Patent ID: 7687028

Claim:
A water collector for collecting multiple sequential, time-integrated water samples over multiple preset time intervals, comprising: a first reservoir receiving and holding water therein during a preset time interval, the preset time interval having a start time and a start time; a first valve connected to the first reservoir, the first valve being closed during the preset time interval so that the first reservoir can hold the water; a second reservoir, connected to the first valve, receiving a predetermined amount of a water sample from the water in the first reservoir at the end of the preset time interval, the first valve opening when the stop time of the preset time interval is reached to transfer the water sample from the first reservoir to the second reservoir, any excess water being discharged from the second reservoir; a second valve connected to the second reservoir; a transfer line having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the second valve; a carousel containing a plurality of vials, the plurality of vials comprising a first vial and a plurality of second vials; a single sealing plate resting simultaneously on top of the plurality of vials on the carousel, the sealing plate having a first opening under which the first vial is positioned, the second end of the transfer line being positioned above the first opening and the second valve being opened after the second reservoir receives the water sample to transfer the water sample through the transfer line to the first vial, the carousel rotating immediately after the first vial receives the water sample from the second reservoir to move the first vial away from the first opening and underneath the sealing plate, a top of the first vial contacting a bottom surface of the sealing plate to seal the first vial, while moving one of the second vials underneath the first opening to receive a next water sample over a next preset time interval, wherein the carousel rotates after each of the second vials has been filled at the end of each successive preset time interval until all of the vials have received a separate water sample and have been sealed by the carousel rotating each vial under the sealing plate after being filled to prevent evaporation of the water sample in each vial.