A modular stand apparatus offers safe and effective setup of laboratory experiments. The apparatus allows a user to couple vertical rods to a first plate. A second plate, parallel to the first plate and vertically translating up and down the vertical rods, permits the user of any height to utilize the apparatus and the placement of an extraneous rigging such as jack, scale, etc. A plurality of horizontal rods including hypotenuse and adjacent rods detachably couples with the vertical rods and permits the placement of extraneous rigging. The horizontal rods replace monkey bars in conventional systems so that the user does not have to lean or stretch hands/arms inside a fume hood, thus eliminating potential unsafe operations and/or physical injuries. Due to the use of a larger and more stable surface of the second plate over the extraneous rigging, the apparatus eliminates possible toppling over and/or system collapsing.

A tube holder assembly includes a base plate, an attachment plate, and an optional securing element. The base plate may include guides into which protrusions of the attachment plate slide to alter the positioning apparatus from an open position to a closed position. The base plate also includes receivers to receive tubular members, which have their movement restrained by the receivers and the securing elements in the closed position. The tube holder assembly may also include a latch to help maintain the closed position during operation.

A positioning apparatus for restraining an object includes a base plate, an attachment plate, and a securing element. The base plate may include guides into which protrusions of the attachment plate slide to alter the positioning apparatus from an open position to a closed position. The base plate also includes receivers to receive tubular members, which have their movement restrained by the receivers and the securing elements in the closed position. The positioning apparatus may also include a latch to help maintain the closed position during operation.

A flask stand is configured to support a flask and includes a base ring and a plurality of legs. The base ring is configured to support a lower portion of the flask. Each leg is secured to the base ring and extends outward from the base ring. Each leg includes a body, a lattice, and an elastomeric foot. The body includes a first end portion that is secured to the base ring with the foot portion being opposite the first end portion. The lattice is formed within the foot portion and includes a plurality of members that form an open-mesh frame that defines a plurality of voids between adjacent members of the frame. The elastomeric foot is formed of an elastomer and is disposed about the lattice and within the voids of the lattice. The foot is configured to engage a surface to support the body relative to the surface.

Disclosed herein are flask clamps that capture and firmly hold flasks or vessels of various shapes, enclosing the sidewall of the flask or vessel in a trap or loops. The trap relatively conforms to the profile of the perimeter of the vessel and are spring loaded in the upward direction in order to rise upward along the sides of the vessel. The loops pivot relative to the bottom of the flask creating an arc motion that tightens against the sidewall as it rises. The loaded loops are in tension against the flask, and the multiplicity of loops hold vessels in tension with opposing forces.

A flask stand is configured to support a flask and includes a base ring and a plurality of legs. The base ring is configured to support a lower portion of the flask. Each leg is secured to the base ring and extends outward from the base ring. Each leg includes a body, a lattice, and an elastomeric foot. The body includes a first end portion that is secured to the base ring with the foot portion being opposite the first end portion. The lattice is formed within the foot portion and includes a plurality of members that form an open-mesh frame that defines a plurality of voids between adjacent members of the frame. The elastomeric foot is formed of an elastomer and is disposed about the lattice and within the voids of the lattice. The foot is configured to engage a surface to support the body relative to the surface.

A composite article includes a lattice and an elastomeric section. The lattice includes a plurality of members that form an open-mesh frame defining a plurality of voids between the adjacent members of the frame. The elastomeric section is formed of an elastomer that is disposed about the lattice and within the voids of the lattice. The composite article may be a circular gasket, a gasket with a grip, a rectangular gasket, a vessel cap, a flask stand, and a handle for a hand tool.

A positioning apparatus for restraining an object includes a base plate, an attachment plate, and a securing element. The base plate may include guides into which protrusions of the attachment plate slide to alter the positioning apparatus from an open position to a closed position. The base plate also includes receivers to receive tubular members, which have their movement restrained by the receivers and the securing elements in the closed position. The positioning apparatus may also include a latch to help maintain the closed position during operation.

An arrangement for preparation of a distillation measurement of a liquid includes a heater and a traversing system. The heater supports a perforated plate selected from a group of standardized perforated plates which further supports a container containing the liquid. The heater is enabled and controlled during the performance of a standardized test for determining evaporation properties of the liquid. The traversing system is adapted to traverse the heater and to interrupt a further traversing of the heater, if a pressure force of the perforated plate put onto the heater against the container reaches a threshold value.