The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 24, 2002
Filed:
May. 06, 1999
Dennis R. Montag, DuBois, PA (US);
William R. Mazza, Jr., DuBois, PA (US);
Kevin A. Long, DuBois, PA (US);
M&FC Holding Company, Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
An ultrasonic gas meter housing member is configured to provide an associated multi-configuration ultrasonic gas meter assembly. The housing member is installable in an ultrasonic gas flow meter which includes an internal flow measurement tube along which gas travels for flow measurement, the tube having an inlet end and an outlet end. The ultrasonic gas meter housing member includes a closed back portion and a front portion spaced from the back portion to define a space for receiving the internal flow measurement tube such that the tube extends across the internal space of the housing member. At least one wall portion extends between the back portion and the front portion, the wall portion having a first opening and a second opening therethrough for connection of the housing member to a gas inlet pipe and a gas outlet pipe. The gas meter housing member is symmetrical about a plane which divides the housing member into a first portion and a second portion. The symmetrical configuration enables the housing member to receive the flow measurement tube in both a first orientation in which the first and second opening face in a first direction and the inlet end of the flow measurement tube is positioned in the first portion of the housing member and the outlet end is positioned in the second portion, and a second orientation in which the first and second opening face in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the inlet end of the flow measurement tube is positioned in the second portion of the gas meter housing member and the outlet end is positioned in the first portion. The first and second orientations are particularly useful in enabling the housing member to be used both in gas meter installation sites where the gas pipes extend downward and in gas meter installation sites where the gas pipes extend upward.