Instruments for flow meters
First Claim
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1. An instrument for a flow meter, the instrument comprising:
- an input shaft that is driven to rotate in a first direction or in a second opposite direction by a flow meter when the input shaft is coupled to the flow meter;
an output shaft that rotates in response to rotation of the input shaft, the rotation of the output shaft causing a data device to collect information related to the flow meter; and
a gear system that couples the input shaft to the output shaft, said gear system to automatically adjust and thereby direct the output shaft in a forward rotational direction in response to both rotation of the input shaft in the first direction and rotation of the input shaft in the second opposite direction,wherein the gear system comprises an input gear coupled to the input shaft, an output gear coupled to the output shaft, and an idler gear assembly that translates rotational motion from the input gear to the output gear, the idler gear assembly including first and second idler gears collectively mounted to a movable body that, in response to rotation of the input gear in the first direction, shifts the arrangement of the first and second idler gears so that at least one of the first and second idler gears disengages the output gear, andwherein the movable body of the idler gear assembly is pivotable relative to the input gear from a first orientation in which the first idler gear directly engages both the input gear and the output gear to a second orientation in which the first idler gear directly engages only one of the input gear and the output gear.
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Abstract
Some embodiments of an instrument for a flow meter can automatically adjust in response to the rotational direction of the drive shaft of the flow meter, thereby permitting the instrument device to perform its intended function regardless of the fluid flow direction through the flow meter. In one example, the instrument may comprise a corrector instrument that includes a counter.
14 Citations
36 Claims
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1. An instrument for a flow meter, the instrument comprising:
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an input shaft that is driven to rotate in a first direction or in a second opposite direction by a flow meter when the input shaft is coupled to the flow meter; an output shaft that rotates in response to rotation of the input shaft, the rotation of the output shaft causing a data device to collect information related to the flow meter; and a gear system that couples the input shaft to the output shaft, said gear system to automatically adjust and thereby direct the output shaft in a forward rotational direction in response to both rotation of the input shaft in the first direction and rotation of the input shaft in the second opposite direction, wherein the gear system comprises an input gear coupled to the input shaft, an output gear coupled to the output shaft, and an idler gear assembly that translates rotational motion from the input gear to the output gear, the idler gear assembly including first and second idler gears collectively mounted to a movable body that, in response to rotation of the input gear in the first direction, shifts the arrangement of the first and second idler gears so that at least one of the first and second idler gears disengages the output gear, and wherein the movable body of the idler gear assembly is pivotable relative to the input gear from a first orientation in which the first idler gear directly engages both the input gear and the output gear to a second orientation in which the first idler gear directly engages only one of the input gear and the output gear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An instrument for a flow meter, the instrument comprising:
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an input shaft that is driven to rotate in a first direction or in a second opposite direction by a flow meter when the input shaft is coupled to the flow meter; an output shaft that rotates in response to rotation of the input shaft, the rotation of the output shaft causing a data device to collect information related to the flow meter; and a gear system that couples the input shaft to the output shaft, said gear system to automatically adjust and thereby direct the output shaft in a forward rotational direction in response to both rotation of the input shaft in the first direction and rotation of the input shaft in the second opposite direction, wherein the gear system comprises an input gear coupled to the input shaft, an output gear coupled to the output shaft, and an idler gear assembly that translates rotational motion from the input gear to the output gear, the idler gear assembly including first and second idler gears collectively mounted to a movable body that, in response to rotation of the input gear in the first direction, shifts the arrangement of the first and second idler gears so that at least one of the first and second idler gears disengages the output gear, and wherein in the instrument comprises a corrector instrument that indicates a corrected amount of fluid flow through the flow meter, the corrected amount being at least one of temperature corrected and pressure corrected. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An instrument for a flow meter, the instrument comprising:
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an input shaft that is driven to rotate in a first direction or in a second opposite direction by a flow meter when the input shaft is coupled to the flow meter; an output shaft that rotates in response to rotation of the input shaft, the rotation of the output shaft causing a data device to collect information related to the flow meter; and a gear system that couples the input shaft to the output shaft, said gear system to automatically adjust and thereby direct the output shaft in a forward rotational direction in response to both rotation of the input shaft in the first direction and rotation of the input shaft in the second opposite direction, wherein the gear system comprises an input gear coupled to the input shaft, an output gear coupled to the output shaft, and an idler gear assembly that translates rotational motion from the input gear to the output gear, the idler gear assembly including first and second idler gears collectively mounted to a movable body that, in response to rotation of the input gear in the first direction, shifts the arrangement of the first and second idler gears so that at least one of the first and second idler gears disengages the output gear, and wherein in the instrument comprises an instrument drive device that mounts to the flow meter, the output shaft of the instrument drive device being a drive shaft that drives the operation of the data device. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A corrector instrument for a flow meter, the instrument comprising:
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an input shaft that is driven to rotate in a first direction or in a second opposite direction by an instrument drive device of a flow meter when the input shaft is coupled to the instrument drive device of the flow meter; an output shaft that rotates in response to rotation of the input shaft, the rotation of the output shaft causing a magnet coupled to the output shaft to rotate; an electronic data device arranged proximate to the magnet to detect the rotation of the magnet and generate information related to an amount of fluid flow through the flow meter, the electronic data device generating a corrected value of fluid flow through the flow meter, the corrected value being at least one of a temperature-corrected value and a pressure-corrected value; a mechanical counter device that is driven by the output shaft to indicate information related to an amount of fluid flow through the flow meter, wherein the mechanical counter device indicates an uncorrected value of fluid flow through the flow meter while the electronic data device communicates at least the corrected value of fluid flow through the flow meter to a remote site, the electronic data device having a local user interface that includes an electronic display device; and a gear system that couples the input shaft to the output shaft, said gear system to automatically adjust and thereby direct the output shaft in a forward rotational direction in response to both rotation of the input shaft in the first direction and rotation of the input shaft in the second opposite direction. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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Specification