RICHARD L EARLE
Broker in Uxbridge, MA

5816701, Oct 6, 1998

Aug 2, 1996

8/691407

Arthur L. Martin - Holliston MA
Richard S. Earle - Uxbridge MA
Warren P. Kerr - Concord MA
James L. Martin - Holliston MA
Ronnie McDowell - Vauxhall NJ
C. Darryl Morgan - Morristown NJ

Source For Automation, Inc. - Holliston MA

G01N 138, B01F 100

366208

In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a dissolution vessel removably seated within an aluminum platen. The apparatus also includes an assembly for automatically measuring a desired volume of media, heating and degassing the volume of media and then dispensing the volume of media into the dissolution vessel. In addition, the apparatus includes a carousel having a plurality of compartments, the carousel being rotatably mounted on a stage, the stage being alignable with the vessel. According to one mode of operation, an open-top, cage-type basket is placed in one or more compartments of the carousel, each basket containing a tablet intended for dissolution. The apparatus additionally includes a shaft aligned with the vessel, the bottom end of the shaft being adapted to frictionally fit together with a basket. The shaft is rotatable and vertically movable so that it can fit together with a basket, pick the basket up out of the carousel, lower the basket into the vessel, rotate the basket within the media and remove the basket from the media. The apparatus further includes a catheter automatically movable in and out of the vessel for sampling the media at desired times, an automated mechanism for loading and replacing a depth filter on the input end of the catheter, an automated mechanism for removing the basket from the end of the shaft after testing has been completed and an automated mechanism for removing media from the vessel after testing has been completed.