Fluid oscillator flowmeter

Claim 2

A fluid oscillator flowmeter comprising a flow passage, a flexure reed mounted lengthwise in said passage and capable of oScillating movement essentially from wall to wall transversely of said passage in response to fluid flow through said passage, and sensor means responsive to said oscillatory movement in representation of said fluid flow; wherein said reed is provided with resilient opposition to transversely outward movement of said reed; wherein said reed is in the form of a planar sail, and means on the upstream portion of said sail and within said passage for producing said vortex shedding and consequent differential pressures to initiate said oscillatory movement; wherein full oscillation of said reed is sustained by reversals of two essentially parallel and confined flow systems, on opposite sides of said reed; and wherein said reed is secured to a fixed axis mounting at one end thereof and is positioned with the other end free and upstream of said fixed axis mounting.

Claim 3

A flowmeter comprising a flow passage, a resilient reed structure extending upstream in said flow passage from a fixed downstream mounting, said reed structure providing a sail form extending an effective distance transversely of said flow passage, vortex shedding means as a part of said reed structure, for producing vortices on opposite sides of said sail form, said shedding means being located within said passage significantly upstream of said downstream mounting and significantly coextensive with said sail form in the direction of said transverse extent of said sail form, and sensor means responsive to oscillation of said reed structure.

Claim 4

A flowmeter comprising a flow passage, a resilient reed structure extending upstream in said flow passage from a fixed downstream mounting, said reed structure providing a sail form extending an effective distance transversely of said flow passage, vortex shedding means as a part of said reed structure, for producing vortices on opposite sides of said sail form, said shedding means being located within said passage significantly upstream of said downstream mounting and significantly coextensive with said sail form in the direction of said transverse extent of said sail form, and sensor means responsive to oscillation of said reed structure.

Claim 5

A fluid flow measuring device comprising a sleeve housing, an inner sleeve mounted within said sleeve housing and defining a flow passage through said device, a pair of end-caps for said sleeve housing, with flow passages through said end-caps in continuance of said flow passage defined by said inner sleeve, an oscillator reed end mounted in one of said end-caps and extending into said flow passage defined by said inner sleeve flow passage for oscillation in response to differential pressure effects on said oscillator reed by fluid flow through said device, means on said reed for producing vortex shedding and consequent differential pressures to initiate said oscillation of said reed, and sensor means providing a basis for detection of the oscillations of said reed member as a measure of fluid flow through said inner sleeve flow passage.

Claim 6

A fluid flow measuring device comprising a sleeve housing, an inner sleeve mounted within said sleeve housing and defining a flow passage through said device, a pair of end-caps for said sleeve housing, with flow passages through said end-caps in continuance of said flow passage defined by said inner sleeve, an oscillator reed end mounted in one of said end-caps and extending into said flow passage defined by said inner sleeve flow passage for oscillation in response to differential pressure effects on said oscillator reed by fluid flow through said device, means on said reed for producing vortex shedding and consequent differential pressures to initiate said oscillation of said reed, and sensor means providing a basis for detection of the oscillations of said reed member as a measure of fluid flow through said inner sleeve flow passage.

Claim 7

A measuring device according to claim 3, wherein said oscillator reed is mounted in the downstream one of said end caps, said reed extending therefrom upstream of said flow passage.

Claim 8

A measuring device according to claim 3 wherein said vortex shedding means is a bulbous, cylindrical formation, transversely of said flow passage, at the free end of said reed.

Claim 9

A measuring device according to claim 3 wherein said reed mounting end-cap is provided with mutual locating means both with respect to said housing and with respect to said inner sleeve whereby said reed is repeatably located and positioned within said inner sleeve and with respect to said housing, for example, with respect to signal take-off means in said housing, said signal take-off means comprising said sensor.

Claim 10

A fluid flow measuring device according to claim 3 wherein said inner sleeve is a split-sleeve assembly whose inner cross-section is rectangular.

Claim 11

A fluid flow measuring device according to claim 3 wherein said inner sleeve is provided with an inner cross-section in rectangular form, wherein the inner ends of said end-cap flow passages are in continuance of said rectangular form, and wherein the outer ends of said end-cap flow passages are essentially circular.

Claim 12

An oscillating reed flowmeter comprising a reed member with one end fixed in a fluid flow passage, with an enlarged, free portion of said reed member located upstream of said fixed end, in said passage and positioned with respect to fluid flow in said passage on a wall to wall reed oscillation and fluid vortex shedding basis from said enlarged portion of said reed, and sensor means for detecting oscillations of said reed.

