SE353399

1,257,338. Cutting-out apparatus. XEROX CORP. 18 Nov., 1969 [22 Nov., 1968], No. 56396/69. Heading B4B. [Also in Divisions B1, B8 and G2] A piston P stored in a rigid chamber 100 has a cavity 52 in its lower portion and a bevelled cutting edge 60 which on application of pressure to the upper part of the piston shears a layer 92 of plastics material so allowing a reagent tablet T to fall into compartment 104 for use in analysis (see Divisions B1-B2). The bevel may be outward or inward in the upward direction, and may be formed on only part of the lower periphery of the piston, the remainder of the periphery being blunt and incapable of shearing layer 92 (Fig. 9, not shown). Chamber 100 may be of polystyrene or polyvinylchloride and the piston may be sealed into the chamber by means of a shearable membrane across the top of the chamber or using hot wax as sealant.