US 5,186,058 AGranted

Rotameter with float guides

OwnerHyok S. Lewinventor

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Abstract

A rotameter comprises a tapered flow passage, a magnetized float disposed in the tapered flow passage, and a plurality of float guides with guiding edges disposed parallel to and about the central axis of the tapered flow passage limiting the movements of the float in directions parallel tot he central axis of the flow passage, wherein at least one of the plurality of float guides includes an elongated cavity disposed closely following the guiding edge thereof, which elongated cavity accommodates a ferromagnetic rolling element of a round shape that follows the movement of the magnetized target in a rolling motion due to the magnetic attractive force therebetween, in which combination the rolling element functioning as a rolling electrical contact included in a potentiometric position sensor provides an electrical signal representing the position of the magnetized float relative to the tapered flow passage. The present invention also teaches a three-in-one flowmeter employing two rotameters connected in series that determines the density, mass flow rate and volume flow rate of fluid moving through the flowmeter.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An apparatus for measuring flow of fluid media comprising in combination:

a) a body made of magnetically nonreacting material including a tapered flow passage with cross sectional area progressively increasing from an inlet extremity of the tapered flow passage to the outlet extremity of the tapered flow passage, and a float including a magnetically reacting material disposed within the tapered flow passage in a freely movable arrangement;
b) a plurality of float guides with guiding edges affixed to the body and extending into the tapered flow passage, wherein the guiding edges are disposed parallel to and about the central axis of the tapered flow passage in such a way that movement of the float is substantially limited to directions parallel to the central axis of the flow passage;
wherein at least one of said plurality of float guides made of magnetically nonreacting material includes an elongated cavity sealed off from the tapered flow passage and disposed closely following the guiding edge of the float guide;
c) a marker of round geometry including a magnetically reacting material disposed within said elongated cavity in a freely movable arrangement in directions substantially parallel to the central axis of the tapered flow passage, wherein at least one of said float and said marker includes an element of permanent magnet attracting the float and the marker to one another, whereby the marker follows the float in movements thereof in directions substantially parallel to the central axis of the flow passage;
and
d) means for indicating position of the marker relative to a reference section of the tapered flow passage as a measure of position of the float relative to the tapered flow passage.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.