Ground water sampling unit having a fluid-operated seal

A ground water sampling device adapted for engagement with a well casing, comprising:

• a water collection housing having a bottom wall,
• a hollow water-extraction tube extending downwardly from said housing bottom wall,
• a deformable sealing element carried by said tube and extending laterally outwardly from the tube, said sealing element having a peripheral edge sealably engageable with the well casing to prevent exchange of atmospheric gases with the ground water,
• remotely-controllable deforming means for selectively deforming the sealing element out of engagement with the well casing, whereby the water collection housing is then freely movable up or down within the well casing,
• said deforming means comprising a piston carried by the tube, and a fluid cylinder encircling the piston, whereby pressurization of the cylinder interior on one side of the piston moves the cylinder vertically along the tube,
• said sealing element comprising a circular disk disposed below the fluid cylinder, said deforming means comprising an annular wall structure carried by the cylinder, said annular wall structure having a lower edge engageable with said disk inwardly of the disk peripheral edge, and
• the cylinder having a space defined below the piston adapted to be pressurized to urge the cylinder downwardly along the tube to deform the sealing element out of engagement with the well casing.

A ground water sampling device adapted for engagement with a well casing, comprising:

• a water collection housing having a bottom wall,
• a hollow water-extraction tube extending downwardly from said housing bottom wall,
• a deformable sealing element carried by said tube and extending laterally outwardly from the tube, said sealing element having a peripheral edge sealably engageable with the well casing to prevent exchange of atmospheric gases with the ground water,
• remotely-controllable deforming means for selectively deforming the sealing element out of engagement with the well casing, whereby the water collection housing is then freely movable up or down within the well casing,
• said deforming means comprising a piston carried by the tube, and a fluid cylinder encircling the piston, whereby pressurization of the cylinder interior on one side of the piston moves the cylinder vertically along the tube, said fluid cylinder having upper and lower end walls slidable on said tube, wherein the cylinder is floatably mounted on the tube.

A ground water sampling device adapted for engagement with a well casing, comprising:

• a water collection housing having a bottom wall,
• a hollow water-extraction tube extending downwardly from said housing bottom wall,
• a deformable sealing element carried by said tube and extending laterally outwardly from the tube, said sealing element having a peripheral edge sealably engageable with the well casing to prevent exchange of atmospheric gases with the ground water,
• remotely-controllable deforming means for selectively deforming the sealing element out of engagement with the well casing, whereby the water collection housing is then freely movable up or down within the well casing,
• said deforming means comprising a piston carried by the tube, and a fluid cylinder encircling the piston, whereby pressurization of the cylinder interior on one side of the piston moves the cylinder vertically along the tube,
• said fluid cylinder has upper and lower end walls slidable on said tube, wherein the cylinder is floatable mounted on the tube, the lower end wall of the cylinder having fluid port means therein for flow of fluid into or out of the cylinder.

A ground water sampling device adapted for engagement with a well casing, comprising:

• a water collection housing having a bottom wall,
• a hollow water-extraction tube extending downwardly from said housing bottom wall,
• a deformable sealing element carried by said tube and extending laterally outwardly from the tube, said sealing element having a peripheral edge sealably engageable with the well casing to prevent exchange of atmospheric gases with the ground water,
• the sealing element comprising a circular disk disposed below the fluid cylinder, said disk having a frusto-conical configuration,
• remotely-controllable deforming means for selectively deforming the sealing element out of engagement with the well casing, whereby the water collection housing is then freely movable up or down within the well casing,
• said deforming means comprising a piston carried by the tube, and a fluid cylinder encircling the piston, whereby pressurization of the cylinder interior on one side of the piston moves the cylinder vertically along the tube,
• said deforming means further comprising an annular wall structure carried by the fluid cylinder, said annular wall structure having a lower edge engageable with said disk inwardly of the disk peripheral edge, and
• said annular wall structure being movable downwardly by the fluid cylinder to decrease the cone angle of the frusto-conical disk, whereby the disk peripheral edge is moved out of engagement with the well casing.