Liquid sampler wherein solution to be sampled is used as retrievable sampler wash

Apparatus whereby a sample can be drawn from a body of liquid that is maintained substantially at a predetermined level into a sample bottle that has at one end thereof a resilient pierceable sealing closure, said apparatus comprising:

• A. supporting means for receiving and holding the sample bottle with its said end lowermost and at an elevation substantially above said level;
• B. a pair of upwardly projecting hollow needles on said supporting means, each of which has a pointed upper end that pierces the closure of the sample bottle received on said supporting means to enter the interior of that sample bottle, the upper end of one of said hollow needles being a substantial distance below the upper end of the other;
• C. a first duct having one end immersible in said body of liquid to be below said level and having its other end communicated with said one hollow needle;
• D. a sealed wash bottle having a bottom end below said elevation but substantially above said level;
• E. a second duct having one end opening to the interior of said wash bottle near an upper end thereof and having its other end connectable with a suction source;
• and
• F. a third duct having one end communicated with said other hollow needle and having its other end opening to the interior of the wash bottle near the bottom end thereof, so that upon connection of said second duct with said suction source a substantial quantity of liquid from said body is drawn into the wash bottle through the first duct and the sample bottle on said supporting means, to ensure that liquid retained in the sample bottle is representative of liquid in said body.