Apparatus for transferring sample holders relative to a movable magazine

Abstract

Plural sample container holders, each of which is capable of carrying a plurality of sample containers, are carried in a box-like magazine. The sample handling system, has an incrementably operable first conveyor that conveys the loaded magazines. Intersecting the first conveyor at a given location is a second incrementably operable conveyor which is adapted to access, i.e. withdraw and insert holders, through an access of the magazine and to convey withdrawn holders to and from a sample work station and back to the given location. The second conveyor carries a protruding member which co-acts with a cooperative engageable member carried by each holder. When the holders are being carried by the magazine, their respective cooperative engageable members are in alignment, the magazine being adapted to expose the so aligned cooperative members of the holders. This provides the holder-loaded magazine to be in a non-obstructing relationship with the protruding member means when the latter is at rest in its home position at the given location while the magazine is being conveyed by the first conveyor about the given location. Registration means are also disclosed which keep the loaded magazine while being conveyed by the first conveyor in a predetermined registration so as to further enhance the maintainability of the aforementioned non-obstructing relationship.