US1980930A - Test tube support - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 1934.

J. A. REYNIERS TEST TUBE SUPPORT Filed March 11, 1932 IIIIIIIIIII/I/I/I/III/IJ Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE v 1 Claim.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a compact, durable test tube support of greater utility than the usual form of wooden rack.

Further and other objects and advantages will become apparent as the disclosure proceeds and the description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form Iof the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view showing in dotted lines a pair of different sized test tubes supported in the rack;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of the rack.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and will be described, but it will be understood that the specific illustration and description of the preferred embodiment is for jthe purpose of disclosure only and should not be considered as imparting any limitations on the appended claim except as may be required by the prior art.

Wooden test tube racks, which are familiar to all who have had experience in chemical laboratories, comprise in their usual form a wooden base having upstanding pedestals adjacent the two ends which support a flat strip of wood having a plurality of tube receiving apertures. The base is usually provided with recesses directly beneath the several apertures to engage the bottoms of the tubes to give them lateral support. Nevertheless, tubes frequently become dislodged from the base recesses and fall from the rack.

Alongside and parallel to the tube holder, there is usually provided a plurality of drying pins which rise from the base and are adapted to support the tubes in inverted position.

In addition to the objection that test tubes frequently fall from the test tube holders above described, the wooden supports are also objectionable because of their comparative frailty and their inability to withstand exposure to steam or water.

Some metallic racks have been made duplicating the wooden racks in every respect but the material of which they are constructed. Consequently, the metal racks of this type offer little advantage over the wooden rack.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved test tube holder which will hold twice as many tubes as supports of usual design; which receives tubes of varying sizes with equal adaptalbility, holding them securely without rattling;

which permits the entire length of the tube to be visible at all times; which disposes with the necessity of drying pins; which has a low center of gravity thereby reducing ,the tendency to overturn; which may be exposed to steam or water without injury; and which, because of its strong, durable construction, has a useful life greatly in excess of the usual rack.

Referring now to the drawing, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, the rack comprises a base 10, having upstanding end members 11 and 12. Preferably, the end members are integral with the base, being formed by upturning the ends of a flat strip of bronze or other suitable material. The tops of the end members 11 and 12 are joined by a rectangular bar 13, also of bronze, the connections with the end members being by mortise and tenon joints made secure by brazing or other suitable means. The bar is positioned centrally over the base with the flat Webs 14 and 15 lying in vertical planes.

A plurality of resilient clips 16 are clamped in pairs on opposite sides of the bar 13. The clips may be of copper, or other suitable material and are formed with flat back portions 17 through which screws 18 pass for clamping the clips to the bar. A nut 19 cooperates with the screw to hold the clips in place.

The arms of the clips are bowed at 20 and again at 21 to provide a firm grip on the tubes which they support. The ends of the arms are bent outwardly as at 22 to facilitate the insertion of the test tubes.

A rod 23 joining the lower portions of the end members 11 and 12 serves not only as a brace for the rack, but also prevents contact between tubes on opposite sides of the bar 13.

The clips 16 being resilient, receive different sized tubes with equal facility. This is demonstrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

Not only are tubes of different sizes acccommodated by the rack, but also the tubes may be held at any desired height (Fig. 2) or may be inverted for the purpose of drying. This arrangement, therefore, disposes with the necessity for drying pins.

The test tube rack being entirely made of metal is adapted to withstand autoclaving and use in water baths, and therefore recommends itself for use in bacteriological and biological laboratories, as well as chemical laboratories.

It will be understood that many of the advantages of this invention may be derived by the use of resilient clips, whether the remainder of the support be of metal or wood, and although In the form of the device illustrated and described, the tendency of the rack to overturn has been reduced by the wide base and low center I of gravity.

The rack is strong and sturdy, yet is exceed-t1 ingly simple in construction. The, clamping by a single screw and nut is an example of the simplicity which gives unusual merit to the de- V108.

What I claim, therefore, is:

A test tube rack made entirely of metal, said rack comprising a flat metallic base having upstanding ends, a flat bar having its web arranged vertically and attached at its ends to said first named ends, and. a plurality of resilient clips arrangedon at least one side of the web of the bar and adapted to support test tubes of varying sizes at different leevls in either upright or inverted position.

J. ARTHUR REYNIERS.

of a pair of oppositely disposed clips to the bar

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