Adapter for connecting an encoder remote transmitter to a gas meter

• US 5,421,201 A
• Filed: 06/27/1994
• Issued: 06/06/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William J. Pellerin Jr
• Original Assignee: William J. Pellerin Jr
• Inventors: Pellerin, William J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Jr., Richard E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dougherty, Elizabeth L.
• Application Number:
  US08/266,363
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 73/253, 73/258, 73/262, 73/269, 73/272 A, 73/272 R, 73/273, 73/274, 73/861.77, 73/861.78
• US Class Current: 73/272.00A
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/07 Integration to give total flow, e.g. using mechanically-operated integrating mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/0755 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 3/228 using mechanical transmission means

Abstract

An adapter is provided between a gas meter and an encoder remote transmitter to provide a driving connection from the gas meter output shaft and the encoder drive shaft. The encoder remote transmitter is used to transmit gas meter readings to a remotely located receiver. The adapter permits a commercially available transmitter to be used with a wide range of commercially available gas meters.

Claims

1. An adapter for operatively connecting the output shaft of a gas meter to the input shaft of an encoder remote transmitter:

said adapter comprising a unitary rigid housing (29) having an upper end, a lower end, and a central vertical axis;

said housing having a bottom flange (53) seatable on the top plate of a gas meter, a top flange (55) seatable against the bottom surface of an encoder remote transmitter casing, and an annular side wall permanently and rigidly joining said top and bottom flanges in non-adjustable fashion;

said annular side wall having an outer side surface (31) located closer to said central axis than said flanges, whereby said flanges extend radially outwardly beyond said side surface to form an external bolt insertion space;

a first series of bolt holes in said bottom flange for attaching the adapter to a gas meter;

a second series of bolt holes in said top flange for attaching the adapter to an encoder remote transmitter casing;

said top and bottom flanges being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of the associated connector bolts, whereby the connector bolts can be moved into the space between the flanges for insertion into each series of bolt holes;

said first series of bolt holes having a different hole pattern than said second series of holes, whereby the adapter serves as a connecting device for encoder transmitters and gas meters that could not otherwise be operatively and directly coupled together;

a rotary shaft extending through said housing on said central axis;

said shaft being slidably mounted in said housing so as to be capable of vertical adjustment along said axis;

said housing containing a central cavity (37) communicating with the housing lower end;

a first clutch element (39) secured to said rotary shaft within said central cavity for operatively connecting said rotary shaft to the output shaft of a gas meter;

a second clutch element (51) secured to said rotary shaft above the upper end of said housing for operatively connecting said rotary shaft to the input shaft of an encoder remote transmitter; and

said first and second clutch elements being spaced apart a sufficient distance as to permit said rotary shaft to be adjusted a limited distance along said central axis, whereby the second clutch element can be lifted to facilitate engagement of the first clutch element with the shaft of a gas meter located below the adapter.