SAMPLE INJECTOR FOR LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPH

1 . Sample injection apparatus comprising:

a sample container;

said sample container containing a communication tube shaped and sized to communicate with the inlet of a liquid chromatographic column; and

said sample container being sized and shaped to receive at least a preparatory-sized sample.

2 . Sample injection apparatus comprising:

a sample container;

a syringe pump;

a tubular connector;

said tubular connector communicating between the syringe pump and sample container wherein the syringe pump pulls sample from the sample container;

a liquid chromatographic column;

said syringe pump being in communication with the input to the liquid chromatographic column wherein the syringe pump may apply sample to the inlet of the liquid chromatographic column;

said sample container containing a communication tube shaped and sized to communicate with the top of a liquid chromatographic column; and

said sample container being sized and shaped to receive an adequate sample for preparatory chromatography.

3 . A method of injecting a preparatory-sized sample into a liquid chromatographic column, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a sample container with a preparatory-sized sample in the sample container, wherein the sample container contains a communication tube shaped and sized to communicate with the top of a liquid chromatographic column;

supplying the preparatory-sized sample to the column; and

supplying a mobile phase eluent to the column to obtain a eluate at the column outlet.

4 . A method of injecting a preparatory sized sample into a liquid chromatographic column, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a sample container with a preparatory-sized sample in the sample container, drawing the preparatory sized sample through a tubular connector from the sample container into a syringe and injecting the preparatory sized sample into the column with the syringe; into the column;

the step of applying said solvent into said sample holder including the step of applying solvent through a straight path through said valve into the column, whereby blockage of the valve by sample is avoided;

of rotating a valve element in the valve having a straight smooth passageway through it until an end of the smooth straight passageway is in communication with a sample cartridge and the other end is in communication with the column;

pouring the sample into a container directly connected to the inlet of a piston pump; and

pumping the sample from the container into the column.

5 . A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the sample is poured from a flask into a container above the pump inlet.

6 . A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the sample is poured into a syringe barrel.

7 . A method of performing preparatory chromatography comprising placing a preparatory-sized sample in a sample holder;

applying solvent through said sample holder and through a valve into a column, whereby said sample is injected into said column; and

the step of applying said solvent into said sample holder including the step of applying solvent through a straight path through said valve into the column, whereby blockage of the valve by sample is avoided.

8 . A method of performing preparatory chromatography in accordance with claim 5 in which the step of applying solvent through said sample holder and through a valve into a column, includes the substep of rotating a valve element in the valve having a straight smooth passageway through it until an end of the smooth straight passageway is in communication with a sample cartridge and the other end is in communication with the column.

9 . A method of introducing sample into a preparatory liquid chromatographic column, comprising the steps of:

obtaining the sample;

pouring the sample into a container directly connected to the inlet of a piston pump; and

pumping the sample from the container into the column.