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:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 21, 2002
Helmut W. Hopfe, Erie, PA (US);
Alexander R. Podgers, Lake City, PA (US);
American Meter Company, Erie, PA (US);
Abstract
A temperature compensated fluid meter includes a temperature transducer with a bellows that expands and contracts. Movement of a rod attached to a movable end of the bellows is coupled to a transmission assembly which includes a cylinder and a cone that have a transfer ring mounted between them. The actuator rod is interconnected with the transfer ring to move it substantially linearly and continuously along the axis of the cylinder in response to changes in the temperature of the fluid being measured. This changes the speed of rotation of the cone with respect to the cylinder for a particular volume of fluid as the temperature of the fluid changes. A cone shaft in which the cone is mounted is interconnected with the compensated index within the register so as to substantially linearly and continuously cause the index to record a temperature compensated fluid volume. A pair of elastomeric expanders in the mounting assembly for the cylinder's shaft flex in response to a force exerted on the cone by a spring that biases the cone, mounted at an angle to the cylinder, toward the cylinder. The flexing of the elastomeric expanders minimizes the effects of discontinuities in the size and shape of the ring, the cylinder and the cone during their rotation. A register cover attached to the fluid meter has at least one side rib extending from a location adjacent each of a plurality of mounting holes in a mounting flange at an open end of the register cover. Radially extending closure ribs, corresponding to the side ribs, are located within the register cover and on a closed end of the cover and extend toward the center of the closed end. In some figures an end of each of the closure ribs is attached to a flange on the closure end of the register cover.