Liquid analysis apparatus with closed flow cell

Claim 1

IN A SYSTEM OF LIQUID TREATMENT AND ANALYSIS IN WHICH THE LIQUID IS TRANSMITTED IN THE FORM OF A STREAM AND IS TREATED WHILE IN TRANSIT FOR ANALYSIS, SAIS SYSTEM INCLUDING TUBULAR MEANS THROUGH WHICH SAID STREAM FLOWS, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING AN INERT SEPARABLE FLUID INTO SAID LIQUID STREAM IN SAID TUBULAR MEANS TO DIVIDE SAID LIQUID STREAM INTO A SEGMENTED STREAM COMPRISED OF A SERIES OF LIQUID SEGMENTS SEPARATED BY INTERVENING SEGMENTSSAID INERT FLUID; A FLOW CELL COMPRISING A CLOSED TUBULAR CHAMBER HAVING A PERIPHERAL WALL PROVIDED WITH A LIQUID INLET TO RECEIVE LIQUID FROM SAID TUBULAR MEANS AND WITH A LIQUID OUTLET AND OTHERWISE CLOSED TO THE PASSAGE OF FLUID, SAID OUTLET BEING SPACED FROM SAID INLET AS MEASURED ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID CHAMBER COMPRISING A HOLLOW CYLINDER HAVING OPPOSITE END WALLS PERMEABLE TO THE PASSAGE OF LIGHT THERETHROUGH FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF LIGHT THROUGH THE LIQUID IN SAID CELL TO COLORIMETRICALLY EXAMINE THE LIQUID IN SAID CHAMBER OF SAID FLOW CELL, SAID OPPOSITE END WALLS CLOSING SAID CYLINDER EXCEPT FOR SAID INLET AND OUTLET, MEANS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID TUBULAR MEANS AT A POINT UPSTREAM OF SAID FLOW CELL FOR REMOVING SAID INERT FLUID SEGMENTS FROM SAID SEGMENTED STREAM DURING THE FLOW THEREOF AND PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF SAID LIQUID INTO SAID FLOW CELL, AND TUBULAR LIQUID BLENDER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID LIQUID INLET OF THE FLOW CELL AND TO SAID TUBULAR MEANS DOWNSTREAM FROM SAID POINT OF FLUID REMOVAL FOR BLENDING SAID LIQUID SEGMENTS TOGETHER AFTER THE REMOVAL OF SAID FLUID SEGMENTS TO FORM A CONSOLIDATED LIQUID STREAM WHICH FLOWS INTO SAID INLET OF THE FLOW CELL.