Patent ID: 6055870
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
Sampling apparatus, comprising:a fluid sampler for obtaining discrete samples of a fluidized product in which particles may be entrained, said fluid sampler including a sampler body having a bore and a forward opening from said bore at a forward end of said sampler body;plunger means in said sampler body bore, said plunger means being generally cylindrical along a longitudinal axis and including sample receiving means and cutting means, said sample receiving means being generally tubular and having a plurality of arcuately spaced passages extending radially between an outer surface and a hollow interior thereof;means for coupling said sampling apparatus to a process line containing fluidized product, with said sampler body bore forward opening in communication with an interior of the process line, andmotor means for reciprocating said plunger means in said bore in a forward direction to a sample obtaining position where said sample receiving means and cutting means are extended at least partly out of said forward bore opening and into the interior of the process line for obtaining a sample of fluidized product that flows into and fills said sample receiving means passages and hollow interior, and in a rearward direction to a sample delivering position where said sample receiving means and cutting means are retracted into said bore for conveying the sample of fluidized product in said sample receiving means to a sample delivery position in said bore,said cutting means cooperating with said sampler body in both directions of reciprocation of said plunger means to slice through any strands, viscous strings and product particles that extend radially outward from said sample receiving means passages and would otherwise impede reciprocation of said plunger means.