# US 2014/0196547 A1 · Deployable Ultrasonic Flow Meter That is Inserted Through a Gate Valve Slot, Method and Apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196547 A1 - Document ID: US20140196547A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/740,438 - Filed: 2013-01-14 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-14 - Assignees: Cameron International Corporation - Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein; Jim Walsh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196547A1 ## CPC - G01F 1/667: Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters - G01F 1/002: wherein the flow is in an open channel - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## Abstract A frame that is inserted into a gate valve slot which accesses a channel through which fluid flows so an ultrasonic flowmeter can measure the fluid flow through the channel. The frame includes a first arm axle that fits into the slot. The frame includes a first ultrasonic transducer in communication with the flowmeter that is attached to the first arm axle. The frame includes a second ultrasonic transducer in communication with the flowmeter. The second transducer is aligned with and upstream from the first transducer relative to the fluid flow and between which ultrasonic signals are emitted and received through the fluid flow and which the flowmeter uses to determine the fluid flow through the channel. The apparatus for measuring fluid flow in a channel is accessed through a gate slot. A method for measuring fluid flow in a channel that is accessed through a gate slot. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A frame that is inserted into a gate valve slot which accesses a channel through which fluid flows so an ultrasonic flowmeter can measure the fluid flow through the channel, the frame comprises: a first arm axle that fits into the slot; a first ultrasonic transducer in communication with the flowmeter that is attached to the first arm axle; and a second ultrasonic transducer in communication with the flowmeter, the second transducer aligned with and upstream from the first transducer relative to the fluid flow and between which ultrasonic signals are emitted and received through the fluid flow and which the flowmeter uses to determine the fluid flow through the channel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The frame of claim 1 including a top post, right post attached to the top post, and a left post attached to the top post. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The frame of claim 2 including a second arm axle and wherein the second transducer is attached to the second arm axle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The frame of claim 3 wherein the first arm axle is disposed adjacent to the left post and the second arm axle is disposed adjacent to the right post. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The frame of claim 4 wherein the second transducer forms an angle between 1 degree and 85 degrees upstream of the first transducer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The frame of claim 5 wherein the second transducer is a fraction of the width of the channel upstream from the first transducer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The frame of claim 6 including a motor which moves the first arm axle and second arm axle to a deployed position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The frame of claim 7 including a first worm gear attached to the first arm axle and a second worm gear attached to the second arm axle, the first and second worm gears rotated by the motor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The frame of claim 8 including an axle gear rotated by the motor, which rotates the first and second arm axle between the deployed and underemployed position through the first worm gear and the second worm gear, respectively. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The frame of claim 9 including a motor gear rotated by the motor which rotates a drive gear attached to the axle gear to rotate the axle gear, the axle gear connected to the first and second worm gears. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The frame of claim 10 wherein the first arm axle having a plurality of transducer arms extending from the first arm axle, each of the plurality of transducer arms having a transducer and together forming a first transducer array which includes the first transducer, and the second arm axle having a plurality of transducer arms extending from the second arm axle, each of the plurality of transducer arms of the second arm axle having a transducer and together forming a second transducer array, which includes the second transducer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The frame of claim 11 including a third arm axle disposed adjacent to and in parallel with the first arm axle, the third arm axle having a plurality of transducer arms extending from the third arm axle, each of the plurality of transducer arms of the third arm axle having a transducer and together forming a third transducer array; and including a fourth arm axle disposed adjacent to and in parallel with the second arm axle, the fourth arm axle having a plurality of transducer arms extending from the fourth arm axle, each of the plurality of transducers of the fourth arm axle having a transducer and together forming a fourth transducer array. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The frame of claim 12 including a third worm gear connected to the axle gear and the third arm axle which rotates the third arm axle when rotated by the motor; and a fourth worm gear connected to the axle gear and the fourth arm axle which rotates the fourth arm axle when rotated by the motor. ### Claim 14 An apparatus for measuring fluid flow in a channel that is accessed through a gate slot comprises: an ultrasonic flowmeter; and a gate slot frame that is disposed in the gate slot, the frame having a first ultrasonic transducer in communication with the flowmeter, and a second ultrasonic transducer in communication with the flowmeter, the second transducer aligned with and upstream from the first transducer relative to the fluid flow and between which ultrasonic signals are emitted and received through the fluid flow and which the flowmeter uses to determine the fluid flow through the channel. ### Claim 15 A method for measuring fluid flow in a channel that is accessed through a gate slot comprises the steps of: moving a first transducer array having a first ultrasonic transducer disposed in the channel from an undeployed state to a deployed state; moving a second transducer array having a second ultrasonic transducer disposed in the channel from an undeployed state to a deployed state so the second transducer is aligned with and upstream from the first transducer relative to the fluid flow; transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals through the fluid flow between the first and second transducers; and determining with an ultrasonic flowmeter connected to the first and second transducers from the ultrasonic signals the fluid flow in the channel.