Rotating drum variable depth sampler
View Patent ↗A sampling device for collecting depth-specific samples in silt, sludge and granular media has three chambers separated by a pair of iris valves. Rotation of the middle chamber closes the valves and isolates a sample in a middle chamber.
1. A sampling device comprising:
a) a rigid frame ( 3 ) having a handle ( 5 ) attached to a stationary shaft ( 26 );
b) a plurity of tubular chambers connected to said frame distal to said handle; said plurality of tubular chambers comprising an upper tubular chamber ( 7 ), a middle tubular sample chamber ( 9 ), and a stationary tubular lower boring chamber ( 11 )
c) a rotatable tube ( 13 ) mounted on said stationary shaft having a first end rotatably mounted in said handle and passing through an end key and said upper tubular chamber ( 7 );
d) said middle tubular sample chamber ( 9 ) supported by said rotatable tube ( 13 );
e) said stationary tubular lower boring chamber ( 11 ) supported by said stationary shaft; and
f) a pair of flexible connectors ( 21 , 23 ) located to engage one end of said stationary upper chamber, both ends of said middle tubular sample chamber, and one end of said stationary tubular lower boring chamber.
2. A sampling device according to claim 1 wherein said flexible tubular connectors function as iris valves.
3. A sampling device according to claim 2 wherein said flexible tubular connectors are formed from a deformable sheet polymeric material.
4. A sampling device according to claim 3 wherein said deformable polymeric material is supported by a fibrous material.
5. A sampling device according to claim 1 wherein the structure is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of Al, brass, bronze, engineering plastics, ferrous metals and engineering plastics.