| 摘要 |
An apparatus and method for detecting leaks at a fast rate in plastic bottles or similar containers wherein the bottles are secured in a multiplicity of open pocket members and arranged in a plurality of rows on a rotatable turret. A detecting gas is introduced into the bottles and they are subsequently moved to a detecting station where a detection means in the form of a mass spectrometer is activated by any gas leaking from the bottles. In a preferred manner, air is utilized to effect a sweeping action over the bottle exterior to move the detecting gas in the direction of the mass spectrometer. Air is also utilized to purge detecting gas from the pockets and air with vacuum to purge the bottles so that a rapid detecting system can be effected. The preferred gas used as the detecting media is helium and the bottles described are of the semirigid, plastic type which are used to contain sterile liquids. Such bottles can have holes small enough so the liquid will not leak out, but large enough to admit bacteria or other contaminates which would thus make the solutions nonsterile. In order to reach high capacity rates, the rotating turret constitutes a multiplicity of wheels having a multiplicity of pockets each which index through a sequence of different positions. Preferably, the rotating turret is composed of six wheels having twelve pockets each which index through twelve different positions.
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