Sampling valve for drawing samples from tanks containing easily contaminated liquids

Claim 1

A sampling valve for drawing sterile samples, from vessels containing liquids that are easily contaminated, comprising, a valve housing with a side to be flushly attached to one of said vessels, said side containing a conical valve seat, said housing defining a bore aligned with said valve seat, a valve unit in said bore having a spindle with a resilient body at one end thereof cooperable with said valve seat, said resilient body having a first part in sealing engagement with said bore and a second part of lesser diameter cooperable with said valve seat, a section of said housing including two externally accessible passages which are inclined relative to said bore and have axes which intersect at the center of said valve seat, said valve body second part being the part that closes said valve seat, said first part of said valve body and parts of said section which connect said two passages cooperating when said valve seat is closed to form an annular passage interconnecting said two externally accessible passages, said valve body second part being piercable, when said valve seat is closed, by a hypodermic needle first extending through either of said two externally accessible passages and thereafter through said annular passage.