being provided responsive to the said movement of the centrifuge for raising the cooling means away from the centrifuge when the centrifuge is moved out from the closed position and for lowering the cooling means towards the centrifuge when the centrifuge is moved in to the closed position. The cooling means may be hingedly mounted in the work bench about a generally horizontal axis.

The raising and lowering means preferably comprises at least one roller rotatably mounted about an axis fixed relative to the cooling means, and a shaped surface fixed relative to the centrifuge and against which the or each roller may roll.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a work bench with a drawer-mounted centrifuge in the closed, operational position; FIGURE 2 is a perspective view corresponding to FIGURE 1 but showing the centrifuge in the open position for loading and unloading; and FIGURE 3 is a sectional side elevation of the work bench and centrifuge of FIGURE 1 with the centrifuge in the closed position.

A work bench or table generally indicated 1 has a work surface 2 mounted on end supports 3. The work bench 1 houses a centrifuge 10 mounted in a drawer 11 which is suitably supported beneath the work surface 2 by any conventional means, such as runners 12.

The centrifuge 10 comprises a bowl 15 in which a choice of rotors may be mounted on a spindle 1 6 driven by the centrifuge motor 1 7. An upper surface 20 of the drawer 11 surrounds the bowl 1 5 together with a peripheral rubber sealing ring 21.

A refrigeration circuit is provided for cooling the contents of the centrifuge 10, this circuit having an evaporator spiral 23 which is located over the centrifuge 10 in the closed position, a compressor 24 and a condenser 25. The evaporator 23 is attached to an upper member 27 hingedly mounted at 28 about a horizontal axis to allow slight movement of the evaporator 23 generally vertically towards and away from the centrifuge 10. This movement is controlled by two rollers 30 rotatably mounted in brackets 31 bolted one on each side of the member 27; two strips 32 are secured to the drawer 11 to form slightly raised portions of the upper surface 20, and the rollers 30 roll up onto and along the strips 32 when the drawer 11 with the centrifuge 10 is pulled out from the closed position to raise the upper member 27 with evaporator 23 away from the centrifuge 10.When the drawer 11 is closed again the rollers 30 run over the ends of the strips 32 to lower the upper member 27 with evaporator 23, the member 27 abutting the rubber sealing ring 21 in the closed position as shown in FIGURE 3.

The connection between the evaporator 23 and condenser 25 is resilient enough to absorb the slight relative movement due to the hinging action of the member 27.

An alternative to the overhead evaporator is to have an evaporator coil 23a wound around the bowl 1 5, particularly for bigger centrifuges, in which case there could be a separate compressor.

An air channel 14, into which the centrifuge motor 17 projects, is secured to the underside of the drawer 11 and has a lip 18 acting as a handle by which the drawer 11 with centrifuge 10 may be pulled out. A fan 34 in register with an aperture 35 in the rear of the work bench 1 draws a current of air through the channel 14 from the front of the work bench 1 and out through the aperture 35 to cool the centrifuge motor 17, the compressor 24 and condenser 25.

The centrifuge 10 is operated from a control panei 1 9 and the arrangement is such that the centrifuge 10 can only be operated when the drawer 11 with centrifuge is in the closed position, this being achieved by means responsive to movement of the drawer or centrifuge such as a microswitch or other contact switch. Furthermore, an electronic safety locking mechanism is provided to lock the drawer in the closed position while the centrifuge is operating, so that the drawer can only be pulled out when the centrifuge rotor has come to a standstill. Power is supplied to the work bench through a cable (not shown).

The work bench need not be free-standing but the work surface could for example be cantilevered out from a wall with the centrifuge suspended therebeneath.

The above embodiment has a significant advantage in that the centrifuge does not occupy valuable bench or floor space which is wasted with conventional bench or floor centrifuges. The assembly is extremely compact and furthermore the work bench affords good protection should any mishap occur while the centrifuge is operating therein. The additional safety features of the locking mechanism and operation only possible when the centrifuge is in the closed position make for completely safe and reliable operation.

Claims

1. A work bench housing a centrifuge which is mounted in the work bench for movement in and out beneath the work surface thereof between an open position which allows access to the centrifuge for loading and unloading and a closed position in which the centrifuge is withdrawn generally inside the cabinet, switching means being provided responsive to the said movement of the centrifuge to permit operation of the centrifuge only when in the closed position.

2. A work bench as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the centrifuge is housed in a drawer which is rectilinearly movably mounted in the work bench to provide the said movement in and out of the work bench.

3. A work bench as claimed in either Claim 1 or Claim 2 comprising means responsibe to operation of the centrifuge for locking the centrifuge in the closed position while in operation.

4. A work bench as claimed in any preceding claim further housing means for cooling the contents of the centrifuge.

5. A work bench as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the cooling means comprises an evaporator of a refrigeration circuit.

6. A work bench as claimed in either Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the cooling means is located over the centrifuge in the closed position.

7. A work bench as claimed in either Claim 4 or Claim 5, the centrifuge having a bowl in which the centrifuge rotor is rotated, the cooling means being arranged around the bowl.

8. A work bench as claimed in claim 6 wherein the cooling means is mounted therein for generally vertical movement, means being provided responsive to the said movement of the centrifuge for raising the cooling means away from the centrifuge when the centrifuge is moved out from the closed position and for lowering the cooling means towards the centrifuge when the centrifuge is moved in to the closed position.

9. A work bench as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the cooling means is hingedly mounted therein about a generally horizontal axis.

10. A work bench as claimed in either Claim 8 or Claim 9 wherein the raising and lowering means comprises at least one roller rotatably mounted about an axis fixed relative to the cooling means, and a shaped surface fixed relative to the centrifuge and against which the or each roller may roll.

11. A work bench housing a centrifuge, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.