Apparatus for the controlled sampling of rain water

Claim 1

An apparatus for the controlled sampling of rain comprising: a sampling vessel having an upwardly open mouth adapted to receive rain drops; a cover disposed so as to be shiftable between a first position closing said vessel and a second position wherein said vessel is open to receive rain; first and second signalling means on said vessel to signal when each of said positions is reached; a motor connected to said cover and electrically energizable by signal receiving means responsive to said signalling means so as to displace said cover between said first and second positions; a rain detector responsive to the onset and termination of a rain phase and exposed to the atmosphere for producing at least one signal upon the onset of rain and upon the termination of a rain phase; circuitry between said detector and said motor responsive to said signal for energizing said motor at the onset of a rain phase and closing said cover at the conclusion of a rain phase; a recorder connected to said circuitry and placed in operation upon the onset of said rain phase; clock means for registering the time of onset of said rain phase and of termination thereof, said clock means being connected to said circuitry; a wind-direction sensor connected to said recorder for recording thereon the wind direction upon the onset of said rain phase; and a wind-speed sensor connected to said recorder for recording thereon the wind speed upon the onset of said rain phase, said recorder being two-channel recorder recording the wind speed and wind direction as a function of time of collection of rain by said vessel.

Claim 2

An apparatus for the controlled sampling of rain comprising: a sampling vessel having an upwardly open mouth adapted to receive rain drops; a cover disposed so as to be shiftable between a first position closing said vessel and a second position wherein said vessel is open to receive rain; first and second signalling means on said vessel to signal when each of said positions is reached; a motor connected to said cover and electrically energizable by signal receiving means responsive to said signalling means so as to displace said cover between said first and second positions; a rain detector responsive to the onset and termination of a rain phase and exposed to the atmosphere for producing at least one signal upon the onset of rain and upon the termination of a rain phase; circuitry between said detector and said motor responsive to said signal for energizing said motor at the onset of a rain phase and closing said cover at the conclusion of a rain phase; a recorder connected to said circuitry and placed in operation upon the onset of said rain phase; clock means for registering the time of onset of said rain phase and of termination thereof, said clock means being connected to said circuitry; a wind-direction sensor connected to said recorder for recording thereon the wind direction upon the onset of said rain phase; and a wind-speed sensor connected to said recorder for recording thereon the wind speed upon the onset of said rain phase, said recorder being two-channel recorder recording the wind speed and wind direction as a function of time of collection of rain by said vessel.