GB860567A - Improvements in and relating to apparatus for collecting measured quantities of liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

860,567. Filling containers with liquid. NATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. April 17, 1958 [April 17, 1957], No. 12545/57. Class 125(2). In apparatus for collecting fractions of liquid in vessels 11 which are moved successively under a supply 18, the vessels are disposed in a spiral about the axis of turntable 14 driven by means which directly provides the necessary rotational and translational components between the vessels and the supply. There is a constant centre to centre distance between adjacent vessels in the spiral. As shown, vessels 11 are supported on turntable 14 by an apertured plate 12 the apertures 13 being equally spaced on a spiral path. The turntable is rotatable about an axle 15 carried on an arm 16 itself rotatable on end of a bar 17. Turntable 14 is fitted with a plate 19 having an array of apertures 21 the same as that of apertures 13. Apertures 21 are engaged successively.. by the hemispherical bodies 23 carried on a shaft intermittently rotated one step by an electric motor 24. Thus the turntable is rotated step by step about its own axis and gradually about the axis at the end of bar 17 to bring vessels 11 under the liquid supply 18. The plate 19 may have hemispherical bodies successively engaged by apertures in a member driven by the motor. Other forms of toothed drive may be used. As shown the motor is controlled by a drop-counter 31, 32 utilizing a photoelectric effect. Alternatively the drops may be detected by the change in capacitance between two electrodes as they fall between them. The counter may emobdy a decade selector for changing the range. In another form the drops collect on a small ring on the end of a balance arm which then tips over to make contacts to start the motor. Instead of dropcounting, supply 18 can include an electricallycontrolled valve delivering a measured quantity, or may discharge into a syphon tube or counterbalanced tipping bucket. The plate 12 can be replaced by another having different apertures to receive vessels of a different size. To prevent dropping during the vessel movement, the vessels may have enlarged mouths. According to the Provisional Specification, the apertures in plates 12, 19 can be arranged in concentric circles, the plates being moved about the end of arm 17 after such complete rotation.