Explosive fluid metering apparatus having immune data converter and method of metering explosive fluid distribution
First Claim
1. An explosive fluid metering apparatus for metering explosive fluid and for readily retrofitting an existing explosive fluid meter, the apparatus comprising:
- an explosive fluid distribution pipe for distributing explosive fluid;
an explosive fluid meter in fluid communication with said explosive fluid delivery pipe, said explosive fluid meter including a housing devoid of electric circuits which can cause explosive fluid to ignite and explosive fluid metering means positioned within said housing for metering explosive fluid and being devoid of electric circuits which can cause explosive fluid to ignite, said housing including a light pipe opening positioned to extend therethrough, said explosive fluid metering means including a rotatably mounted shaft rotatable responsive to explosive fluid being distributed from said explosive fluid distribution pipe; and
immune data converting means positioned within said housing of said explosive fluid meter, connected to said rotatably mounted shaft, and being devoid of electric circuits which can cause explosive fluid to ignite for converting the rotation of said shaft into immune data communication which is immune from causing explosive fluid to ignite and immune from interference caused by electromagnetic forces associated with said explosive fluid meter, said immune data converting means including a rotatable disc member connected to said shaft, positioned in fluid exposure to explosive fluid and having a plurality of indicators formed in a surface thereof and at least one light pipe having a distal end positioned adjacent the rotatable disc member and having more proximal portions extending outwardly through said light pipe opening so that optical pulses responsive to the plurality of indicators are communicated remote from said housing of said explosive fluid meter, said rotatable disc member also having first and second disc member portions and at least one fastener for detachably connecting said first member portion to said second member portion so that said rotating disc member is readily detachably connected to said rotatable shaft to thereby readily retrofit the explosive fluid meter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and methods are provided for metering explosive fluid. The apparatus preferably has an explosive fluid distribution pipe for distributing explosive fluid and an explosive fluid meter in fluid communication with the explosive fluid delivery pipe. The explosive fluid meter preferably includes a housing and an explosive fluid metering device positioned within the housing for metering explosive fluid. The explosive fluid metering device includes a rotatably mounted shaft rotatable responsive to explosive fluid being distributed from the explosive fluid distribution pipe. An immune data converter is positioned within the housing of the explosive fluid meter and is connected to the rotatably mounted shaft for converting the rotation of the shaft into optical data communication.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An explosive fluid metering apparatus for metering explosive fluid and for readily retrofitting an existing explosive fluid meter, the apparatus comprising:
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an explosive fluid distribution pipe for distributing explosive fluid; an explosive fluid meter in fluid communication with said explosive fluid delivery pipe, said explosive fluid meter including a housing devoid of electric circuits which can cause explosive fluid to ignite and explosive fluid metering means positioned within said housing for metering explosive fluid and being devoid of electric circuits which can cause explosive fluid to ignite, said housing including a light pipe opening positioned to extend therethrough, said explosive fluid metering means including a rotatably mounted shaft rotatable responsive to explosive fluid being distributed from said explosive fluid distribution pipe; and immune data converting means positioned within said housing of said explosive fluid meter, connected to said rotatably mounted shaft, and being devoid of electric circuits which can cause explosive fluid to ignite for converting the rotation of said shaft into immune data communication which is immune from causing explosive fluid to ignite and immune from interference caused by electromagnetic forces associated with said explosive fluid meter, said immune data converting means including a rotatable disc member connected to said shaft, positioned in fluid exposure to explosive fluid and having a plurality of indicators formed in a surface thereof and at least one light pipe having a distal end positioned adjacent the rotatable disc member and having more proximal portions extending outwardly through said light pipe opening so that optical pulses responsive to the plurality of indicators are communicated remote from said housing of said explosive fluid meter, said rotatable disc member also having first and second disc member portions and at least one fastener for detachably connecting said first member portion to said second member portion so that said rotating disc member is readily detachably connected to said rotatable shaft to thereby readily retrofit the explosive fluid meter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An explosive fluid metering immune data converting apparatus adapted to be positioned within a housing of an existing explosive fluid meter devoid of electric circuits which can cause explosive fluid to ignite and to be connected to a rotatable shaft positioned within the housing for readily retrofitting and converting the rotation of the shaft into optical data communication which is immune from causing explosive fluid to ignite and immune from interference caused by electromagnetic forces associated with the explosive fluid meter, the apparatus comprising:
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a rotatable disc member positioned to be mounted to the shaft positioned within a housing of the explosive fluid meter and in fluid exposure to an explosive fluid, said rotatable disc member including first and second disc member portions, at least one fastener for detachable connecting said first member portion to said second member portion, a hub defined by at least portions of said first and second member portions and positioned to be mounted to the shaft, and a plate member mounted to said hub and extending outwardly therefrom so that said rotating disc member is readily detachably connected to said rotatable shaft to thereby allow ready retrofitting capabilities, said plate member including a plurality of indicators formed in a surface thereof; and a pair of spaced-apart light pipes positioned so that the indicators of said plate member extend between said pair of spaced-apart light pipes so that the optical pulses are formed during rotation of the shaft and said rotatable disc member connected thereto. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of retrofitting and converting the rotation of a shaft of an existing explosive fluid meter into optical communication which is immune from causing explosive fluid to ignite and immune from interference caused by electromagnetic forces associated with the explosive meter, the existing explosive meter including a housing devoid of electric circuits which can cause explosive fluid to ignite, the method comprising the steps of:
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mounting a rotatable disc member to the shaft of the explosive fluid meter in fluid exposure to an explosive fluid, the rotatable disc member including first and second disc member portions, at least one fastener for detachable connecting said first member portion to said second member portion, a hub defined by at least portions of said first and second disc members for mounting the disc member to the shaft, and a plate member connected to the hub and extending outwardly therefrom, the plate member including a plurality of indicators formed in a surface thereof; and mounting a pair of spaced-apart light pipes positioned so that the indicators of the plate member extend between the pair of spaced-apart light pipes and so that optical pulses are formed during rotation of the shaft and the rotatable disc member connected thereto. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification