Slide holding sampler device

A sampler device for supporting glass slides under water for the collection of plant and animal samples. The device comprises a frame having a top member, a bottom member, and left and right side members. The top and bottom members have a plurality of vertically aligned slots therein for receiving and holding the edges of a plurality of glass slides. A guard is pivotally mounted to the frame, and movable between a closed position, in which portions of the guard overlap the ends of the slots in the top and bottom members of the frame, thereby securing the slides in the frame, and an open position in which the guard does not overlap the ends of the slots so that slides can be inserted into and removed from the slots. A lock is provided to retain the guard in its closed position. A mounting bolt extends through the top and bottom of the frame. The bolt includes attaching means above and below the frame for attaching lines to the bolt for securing the sampler device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to sample collectors, and in particular to 
a device for collecting animal and plant samples from water. 
In most bodies of water such as rivers, streams, and lakes there is a wide 
variety of microscopic plants and animals in the water. In evaluating the 
health of a body of water, it is desirable to take samples of these 
microscopic plants and animals. For example, in assessing whether a body 
of water has been infested with zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha, a 
biologist takes samples of the microscopic community of the water to check 
for the presence of post-veligers, an immature stage of the zebra mussel 
approximately 180 to 200 microns, whose presence indicates zebra mussel 
infestation. A preferred method of taking such samples is to suspend glass 
slides in the water for a sufficient time for the plants and animals 
present to adhere to the slides. One side of the slide can then be 
cleaned, and the slide can be examined under a microscope to determine not 
only the types of plants and animals present, but their relative 
populations. While this procedure seems straight forward, there are 
difficulties in suspending the slides in the water. The slides should be 
held in a generally upright position, the surfaces generally parallel to 
the flow of water. The slides must be held securely and free from 
obstructions that would interfere with the deposit of plants and animals. 
Moreover, the slides must be secure whether the water is still or flowing. 
It is also important to be able to support the slides at various depths in 
the water column. 
Generally, the sampler devices available are designed for the collection of 
phytons, or small plants. See, for example the sampler device shown in 
Doernberg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,421. These devices are submerged 
near the surface of the water, and hold a plurality of vertically oriented 
slides in a generally horizontal plane. These devices are not adapted for, 
and are generally unsuitable for, holding slides in the proper vertical 
orientation, parallel to the flow of the water, so that the water can flow 
unobstructed between the slides. Moreover, these device are generally too 
flimsy to support the slide at any appreciable depth below the surface, as 
is necessary for an accurate survey of certain plants and animals such as 
the zebra mussel. The currently available sampler devices tend to break 
apart and/or lose their slides under such conditions. Moreover, installing 
and removing the slides from such devices is difficult. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The sampler device of the present invention is adapted to securely hold 
slides in the correct orientation and position in a body of water. 
Generally, the sampler device comprises a frame having a top member, a 
bottom member, and left and right side members. The top and bottom members 
each have a plurality of vertically aligned slots therein for receiving 
and holding the edges of a plurality of standard glass slides. A guard is 
pivotally mounted to the frame, and movable between a closed position, in 
which portions of the guard overlap the ends of the slots in the top and 
bottom members of the frame, thereby securing the slides in the frame, and 
an open position in which the guard does not overlap the ends of the slots 
so that slides can be inserted into and removed from the slots. The 
sampler device also includes means for releasably locking the guard in its 
closed position. A mounting bolt extends through the top and bottom 
members of the frame, and attaching means associated with the bolt, are 
positioned above and below the frame for attaching lines to the mounting 
bolt. 
In the preferred embodiment, the guard member comprises left and right side 
members, pivotally attached to the left and right sides of the frame, 
generally adjacent the top of the frame. Upper and lower transverse 
members extend between the left and right side members, in position to 
overlap the slots when the guard is in the closed position. 
The sampler device may include vanes extending from the frame to keep the 
frame oriented generally perpendicular to the flow of water, thereby 
orienting the slides generally parallel to the flow. A bracket is 
preferably mounted between the sides of the frame, and extends generally 
rearwardly from the frame. Vanes are mounted on the bracket. Holes can be 
provided on the inside of the sides of the frames for receiving the ends 
of the bracket. Bosses can be provided adjacent these holes to engage the 
bracket and secure it against rotation relative to the frame. 
