US 4,050,315 AGranted

Remotely actuated sampling apparatus

AssigneeUop LLC

InventorReinhold S. Markfelt

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Abstract

Apparatus for taking liquid samples in a well at any desired level under the surface includes a bullet-nosed tubular body with a weighted lower end and an elongated sampling chamber. The chamber has a circular inlet opening at its upper end which is sealed at its upper surface by a ball-shaped valve member to keep liquid out of the chamber as the body is lowered in the well. The valve member is attached at its upper end to a rod member guided in the body and suspended by a cable. A sharp jerk on the cable when the body is at the desired depth releases a detent holding means between the rod and body and lifts the valve member off its seat so that liquid can enter the chamber. A floating ball in the chamber engages the bottom of the circular opening when the chamber is filled with liquid to seal in the sample and prevent its contamination by liquid at higher levels as the body is raised to the surface.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A sampling device for taking a sample of liquid at any desired level in a well and sealing the sample against possible contamination by liquid at a higher level as the device is withdrawn;

said device having an average density greater than the liquid and including an integral sample receiving chamber portion intermediate its ends which is closed at the lower end of said chamber portion and has an opening at the top of said chamber portion which may be selectively closed;
said opening being formed in a ring-like portion which includes upper and lower valve seat portions;
a ball having a density lower than said liquid positioned in said chamber and adapted to be lifted by liquid entering said opening until said ball rests on said lower valve seat portion;
an upper valve member mounted on an upwardly extending rod member for movement into or out of engagement with said upper valve seat portion;
said rod member having first detent means thereon engageable with second detent means in an upper housing portion of said device to normally selectively lock said rod with said upper valve member in its position of engagement with said upper valve seat portion;
and cable means extending upwardly from said rod for lowering or raising said device, said cable means being sufficiently strong as to resist breakage when a snapping force is applied thereto to cause said first and second detent means to become disengaged.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.