New Brunswick Scientific Co., Inc.

Safenet, Inc.

Philip Snyder

David Freedman

Alan H Frindell

Chris Dunn

Russell Dietz

A fluid dispenser pumps fluid in increments. The dispenser includes a computer which, on command, determines the volume of fluid dispensed per increment, the determined value constituting a calibration value which is stored in the memory of the computer. A controller which may include the computer as a component provides for dispensing a selected number of doses, each of a selected volume. The controller can also specify a time interval between the delivery of successive doses. The dispenser is particularly useful in combination with apparatus for charging petri dishes with agar.

Calibratable automatic fluid dispenser

A method and apparatus for filling petri dishes include the features of situating a stack of empty petri dishes at a dish-drop station where the stack rests with the lowermost petri dish of the stack on a stationary support. A moving structure engages this lowermost petri dish and moves it beyond the stationary support to a filling station, and during this movement of this lowermost petri dish to the filling station a lower dish member of the petri dish drops down from an upper lid member thereof and remains spaced beneath the upper lid member while being supported by a movable support which carries the lower dish member to the filling station. At the filling station a nozzle of a pump becomes situated in the space between the upper lid member and the lower dish member of the petri dish and fills a given quantity of agar into the lower dish member, whereupon this latter member and the upper lid member spaced thereover are moved to an elevating station. At the elevating station a suitable elevating structure engages the filled lower dish member and raises it into the upper lid member so as to close the filled petri dish, the latter then continuing its upward movement to become situated on a plate. These operations are repeated for each empty petri dish which drops onto the stationary support so that while the empty petri dishes of an empty stack are being removed therefrom one by one to be filled, a stack of filled petri dishes is simultaneously being formed at the elevating station.

Growing community of inventors

Lawrenceville, NJ, United States of America

Philip Snyder