Apparatus for extracting a liquid sample at various depths of a liquid stream

Claim 2

Apparatus for taking a sample from a liquid stream, comprising: a rigid mounting frame, an elongated hollow tube attached to said frame in a manner to be slidable with respect thereto in a direction along the length of the tube from a rest position to an extended position away from said frame, whereby said frame may be oriented above a stream from which a sample is to be taken and the tube is oriented vertically for extending from its rest position above the stream to its extended position through the stream for taking a sample therefrom, an inlet opening on a side of the tube near its lower end for permitting sample liquid to flow into and be collected within said tube as the tube descends into a liquid stream, a discharge opening on said tube near its upper end for removing a collected liquid sample therefrom, a plunger within said tube normally and sealably held by the tube at its bottom below said inlet opening, means on said frame for controllably moving said tube in a direction along its length from its rest position to its extended position, means on said frame for controllably advancing the plunger along the hollow tube while the tube is in its extended position, thereby to discharge said collected liquid sample from within the tube through said discharge opening near the top of the tube, means for sensing when the tube moving means has advanced the tube to its said extended position, control means responsive to said tube extended position sensing means for stopping said tube moving means when the tube reaches its said extended position, and control means for beginning to operate said plunger advancing means when the tube reaches its said extended position.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 which additionally comprises: means for sensing when said plunger reaches the top of said hollow tube, and means responsive to said plunger sensing means for reversing the direction of motion of said tube moving means when said plunger reaches the top of said hollow tube, thereby to return said tube from its extended position on said frame to its rest position.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 which additionally comprises means on said frame for returning the plunger to its normally held position adjacent the bottom end of said hollow tube during the time that the hollow tube is pulled from its extended position back to its rest position.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 which additionally comprises: a second plunger within said tube normally and sealably held by the tube near its bottom above said inlet, and control means for advancing said second plunger along the tube as said tube inlet descends into the liquid stream, thereby to act as a pump for drawing sample liquid into the tube inlet.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 which additionally comprises: means for sensing when the tube inlet first reaches a top surface of the liquid stream as the tube is being moved from its rest to its extended position, and control means responsive to the liquid surface sensing means for initiating operation of said second plunger advancing means.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said second plunger advancing control means includes means for varying the speed of said second plunger relative to the tube according to a predetermined function of the position of said tube relative to the frame as said tube moves from its rest to its extended positions.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said liquid surface sensing means includes a pair of electrical terminals spaced a finite distance apart and held adjacent the lower end of said tube, whereby an electrical circuit is completed between said electrical terminals when they become submersed in the liquid stream and an indication is thus obtained when the lower end of said tube becomes submersed in liquid.

Claim 9

Apparatus for taking a sample from a liquid stream, comprising: a rigid mounting frame, an elongated hollow tube attached to said frame in a manner to be slidable with respect thereto in a direction along the length of the tube from a rest position to an extended position away from said frame, whereby said frame may be oriented above a stream from which a sample is to be taken and the tube is oriented vertically for extending from its rest position above the stream to its extended position through the stream for taking a sample therefrom, an inlet opening on a side of the tube near its lower end for permitting sample liquid to flow into and be collected within said tube as the tube descends into a liquid stream, a discharge opening on said tube neaR its upper end for removing a collected liquid sample therefrom, a first plunger within said tube normally held by the tube at its bottom below said inlet opening, means on said frame for moving said tube in a direction along its length from its rest position to its extended position, means on said frame for advancing the first plunger along the hollow tube while the tube is in its extended position, thereby to discharge said collected liquid sample from within the tube through said discharge opening near the top of the tube, a second plunger within said tube normally held by the tube near its bottom above said inlet, and control means on said frame independent of said first plunger advancing means and selectively operable upon said tube contacting said liquid stream for advancing said second plunger along the tube simultaneously with movement of the tube through the liquid stream toward its extended position, thereby to act as a pump for drawing sample liquid into the tube inlet.

Claim 10

Apparatus for taking a sample from a liquid stream, comprising: a rigid mounting frame, an elongated hollow tube attached to said frame in a manner to be slidable with respect thereto in a direction along the length of the tube from a rest position to an extended position away from said frame, whereby said frame may be oriented above a stream from which a sample is to be taken and the tube is oriented vertically for extending from its rest position above the stream to its extended position through the stream for taking a sample therefrom, an inlet opening on a side of the tube near its lower end for permitting sample liquid to flow into and be collected within said tube as the tube descends into a liquid stream, a discharge opening on said tube neaR its upper end for removing a collected liquid sample therefrom, a first plunger within said tube normally held by the tube at its bottom below said inlet opening, means on said frame for moving said tube in a direction along its length from its rest position to its extended position, means on said frame for advancing the first plunger along the hollow tube while the tube is in its extended position, thereby to discharge said collected liquid sample from within the tube through said discharge opening near the top of the tube, a second plunger within said tube normally held by the tube near its bottom above said inlet, and control means on said frame independent of said first plunger advancing means and selectively operable upon said tube contacting said liquid stream for advancing said second plunger along the tube simultaneously with movement of the tube through the liquid stream toward its extended position, thereby to act as a pump for drawing sample liquid into the tube inlet.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said second plunger advancing means includes means for varying the speed of said second plunger relative to the tube according to a predetermined function of the position of said tube relative to the frame, said predetermined function being directly proportional to a product of liquid flow velocity and stream width as a function of height of a particular liquid stream conduit.

