Apparatus for the preparation of fluid samples

Claim 1

IN BLOOD GAS MEASURING APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A RESERVOIR OF GAS RELEASING REAGENTS; MEANS FOR DEGASSING SAID GAS RELEASING AGENTS; A STORAGE CHAMBER FOR STORING A QUANTITY OF THE GAS RELEASING REAGENTS; A REACTION CAPSULE; A SAMPLING VALVE HAVING A FIXED VALVE BLOCK, A ROTOR VALVE MEMBER ON SAID BLOCK AND A TOP VALVE MEMBER ON SAID ROTOR VALVE MEMBER; SAID VALVE BLOCK HAVING A BORE COMMUNICATING WITH A DRAIN, A PAIR OF BORES COMMUNICATING WITH SAID STORAGE CHAMBER, AND A BORE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID RESERVOIR; SAID TOP VALVE MEMBER BEING AN INLET BORE RECEIVING A BLOOD SAMPLE AND A BORE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID REACTION CAPSULE; SAID ROTOR VALVE MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF CONTROLLING POSITIONS AND A PLURALITY OF COMMUNICATION BORES, ONE OF SAID COMMUNICATION BORES PERMITTING A FLOW OF THE BLOOD SAMPLE FROM SAID INLET BORE TO SAID DRAIN BORE AND ANOTHER OF SAID COMMUNICATION BORES PERMITTING A FLOW OF THE GAS RELEASING REAGENTS FROM SAID RESERVOIR THROUGH ONE OF SAID PAIR OF BORES TO SAID STORAGE CHAMBER WHEN SAID ROTOR VALVE MEMBER IS IN ONE CONTROLLING POSITION; THE SAID ONE COMMUNICATION BORE TRAPPING A VOLUME OF THE BLOOD SAMPLE THEREIN AS SAID ROTOR VALVE MEMBER IS ROTATED FROM SAID ONE CONTROLLING POSITION TO ANOTHER CONTROLLING POSITION, THE SAID ONE COMMUNICATION BORE PERMITTING A FLOW OF THE GAS RELEASING REAGENTS FROM SAID STORAGE CHAMBER TO SAID REACTION CAPSULE TOGETHER WITH THE VOLUME OF THE BLOOD SAMPLE WHEN SAID ROTOR VALVE MEMBER IS IN SAID ANOTHER CONTROLLING POSITION.