Aseptic sample fitting

A sampler fitting for in-line connection between two pipes comprising:

• means defining a conduit having two opposite ends each adapted to be connected to a corresponding one of the two pipes so that fluid exiting one of the pipes is directed into the other of the pipes through said conduit-defining means;
• means defining a neck portion associated with said conduit-defining means, said neck portion having an opening providing access to the interior of the conduit of said conduit-defining means;
• a cover for covering said access opening;
• gasket means positionable between said neck portion and said cover for maintaining a complete physical separation between said cover and said neck portion, said gasket means defining a central opening therethrough which is aligned with said access opening when operatively positioned in engagement with said neck portion;
• and
• clamping means for operatively clamping said cover over said access opening with said gasket means operatively positioned between said neck portion and said cover,
• said cover including two platen members positioned in a face-to-face arrangement with one another and each having a central portion and a boundary portion bordering the central portion of the corresponding platen member, the central portion of each platen member defining a through-opening which is aligned with the through-opening of the other platen member and the central opening of the gasket means when said cover is operatively clamped to said neck portion, said cover further including means defining a pierceable, self-closing stopper having a body of elastomeric material and of relatively small mass in comparison to the mass of the platen members and associated with said platen members so that the stopper body generally spans the aligned through-openings of the platen members and so that a hypodermic needle or the like can be directed through the stopper body and into the interior of said neck portion for the purpose of extracting a sample amount of fluid flowing through the conduit of said conduit-defining means, said stopper body having a platen portion and a nipple portion joined centrally of and extending from one side of the platen portion, the through-opening of one platen member snugly accepting the nipple portion of the stopper body so that the stopper body is securely retained within said one platen member as surfaces of the nipple portion pressingly engage the walls of the through-opening of said one platen member, the central portion of the other platen member having a side face which generally faces said one platen member and including a detent in the form of a recess defined in said side face and located about the through-opening of said other platen member, said recess snuggly accepting the platen portion of the stopper body so that the stopper body is securely retained within said other platen member as surfaces of the platen portion pressingly engage the walls of the recess of said other platen member and so that the platen members are held in the aforesaid face-to-face arrangement and in an assembled condition as each platen member is retainably secured to the stopper.