Meter proving method and apparatus

Claim 2

A method as in claim 1 in which, after the steps recited in claim 1, the valve is moved to its second operating position to reverse the direction of liquid flow through the prover pipe, the sphere is caused to be propelled by liquid flow into the adjacent end portion of the prover pipe, the spaces between the sealing areas of the sealing assemblies are simultaneously vented to atmosphere for a period of time after which such venting is terminated, indicating any rise in pressure in the spaces between said sealing areas before the sphere reaches the first sphere detector and also during the time the sphere is being propelled through the prover pipe between the two detectors, and then causing the sphere to come to rest in said one barrel.

Claim 3

A method as in claim 3 in which the sphere is held in a position from which it is released until the spaces between the sealing areas are vented to atmosphere, such holding of the sphere occurring in both said one barrel at the commencement of a complete proving cycle, and in the other barrel in the final reverse portion of the cycle.

Claim 4

A meter prover system comprising a prover pipe having barrels of enlarged diameter connected to its two ends, a diverter valve comprising a box-like valve body having opposed end walls provided with flow passages, a first flow passage in one end wall being connected with one barrel, a second flow passage in the same end wall connected with the other barrel, a third flow passage in the other end wall adapted to be connected to a downstream portion of a piping system, a fourth flow passage in the other end wall forming an inlet adapted to be connected to an upstream portion of the piping system, the first and second flow passages being spaced apart and the third flow passage being in alignment with the first flow passage, a valve part disclosed within the body and movable in opposite directions between two operating positions, said valve part including separate first and second ducts having their ends terminating adjacent the end walls, the first one of said ducts being disposed whereby when the valve part is in said first operating position the first duct is in registration with the first flow passage of said one end wall and the third outlet passage is in the other end wall, the second duct being so positioned and proportioned whereby when the valve part is in said first operating position it is out of registration with all of the flow passages and permits flow of liquid from the fourth inlet flow passage about the second duct and out of the valve body through the second flow passage in the one end wall, said ducts being likewise positioned and proportioned whereby for the second operating position of the valve part the ends of the second duct are brought into registration with the first flow passage of the one end wall and the fourth inlet flow passage of the other end wall, and the second duct is out of registration with all of the flow passages, and sealing means surrounding the first flow passage, the third outlet flow passage, and the fourth inlet flow passage, said sealing means serving to establish fluid tight seals between the end Walls of the body and the ends of the cooperating ducts for the two operating positions of the valves, said valve serving to direct flow in opposite directions through the meter prover pipe for its two operating positions.

Claim 5

A meter prover system comprising a prover pipe having barrels of enlarged diameter connected to its two ends, a diverter valve comprising a box-like valve body having opposed end walls provided with flow passages, a first flow passage in one end wall being connected with one barrel, a second flow passage in the same end wall connected with the other barrel, a third flow passage in the other end wall adapted to be connected to a downstream portion of a piping system, a fourth flow passage in the other end wall forming an inlet adapted to be connected to an upstream portion of the piping system, the first and second flow passages being spaced apart and the third flow passage being in alignment with the first flow passage, a valve part disclosed within the body and movable in opposite directions between two operating positions, said valve part including separate first and second ducts having their ends terminating adjacent the end walls, the first one of said ducts being disposed whereby when the valve part is in said first operating position the first duct is in registration with the first flow passage of said one end wall and the third outlet passage is in the other end wall, the second duct being so positioned and proportioned whereby when the valve part is in said first operating position it is out of registration with all of the flow passages and permits flow of liquid from the fourth inlet flow passage about the second duct and out of the valve body through the second flow passage in the one end wall, said ducts being likewise positioned and proportioned whereby for the second operating position of the valve part the ends of the second duct are brought into registration with the first flow passage of the one end wall and the fourth inlet flow passage of the other end wall, and the second duct is out of registration with all of the flow passages, and sealing means surrounding the first flow passage, the third outlet flow passage, and the fourth inlet flow passage, said sealing means serving to establish fluid tight seals between the end Walls of the body and the ends of the cooperating ducts for the two operating positions of the valves, said valve serving to direct flow in opposite directions through the meter prover pipe for its two operating positions.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 5 together with means for detecting leakage of liquid past all of the sealing means.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 5 in which each of said sealing means consists of a sealing assembly adapted to establish seals on two concentric annular areas, together with duct means for venting the space between said concentric sealing areas to the atmosphere.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 5 in which the first duct means is disposed on an axis perpendicular to said end walls of the valve body and in which said second duct means has its axis inclined to the first and second end walls.

