automatic fraction collector
Date: circa 1965
Inventory Number: 1996-1-0465
Classification: Automatic Fraction Collector
Maker: AO Instrument Company, Warner Chilcott Laboratories (founded 1967)
User: Department of Geology and Geography, Harvard University ? (1890 - 1961)
Cultural Region:
Place of Origin:
City of Use:
Dimensions:
box: 27 × 78 × 48 cm (10 5/8 × 30 11/16 × 18 7/8 in.)
Accessories: Instruction manual (in instrument file); two plain face plates for the drop counting unit and two aluminum rods.,
Description:
The device consists of a dual-level metallic base with a leveling foot, painted with a matte-grey finish. On the lower level (the leveling foot), there are three sequentially-stacked grayish metal disks with holes in them (swivel vanes and a turntable spindle with thrust bearing), two tall vertical metal rods at the side, and a shorter horizontal one projecting from the lower end of the nearest rod (the swivel support rods/arms and funnel bracket) hovering right above the turntable. A complex, very fragile glass siphon with a funnel would be attached here, to fill the test tubes below. All that is now missing.
On the upper end, there is a control panel covered in a plastic dust cover with many switches. The control circuit has indexing motor assembly electrodes, a motor-drive wheel, a "self-operation plug," and built-in volumetric siphoning control.
The front side of the instrument contains several electrical connections, power and data plugs.
On the upper end, there is a control panel covered in a plastic dust cover with many switches. The control circuit has indexing motor assembly electrodes, a motor-drive wheel, a "self-operation plug," and built-in volumetric siphoning control.
The front side of the instrument contains several electrical connections, power and data plugs.
Signedon metal label: WARNER-CHILCOTT LABORATORIES INSTRUMENTS DIVISION/ MODEL 1205 E2;
on top of control panel: AO INSTRUMENT COMPANY/ ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENT DIV
on top of control panel: AO INSTRUMENT COMPANY/ ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENT DIV
FunctionThis fraction collector is part of a pioneering line of instrumentation that for the first time automated some of the most common routine tasks in the chemical laboratory. The most famous such instrument was the "Robot Chemist".
For the early history of the "Robot Chemist" see the Wikipedia page of its inventor Hans Baruch, here.
The WCLID 1205 Series Fraction collector wasmade by the AO Instrument Company, which had just been acquired by Warner Chilcott Labs, owner of the rights to the "Robot Chemist" line. It was designed to automate the process of collecting predetermined amounts of liquid samples.
According to its manual, although it was "primarily for use with chromatography columns," it could also be used for "fractionating liquids" in many other applications.
For the early history of the "Robot Chemist" see the Wikipedia page of its inventor Hans Baruch, here.
The WCLID 1205 Series Fraction collector wasmade by the AO Instrument Company, which had just been acquired by Warner Chilcott Labs, owner of the rights to the "Robot Chemist" line. It was designed to automate the process of collecting predetermined amounts of liquid samples.
According to its manual, although it was "primarily for use with chromatography columns," it could also be used for "fractionating liquids" in many other applications.
ProvenanceProfessor Ray Siever, Department of Geology, Harvard.