US3826134A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotary flow meter for wells
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-08-09
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Granted: 1974-07-30
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Expires: 1991-08-09
Abstract
Abstract A flow meter for measuring rate and direction of fluid flow at different elevations in a well employs a housing lowered into the well on a wire line. A vaned rotor carried by the housing is contacted and caused to rotate by well fluid moving longitudinally in the well. A sealed chamber within the housing contains a speed reducer, a revolution counter or stepper and a recorder. The sealed chamber prevents well pressure from contacting these devices. One wall of the sealed chamber is formed as a hollow hemispherical dome of non-magnetic material, and a magnetic coupling operates across the dome to connect the rotor shaft to the input shaft of the speed reducer. In one form of the invention, the revolution counter or stepper turns the recorder drive shaft intermittently through a small arc and then returns it to its initial position. In another form of the invention, the recorder drive shaft is driven intermittently by the revolution counter through a small arc of travel but is not returned after each impulse to its initial position.
Inventors
- 👤 L Miller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 19:54
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B47/00; E21B47/10; G; G01; G01F; G01F1/00; G01F1/05; G01F1/10; G01F1/115; G01F1/1155
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
In a flow meter for wells, the combination of: a housing adapted to be lowered into a well, a rotary member mounted to turn relative to the housing about a longitudinal axis of the housing, a vaned rotor fixed to said rotary member and positioned to be contacted and driven by well fluid moving longitudinally in the well, the housing having walls defining a sealed chamber therein, a speed reducer within said sealed chamber, a coupling device connecting said rotary member to drive said speed reducer through one of said chamber walls, a revolution counter within said sealed chamber having an element driven by said speed reducer and having an aligned output element, means whereby the driving element intermittently moves the output element through a small arc of travel, and means within said sealed chamber for recording the intermittent motion of said output element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a flow meter for wells, the combination of: a housing adapted to be lowered into a well, a rotary member mounted to turn relative to the housing about a longitudinal axis of the housing, a vaned rotor fixed to said rotary member and positioned to be contacted and driven by well fluid moving longitudinally in the well, the housing having walls defining a sealed chamber therein, a speed reducer within said sealed chamber, a coupling device connecting said rotary member to drive said speed reducer through one of said chamber walls, a revolution counter within said sealed chamber having an element driven by said speed reducer and having an aligned output element, means whereby the driving element intermittently moves the output element through a small arc of travel, and means within said sealed chamber for recording the intermittent motion of said output element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
The combination set forth in claim 1 in which turning movement of the output element of the revolution counter is resisted by cooperative action of a pair of rollers on the output element engaging the surface of a cam, the cam encircling the output element, cooperating means on the housing and cam permitting axial movement but preventing rotational movement of the cam, and resilient means urging the cam into contact with said rollers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a flow meter for wells, the combination of: a housing adapted to be lowered into a well on a wire line, a rotary member mounted to turn relative to the housing about a longitudinal axis of the housing, a vaned rotor fixed to said rotary member and positioned to be contacted and driven by a well fluid moving longitudinally in the well, a guard encircling said rotor and provided with a ported nose piece, and apertured connection means fixing said guard to said housing, said apertured connection means comprising a series of circumferentially spaced cylindrical rods.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a flow meter for wells, the combination of: a housing adapted to be lowered into a well on a wire line, a rotary member mounted to turn relative to the housing about a longitudinal axis of the housing, a vaned rotor fixed to said rotary member and positioned to be contacted and driven by a well fluid moving longitudinally in the well, a guard encircling said rotor and provided with a ported nose piece, and apertured connection means fixing said guard to said housing, said apertured connection means comprising a series of circumferentially spaced cylindrical rods.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
209 words
In a flow meter for wells, the combination of: a housing adapted to be lowered into the well on a wire line, a rotary member mounted to turn relative to the housing about a longitudinal axis of the housing, a vaned rotor fixed to said rotary member and positioned to be contacted and driven by well fluid moving longitudinally in the well, a revolution counter carried by said housing, said revolution counter including an outer stationary shell and an inner driven rotary element defining an annular space between them, a driving part mounted to rotate in said annular space and connected to said rotary member, a pin slidably mounted on said driving part for movement toward and away from said axis, said shell having an inner wall surface provided with an internal recess, said driven element having a cam provided with a nose portion adapted to be contacted by an inner portion of said pin, the outer portion of said pin contacting said wall surface and moving into said recess to permit the inner portion of the pin to clear said nose portion of said cam, whereby each revolution of said driving member causes the pin to move the cam and driven element through a small arc of travel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
209 words
In a flow meter for wells, the combination of: a housing adapted to be lowered into the well on a wire line, a rotary member mounted to turn relative to the housing about a longitudinal axis of the housing, a vaned rotor fixed to said rotary member and positioned to be contacted and driven by well fluid moving longitudinally in the well, a revolution counter carried by said housing, said revolution counter including an outer stationary shell and an inner driven rotary element defining an annular space between them, a driving part mounted to rotate in said annular space and connected to said rotary member, a pin slidably mounted on said driving part for movement toward and away from said axis, said shell having an inner wall surface provided with an internal recess, said driven element having a cam provided with a nose portion adapted to be contacted by an inner portion of said pin, the outer portion of said pin contacting said wall surface and moving into said recess to permit the inner portion of the pin to clear said nose portion of said cam, whereby each revolution of said driving member causes the pin to move the cam and driven element through a small arc of travel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the pin is mounted for radial movement on the driving part and is provided with an enlarged head having a rounded end surface for contact with said wall surface and internal recess.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the inner wall surface of said shell is provided with a series of equally spaced internal recesses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
177 words
In a flow meter for wells, the combination of: a tubular housing adapted to be lowered into a well on a wire line, a rotary member mounted to turn within the housing about a longitudinal axis of the housing, a vaned rotor fixed to said rotary member and positioned to be contacted and driven by well fluid moving longitudinally in the well, the housing having walls defining a sealed chamber therein, a speed reducer within said sealed chamber, a revolution counter within said sealed chamber driven by said speed reducer, means within said sealed chamber for recording the output of the revolution counter, and a magnetic coupling device connecting said rotary member to drive said speed reducer through one of said chamber walls, the wall being formed of nonmagnetic material in the shape of a hollow hemisphere projecting into the sealed chamber, said coupling device including a concave magnet fixed to the rotary member and projecting into the hollow hemisphere, said device also including a convex magnet connected to the speed reducer and surrounding the hollow hemisphere.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
177 words
In a flow meter for wells, the combination of: a tubular housing adapted to be lowered into a well on a wire line, a rotary member mounted to turn within the housing about a longitudinal axis of the housing, a vaned rotor fixed to said rotary member and positioned to be contacted and driven by well fluid moving longitudinally in the well, the housing having walls defining a sealed chamber therein, a speed reducer within said sealed chamber, a revolution counter within said sealed chamber driven by said speed reducer, means within said sealed chamber for recording the output of the revolution counter, and a magnetic coupling device connecting said rotary member to drive said speed reducer through one of said chamber walls, the wall being formed of nonmagnetic material in the shape of a hollow hemisphere projecting into the sealed chamber, said coupling device including a concave magnet fixed to the rotary member and projecting into the hollow hemisphere, said device also including a convex magnet connected to the speed reducer and surrounding the hollow hemisphere.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-29 | 1978-01-28 | 1978-07-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-29 | 1982-01-28 | 1982-07-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-29 | 1986-01-28 | 1986-07-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |