Flowmeter mounted with U-shaped bracket and clamping device

• US 6,389,909 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wellspring Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Christian Siebert, Daivd A. Saar, Dwight N. Johnson, Wade W. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Wade W., Siebert, Christian, Saar, Daivd A., Johnson, Dwight N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mack, Corey D.
• Application Number:
  US09/524,502
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 738/617.8, 738/617.1, 738/617.3, 738/617.4, 738/617.5, 738/617.7, 738/617.9, 340/870.02, 374/208, 374/147, 137/551, 248/551, 248/500, 248/505
• US Class Current: 73/861.78
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/06 using rotating vanes with tangential admission
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/075 with magnetic or electromagnetic coupling to the indicating device
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/007 comprising means to prevent fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/066 involving magnetic transmission devices

Abstract

A system for monitoring the flow of water through a pipe. A metering device is located in a pipeline. A transmitting unit including a sensor is contained within a housing which has a frame projecting horizontally outwardly from the housing. A clip having an elongated band and a “U” shaped clasp at either end has an inner clasp portion and an outer catch portion to hold the meter against the housing.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the flow of water through a pipe comprising

a pipe section adapted to be located in a water supply line for housing a flow indicating device including means for presenting readable information representative of flow through the pipe section,

said pipe section including parallel vertical front and rear walls and opposed side walls interconnecting said front and rear walls, said rear wall having front and rear surfaces,

a cylindrical central portion for housing said means for presenting readable information representative of flow through the pipe section,

said cylindrical central portion extending through the opposed side Stalls and integral with the front surface of said rear vertical wall,

a transmitting unit including a sensor for reading the readable information presented by said flow indicating device and transmitting data relating to flow to a remote receiver,

a housing for said transmitting unit including a front vertical face, upper and lower brackets each defined by a pair of spaced vertical struts projecting horizontally outwardly from said front vertical face and having a selected width, and a pair of vertical panels extending outwardly from the front vertical face intermediate and integral with the vertical struts defining therewith a “

U”

shaped bracket,

means for mounting said sensor between said pair of vertical panels,

said opposed side walls having a spacing corresponding to the spacing between said pair of spaced vertical struts and being selectively sized to be located within said “

U”

shaped bracket with the rear surface of said rear wall proximate said sensor,

said pipe section including projecting means at either side of said side walls for capturing said “

U”

shaped bracket thereby preventing side to side movement of said pipe section relative to said housing,

a clip having an elongated band and a clasp at either end of said band,

each clasp and said upper and lower brackets including means for nonreleasably securing said clip to said upper and lower brackets with said elongated band between the spaced vertical struts of said upper and lower brackets and along the front wall of said pipe section.

2. A system for monitoring the flow of water through a pipe according to claim 1, wherein said means for nonreleasably securing said clip to said upper and lower brackets with said elongated band between the spaced vertical struts of said upper and lower brackets and along the front wall of said pipe section comprising

a horizontal opening in each of said upper and lower brackets adjacent to said rear wall of said pipe section,

a locking bar dividing said opening in each of said upper and lower brackets into first and second openings,

each locking bar having a first surface coplanar with an end of said r ear wall inner surface and a second catch surface,

a clip having an elongated band and a “ U”

shaped clasp at either end of said band, each clasp having

an inner clasp portion selectively sized for insertion through said first opening of one of said brackets,

said inner clasp portion including surface means for simultaneously engaging said locking bar and the inner surface of said rear wall of said pipe section, and

an outer catch portion for insertion through said second opening to lockingly engage a catch surface of one of said locking bars.

3. A system for monitoring the flow of water through a pipe according to claim 2, wherein said second opening is selectively sized to inhibit access to the free end of said catch portion when it is lockingly engaging a catch surface.

4. A system for monitoring the flow of water through a pipe according to claim 3, wherein said transmitting unit further comprises means for sensing the temperature of the water flowing through said pipe section and transmitting data related thereto to a remote receiver including a temperature sensor and wherein said means for mounting the first sensor between said pair of vertical panels includes means for supporting said temperature sensor.

5. A system for monitoring the flow of water through a pipe according to claim 3, wherein the thickness of said cylindrical central portion at the location where integral with the front surface of said rear vertical wall is reduced.