US3724276A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for obtaining mass average samples from a liquid stream
Assignee: Nielsen Engineering and Research Inc
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Filing: 1971-11-22
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Granted: 1973-04-03
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Expires: 1991-11-22
Abstract
Abstract An improved technique of extracting small samples from a liquid stream, such as a storm sewer, wherein each sample contains a representative portion from all levels of the stream. The relative sample proportions of liquid mass extracted from each elevation of the stream are directly related to the width of the stream at that elevation and the average velocity of the stream at that elevation. An apparatus is disclosed for carrying out this technique wherein a substantially continuous flow pump traverses across the liquid stream in a vertical direction with a rate of speed alongits path that is a function of a product of a reciprocal of the velocity and width functions along the height of the stream.
Inventors
- 👤 R Schwind
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 14:30
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N1/00; G01N1/02; G01N1/10; G01N1/20; G01N1/2035; G01N1/14; G01N2001/1031; G01N2001/1043
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of extracting a liquid sample across a vertical line of a liquid stream flowing through a container such as a pipe, comprising the steps of: determining a stream flow relative velocity function along a substantially vertical line across said container, determining a container width function along said substantially vertical line across said container, and removing a sample quantity of liquid along said substantially vertical line, portions of said sample being collected all along said line according to a relative distribution that is a function of a product of the relative velocity and width functions of said container across said line.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of extracting a liquid sample across a vertical line of a liquid stream flowing through a container such as a pipe, comprising the steps of: determining a stream flow relative velocity function along a substantially vertical line across said container, determining a container width function along said substantially vertical line across said container, and removing a sample quantity of liquid along said substantially vertical line, portions of said sample being collected all along said line according to a relative distribution that is a function of a product of the relative velocity and width functions of said container across said line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the step of removing a sample includes drawing a liquid pump inlet along said substantially vertical line with a velocity that varies along said line inversely as a function of a product of said relative velocity and width functions, the pumping rate of said pump being maintained substantially constant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the step of removing a sample includes drawing a liquid pump inlet at a uniform speed along said substantially vertical line, the pumping rate caused to vary along said line directly as a function of a product of said relative velocity and width functions.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of extracting a liquid sample from a stream flowing in a fixed conduit having given flow velocity and width variations as a function of vertical position across said conduit, comprising the steps of: translating a pump inlet with continuous motion vertically across said conduit, said pump operating to remove a substantially constant mass of liquid as a function of time, controlling the speed of said pump inlet translation as a function of position across said conduit according to a function that varies inversely with a product of said given conduit flow velocity and width functions, and collecting into a container the liquid sample discharged by said pump.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of extracting a liquid sample from a stream flowing in a fixed conduit having given flow velocity and width variations as a function of vertical position across said conduit, comprising the steps of: translating a pump inlet with continuous motion vertically across said conduit, said pump operating to remove a substantially constant mass of liquid as a function of time, controlling the speed of said pump inlet translation as a function of position across said conduit according to a function that varies inversely with a product of said given conduit flow velocity and width functions, and collecting into a container the liquid sample discharged by said pump.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as defined by claim 4 wherein the sample is collected into the container during at least one full traverse of said pump inlet from the stream surface to the bottom of the conduit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as defined by claim 5 wherein said fixed conduit is a sewer and said stream is a sewer flow.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
96 words
Apparatus for sampling a sewer water in a sewer of fixed dimensions, comprising: a liquid pump, a sample flow inlet opening to said pump, a discharge opening communicating with said pump, means for vertically translating said pump inlet opening continuously across at least a portion of said sewer, and means for varying the speed of the pump inlet translation across the sewer as a function of the pump inlet''s vertical position in the sewer according to a function that is inversely proportional to the total mass flow of sewer water as a function of its height.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
96 words
Apparatus for sampling a sewer water in a sewer of fixed dimensions, comprising: a liquid pump, a sample flow inlet opening to said pump, a discharge opening communicating with said pump, means for vertically translating said pump inlet opening continuously across at least a portion of said sewer, and means for varying the speed of the pump inlet translation across the sewer as a function of the pump inlet''s vertical position in the sewer according to a function that is inversely proportional to the total mass flow of sewer water as a function of its height.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
105 words
A sampling apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said pump comprises: a rotationally fixed circularly shaped stator having a plurality of generally radially extending stator blades fixedly attached thereto and adjacent an outer circumferential edge of the stator, a circularly shaped rotor surrounding said stator and having a plurality of blades positioned in an opening along a circumferential surface of the rotor to force liquid radially inward through said stator blades, said rotor opening being said pump inlet, means for conducting liquid from within the stator blades to said discharge opening, and means for giving rotary motion to said rotor with a uniform angular velocity.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-02 | 1976-10-02 | 1977-04-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-02 | 1980-10-02 | 1981-04-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-02 | 1984-10-02 | 1985-04-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |