AVERAGING DIGITAL RATE INDICATOR

• US 3,729,996 A
• Filed: 09/16/1971
• Issued: 05/01/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas R. Metz
• Original Assignee: Thomas R. Metz
• Inventors: Metz, Thomas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gill, James J.
• Application Number:
  US05/180,958
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 73/194E,113,114,231R 235/151.34,92DM,92FL,92MT,92WT
• US Class Current: 73/861.77
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/4802 by using electronic circuits in general
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/489 Digital circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 17/00 Measuring arrangements involving comparison with a reference value, e.g. bridge

Abstract

Electric pulses having a widely fluctuating rate to be measured are divided by a factor n ranging between 2 and 9, inclusive. A time base generator produces pulses having a constant rate defining a given period of time during which the measurement would normally be made if the rate of the electric pulses to measured were constant. The pulses from the time base generator are also divided by N having a value equal to the division factor of the electric pulses. A counter counts the number of electric pulses during the multiplied given period of time. The contents of the counter are then transferred to a digital readout device the reading of which is the average rate of the widely fluctuating rate measure during the multiplied give period of time. The given period of time is selected so that the readout device will present a direct visual reading in units of measure per unit of time, such as gallons per hour for a fluid. The rate fluctation of the electric pulses may be proportional to the rate fluctuation of a quantity being measured, such as fluid flow, fluid consumption or revolutions of an engine.

Claims

1. An averaging digital indicator comprising:

a first source of electric pulses having a widely fluctuating rate to be measured;

a second source of electric pulses having a constant rate defining a given period of time during which the measurement is to be made;

first means coupled to said first source to divide said fluctuating rate of said electric pulses at the output of said first source by a factor N, where N is an integer other than one;

second means coupled to said second source to divide said constant rate by a factor N and thereby multiply said given period of time by a factor N;

third means coupled to said first and second means to count the pulses at the output of said first means during each of said multiplied given periods of time; and

fourth means coupled to said third means to provide a digital readout of the count of said third means at the end of each of said multiplied given periods of time, said count of said third means being the average rate of said fluctuating rate during said multiplied given period of time;

said third means including a decade counting register; and

said fourth means including a storage register coupled to said counting register and said second source, a decoder coupled to said storage register, and a four digit digital readout device coupled to said decoder.

2. An indicator according to claim 1, wherein said given period of time is selected so that said fourth means provides said digital readout in desired engineering units of measure per unit of time.

3. An indicator according to claim 1, wherein the value of N for both said first and second means is identical.

4. An indicator according to claim 3, wherein the value of N is selected from the range of integers 2 to 9 inclusive.

5. An indicator according to claim 1, wherein the value of N is selected from the range of integers 2 to 9 inclusive.

6. An indicator according to claim 1, wherein said fluctuating rate is proportional to rate fluctuations of fluid flow;

and said first source includes a positive displacement type fluid flow meter.

7. An averaging digital indicator comprising:

a first source of electric pulses having a widely fluctuating rate to be measured;

a second source of electric pulses having a constant rate defining a given period of time during which the measurement is to be made;

first means coupled to said first source to divide said fluctuating rate of said electric pulses at the output of said first source by a factor N, where N is an integer other than one;

second means coupled to said second source to divide said constanT rate by a factor N and thereby multiply said given period of time by a factor N;

third means coupled to said first and second means to count the pulses at the output of said first means during each of said multiplied given period of time; and

fourth means coupled to said third means to provide a digital readout of the count of said third means at the end of each of said multiplied given periods of time, said count of said third means being the average rate of said fluctuating rate during said multiplied given period of time;

said fluctuating rate being proportional to rate fluctuations of fluid flow; and

said first source including a transmission line for said fluid, fifth means coupled in said transmission line to convert the rate of flow of said fluid to rotation of a first shaft, a second shaft, magnetic means coupled to said first and second shaft to transfer the rotation of said first shaft to said second shaft, a disc having a given number of teeth on the periphery thereof connected to and rotated by said second shaft, a source of light converted to light pulses by the teeth of said rotating disc, said light pulses having a frequency proportional to the rate of rotation of said disc and said given number of teeth, sixth means responsive to said light pulses to convert said light pulses into electric pulses having said frequency of said light pulses, and seventh means coupled to said sixth means to shape and double the frequency of said electric pulses produced by said sixth means to provide said electric pulse output of said first source.

8. An indicator according to claim 7, wherein said given period of time is selected so that said fourth means provides said digital readout directly in gallons per hour of said fluid.

9. An indicator according to claim 7, wherein said third means includes a decade counting register;

and said fourth means includes a storage register coupled to said counting register and said second source, a decoder coupled to said storage register, and a four digit digital readout device coupled to said decoder.

10. An indicator according to claim 9, wherein said given period of time is selected so that said digital readout device provides said digital readout directly in gallons per hour of said fluid.

11. An indicator according to claim 10, wherein the value of N for both said first and second means is identical.

12. An indicator according to claim 11, wherein said value of N is selected from he range of integers 2 to 9 inclusive.

13. An indicator according to claim 12, wherein said fifth means includes a positive displacement type fluid flow meter.

14. An indicator according to claim 7, wherein said fifth means includes a positive displacement type fluid flow meter.