Mounting for New Safety Door for Perkin-Elmer Model 303 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer

Abstract

The Perkin-Elmer model 303 atomic absorption spectrophotometer is one of the more popular instruments of this type in use in this country. When the manufacturer recently began marketing its latest version of the instrument (the model 403), a number of improvements were included which are not readily added to the older model 303. Among these is a new semitransparent, hinged, detachable, front safety door which is mounted between the operator and the burner. This device is intended to protect the operator from burner glare, heat, and possibly a flashback, while allowing him to see the flame. The danger of flashbacks can also be minimized with the use of an aspirator retrofit kit sold by Perkin-Elmer. It was found, though, that by removing the semicircular metal rear shield from the sample space, and fabricating a new shield, the safety door sold with the model 403 instrument can be mounted on the model 303.