Claim 13

An oscillating reed flowmeter comprising a reed member with one end fixed in a fluid flow passage, with an enlarged, free portion of said reed member located upstream of said fixed end, in said passage and positioned with respect to fluid flow in said passage on a wall to wall reed oscillation and fluid vortex shedding basis from said enlarged portion of said reed, and sensor means for detecting oscillations of said reed.

Claim 14

A fluid flowmeter wherein oscillations of a reed member are produced by fluid flow through said meter, said oscillations being initiated by vortex shedding effect of said fluid with respect to said reed member, said flowmeter comprising a fluid passage, a thin and relatively wide reed member mounted for said oscillations about a fixed axis in said fluid passage with a bulbous formation on and laterally coextensive with said reed member and in said passage upstream of said fixed axis whereby vortex shedding of said fluid with respect to said bulbous formation provides pressure differential impetus to initiate oscillation of said reed member, and means for providing a basis for detection of the oscillations of said reed member as a measure of fluid flow through said passage.

Claim 15

A fluid flowmeter wherein oscillations of a reed member are produced by fluid flow through said meter, said oscillations being initiated by vortex shedding effect of said fluid with respect to said reed member, said flowmeter comprising a fluid passage, a thin and relatively wide reed member mounted for said oscillations about a fixed axis in said fluid passage with a bulbous formation on and laterally coextensive with said reed member and in said passage upstream of said fixed axis whereby vortex shedding of said fluid with respect to said bulbous formation provides pressure differential impetus to initiate oscillation of said reed member, and means for providing a basis for detection of the oscillations of said reed member as a measure of fluid flow through said passage.

Claim 16

A fluid flowmeter according to claim 10, wherein oscillations of said reed member, as initiated by said vortex shedding, are developed and continued by said fluid flow transversely essentially wall to wall of said fluid passage, as said reed, in the course of its oscillation, divides said flow passage into a combination of narrow and wide flows, with these flows alternated from one side of the reed to the other.

Claim 17

A fluid oscillator flowmeter in which a reed is pulsed by vortex shedding and sustained in full oscillation by reversing pressure effects, said flowmeter comprising a flow passage, a planar sail reed mounted in said passage for flow induced oscillation a significant distance in wall to wall direction transversely thereof about a fixed axis, vortex shedding means secured to said reed within said passage and upstream of said axis for providing oscillation inducing directly applied differential pressures on opposite sides of the full effective length of said reed and means responsive to said oscillation for producing an output signal representative of flow through said flowmeter.

Claim 18

A fluid oscillator flowmeter in which a reed is pulsed by vortex shedding and sustained in full oscillation by reversing pressure effects, said flowmeter comprising a flow passage, a planar sail reed mounted in said passage for flow induced oscillation a significant distance in wall to wall direction transversely thereof about a fixed axis, vortex shedding means secured to said reed within said passage and upstream of said axis for providing oscillation inducing directly applied differential pressures on opposite sides of the full effective length of said reed and means responsive to said oscillation for producing an output signal representative of flow through said flowmeter.

Claim 19

A flowmeter according to claim 12 in which said oscillation responsive means is magnetic.

Claim 20

A fluid flowmeter comprising a narrow rectangular cross-section flow passage, a reed mounted in said passage for short stroke oscillations in the direction of and limited by the narrow dimension of said rectangular cross-section, said reed having a free end upstream of said passage, a vortex-shedding form on said free end of said reed, and output signal means responsive to said oscillations of said reed.

Claim 21

A fluid flowmeter comprising a narrow rectangular cross-section flow passage, a reed mounted in said passage for short stroke oscillations in the direction of and limited by the narrow dimension of said rectangular cross-section, said reed having a free end upstream of said passage, a vortex-shedding form on said free end of said reed, and output signal means responsive to said oscillations of said reed.

Claim 22

A fluid oscillator flowmeter comprising a flow passage, a flexible reed mounted lengthwise in said flow passage for oscillation over the full length of one transverse dimension of said passage, said reed extending upstream from a downstream fixed support, said reed comprising a wide and thin planar sail body with a vortex shed form on said body in said passage and upstream of said fixed support, whereby initial oscillations of said reed are produced by fluid flow vortex shedding effect on said reed, and full oscillations are sustained by reversing pressure effects between the walls of said passage and said reed, and means for sensing said full oscillations in linear representation of fluid flow through said flowmeter.

Claim 23

A fluid oscillator flowmeter comprising a flow passage, a flexible reed mounted lengthwise in said flow passage for oscillation over the full length of one transverse dimension of said passage, said reed extending upstream from a downstream fixed support, said reed comprising a wide and thin planar sail body with a vortex shed form on said body in said passage and upstream of said fixed support, whereby initial oscillations of said reed are produced by fluid flow vortex shedding effect on said reed, and full oscillations are sustained by reversing pressure effects between the walls of said passage and said reed, and means for sensing said full oscillations in linear representation of fluid flow through said flowmeter.

