US1759444A - Sample thief - Google Patents

Description

Patented May 20, 1.93()

UNITED STATES .P'ATENT WILLIAM D. DUNN, oF ELIZABETH, AND ROBERT JEFFERYS, or CARTERET, NEW JER` SEY; SAID DUNN ASSIGNOR TO RETTA VI-IAR/RIET DUNN, OF ELIZABETH, NEW

' JERSEY SAMPLE THIEF Application mea 'February 5, 1929. serial'No. 337,574.

This invention relates to a novelsample thief, i. e. a'device adapted to obtain a sample (laf liquid from a container at any desired leve .f f

yThis invention has for an object to provide a samplethief which will overcome the defects and undesirable features of previous devices and which positively will take a true sample at any desired elevation. Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this nature adapted to be lowered into a tank or othercontainer by a cord, which is completelyr closed during its descent in the liquid,.and which is adapted .15 to be opened by the same cord which supports the device.

A further object` is to provide a normally closed sample-thief whichmay be supported vandiopened by a single cord'andwhich lis .izo adapted to obtain a sample at any'desired elevation in the tank orl ,to pickup a sample f from. the very ybottom of the tank, such for example as to indicate whether, and khow much, water may be present in the bottom ,g5 of an oil tank.

' Other Aobjects 'and advantages will be in part indicated in' the following ydescription and in part rendered apparenttherefrom in connectionwith the annexed drawings.

yTo enable others skilled in the art so fully to apprehend the underlying features hereof that, they mayy embody the same in the various ways contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred typical construction have been anneXedas a part of this disclosure and, in such drawings, like characters of ,reference denote corresponding partsthroughout all the views, of which Figure 1 is a central vertical section through the improved sample thief, showin the main valve, which controls the How of fluid into the device and also the bottom valve in their closed positions. Fig. 2'is a similar view showing both the m'ain valve and the bottom valve in their open positions. Fig. 3 is a section lon theline 3,'-3 of Fig. V1.

Referring more specifically to the draw,- ings the improved samplethief is disclosed as comprising a closedchamber providediby, 5u a tubular body `member l and upper and lower end caps 2 and 3. The endv capl 2 oil or other liquidinto which the device has" been lowered. The valve 5is normally maintained.v in the position shown in Fig. l by kmeans of spring elements 6 secured to the end cap 2 and engaging the conical portion 7 of the valve-stem. A single cord 8 secured to the upper end of the valve-stem serves to support the sample thief and also to open the valve atthe desired depth as later will be described.

To thelower end of the valve stem there is secured a cross arm or spider 9 within which is iixed two pins l0,V adapted, as shown in Fig'. 2, to engage the inner wall of the cap 2`and thereby llimit the axial movement of the valve. It is to be understood that the device is made of such weight and propor-vr tions thatit will sink withinthe liquid dey sired to' be' sampled, while `filled with air.

:The loperation of the improved sample thief when taking samples at various elevations is as follows; the device filled with air, and with the valve 5 closed, as shown in Fig. l, is lowered into liquid held within a tank or other container. y,W'hen Vthe `device has yreached the elevation at which the sample is desired,` asT may be indicated by suitable graduations on the cord 8, theoperator gives the cord a jerk. This causes the conical por-y g y vtion 7 of the valve-stem to spread the spring sof"Y elements 6 so thatthe valve may bemoved axiallyrelative tothe body of the, device to the position shown in Fig. 2. Air within the device then escapes through the port 4 and the liquid 'at the elevation ofthe portv flows vinto the receptacle completely filling it. The device, with its sample, is then raised by the cord 8 and atrue sample at a, prede-v termined elevation in the tank is available.

Where it is desired to take samples from the bottom of 'a tank the device is provided.

at its lower end with a second valve 11. This valve comprises a casing 12 secured to the end cap 3 and adording a seat for a springpressed plunger 13 having its end 13'DI pro*v jectingv through' the Vend cap and adapted to Vengage thebottomofthe tank. As shown in Fig. 2, Contact of the end 13a withgthe bottom ofthe tank causes thelplunger to ,be forced upwardly against'the action of the spring 14 and liquid from the bottom of the tank flows upwardly about the reducedend 13a and through holes 15 in the casing 12 into the body member. vA cap16 may be threaded L upon` the member 12 to afford 4an abutment Vforgthespring 14 and to guide the plunger 18.y When taking a sample from the bottom of atank ,the operator lowers the device until he feels it rest upon Vthe bottom of the tank. Thisfof course opens the valve 11 but liquid may ,not iow intotlie device because it is then filled with air. ,The operator then raises the Vdevice slightly from the bottom of the,

tank and jerks the cordy 8 thereby vopening the port 4 as previously described. He im-v mediately lowers the cord ,8 until the device again rests onthe bottom of the tank. As the air :escapes through the port 4 liquid enters throughthe then openvalve 11.` Should One of the principal' purposes taking'k afbottom sample is to ascertainwhether any vr,Water exists in an .oil tank and if so Vthe amount of water therein. The present device performs this task admirably wellasit'takes the sample directly from the bottom of the tank and will indicate thepresence of as littlefas 1% inch of Water. Obviously when the valves are open the water inthe tank .will seek itslevel within the device and therefore a sample taken `from the bottom will indicate whether, and to what depth, water is present in the tankf; A glass window 17 is preferably provided in one side of the body member 1 through which the elevation ofthewater therein may be observed...

