Liquid sampling valve

Claim 1

In a liquid diluting and transfer valve assembly of the type which includes at least a pair of valve elements, each being frictionally movable one relative to the other and having faces slidably engaged for such frictional movement, each valve element having axial measuring and segmenting passageways therethrough arranged for selective communication when at least one valve element is rotated, the junction of said passageways being at the said faces, the improvement comprising a continuous channel formed in one of said faces along a path extending substantially along the periphery of said face but spaced inwardly thereof, said channel being non-interferent with any of the passageway openings and being spaced from and not in normal operative communication with said passageways, said channel capable of intercepting any liquid traversing the faces, said channel having an inlet, an outlet and bore means formed in said valve means communicating with said inlet and outlet and capable respectively of receiving and discharging rinse liquid from a source thereof, flushing said channel of any material accumulating therein, said channel being in substantially constant communication with said inlet and said outlet.