Claim 9

A meter prover comprising the diverter valve defined in claim 5 together with a prover pipe having barrels of enlarged internal diameter connected to the ends of the pipe and pipes connecting said first and second flow passages with said barrels.

Claim 10

A four-way diverter valve for bidirectional meter provers comprising a box-like valve body having opposed end walls provided with flow passages, a first flow passage in one end wall being adapted to be connected with one end portion of a meter prover pipe and the second flow passage in the same end wall being adapted to be connected to the other end of the meter prover pipe, a third flow passage in the other end wall providing an outlet flow passage adapted to be connected to the downstream end of an associated piping system, a fourth flow passage in the last named end wall forming an inlet passage adapted to be connected to the upstream side of the associated piping system, the first and second flow passages in said one end wall being spaced apart, the third outlet flow passage in said other end wall being in axial alignment with the first flow passage, the fourth inlet passage in the said other end wall being out of alignment with both the first and second flow passages in said one end wall, a movable valve part disposed within the valve body between said end walls and movable parallel to the end walls between two operating positions, said valve part including separate first and second fluid ducts having their ends terminating adjacent the end walls, the first one of said ducts being disposed whereby when the valve part is in said first operating position the duct is in alignment with and in registration with the first flow passage of said one end wall and the third outlet passage in the other end wall, the second duct being so positioned and proportioned whereby when said valve part is in said first operating position it is out of registration with all of said passages and permits flow of liquid from the fourth inlet flow passage, about the second duct, and out of the valve body through the second flow passage in the one end wall, said ducts being likewise positioned and proportioned whereby for the second operating position of the valve part the ends of the second duct are brought into registration with the first flow passage of the one end wall and the fourth inlet flow passage of the other end wall, and the second duct is out of registration with all of the flow passages, and sealing means surrounding the first flow passage, the third outlet flow passage, and the fourth inlet flow passage, said sealing means serving to establish fluid tight seals between the end walls of the body and the ends of the cooperating ducts for the two operating positions of the valve.

Claim 11

A four-way diverter valve for bidirectional meter provers comprising a box-like valve body having opposed end walls provided with flow passages, a first flow passage in one end wall being adapted to be connected with one end portion of a meter prover pipe and the second flow passage in the same end wall being adapted to be connected to the other end of the meter prover pipe, a third flow passage in the other end wall providing an outlet flow passage adapted to be connected to the downstream end of an associated piping system, a fourth flow passage in the last named end wall forming an inlet passage adapted to be connected to the upstream side of the associated piping system, the first and second flow passages in said one end wall being spaced apart, the third outlet flow passage in said other end wall being in axial alignment with the first flow passage, the fourth inlet passage in the said other end wall being out of alignment with both the first and second flow passages in said one end wall, a movable valve part disposed within the valve body between said end walls and movable parallel to the end walls between two operating positions, said valve part including separate first and second fluid ducts having their ends terminating adjacent the end walls, the first one of said ducts being disposed whereby when the valve part is in said first operating position the duct is in alignment with and in registration with the first flow passage of said one end wall and the third outlet passage in the other end wall, the second duct being so positioned and proportioned whereby when said valve part is in said first operating position it is out of registration with all of said passages and permits flow of liquid from the fourth inlet flow passage, about the second duct, and out of the valve body through the second flow passage in the one end wall, said ducts being likewise positioned and proportioned whereby for the second operating position of the valve part the ends of the second duct are brought into registration with the first flow passage of the one end wall and the fourth inlet flow passage of the other end wall, and the second duct is out of registration with all of the flow passages, and sealing means surrounding the first flow passage, the third outlet flow passage, and the fourth inlet flow passage, said sealing means serving to establish fluid tight seals between the end walls of the body and the ends of the cooperating ducts for the two operating positions of the valve.