When the hand suspension line supports the sampler or when the safety yoke is in place on the grooved hanger, the bucket may be cocked to the open position by means of a wrench. Once the bucket is fully retracted within the body shell of the sampler and it is ready to take a sample. As long as the safety yoke is in place on the hanger, the bucket mechanism cannot be released. However, with the safety yoke removed and the sampler supported by the hand line, the spring-loaded cocking device will release the bucket mechanism when the sampler rests on the bottom of the stream. The bucket in closing penetrates the stream bed and completely encloses a sample of the bed material.
Gaskets prevent loss or contamination of the trapped sample.
When the sampler has been recovered from the stream, the bed material sample can be removed, transferred and packaged for shipment.