Flowmeter having a fitting assembly with drainage reservoir, tap, and plug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10859424-B2
Application number	US-201816036653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2018
Priority date	Jul 16, 2018
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A flowmeter with a drainable fitting assemble is presented. The flowmeter includes an inner tube providing a flow path for pressurized fluid, a housing assembly for receiving the inner tube, and a fitting assembly for securing the inner conduit and the housing assembly in-line within a pipeline path. The fitting assembly includes a tap for draining the reservoir fitting of liquid. The tap can mateable with either a removable or adjustable plug.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flowmeter comprising:
an inner tube providing a flow path for pressurized fluid;
a housing assembly for receiving the inner tube; and
a fitting assembly for securing the inner tube and the housing assembly in-line within a pipeline path;
wherein the fitting assembly includes a drainage reservoir and a tap for draining fluid from between the drainage reservoir and the housing assembly.

2. The flowmeter of claim 1 further comprising a float in the flow path wherein the float provides indication of the flow rate in the flow path.

3. The flowmeter of claim 1 further comprising a protective shield having a plurality of markers providing a visible indicator of the pressure of the pressurized fluid according to the position of a float in the flow path.

4. The flowmeter of claim 3 wherein the protective shield is an intermediate tube for receiving the inner tube.

5. The flowmeter of claim 3 wherein the protective shield is made of polycarbonate.

6. The flowmeter of claim 3 wherein the flowmeter can be calibrated by adjusting the position of the protective shield while in-line within the pipeline path.

7. The flowmeter of claim 1 wherein the housing assembly includes a window made of polycarbonate.

8. The flowmeter of claim 1 further comprising a plug for mating with the tap.

9. The flowmeter of claim 1 further comprising another fitting assembly for securing the inner tube and the housing assembly in-line within another pipeline path, wherein the fitting assembly includes another tap for draining the other fitting assembly of fluid.

10. A flowmeter comprising:
a housing assembly for receiving an inner tube; and
a fitting assembly for securing the housing assembly in-line within a pipeline path;
wherein the fitting assembly includes a reservoir fitting with a tap for draining fluid from between the reservoir fitting and the housing assembly.

11. The flowmeter of claim 10 further comprising a float in the flow path wherein the float provides indication of the flow rate in the flow path.

12. The flowmeter of claim 10 further comprising a protective shield having a plurality of markers providing a visible indicator of the pressure of the pressurized fluid according to the position of a float in the flow path.

13. The flowmeter of claim 12 wherein the protective shield is an intermediate tube for receiving the inner tube.

14. The flowmeter of claim 12 wherein the protective shield is made of polycarbonate.

15. The flowmeter of claim 12 wherein the flowmeter can be calibrated by adjusting the position of the protective shield while in-line within the pipeline path.

16. The flowmeter of claim 10 wherein the housing assembly includes a window made of polycarbonate.

17. The flowmeter of claim 10 further comprising a plug for mating with the tap.

18. The flowmeter of claim 10 further comprising another fitting assembly for securing the inner tube and the housing assembly in-line within another pipeline path, wherein the fitting assembly includes another reservoir fitting and tap for draining the other reservoir fitting of fluid.

19. A flowmeter comprising:
an inner tube providing a flow path for pressurized fluid wherein a float in the flow path provides indication of the flow rate of the fluid in the flow path;
a protective shield having a plurality of markers providing a visible indicator of the flow rate of the pressurized fluid according to the position of the float in the flow path;
a housing assembly for receiving the inner tube; and
a fitting assembly for securing the inner conduit and the housing assembly in-line within a pipeline path;
wherein the fitting assembly includes a drainage reservoir and a tap for draining fluid from between the drainage reservoir and the housing assembly;
wherein the flowmeter can be calibrated by adjusting the position of the protective shield.

20. The flowmeter of claim 19 wherein the tap is coupleable with a plug and the flowmeter can be calibrated by adjusting the position of the protective shield while in-line within the pipeline path.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Van Voorst Jan Willem
• Van Rijswijk Jan Willem

Classifications

• G01F25/10

  of flowmeters · CPC title

• G01F22/00 Primary

  Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G01F23/30 Primary

  by floats · CPC title

• G01F23/02

  by gauge glasses or other apparatus involving a window or transparent tube for directly observing the level to be measured or the level of a liquid column in free communication with the main body of the liquid · CPC title

• G01F25/0007

  Physics · mapped topic