Patent ID: 7472615

Claim:
A probe housing assembly for insertion and retraction of a probe into a pressurized vessel, comprising: a housing having first and second ends, said housing mounted to said pressurized vessel exterior said pressurized vessel, said housing having an internal cavity formed therethrough extending from said first end of said housing to said second end of said housing, said housing formed to engage, in a fluidly sealed manner, a pressurized fluid process in said pressurized vessel; a telescoping probe having first and second ends and a length, said telescoping probe having an internal fluid passage formed therethrough extending from said first end of said telescoping probe to said second end of said telescoping probe; said telescoping probe slidingly disposed in said internal cavity formed in said housing in an approximate coaxial relationship; said telescoping probe engaging said housing so as to provide selective extension of said first end of said telescoping probe through and beyond said first end of said housing, so as to contact said pressurized fluid process in said pressurized vessel, and selective retraction of said telescoping probe such that said length of telescoping probe is situated within said internal cavity formed in said housing; a closed end cap engaging said first end of said telescoping probe, said closed end cap having a cavity formed therein communicating with said passage formed in said probe to provide a well; whereby, upon said pressurized fluid process entering said housing, a pressure equalization is provided within said housing and said pressurized vessel, so as to eliminate pressure differential between said pressure vessel, said housing and said probe; and whereby, upon lowering of a sensor into said well extending from said probe, and upon said being probe lowered into said pressurized fluid process, said well is formed so as to remain at atmospheric pressure, with said probe formed to engage said pressurized vessel to seal said well from said pressurized fluid process, so as to allow said sensor to analyze said pressurized fluid process while remaining at atmospheric pressure.