Measuring and testing – Sampler – sample handling – etc. – Withdrawing through conduit or receptacle wall
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-08
2004-09-21
Kwok, Helen (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Sampler, sample handling, etc.
Withdrawing through conduit or receptacle wall
C073S863820, C073S863850
Reexamination Certificate
active
06792818
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus for extracting samples of liquid from flow lines or vessels.
Certain manufacturing operations require that the immediate or overall composition of a liquid product flowing through a pipe or contained within a vessel or tank be monitored. Such monitoring may be accomplished using a sampling apparatus to take samples of product from a main body of the product. Where a composite sample of the product is required, the sampler is operated periodically to withdraw a series of small, measured amounts of the product at a sampling point, which individual samples are collected and mixed to form a composite sample representative of the total volume of product. If the immediate composition of the product is to be determined, individual samples are not collected and mixed, but are analyzed separately.
Four exemplary types of sampling apparatus of a type contemplated by the prior art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,147,062, 4,262,553, 4,475,410 and 4,744,255, issued to Ben E. Jaeger, the present inventor, and the teachings of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Sampling apparatus of the type disclosed in said patents is attached to an access line to a pipe or vessel containing liquid product. The samplers have a plunger that can be extended through the access line to project a sample receiving recess in the plunger into the main body of product in the pipe or vessel for receiving a product sample in the recess. The plunger is then retracted to move and deliver the product sample in the recess to a collection point in the sampler.
A disadvantage of the samplers of said patents is that they are always directly coupled through the access line with the interior of the pipe or vessel. The samplers therefore cannot be disconnected from the access line for replacement, repair or maintenance without first interrupting the presence of product in the pipe or vessel in the vicinity of the access line, since otherwise removal of the sampler from the access line would result in an uncontrolled outflow of liquid product through the access line.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,732, issued Dec. 16, 1986 and the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, teaches a connecting device for coupling a passive measuring instrument to a process having a parameter to be measured. The parameter may comprise temperature, density, pH value, consistency or some other characteristic of the process. The connecting device has a valve member through which a bore extends, and the valve member is movable between positions placing the bore into and taking the bore out of communication with the process. The measuring instrument connects to and is received within the valve bore. When the valve is positioned to place the bore into communication with the process, the measuring instrument can be extended through the bore and into the process to measure the parameter of the process. To replace or repair the measuring instrument, it is retracted from the process and the valve is moved to the position taking its bore out of communication with the process. The measuring instrument can then be disconnected from the valve member and removed from the valve bore without escape of process through and out of the bore. However, while the apparatus of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,732 permits a parameter of a process to be measured, it does not accommodate removal of a sample of the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,213, issued May 18, 1999 to the present inventor and the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of prior art samplers. According to this patent, principal components of a sampler for a liquid product can be disconnected from communication with an access line to the product without resulting in an uncontrolled outflow of liquid product through the access line. A forward end of a sampler housing is coupled to a movable valve for movement with the valve, and the housing and valve have axially aligned bores. Movement of the valve places the forward end of its bore into and out of communication with an opening in the access line leading to the interior of a vessel containing the liquid product. A plunger in the housing bore has a sample receiving recess intermediate its ends, and with the forward end of the valve bore placed into communication with the interior of the vessel, the plunger is reciprocated forward in the housing and valve bores to project the recess into the vessel to receive a product sample therein. The plunger is then reciprocated rearward to retract the product sample containing recess from the vessel and through the valve and housing bores to a sample collection point in the housing. Should the sampler require repair or replacement, the valve is moved to place the forward end of the valve bore out of communication with the vessel interior, whereupon the sampler housing can be disconnected from the valve without outflow of liquid product from the vessel through the valve bore. A disadvantage of the arrangement is that the entirety of the sampler moves conjointly with movement of the valve between its open and closed positions, so a relatively large unobstructed area must be provided around the sampler to accommodate such movement, which limits freedom of location of the sampling apparatus. In addition, to accommodate mounting of the sampler housing on the valve, the valve must be relatively large to accommodate connection of the sampler housing to it, resulting in increased manufacturing costs.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid sampler that can be removed from connection with a pipe or vessel carrying a liquid product to be sampled, without disturbing the product in the pipe or vessel.
Another object is to provide such a sampler that includes a valve that can be opened to place principal components of the sampler into communication with product in the line to permit the sampler to obtain one or more discrete samples of the product from the line.
A further object is to provide such a sampler in which the valve can be closed to place principal components of the sampler out of communication with product in the line to permit the components to be removed for service, repair or replacement without disturbing the product in the line or resulting in an uncontrolled outflow of product from the line.
Yet another object is to provide such a sampler in which the valve, when placing the sampler principal components into communication with the product in the line, accommodates extension of a sampling recess in a sampler plunger through a bore in the valve and into the product for receiving in the recess a product sample of measured volume for removal to a remote sampling point.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a sampling apparatus comprises a sampler that is operable to obtain discrete samples of liquid from a body of liquid in a vessel, and a connecting device for coupling the sampler to the vessel at an aperture to the vessel. The sampler is attached to the connecting device, and the connecting device is operable between a first position placing the sampler into communication with the liquid in the vessel through the aperture, and a second position taking the liquid sampler out of communication with the aperture and the liquid in the vessel. When the connecting device is in the second position, the sampler can be detached from the connecting device for service or replacement without liquid escaping from the vessel through the connecting device. The sampler includes sampling means that is extended, when the connecting device is in the first position, through the connecting device and into the vessel through the aperture to obtain a sample of liquid from the vessel, and that is then retracted from the vessel through the aperture and the connecting device to carry the liquid sample to a sample collection point. So that only liquid samples reach the collection point, seal means are provided to maintain a liquid
Fayyaz Nashmiya
Kwok Helen
Pyle & Piontek
LandOfFree
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