Latch system for closed container sampling piercing station

摘要

The invention relates to an apparatus for piercing container caps, having means for moving a blade (100) to pierce a cap of a container, and a latch assembly (12) for latching a device to prevent said container from being moved by friction with said blade (100) when said blade is being withdrawn from a pierced cap (9), wherein said latch assembly (12) comprises: a trigger (18) movable between a latching position when said piercing blade (100) is being withdrawn from said pierced cap (9) and an unlatched position after said piercing blade (100) has been withdrawn from said pierced cap (9), and an actuator (19) having teeth (22), wherein said actuator (19) is engaged with said trigger (18) and having locking means (24), such that when said trigger (18) moves to said latching position, said actuator (19) causes its teeth (22) matingly locked with fixed complementary teeth (23) to latch said alignment assembly (8), and when said trigger (18) moves to said unlatched position, said actuator (19) causes its teeth (22) to unlock from said fixed complementary teeth (23) to unlatch said alignment assembly (8).