Claim 12

Apparatus for taking a sample from a liquid stream, comprising: a rigid mounting frame, an elongated hollow tube attached to said frame in a manner to be slidable with respect thereto in a direction along the length of the tube from a rest position to an extended position away from said frame, whereby said frame may be oriented above a stream from which a sample is to be taken and the tube is oriented vertically for extending from its rest position above the stream to its extended position through the stream for taking a sample therefrom, an inlet opening on a side of the tube near its lower end for permitting sample liquid to flow into and be collected within said tube as the tube descends into a liquid stream, a discharge opening on said tube near its upper end for removing a collected liquid sample therefrom, a first plunger within said tube normally and sealably held by the tube at its bottom below said inlet opening, a second plunger within said tube normally and sealably held by the tube at its bottom end but above the inlet opening, first motor means mounted on said frame for translating said tube from its rest position to its extended position, thereby traversing the tube inlet opening through a liquid stream for extracting a sample therefrom, second motor means operably connected to said first plunger for raising the first plunger within said tube, third motor means operably connected to said second plunger for raising the second plunger within said tube, and a control system which includes, means for sensing when the bottom end of said tube strikes an upper surface of the liquid stream from which a sample is to be extracted, means responsive to the water level surface sensing means to begin operating said third motor means to raise the second plunger within the tube to a first position above said discharge opening near the upper end of said tube, means sensing when the rising second plunger reaches a second position adjacent the lower edge of said discharge opening for initiating operation of said second motor means to raise the first plunger upward within the tube in order to force the sample therein out through said tube discharge opening, and means for sensing when said first plunger is positioned within said tube adjacent the lower edge of said discharge opening to begin operating said first motor means in a reverse direction to raise said tube from its extended position back to its rest position on said frame.

Claim 13

Apparatus for taking a sample from a liquid stream, comprising: a rigid mounting frame, an elongated hollow tube attached to said frame in a manner to be slidable with respect thereto in a direction along the length of the tube from a rest position to an extended position away from said frame, whereby said frame may be oriented above a stream from which a sample is to be taken and the tube is oriented vertically for extending from its rest position above the stream to its extended position through the stream for taking a sample therefrom, an inlet opening on a side of the tube near its lower end for permitting sample liquid to flow into and be collected within said tube as the tube descends into a liquid stream, a discharge opening on said tube near its upper end for removing a collected liquid sample therefrom, a first plunger within said tube normally and sealably held by the tube at its bottom below said inlet opening, a second plunger within said tube normally and sealably held by the tube at its bottom end but above the inlet opening, first motor means mounted on said frame for translating said tube from its rest position to its extended position, thereby traversing the tube inlet opening through a liquid stream for extracting a sample therefrom, second motor means operably connected to said first plunger for raising the first plunger within said tube, third motor means operably connected to said second plunger for raising the second plunger within said tube, and a control system which includes, means for sensing when the bottom end of said tube strikes an upper surface of the liquid stream from which a sample is to be extracted, means responsive to the water level surface sensing means to begin operating said third motor means to raise the second plunger within the tube to a first position above said discharge opening near the upper end of said tube, means sensing when the rising second plunger reaches a second position adjacent the lower edge of said discharge opening for initiating operation of said second motor means to raise the first plunger upward within the tube in order to force the sample therein out through said tube discharge opening, and means for sensing when said first plunger is positioned within said tube adjacent the lower edge of said discharge opening to begin operating said first motor means in a reverse direction to raise said tube from its extended position back to its rest position on said frame.

Claim 14

Apparatus for taking a liquid sample, comprising: a mounting frame, an elongated hollow sample tube attached to said frame in a manner to be slidable in a direction along the length of the tube with respect to said frame, an inlet opening on a side of the tube near its end that may be furthest removed from the frame, thereby permitting a liquid sample to flow therethrough into the tube, a discharge opening on the side of said tube near its other end that remains nearest said frame for removing the collected liquid from within the tube, a first plunger within said tube and attached by one end of a rod extending along the length of the tube and being concentric therewith, a second plunger within the tube and attached to one end of a second hollow tube that is positioned concentrically with said sample tube and surrounding the first plunger support rod, said second hollow tube being slidable with respect to said rod, and separate means for selectively providing relative motion between all of said sample tube, first plunger and second plunger elements for drawing liquid into said tube through its said inlet opening and discharging said liquid from the tube through its said discharge opening.

