Means for accurately measuring and monitoring liquid flows

Claim 2

A sectioned insert for installing in a flow channel or the like to measure and monitor the flow of fluid therein comprising a plurality of tube shaped members each being constructed of the same material and each having the same inside diameter, means for connecting said members together in alignment in a flow channel, means on a plurality of said members forming aligned guide means, an air conduit threaded through said guide means and having first and second opposite end portions, an orifice located in one of said tube shaped members oriented to communicate with the inside thereof at the bottom when the insert is installed in a flow channel, means communicating the first opposite end portion of the air conduit with said orifice, a regulated air supply source and means connecting said source to the opposite end portion of the air conduit to supply air thereto, the air being supplied passing through the air conduit and escaping from the said orifice, and means responsive to a condition of the air being supplied which condition will be affected by the depth of fluid in the insert at the location of the orifice.

Claim 3

The sectioned insert defined in claim 1 wherein said means connecting said members together include means to prevent relative movement therebetween.

Claim 4

The sectioned insert defined in claim 1 wherein at least some of said tube shaped members have bands of a yieldable material mounted extending therearound, said bands supporting said insert in the flow channel.

Claim 5

The sectioned insert defined in claim 1 including a cord member threaded through the guide means and having first and second opposite cord ends, a hole through one of the tube shaped members at an intermediate location and near the top thereof when installed, the first opposite cord end extending from said guide means through said hole to the inside of the insert, the second cord end extending from the guide means adjacent one end of the insert, and means associated with one of said cord ends for use in determining the slope of the inner surface of the insert when installed.

Claim 6

The sectioned insert defined in claim 4 wherein said means for use in determining the slope of the insert includes a device for indicating a level condition.

Claim 7

Means to measure and monitor the volume flow of fluid past a location in a flow channel comprising means forming the flow channel including a plurality of tubular pieces having the same inside diameter and the same inner surface characteristics, means connecting adjacent ones of said plurality of tubular pieces together to form a continuous cylindrical flow channel therethrough, means for installing said plurality of connected tubular pieces as part of a flow channel, means forming an orifice in one of said members at a location adjacent to the bottom thereof when installed, an air conduit having first and second opposite ends the first of which communicates with the said means forming an orifice, a regulated pressurized gas supply source operatively connected to the second end of said air conduit for supplying gas under pressure into the air conduit whereby the gas supplied passes through the conduit and escapes Out the first end thereof adjacent to said orifice, and means responsive to a condition of the gas being supplied to the air conduit, said condition being affected by the depth of fluid at the location of the orifice.

Claim 8

Means to measure and monitor the volume flow of fluid past a location in a flow channel comprising means forming the flow channel including a plurality of tubular pieces having the same inside diameter and the same inner surface characteristics, means connecting adjacent ones of said plurality of tubular pieces together to form a continuous cylindrical flow channel therethrough, means for installing said plurality of connected tubular pieces as part of a flow channel, means forming an orifice in one of said members at a location adjacent to the bottom thereof when installed, an air conduit having first and second opposite ends the first of which communicates with the said means forming an orifice, a regulated pressurized gas supply source operatively connected to the second end of said air conduit for supplying gas under pressure into the air conduit whereby the gas supplied passes through the conduit and escapes Out the first end thereof adjacent to said orifice, and means responsive to a condition of the gas being supplied to the air conduit, said condition being affected by the depth of fluid at the location of the orifice.

Claim 9

The means defined in claim 6 wherein the distance between the orifice and the upstream end of the connected together tubular pieces is selected to be long enough in relation to the inside diameter of the tubular pieces to substantially dampen any turbulence existing in the fluid entering at the upstream end thereof by the time the fluid reaches the orifice regardless of the depth of the fluid flowing.

Claim 10

The means defined in claim 6 including means operatively connected to the installed tubular pieces to enable establishing the slope thereof from a position located outside of the tubular members.

Claim 11

The means defined in claim 6 including means attached externally to selected ones of the tubular pieces for supporting the tubular pieces in an installed condition.

Claim 12

The means defined in claim 6 including cooperating relatively movable connection means formed on adjacent ends of each pair of adjacent connected together pieces, said cooperating means including means to prevent relative axial movement between adjacent connected pieces.

Claim 13

The means defined in claim 6 including fastener members engageable with the adjacent connected tubular pieces to prevent separation thereof after they are installed.

Claim 14

The means defined in claim 6 including guide means located on selected ones of said tubular pieces for guiding and supporting the air conduit along and adjacent to said tubular pieces.