Shield and bracket assembly for flowmeter

In combination with a standard flowmeter in which an open-ended variable-area flow tube subject to breakage is supported in an upright position within a meter body having a rear wall in a manner exposing all but the rear portion of the tube, whereby the vertical position of a float within the tube may be observed to provide a reading of flow rate, a shield and bracket assembly cooperating with said flowmeter to protect personnel in the vicinity of the flowmeter should the tube break in the course of operation, said assembly comprising:

• A. a bracket formed by a vertical strip which is secured to the rear wall of said meter body and is provided with resilient arms which project forwardly from opposite sides thereof in spaced relation to the meter body, said arms terminating in fingers;
• and
• B. a channel-shaped transparent plastic shield whose opposing margins are attachable to said fingers of said resilient arms, said shield enveloping the exposed portion of the meter tube to define a safety chamber thereabout which confines explosion products resulting from breakage of the tube and exhausts fluid discharged from the shattered tube rearwardly from the chamber in the space between said arms and said meter body to prevent injury to personnel, said shield being formed of flexible material such that when it is subjected to an outward pressure by the force of an explosion, the shield supported on the resilient arms of the machine is not ruptured by this pressure but yields to accommodate itself thereto.