Meter-proving method and apparatus

Claim 2

A meter-proving method making use of a length of metering pipe through which the flow of a piping system can be diverted and adapted to receive a sphere that is propelled through the metering pipe between predetermined sphere-detecting points by liquid flow, the steps of loosely retaining a sphere in a movable shuttle part that is enclosed within a body, shifting the shuttle part from a first to a second position in which the sphere is in alignment with inlet and outlet flow passages in the body, directing flow from the upstream side of the piping system through the inlet flow passage to cause the sphere to be launched into the inlet end of the metering pipe and propelled therethrough, causing the sphere to be delivered directly from the outlet end of the metering pipe to a third inlet flow passage in the body and into the shuttle part while flow is maintained through the shuttle part and about the sphere, causing said lastnamed flow to be delivered to the downstream side of the piping system through a fourth flow passage in the body, and then again shifting the shuttle part and the sphere into alignment with the first-named passages for relaunching the sphere.

Claim 3

A method as in claim 1 in which any leakage of liquid directly between the inlet and outlet ends of the metering pipe is detected after the sphere is launched and before it reaches the first detector.

Claim 4

A meter-proving apparatus comprising a sphere-launching device, said device consisting of a body, first, second, third and fourth flow passages in the body, the first and second flow passages being in alignment, and the third and fourth flow passages likewise being in alignment, a shuttle part movable between two limiting positions disposed within the body, said shuttle part having a sphere-accommodating space which is brought into alignment with the first and second flow passages, or the third and fourth flow passages, for the two limiting positions, a meter-proving pipe, a connection between the second flow passage and the inlet end portion of the metering pipe, means forming a connection between the third flow passage and the outlet end portion of the metering pipe, means forming a connection between the upstream side of the main piping system and the first flow passage, means forming a connection between the fourth flow passage and the downstream side of the main piping system, and means for shifting said shuttle part between said two operating positions, in one of which said space is in alignment with the first and second flow passages, and in the second of which said space is in alignment with the third and fourth passages.

Claim 5

A meter-proving apparatus comprising a sphere-launching device, said device consisting of a body, first, second, third and fourth flow passages in the body, the first and second flow passages being in alignment, and the third and fourth flow passages likewise being in alignment, a shuttle part movable between two limiting positions disposed within the body, said shuttle part having a sphere-accommodating space which is brought into alignment with the first and second flow passages, or the third and fourth flow passages, for the two limiting positions, a meter-proving pipe, a connection between the second flow passage and the inlet end portion of the metering pipe, means forming a connection between the third flow passage and the outlet end portion of the metering pipe, means forming a connection between the upstream side of the main piping system and the first flow passage, means forming a connection between the fourth flow passage and the downstream side of the main piping system, and means for shifting said shuttle part between said two operating positions, in one of which said space is in alignment with the first and second flow passages, and in the second of which said space is in alignment with the third and fourth passages.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 3 together with sealing means interposed between the side portions of said shuttle part and the end walls of the body, said sealing means being carried by said end walls and generally surrounding said first and second flow passages.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 3 together with bonnet means forming a closure for one extremity of the body, said bonnet means being removable to permit withdrawal of the shuttle part from the body.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 3 together with power means for moving the shuttle part between its operating positions, said power means including motive means, a rod connecting said motive means with said shuttle part, said rod extending substantially across said third flow passage when the shuttle part and said sphere-receiving space are in alignment with the first and second flow passages.

Claim 9

A sphere-launching device for use wiTh meter provers of the type including a meter-proving pipe having inlet and outlet end portions and adapted to receive a flow-propelled sphere, said device comprising a body having opposed end walls having first, second, third and fourth flow passages in the same, the first and second passages being in alignment and the second and third passages likewise being in alignment, the first passage being adapted to communicate with the upstream portion of a liquid piping system and the second flow passage being adapted to communicate with the inlet end portion of the metering pipe, the third flow passage being adapted to communicate with the outlet end portion of the metering pipe, and the fourth flow passage being adapted to communicate with the downstream side of the piping system, a shuttle part disposed within the body and movable between first and second operating positions, said shuttle part including a portion providing a space for accommodating a sphere, means forming sealing assemblies surrounding the first and second flow passages when the shuttle part is in its first operating position, said sealing assemblies forming fluidtight seals between the body and the shuttle part, said sphere-accommodating space being in alignment with the first and second flow passages when the shuttle part is in said first operating position and likewise being in alignment with the third and fourth passages when the shuttle part is in its second operating position, said shuttle part when in said first operating position permitting a sphere carried by the same to be launched into the inlet end portion of the metering pipe and when in said second operating position serving to receive a sphere delivered from the outlet end portion of the metering pipe, and means for shifting the shuttle part between said first and second operating positions.

