Dwyer Instruments, Inc.

James W Phillips

Duane M Kobos

Steven O Buchanan

Terrence J Troyer

Terrance J Troyer

Gregory Dirks

Flowmeter

A multipurpose flowmeter arrangement of simplified construction that may be adapted for a number of different flowmeter applications under both pressure and vacuum conditions, in the form of a one-piece molded plastic body defining a float tube, rearwardly projecting tubular mounting studs at the base and top of the float tube that are also to form the fluid connections to and from the float tube, with the flowmeter body also defining both at the base and at the top of the float tube a cylindrical valve chamber, which valve chambers are aligned with the bores of the respective mounting studs and are each defined by a forwardly projecting cylindrical wall that, for use with valve control, may have fixed to same a sleeve that has an internal left hand thread to optionally threadedly receive either a similarly externally threaded plug to seal the valve chamber in question, or a similarly externally threaded nut that has a right hand internal threading for threadedly mounting a similarly externally threaded valve member for opening and closing the valve of the valve chamber it services. The valve member in question carries a stop flange that engages the nut to prevent removal of the valve member, and the valve member threading is proportioned to provide for free wheeling of same when moved to its fully retracted position, but with the nut and valve member being removable as a unit from the flowmeter to accommodate cleaning of the flowmeter or the like.

Multipurpose flowmeter arrangement

A strain gauge pressure transducer comprising a housing having an internal pressure cavity across which is mounted a flexible elastomeric diaphragm that separates high and low pressure chambers in the gauge that the housing is arranged to separately connect the sources of high and low pressure, respectively. A range spring in the form of a leaf spring is anchored to the housing cantilever fashion in the high pressure chamber and to one side of the diaphragm to dispose the live length of same, as defined by a clamp device, in overlying relation to the diaphragm, to which the leaf spring live length is connected for deflecting movement thereof by the diaphragm. The leaf spring has fixed to its live length a strain gauge in the form of four square grid etched foil sensing elements of the self temperature compensated type connected in Wheatstone bridge fashion that forms an electro-mechanical transducer that is powered by an electronic circuit mounted inside the gauge on a printed circuit board that is in overlying relation to and spaced from the leaf spring, which when energized supplies a constant direct voltage, to the strain gauge. Deflection of the leaf spring live length under deflection of the diaphragm in response to fluid pressure applications to the high and low pressure chambers unbalances the strain gauge from a null relation and effects a corresponding change in the strain gauge signal which is amplified and converted by the electronic circuit to a low output that is supplied to instrumentation such as a controller or recorder. The electronic circuit has internal adjustments that provide for adjustment of the range or span of the transducer, and the zero operating point of the transducer.

Strain gauge pressure transducer

A roll-up type U-tube manometer of the type disclosed in Dwyer U.S. Pat. No. 2,662,409, in which the manometer tubes are defined by a flexible elongate body formed from a transparent flexible plastic material that is shaped to define the basic manometer tubes the opposing side walls of which are integrally connected in spaced apart relation by a web, in which the body along the front side of same is formed adjacent the juncture of the respective tubes and the web with a pair of continuous flanges at similar flat angles relative to the web to overlie same and define along each tube an apex shaped slot, which slots and the web form a slideway between the tubes in which a scale in the form of a length of spring steel stripping of film thickness dimensions, that is arced convexly of the front surface of same, is slidably mounted with continuous engagement by the body with the scale along the scale side edges to uniformly hold the scale in its slideway along its length, for smooth rolling up of the scale with the body when the manometer is rolled up for transport and/or storage and smooth unrolling of the body when the manometer is to be set up for use.

Roll-up type U-tube manometer

A differential pressure gauge of the type comprising a controlling magnetic helix device carrying a pressure indicating arm, the position of which is controlled by a magnet mounted on the free end of a cantilevered leaf spring actuated by a pressure diaphragm exposed to differential pressures. The helix cooperates with a magnet having a planar pole face paralleling the axis of the helix and defining a magnetic axis that is normal to and intersects the helix axis. The gauge housing defines an integral one piece pressure wall that separates the helix from the magnet and defines within the gauge housing pressure cavity an operating space within which the magnet and its supporting leaf spring are mounted and operate. Between the helix and the magnet the pressure wall is of film dimensions and is contoured to stress in bending. The leaf spring is mounted on a mounting plate disposed within the pressure cavity and engaging the gauge housing only at its rim for stress isolation purposes. The mounting plate also shiftably mounts an adjustable fulcrum for the leaf spring in the form of a clamp device which may be both positionally adjusted and operated through a common access opening in the housing. The housing includes a zero datum and a device for setting the indicating arm on the zero datum including an adjustment mechanism coupled to the helix and seated on the housing in alignment with the helix axis.

Differential pressure gauge

A differential pressure gauge of the type comprising a controlling magnetic helix device carrying a pressure indicating arm, the position of which is controlled by a magnet mounted on the free end of a cantilevered leaf spring actuated by a pressure diaphragm exposed to differential pressures. While the helix is preferably of the monoflange or single lobe type, either single or double lobe forms may be employed and they cooperate with a parallelepiped shaped magnet having a planar pole face paralleling the axis of the helix and defining a magnetic axis that is normal to and intersects the helix axis. The magnet and helix are closely spaced, and the magnet is formed from a suitable high energy product type material. The gauge housing defines an integral one piece pressure wall that separates the helix from the magnet and defines within the gauge housing pressure cavity an operating space within which the magnet and its supporting leaf spring are mounted and operate. Between the helix and the magnet the pressure wall is of film dimensions and is contoured to stress in bending.

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Michigan City, IN, United States of America

James W Phillips