Claim 24

In a fluid flowmeter, a flow passage, an oscillator reed assembly in said flow passage, said reed assembly being mounted downstream of said passage at one end of said assembly, and said assembly extending upstream from said mounting to a free end of said assembly, said reed assembly comprising an essentially flat strip sail body with a bulbous bow across said sail body along the free end edge thereof, said flow passage being formed essentially as a narrow rectangle in cross-section, with said sail strip as a planar member essentially perpendicular to the short side of said rectangular passage, and said flowmeter including sensor means for detecting oscillations of said reed assembly.

Claim 25

In a fluid flowmeter, a flow passage, an oscillator reed assembly in said flow passage, said reed assembly being mounted downstream of said passage at one end of said assembly, and said assembly extending upstream from said mounting to a free end of said assembly, said reed assembly comprising an essentially flat strip sail body with a bulbous bow across said sail body along the free end edge thereof, said flow passage being formed essentially as a narrow rectangle in cross-section, with said sail strip as a planar member essentially perpendicular to the short side of said rectangular passage, and said flowmeter including sensor means for detecting oscillations of said reed assembly.

Claim 26

An oscillating flowmeter comprising a flow passage, a flexible reed having a downstream end fixed in said Passage, vortex shedding means on said reed and in said passage for creating a Von Karman vortex street upon the application of fluid flow to said means, said reed being located lengthwise in said street in such manner that a string of vortices of said street runs along each side of said reed for application of differential pressure to said reed with resultant oscillation of said reed in response to said flow application, and sensor means for detecting said oscillations of said reed, wherein said vortex shedding means is a cylindrical form with a diameter significantly greater than the thickness of the reed on and transversely across the upstream end of said reed and laterally coextensive therewith, with said upstream end as the free end of said reed.

Claim 27

An oscillating flowmeter comprising a flow passage, a flexible reed having a downstream end fixed in said Passage, vortex shedding means on said reed and in said passage for creating a Von Karman vortex street upon the application of fluid flow to said means, said reed being located lengthwise in said street in such manner that a string of vortices of said street runs along each side of said reed for application of differential pressure to said reed with resultant oscillation of said reed in response to said flow application, and sensor means for detecting said oscillations of said reed, wherein said vortex shedding means is a cylindrical form with a diameter significantly greater than the thickness of the reed on and transversely across the upstream end of said reed and laterally coextensive therewith, with said upstream end as the free end of said reed.

Claim 28

A fluid oscillator flowmeter comprising: a flow passage; an oscillator reed member with significantly greater width than thickness, extending along and entirely within said passage to essentially divide flow in said passage into two streams each confined between a portion of the inner wall of said passage and a side of said reed member in direct pressure engagement with essentially the full length of said reed member; means for supporting said reed member within said passage, without significant distortion of said streams by said supporting means, for oscillation transversely of said passage, essentially from wall to wall thereof; said reed member having a free portion extending upstream in said passage, from said support means; means within said passage as a part of the upstream end of said reed member and essentially coextensive with said width of said reed, for producing vortex shedding in said two flow streams and on opposite sides of said reed member as oscillation forces on said reed member; and sensor means mounted within the influence of and responsive to said oscillation, in representation of fluid flow in said passage.

Claim 29

A fluid oscillator flowmeter comprising: a flow passage; an oscillator reed member with significantly greater width than thickness, extending along and entirely within said passage to essentially divide flow in said passage into two streams each confined between a portion of the inner wall of said passage and a side of said reed member in direct pressure engagement with essentially the full length of said reed member; means for supporting said reed member within said passage, without significant distortion of said streams by said supporting means, for oscillation transversely of said passage, essentially from wall to wall thereof; said reed member having a free portion extending upstream in said passage, from said support means; means within said passage as a part of the upstream end of said reed member and essentially coextensive with said width of said reed, for producing vortex shedding in said two flow streams and on opposite sides of said reed member as oscillation forces on said reed member; and sensor means mounted within the influence of and responsive to said oscillation, in representation of fluid flow in said passage.

Claim 30

A fluid flowmeter comprising a flow passage, a reed mounted in said passage for short stroke oscillations transversely of said passage and limited by the inner walls of said passage, said reed having a free end upstream in said passage, a vortex-shedding form on said free end of said reed, and output signal means responsive to said oscillations of said reed.

Claim 31

A fluid flowmeter comprising a flow passage, a reed mounted in said passage for short stroke oscillations transversely of said passage and limited by the inner walls of said passage, said reed having a free end upstream in said passage, a vortex-shedding form on said free end of said reed, and output signal means responsive to said oscillations of said reed.