Patent ID: 8770048

Claim:
A device for measuring and sampling liquid in a closed container, the device including: an elongate hollow body, an operatively lower end of which is closed; at least two sampling ports provided in the body at spaced apart positions; a closure arrangement configured simultaneously to open the ports to connect the interior of the body in flow communication with liquid contained in a said container and permit the liquid to enter the body and to close the ports to prevent the flow of liquid between the interior of the body and the container, wherein the closure arrangement includes: a sleeve surrounding the body for at least part of its length and being displaceable relative to the body between an open position and a closed position; associated with each sampling port, a pair of longitudinally spaced seals defining an annular chamber between a radially outer surface of the body and a radially inner surface of the sleeve into which chamber the associated sampling port opens; an outer sampling port which extends through the sleeve; and a port seal which is configured such that when the body and sleeve are in their open position, the associated sampling ports are in flow communication to permit fluid flow therebetween thereby connecting the interior of the body in flow communication with a body of liquid in a said closed container to permit liquid to enter the body and when the body and sleeve are in their closed position, flow communication between the sampling ports and hence between the interior of the body and the body of liquid is inhibited thereby retaining the liquid within the body; and a partition arrangement provided in the body and dividing the body into a plurality of different sections, at least one sampling port opening into each section, wherein the partition arrangement includes a longitudinally extending partition which divides a cavity defined within the body into two longitudinal sections into each of which at least one sampling port extends.