Claim 15

Apparatus for taking a liquid sample, comprising: a mounting frame, an elongated hollow sample tube attached to said frame in a manner to be slidable in a direction along the length of the tube with respect to said frame, an inlet opening on a side of the tube near its end that may be furthest removed from the frame, thereby permitting a liquid sample to flow therethrough into the tube, a discharge opening on the side of said tube near its other end that remains nearest said frame for removing the collected liquid from within the tube, a first plunger within said tube and attached by one end of a rod extending along the length of the tube and being concentric therewith, a second plunger within the tube and attached to one end of a second hollow tube that is positioned concentrically with said sample tube and surrounding the first plunger support rod, said second hollow tube being slidable with respect to said rod, and separate means for selectively providing relative motion between all of said sample tube, first plunger and second plunger elements for drawing liquid into said tube through its said inlet opening and discharging said liquid from the tube through its said discharge opening.

Claim 16

Apparatus for extracting a liquid sample from a liquid stream along a vertical line across a conduit in which said stream flows, comprising: an elongated hollow tube vertically oriented above the conduit for movement along said vertical line, said tube having an inlet opening at its bottom end for drawing said liquid sample therethrough, means for vertically translating said tube up and down in a direction along its length, thereby to traverse said conduit with said inlet opening along said vertical line, a plunger within said tube capable of moving vertically within the tube to draw controlled amounts of liquid from the stream within the conduit into the tube through its inlet opening, and control means operably connected to said plunger for moving the plunger upward within said tube while the tube inlet is moving downward through said stream, said control means including means for controlling the speed of said plunger relative to the tube according to a predetermined function of the height of the tube inlet within the conduit that is directly proportional to a product of liquid flow velocity and stream width as a function of height along said vertical line.

Claim 17

Apparatus for extracting a liquid sample from a liquid stream along a vertical line across a conduit in which said stream flows, comprising: an elongated hollow tube vertically oriented above the conduit for movement along said vertical line, said tube having an inlet opening at its bottom end for drawing said liquid sample therethrough, means for vertically translating said tube up and down in a direction along its length, thereby to traverse said conduit with said inlet opening along said vertical line, a plunger within said tube capable of moving vertically within the tube to draw controlled amounts of liquid from the stream within the conduit into the tube through its inlet opening, and control means operably connected to said plunger for moving the plunger upward within said tube while the tube inlet is moving downward through said stream, said control means including means for controlling the speed of said plunger relative to the tube according to a predetermined function of the height of the tube inlet within the conduit that is directly proportional to a product of liquid flow velocity and stream width as a function of height along said vertical line.

Claim 18

Apparatus for extracting a liquid sample from a liquid stream along a vertical line across a conduit in which said stream flows, comprising: an elongated hollow tube vertically oriented above the conduit for movement along said vertical line, said tube having an inlet opening at its bottom end for drawing said liquid sample therethrough, means for vertically translating said tube up and down in a direction along its length, thereby to traverse said conduit with said inlet opening along said vertical line, a first plunger normally and sealably held within said tube above its said inlet, said first plunger being capable of moving vertically within the tube to draw controlled amounts of liquid from the stream within the conduit into the tube through its inlet opening, control means responsive to movement of the tube inlet downward through the liquid stream for moving the first plunger upward within said tube at the same time the tube is lowered into said conduit along said vertical line, a second plunger normally and sealably held below the inlet opening of said tube, and control means independent of said first plunger moving means for moving the second plunger upward within the tube when the tube is substantially in its extended position in order to remove a liquid sample from the tube.

Claim 19

Apparatus for extracting a liquid sample from a liquid stream along a vertical line across a conduit in which said stream flows, comprising: an elongated hollow tube vertically oriented above the conduit for movement along said vertical line, said tube having an inlet opening at its bottom end for drawing said liquid sample therethrough, means for vertically translating said tube up and down in a direction along its length, thereby to traverse said conduit with said inlet opening along said vertical line, a first plunger normally and sealably held within said tube above its said inlet, said first plunger being capable of moving vertically within the tube to draw controlled amounts of liquid from the stream within the conduit into the tube through its inlet opening, control means responsive to movement of the tube inlet downward through the liquid stream for moving the first plunger upward within said tube at the same time the tube is lowered into said conduit along said vertical line, a second plunger normally and sealably held below the inlet opening of said tube, and control means independent of said first plunger moving means for moving the second plunger upward within the tube when the tube is substantially in its extended position in order to remove a liquid sample from the tube.