Abstract: To sample hot liquids containing volatile materials, the liquid is cooled in a refrigerator and pumped through a syringe needle into a container until the container overflows. The needle is removed slowly and the container is automatically closed as the needle is withdrawn, wherein liquid flows upwardly continuously as the needle is withdrawn through an opening. The cap for the container includes a closure having a valve opening extending upwardly and sized to narrowly receive the syringe needle in a perpendicular valve member opening. The valve member includes a flat member on one end adapted to be gripped by a cam follower for opening and closing of the valve opening in coordination with the movement of the syringe needle.

Abstract: To sample liquids containing volatile materials, the liquid is pumped through a syringe needle into a container until the container overflows. The needle is removed slowly and the container is automatically closed as the needle is withdrawn, wherein liquid flows upwardly continuously as the needle is withdrawn through an opening. The cap for the container includes a closure having a valve opening extending upwardly and sized to narrowly receive a syringe in a perpendicular valve member opening. The valve member includes a flat member on one end adapted to be gripped by a cam follower for opening and closing of the valve opening in coordination with the movement of the syringe.

Abstract: To pump fluid into sample containers, a distributor arm of a sample collector is calibrated as to position in a computer memory and is moved from position to position over different containers while a counter in computer memory keeps track of its position. When the distributor arm is over the designated container, samples are pumped into the container. To pump the fluid into the container, the rollers of a peristaltic pump are supported to prevent the rollers from compressing the tube more than the thickness of the walls of the tube. A tube holder rotates along with the roller assembly of the peristaltic pump and keeps the tube in line with the rollers.

Abstract: To sample hot liquids containing volatile materials, the liquid is cooled in a refrigerator and pumped through a syringe needle into a container until the container overflows. The needle is removed slowly and the container is automatically closed as the needle is withdrawn, wherein liquid flows upwardly continuously as the needle is withdrawn through an opening. The cap for the container includes a closure having a valve opening extending upwardly and sized to narrowly receive the syringe needle in a perpendicular valve member opening. The valve member includes a flat member on one end adapted to be gripped by a cam follower for opening and closing of the valve opening in coordination with the movement of the syringe needle.

Abstract: To insert an instrument into a flow stream of a sewer pipe from the street, the instrument is fastened to a holder, which in turn is fastened to a portion of an expansion ring opposite its two opened edges. A cord is fastened to one of the edges of the expansion ring and passes over a curved post mounted to the other edge of the expansion ring and extended upwardly in a direction parallel to the edges of the expansion ring so that it can be pulled to compress the expansion ring to a small diameter cylinder and released to expand it against the wall of a pipe. A post is mounted to the expansion ring to permit a long tool to grip the post and move the expansion ring into a sewer pipe where it is expanded and released.

Abstract: To sample liquids containing volatile materials, the liquid is pumped through a syringe needle into a container until the container overflows. The needle is removed slowly and the container is automatically closed as the needle is withdrawn, wherein liquid flows upwardly continuously as the needle is withdrawn through an opening. The cap for the container includes a closure having a valve opening extending upwardly and sized to narrowly receive a syringe in a perpendicular valve member opening. The valve member includes a flat member on one end adapted to be gripped by a cam follower for opening and closing of the valve opening in coordination with the movement of the syringe.

Abstract: To determine the total organic carbon content of a flowing liquid in a continuous process, water and oxidizing agents enter lower ports in a multi-stage column and flow upwardly through residence chambers as they are mixed. Spaced apart along the upper path of the liquid, there are helical reaction grooves relatively shallow and containing at least one helical groove to cause rapid motion of the liquid. An ultraviolet lamp extends downwardly through the center of the column so that the outer confining surface of the helical grooves is the outer surface of the ultraviolet lamp, causing the liquid to move rapidly in intimate contact with the ultraviolet lamp to receive intense radiation. The stages are separate and interchangeable so that selected sizes may interconnect. The residence chambers may have different sizes to permit different lengths of residence time and thus permit tailoring of the reaction to the expected organic carbon content and possible side reactions with other impurities in the water.

Abstract: To draw samples from a source of liquid, a pumping system measures the amount of liquid being pumped by detecting pump cycles and calculating the pumped liquid from this measurement and stored data including conduit size, pressure head and statistical data to correlate detected pump cycles with volume of liquid pumped. Pressure pulses cause by a peristaltic pump are sensed by a piezoelectric film positioned on an inlet conduit connecting the pump to the source of water and, when the liquid reaches a predetermined point determined by the nature of pulses are counted to determine the number of pump cycles.

Abstract: The rollers of a peristaltic pump are supported to prevent said rollers from compressing said tube more than the thickness of the walls of the tube. A tube holder rotates along with the roller assembly of the peristaltic pump and keeps the tube in line with the rollers.

Abstract: To determine the total organic carbon content of a flowing liquid in a continuous process, water and oxidizing agents enter lower ports in a multi-stage column and flow upwardly through residence chambers as they are mixed. Spaced apart along the upper path of the liquid, there are helical reaction grooves relatively shallow and containing at least one helical groove to cause rapid motion of the liquid. An ultraviolet lamp extends downwardly through the center of the column so that the outer confining surface of the helical grooves is the outer surface of the ultraviolet lamp, causing the liquid to move rapidly in intimate contact with the ultraviolet lamp to receive intense radiation. The stages are separate and interchangeable so that selected sizes may interconnect. The residence chambers may have different sizes to permit different lengths of residence time and thus permit tailoring of the reaction to the expected organic carbon content and possible side reactions with other impurities in the water.

Abstract: A method of making a sensor wherein flexible conduit means is assembled with a fixture having a strain-sensitive film and electrical connections are made to the film whereby variations in fluid pressure in the conduit means can be detected.