Claim 10

A sphere-launching device for use wiTh meter provers of the type including a meter-proving pipe having inlet and outlet end portions and adapted to receive a flow-propelled sphere, said device comprising a body having opposed end walls having first, second, third and fourth flow passages in the same, the first and second passages being in alignment and the second and third passages likewise being in alignment, the first passage being adapted to communicate with the upstream portion of a liquid piping system and the second flow passage being adapted to communicate with the inlet end portion of the metering pipe, the third flow passage being adapted to communicate with the outlet end portion of the metering pipe, and the fourth flow passage being adapted to communicate with the downstream side of the piping system, a shuttle part disposed within the body and movable between first and second operating positions, said shuttle part including a portion providing a space for accommodating a sphere, means forming sealing assemblies surrounding the first and second flow passages when the shuttle part is in its first operating position, said sealing assemblies forming fluidtight seals between the body and the shuttle part, said sphere-accommodating space being in alignment with the first and second flow passages when the shuttle part is in said first operating position and likewise being in alignment with the third and fourth passages when the shuttle part is in its second operating position, said shuttle part when in said first operating position permitting a sphere carried by the same to be launched into the inlet end portion of the metering pipe and when in said second operating position serving to receive a sphere delivered from the outlet end portion of the metering pipe, and means for shifting the shuttle part between said first and second operating positions.

Claim 11

A sphere-launching device as in claim 7 in which the body is in the form of a box that is rectangular in section having end walls in which the said flow passages are formed and in which the shuttle part consists of spaced plates extending parallel to said end walls and secured to the ends of said portion forming said sphere-receiving space.

Claim 12

A sphere-launching device as in claim 8 together with power means for moving said shuttle part between said two operating positions and bonnet means mounted on one extremity of the body and serving to carry said power means, said power means including an operating rod having one end of the same mechanically coupled to the shuttle part.

Claim 13

A device as in claim 9 in which said bonnet means is detachable to permit removal of the shuttle part.

Claim 14

A device as in claim 9 in which said rod extends across said third flow passage to block passage of a sphere through the same when the shuttle part is in said first position.

Claim 15

A meter-proving method making use of a length of meter-proving pipe through which the flow of a piping system can be diverted and adapted to receive a sphere that is propelled through the metering pipe between predetermined sphere-detecting points by liquid flow, there being a sphere-handling device to which the ends of the metering pipe are connected, the device having a shuttle part which can be moved to one limiting position for receiving and retaining a sphere being discharged from the metering pipe and being movable to a second limiting position where the sphere is launched into the inlet portion of the metering pipe, the method comprising the following steps carried out in sequence, commencing with the sphere within the shuttle part, shifting the shuttle part from sphere-catching to sphere-launching position to cause the sphere to enter the inlet portion of the metering pipe, initiating a leakage detection operation immediately after the shuttle part has moved to sphere-launching position and before the sphere has reached the first sphere detector, said leak-detecting operation serving to determine whether or not any leakage is occurring directly between the inlet and outlet ends of the metering pipe through said sphere-handling device, commencing the proving run when the sphere passes the first sphere detector, completing the run when the sphere passes the second sphere detector, causing the shuttle part to be moved back to its sphere-catching limiting position with such movement being commenced when the sphere passes said second sphere-detecting point and then inhibiting the commencement of a new prover cycle for a predetermined time after the shuttle part has been returned to sphere-catching position thereby ensuring proper positioning of the sphere within the shuttle part before the commencement of a new proving cycle.

Claim 16

A meter-proving method making use of a length of meter-proving pipe through which the flow of a piping system can be diverted and adapted to receive a sphere that is propelled through the metering pipe between predetermined sphere-detecting points by liquid flow, there being a sphere-handling device to which the ends of the metering pipe are connected, the device having a shuttle part which can be moved to one limiting position for receiving and retaining a sphere being discharged from the metering pipe and being movable to a second limiting position where the sphere is launched into the inlet portion of the metering pipe, the method comprising the following steps carried out in sequence, commencing with the sphere within the shuttle part, shifting the shuttle part from sphere-catching to sphere-launching position to cause the sphere to enter the inlet portion of the metering pipe, initiating a leakage detection operation immediately after the shuttle part has moved to sphere-launching position and before the sphere has reached the first sphere detector, said leak-detecting operation serving to determine whether or not any leakage is occurring directly between the inlet and outlet ends of the metering pipe through said sphere-handling device, commencing the proving run when the sphere passes the first sphere detector, completing the run when the sphere passes the second sphere detector, causing the shuttle part to be moved back to its sphere-catching limiting position with such movement being commenced when the sphere passes said second sphere-detecting point and then inhibiting the commencement of a new prover cycle for a predetermined time after the shuttle part has been returned to sphere-catching position thereby ensuring proper positioning of the sphere within the shuttle part before the commencement of a new proving cycle.