The sampler device is preferably used as part of a sampler assembly. The 
upper attachment means on the bolt is preferably connected to a float, and 
the lower attachment means on the bolt is preferably connected to a 
weight, so that the sampler device can be suspended in the water column at 
a pre-selected depth between the weight and the float, at a relatively 
constant level. 
The device is of simple yet sturdy construction. It is extremely easy to 
operate, and is less prone to in-service failure. The forces of suspending 
the sampler device are borne by the mounting bolt, rather than the frame, 
so these forces do not act to pull the frame apart. Thus, the risk of the 
loss of valuable data and time is reduced. The device is reusable, and 
requires little or no maintenance. These and other features and advantages 
will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
A sampler device constructed according to the principles of this invention, 
indicated generally as 20, is shown in FIG. 1 as it would be used as part 
of a sampler assembly 22. The sampler device 20 comprises a frame 24. The 
frame 24 is a hollow rectangle having a top 26, a bottom 28, and left and 
right sides 30 and 32. There are a plurality of vertically aligned slots 
34 in the top 26 and bottom 28, extending rearwardly from the front face 
of the frame. The slots 34 are generally parallel to the sides of the 
frame and are adapted for receiving and holding the edges of a plurality 
of slides 36, so that the slides are held vertically, in planes generally 
perpendicular to the plane of the frame 24. The slots 34 do not extend all 
the way to the back of the frame so that slides 36 in the slots cannot 
slide out the back of the frame. The slots 34 are preferably spaced so 
that the slides are equally spaced from each other. Thus the water flow 
between the slides is equal, and the chances for plant and animal 
deposition on each side of the slide is approximately equal. The slides 36 
are preferably standard-sized glass slides, but they could be made from 
plastic or other suitable material. There are preferably numbers on the 
frame corresponding to the slots, so that positions of the slides in the 
sampler device can be conveniently referenced. 
A guard 38 is pivotally mounted to the frame 24, and is movable between a 
closed position and an open position. As shown in the Figures, the guard 
38 comprises left and right side members 40 and 42, which are pivotally 
mounted to the left and right sides of the frame 24, generally adjacent 
the top of the frame, for example with bolts 43. The guard 38 also 
comprises upper and lower transverse members 44 and 46, which extend 
between the left and right side members 40 and 42 of the guard. The upper 
transverse member 44 is positioned so that when the guard 38 is in its 
closed position, the upper transverse member overlaps the ends of the 
slots in the top 26 of the frame 24. The lower transverse member 46 is 
positioned so that when the guard 38 is in its closed position, the lower 
transverse member overlaps the ends of the slots in the bottom 28 of the 
frame 24. Thus, when the guard is in its closed position, any slides 36 in 
the slots 34 are held in place in the frame 24. The frame 24 is open, and 
the upper and lower transverse members are spaced sufficiently so that 
unlike prior sampler devices water can flow freely through the sampler 
device. The guard 38 may also include a bottom member 48 extending between 
the side members 40 and 42. 
The frame 24 and the guard 38 are preferably made from a strong, tough, 
durable plastic such as polyvinylchloride, or some other suitable 
material. The frame 24 and the guard 38 can be assembled from a plurality 
of separate pieces secured, for example, with adhesive, but preferably the 
frame and the guard are each one molded piece. The frame and guard could 
be made by molding. 
The sampler device 20 includes means for releasably locking the guard 38 in 
its closed position. This locking means can comprise a post 50 projecting 
from the bottom of the frame 24, and extending through an opening 52 in 
the guard 38 (preferably in the lower transverse member 46). Some means, 
such as a hitch pin 54 can be releasably secured over the end of the post 
50 to prevent the guard from being moved from its closed position. The 
post 50 preferably has a diametrical bore for allowing the hitch pin 54 to 
be secured to the end of the post. A chain 55 can secure the pin 54 so 
that it cannot be lost. 
