Restek Corporation

Richard A Morehead

Paul H Silvis

Bradley R Rightnour

An easily-assembled, heat-resistant connector for releasably joining end portions of two capillary tubes in end-to-end fashion for use in chromatography without interrupting fluid flow or interfering with chromatographic results, comprises a cylindrical sleeve which has a bore which tapers toward a center point to form press-fit seals with the tips of two capillary tubes. A first ferrule is mounted on the end portion of a first capillary tube, and a second ferrule is mounted on the end portion of a second capillary tube. A jacket surrounds and contains the sleeve, and a first adjustment screw mounted on the jacket pushes against the first ferrule to deform the ferrule into sealing contact with the outside surface of the first capillary tube and with the inside surface of the sleeve. A second adjustment screw mounted on the jacket pushes against the second ferrule to deform the ferrule into sealing contact with the outside surface of the second capillary tube and with the inside surface of the sleeve. The pressure on the first ferrule may be adjusted individually and independently of the pressure on the second ferrule and the pressure on the second ferrule, may be adjusted individually and independently of the pressure on the first ferrule. The pressure from the ferrules also hold the press-fit seals in sealing contact.

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Pleasant Gap, PA, United States of America

Richard A Morehead