US3972232A — Vortex flow meter apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 230 words

Flow-measuring apparatus comprising: a vortex-generating element adapted to be mounted in a stream of flowing fluid; said element having a blunt, smooth front face free from discontinuities and extending out laterally to relatively sharp, parallel side edges defining a line of joinder between said front face and the portions of said element which are downstream of said front face, said sharp side edges being capable of producing corresponding spaced rows of vortices; said downstream portions of said element including symmetrical side surfaces extending downstream from said side edges a distance substantially less than the lateral width of said front face; said side surfaces being tapered inwardly at a moderate angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the effective plane of said front face and terminating at rear surfaces extending generally perpendicularly to said direction of fluid flow; and sensing means mounted in position downstream of and behind said element, located on an axis parallel to said direction of fluid flow centrally between said sharp edges and closely adjacent said rear surfaces, said sensing means including first and second generally-planar means positioned parallel to each other and to said axis, on opposite sides of said axis, said first and second means being responsive to variations in lateral differential pressure between said first and second means for developing a flow signal corresponding to the frequency of vortices shed from said element.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 230 words

Flow-measuring apparatus comprising: a vortex-generating element adapted to be mounted in a stream of flowing fluid; said element having a blunt, smooth front face free from discontinuities and extending out laterally to relatively sharp, parallel side edges defining a line of joinder between said front face and the portions of said element which are downstream of said front face, said sharp side edges being capable of producing corresponding spaced rows of vortices; said downstream portions of said element including symmetrical side surfaces extending downstream from said side edges a distance substantially less than the lateral width of said front face; said side surfaces being tapered inwardly at a moderate angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the effective plane of said front face and terminating at rear surfaces extending generally perpendicularly to said direction of fluid flow; and sensing means mounted in position downstream of and behind said element, located on an axis parallel to said direction of fluid flow centrally between said sharp edges and closely adjacent said rear surfaces, said sensing means including first and second generally-planar means positioned parallel to each other and to said axis, on opposite sides of said axis, said first and second means being responsive to variations in lateral differential pressure between said first and second means for developing a flow signal corresponding to the frequency of vortices shed from said element.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the downstream length of said side surfaces is at least one-tenth the width of said front face.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said downstream length is less than one-half said width of said front face.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 40 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensing means comprises means downstream of said element closely behind said rear surfaces, directly in the wake produced by fluid flowing past said vortex-generating element and between said spaced rows of vortices.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 27 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said side surfaces are tapered inwardly at an angle of between 5° and 45° with respect to said perpendicular line.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said side surfaces are tapered inwardly at an angle of about 30°.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 55 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a bar-member having generally flat side surfaces extending downstream from said rear surfaces at least approximately parallel to the direction of fluid flow; said bar-member side surfaces cooperating with said rear surfaces to define respective cavity regions accommodating the development of stable, strong vortices shed from said edges.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 50 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said element and said bar-member are centrally mounted in a pipe section with the longitudinal axes thereof perpendicular with respect to the pipe axis; the dimension of said element along said longitudinal axis being at least substantially equal to the inner pipe diameter.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 227 words

Flow-measuring apparatus comprising: a vortex-generating element adapted to be mounted in a stream of flowing fluid; said element having a blunt front face with relatively sharp, laterally-spaced side edges capable of producing corresponding spaced rows of vortices; said element further including symmetrical side surfaces extending downstream from said side edges a distance substantially less than the lateral width of said front face; said side surfaces being tapered inwardly at a moderate angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the effective plane of said front face and terminating at rear surfaces extending generally perpendicular to said direction of fluid flow; a bar member having generally flat side surfaces extending downstream from said rear surfaces at least approximately parallel to the direction of fluid flow; said bar member side surfaces cooperating with said rear surfaces to define respective cavity regions accommodating the development of stable, strong vortices shed from said edges; sensing means mounted in position downstream of and behind said element, said sensing means including means responsive to pressure variations for developing a flow signal corresponding to the frequency of vortices shed from said element; and said bar member including a tail element having a pair of side surfaces which are inwardly tapered from said bar member side surfaces at a moderate angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the effective plane of said front face.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 227 words

Flow-measuring apparatus comprising: a vortex-generating element adapted to be mounted in a stream of flowing fluid; said element having a blunt front face with relatively sharp, laterally-spaced side edges capable of producing corresponding spaced rows of vortices; said element further including symmetrical side surfaces extending downstream from said side edges a distance substantially less than the lateral width of said front face; said side surfaces being tapered inwardly at a moderate angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the effective plane of said front face and terminating at rear surfaces extending generally perpendicular to said direction of fluid flow; a bar member having generally flat side surfaces extending downstream from said rear surfaces at least approximately parallel to the direction of fluid flow; said bar member side surfaces cooperating with said rear surfaces to define respective cavity regions accommodating the development of stable, strong vortices shed from said edges; sensing means mounted in position downstream of and behind said element, said sensing means including means responsive to pressure variations for developing a flow signal corresponding to the frequency of vortices shed from said element; and said bar member including a tail element having a pair of side surfaces which are inwardly tapered from said bar member side surfaces at a moderate angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the effective plane of said front face.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said tail element side surfaces are tapered inwardly at an angle of about 30° with respect to said line.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the length of said tail element, parallel to said line, is less than one-half the length of said bar-member.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 23 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the length of said tail element is less than about one-quarter the length of said bar-member.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 26 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said tail element side surfaces terminate in a rear surface parallel to the effective plane of said front face.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 130 words

Flow-measuring apparatus comprising: a vortex-generating element adapted to be mounted in a stream of flowing fluid and having front and rear surfaces and laterally-spaced side edges therebetween capable of producing corresponding spaced rows of vortices; a bar-member having generally flat side surfaces extending downstream from said rear surfaces at least approximately parallel to the direction of fluid flow; a tail element forming part of said bar-member at the downstream end thereof, said tail member having a pair of side surfaces which join said bar member side surfaces, respectively, and are inwardly tapered at a moderate angle with respect to a line parallel to the direction of fluid flow; and sensing means adjacent said vortex-generating element for developing a flow signal corresponding to the frequency of vortices shed from said element.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 130 words

Flow-measuring apparatus comprising: a vortex-generating element adapted to be mounted in a stream of flowing fluid and having front and rear surfaces and laterally-spaced side edges therebetween capable of producing corresponding spaced rows of vortices; a bar-member having generally flat side surfaces extending downstream from said rear surfaces at least approximately parallel to the direction of fluid flow; a tail element forming part of said bar-member at the downstream end thereof, said tail member having a pair of side surfaces which join said bar member side surfaces, respectively, and are inwardly tapered at a moderate angle with respect to a line parallel to the direction of fluid flow; and sensing means adjacent said vortex-generating element for developing a flow signal corresponding to the frequency of vortices shed from said element.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said tail element side surfaces are tapered inwardly at an angle of about 30°.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said tail element side surfaces terminate in a rear surface perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 22 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the length of said tail element is less than one-half the length of said bar-member.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said element length is less than about one-quarter the length of said bar-member.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1979-08-03	1980-02-02	1980-08-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1983-08-03	1984-02-02	1984-08-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1987-08-03	1988-02-02	1988-08-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Vortex flow meter apparatus

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