A mounting bolt 56 extends through the top 26 and bottom 28 of the frame 
24. There is an attaching means at each end of the bolt, above and below 
the frame. As shown in the Figures, the attaching means preferably 
comprises loops or eyes 58 and 60, respectively. The eyes 58 and 60 are 
connected to the bolt 56, but not to the frame, so that loads on the eyes, 
for example in anchoring the sampler device 20, are not transferred to the 
frame. The eye 58 can be formed integrally at one end of the bolt 56. The 
eye 60 is preferably threaded onto the other end of the bolt 56. The eyes 
58 and 60 permit the frame to be suspended in the water vertically, so 
that water can flow freely through the frame. 
The sampler device 20 preferably also includes a vane for keeping the frame 
of the sampler device oriented perpendicular to the currents in the water. 
A three-sided wire bracket 62 extends rearwardly from the frame 24. As 
shown in FIG. 7, the ends 64 of the bracket 62 are adapted to fit into 
openings 66 on the inside of the sides 30 and 32 of the frame. Bosses 68 
adjacent the openings 66, engage the bracket 62, and prevent it from 
pivoting relative to the frame. The resilience of the bracket holds the 
ends between the sides. Vanes 70 extend from the bracket at oblique angles 
with respect to the frame. The vanes 70 are positioned symmetrically with 
respect to the frame, so that vanes keep the frame oriented perpendicular 
to the water currents, thereby keeping the slides 36 in the frame parallel 
to the currents. Thus the bracket 62 can easily be attached to or removed 
from the frame 24, by simply compressing the bracket and inserting ends 64 
into openings 66, or pulling ends 64 from openings 66. The bracket 62 is 
preferably sufficiently large so that the vanes 70 are spaced sufficiently 
from the frame that they do not interfere with the flow of water through 
the frame. 
The sampler device 20 is adapted to be used as part of a sampler assembly 
22. The sampler assembly 22 comprises at least one of the sampler devices 
20, a float 72 and a weight 74. A line 76 connects the weight 74 and the 
eye 60 at the bottom of frame 24. A line 78 connects the float 72 and the 
eye 58 at the top of the frame 24. The lines 76 and 78 can be attached to 
their respective eyes 58 and 60 with a rope, a carabinier, a safety snap, 
or, as shown in the Figures, with a loop in the line secured with a 
ferrule. Thus the sampler device 20 is held in a relatively constant 
vertical position in the water column, between the weight and the float. 
The position of the sampler device is determined by the length of the 
lines. Of course, if desired, more than one sampler 20 could be positioned 
in the water column. See FIG. 8. In this case a line would connect the 
weight to the eye 60 at the bottom of the frame of the lowermost sampler 
device 20, another line would connect the float to the eye 58 of at the 
top of the uppermost sampler device 20, and additional lines would 
connected the upper and lower eyes of adjacent sampler devices 20 so that 
each is held at a relatively constant vertical position in the water 
column. The weight can be relatively large, so that the position of the 
devices relative to the bottom is fixed. The weight can also be relatively 
small so that the position of the devices relative to the surface is 
fixed, while permitting the device to rise and fall with the surface of 
the water. 
Alternatively, the sampler devices 20 could be deployed in some other 
manner, for example it is possible to suspend one sampler device 20, or a 
series of sampler devices 20, from a stationary anchoring point such as a 
railing. 
OPERATION 
In operation, with the guard 38 of the sampler device 20 open, clean glass 
slides 36 are installed in the slots 34 in the frame 24. When the required 
number of slides have been installed, the guard 38 is pivoted to its 
closed position. The guard is secured in its closed position by attaching 
hitch pin 54 to the end of the post 50, which prevents the guard 38 from 
being lifted from its closed position. The eye 60 is connected by a line 
76 to the weight 74, and the eye 58 is connected by a line 8 to the float. 
The weight is then allowed to sink in the water column, which holds the 
sampler device under water, at a preselected level determined by the 
length of the line 76. The vanes 70 keep the frame oriented perpendicular 
to the flow of currents, so that water flows freely through the frame 
between the slides. 
After the sampler device 20 has been immersed for the desired amount of 
time (typically about two to four weeks for a zebra mussel survey), the 
sampler device is removed from the water. The hitch pin 54 is removed from 
the post 50, the guard 8 is lifted, and the slides are removed from their 
slots, whereupon they can be examined. The sampler device can be cleaned, 
if necessary, and it is ready for reuse. 
As various changes could be made in the above constructions without 
departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter 
contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings 
shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limited sense.