Throughout the specification the term cordr7 has been used to define the supporting means for the, casing.f4 It is to be underf stood that this'term is intended to cover all forms`r of flexible or semi-flexible elements such for example as cables, Wires, chains, etc., Vas distinguished from .a pole, rod or other rigid element.

Having thus described our invention what We claim and desire to secure'by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is: Y

1. A sample thief comprising a normally closed casing Yadapted to be lowered into liquid; Ya oord supporting said casing; and

means actuated by said cord to open said cas- Y ing atany desired eleva-tion.V Y Y 2. A sample thief Vcomprising a casing adapted to be lowered into liquid; aVA port in said casing; a valve normally closing .said port; yielding means maintaining said valve in port-closing position; and Va singleV cord at, tachedto said valve and serving lbothfo. supi port said casing and to actuatesaid valve tok open said port at any desired elevation inI Vsaidv liquid;V

3. vAsamplethief combining a normally closed casing adapted to be lowered into liquidgan'intake port'infsaid casing; ,a valve normally closing saidport,V saidvalve coin:

pri'sing a member shiftableV axially; relative tosaid casing and affording a portion;of a

size and shape to close said port {yielding deso Y tent `means.actingupon said valve to maintain said'portion in4 port-closing position ;v a sm-` `f gle cord, connectedwith said valve and serv- 7 ing through said detent'means to supportsaid casing and to shift said valve axially Vrelative to said'casing thereby to move :said portion away from said port to afford ingress for liquid; and means to support .said casing on said valve member vin its shifted position;

4.. A sample.thiefcombininga liquid tight casing adapted to be lowered into liquidyan'` intake port in said casingg'avvalve-normally closing said port, said valve comprising a membershiftable axially of saidcasing and affording one portion ofa shape and*V size tion ofreducedv size; friction ineansacting upon said valve to maintain thejfirst named portion in port-closing .position and thereduced portion withinsaid casing; a single?! cordfconnected with 'said 'valve and adapted to vsupport saidcasing and by means of a jerk to overcome said friction means and shift Y Y AT adapted to close said port andanother por- I said valve axiallythereby tok put the reduced Y portion thereof Vin said port to aifordingress for liquid; and-means to limit the relative axial movement betweenthe casing and' valve 5. A sample thief as setg'foith. in claim which theshiftable Vvalve member is formed with a'conical portionand spring elements carried by the casing frictional-ly engage the conical portion to supportthe weight of the casing onA said valve member,` and in'-'.which Y said frictional engagementisadapted tobeV overcome byla jerkon the supporting cord. 1

f 6. A sample thief-as set vfortliin claim Y4 in: 'i

cured elements adafitedY toeng'age any inner Wall ofthe closed casing to limitV the relative vaxial movement between the casingfand' the Which-the reduced iniier'rend of thevalve .member carries a' memberv to -wliichfare'fse'rvalvemember, thereby to'y position the `re, f

duced portion ofthe valve in tlierintakeV port to kafford an ingress for liquid,

7. A sample thief combining a normally closed casing; a port in the upper end thereof; a valve normally closing said'port; a single cord connected With said valve and adapted to perform the dual function of supporting said casing and actuating said valve; a

port in the lower end of said casing; and a valve normally closing the last named port,

the last named valve comprising a spring re-V sisted member projecting from said. casing and adapted to be shifted to port-openingy position by contact With the bottom of a container. Y

8. A sample thief adapted to take a sample from the bottom of a container comprising av liquid tight casing adaptedto be lowered into liquid vvhile'filled with air; an intake port in the bottom of said casing; a valve normallyfclosing said port,` said valve having a portion adapted-bycontact With the bottom of a container to open said port;

an air exhaust port in the upper end of said casing; a slide valve normally closing the last named port; detent means normally act.

ing to maintain said slide valve in port-closing position; a cord connected with said slide valve and adapted by a jerk to overcome said detent means thereby to open said upper port; and means positively to support said casing on said slide valve.

In Witness whereof, We have hereuntosubscribed our names.

WILLIAM D. DUNN. ROBERT J EFFERYS,

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