Digital flow meter for dispensing fluids

Claim 1

A flow meter for mounting in a fluid delivery line for dispensing fluids, the flow meter comprising; a meter housing having a display cavity disposed in the top thereof and a fluid opening therethrough, the opposite ends of the housing adjacent the fluid opening threaded for coupling to the delivery line; a turbine having a turbine rotor with a turbine shaft extending outwardly from the opposite ends of the turbine rotor, the turbine further having a plurality of turbine blades extending outwardly from the sides of the turbine rotor, each blade turbine having a ferrous slug embedded in an enlarged flattened area in the end thereof, the flattened area adjacent a rounded leading edge with the turbine blade tapered from front to rear into a feathered trailing edge, each turbine blade having a top concave surface along its length for receiving the force of the fluid there against and driving the turbine and a bottom convex surface along the its length, the turbine blades when viewed end to end having a hydrofoil type design; a pair of shaft supports, each of the shaft supports including a support base with a plurality of support arms extending outwardly therefrom, the ends of the support arms attached to the sides of the fluid opening, the support base having fluid ports therein and communicating with enlarged fluid cavities disposed so that fluid is washed around and beside the end of the shaft, the end of at least one of the turbine shafts engaging a thrust bearing mounted in the support base; a pickup coil with magnet mounted in the display cavity of the housing, the magnet disposed adjacent the outer periphery of the fluid opening for sensing magnetic pulses as the turbine blades with the ferrous slugs are rotated therepast; and electric counter means for converting the magnetic pulses to a readable count, and for displaying the readable count on a digital counter mounted in the top of the display cavity of the housing.