Patent ID: 8122776

Claim:
A handheld vacuum monitoring apparatus comprising: a base member having a faceplate mounting surface; a handle mounting surface; and a first passage having an inlet port on said faceplate mounting surface and an outlet port on said handle mounting surface; a handle having a handle grip at one end thereof; a mounting face at an opposite end thereof; and a housing member interposed said handle grip and said mounting face; means for mounting said base member to said mounting face of said handle, said means for mounting selectively locking said handle to said base member; said handle further comprising an inner passage having an inlet port at said mounting face of said opposite end and an outlet port interposed said housing member and said handle grip at said one end; a faceplate mounted to said faceplate mounting surface of said base member, said faceplate having a planar surface and a through-passage aperture therein, said through-passage aperture having an outlet port sealingly mounted to said inlet port of said faceplate mounting surface and an inlet port on said planar surface of said faceplate; said housing member of said handle having a peripheral sidewall upstanding from a bottom wall to define a chamber, said bottom wall of said chamber having an opening communicating with said inner passage of said handle; means for selectively sealing said outlet port interposed said housing member and said handle grip at said one end; and means for measuring a vacuum attached to said opening in said bottom wall of said chamber; whereby when said base member is sealingly mounted and locked to said mounting face of said opposite end of said handle and said faceplate is sealingly attached to said faceplate mounting surface of said base member, a vacuum sensed at said through-passage aperture is communicated through said first passage of said base plate, said inner passage of said handle and said though-passage aperture of said bottom wall of said chamber to a vacuum measuring device mounted in said opening communicating with said inner passage of said handle when said means for selectively sealing said outlet port interposed said housing member and said handle grip at said one end is closed such that said sensed vacuum can be vented to atmosphere by selectively opening said outlet port interposed said housing member and said housing grip at said one end of said handle.