An apparatus for blood analysis to determine the rate of corpuscle sedimentation. The apparatus has a first support (1) with several graduated tubes (4) open at both ends and held vertically in spaced relation on the first support. The tubes (4) have enlarged lower ends (4b) which can diverge. A second support (2) has blood sample containers (13) of larger diameter than the vertical tubes on the first support. The containers (13) are spaced apart on the said second support, the same distance as the tubes on the first support so the containers are respectively, vertically below the tubes. Sealing and flow inducing members engage in the diverging lower ends (4b) of the respective tubes. The support means (1, 2) are movable with respect to each other between a first position in which the tubes are vertically above the containers, and a second position in which the lower ends of the tubes are immersed in the containers. The sealing and flow inducing members are mounted on the first support for simultaneous movement between a lower position away from the tubes and an upper position engaging within the enlarged ends of the tubes. The movement of the sealing members into engagement with the interior of the tubes causes a predetermined quantity of blood to be forced upwardly into the smaller diameter graduated portions of each tube to permit determining the sedimentation rates of the different samples.

A hygienic and contamination-free transfer of blood or corresponding fluids from a cylindrical collecting container, such as a test tube, to a pipette is most desirable for instance at determination of the sedimentation rate of the blood corpuscles; the invention concerns a device for accomplishing such a transfer comprising in combination a tube formed pipette of a compressible, transparent material, a cylindrical body designed to cooperate with the interior of the container as a piston/cylinder arrangement; the cylindrical body being provided at one end of the tube and having an axial through hole adapted to allow communication between the tube and the container.

Apparatus for determining sedimentation rates including a first support means having a plurality of tubes, held vertically and spaced, and a second support means having a plurality of tubes, of larger diameter than the tubes mounted on the first support means, and each able to receive a blood sample, the tubes being vertical and spaced on the said second support means, and a single suction device mounted at the upper end of the first support means, the support means being movable with respect to each other between a first position in which the tubes of the first support means are separated from the tubes of the second support means, a second position in which the lower ends of the tubes of the first support means dip into the tubes of the second support means, and a third position in which the sedimentation of the red blood corpuscles takes place. The apparatus includes tubular elastic sleeves mounted on the lower ends of the tubes on the first support and means are provided in the tubes on the second support for deforming the tubular elastic sleeves to seal the lower ends of the tubes on the first support when said support means are in the third position.