US 5,632,411 AGranted

Meter and a method for measuring quantity of a flowing liquid

AssigneeDewvale Limited

InventorsEdmond P. Harty, Edmond P. Harty, Jr., Edmond O'Callaghan

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Abstract

A meter for measuring the quantity of milk by weight flowing in a pipeline comprises a main housing having a main milk inlet pipe and a main milk outlet pipe. A buffer chamber in the main housing receives and holds the milk prior to weighing. A weighing container in a weighing chamber sequentially receives discrete quantities of milk from the buffer chamber through a communicating opening. The weighing container is mounted on a load cell, which sequentially weighs the settled weights of the discrete quantities of milk, the settled weights of which are cumulatively stored. Weighed milk is discharged from the weighing container through a discharge outlet opening. A main valve member and a secondary valve member selectively close the communicating opening and the discharge outlet, respectfully. Milk samples are collected in a milk sample reservoir on discharge of weighed discrete quantities of milk from the weighing container for subsequent collection in a collection jar.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A meter for measuring the quantity by weight of a flowing liquid, the meter (1) comprising:

a housing (7) defining a buffer chamber (24) for receiving and holding the liquid to be weighed, and a weighing chamber (15) within which the liquid is weighed, the weighing chamber (15) being located below the buffer chamber (24),
a first communicating means (39) for communicating the buffer chamber (24) and the weighing chamber (15) for accommodating liquid flow under gravity from the buffer chamber (24) to the weighing chamber (15),
a main inlet means (35) being provided into the buffer chamber (24) for the liquid,
a main outlet means (36) being provided from the weighing chamber (15) for delivering weighed liquid therefrom,
a weighing means (45,46) for sequentially weighing discrete quantities of the liquid, the weighing means (45,46) being located in the weighing chamber (15) for receiving the liquid from the first communicating means (39),
a discharge outlet means (49) from the weighing means (45,46) for delivering the weighed discrete quantities of the liquid from the weighing means (45,46) into the weighing chamber (15),
a main valve means (40) co-operating with the first communicating means (39) for selectively closing the first communicating means (39) for isolating the weighing chamber (15) from the buffer chamber (24) after each discrete quantity of liquid has been delivered into the weighing means (45,46),
a secondary valve means (50) co-operating with the discharge outlet means (49) for closing the discharge outlet means (49) and for selectively opening the discharge outlet means (49) after each discrete quantity of the liquid has been weighed in the weighing means (45,46),
a sampling means (140) for collecting samples of the liquid, the sampling means (140) being located in the weighing chamber (15) beneath the discharge outlet means (49) of the weighing means (45,46) for collecting a liquid sample from the liquid being discharged from the weighing means (45,46) each time a weighed discrete quantity of the liquid is discharged from the weighing means (45,46), and
a liquid sample storing means (135) communicating with the sampling means (140) for storing the liquid samples received from the sampling means (140).

7 more elements

A method for measuring the quantity by weight of a flowing liquid, the method comprising the steps of

feeding the liquid through a main inlet means (35) into a buffer chamber (24) formed in a housing (7) which also forms a weighing chamber (15) which is located beneath the buffer chamber (24),
sequentially delivering discrete quantities of the liquid from the buffer chamber (24) under gravity through a first communicating means (39) into a weighing means (45,46) which is located in the weighing chamber (15) by opening a main valve means (40) located in the first communicating means (39),
isolating the weighing means (45,46) from the buffer chamber (24) after each discrete quantity of liquid has been delivered into the weighing means (45,46) by closing the main valve means (40),
sequentially determining the weight of the discrete quantities of liquid in the weighing means (45,46),
discharging the weighed discrete quantities of liquid from the weighing means (45,46) into the weighing chamber (15) through a discharge outlet means (49) from the weighing means (45,46) by opening a secondary valve means (50) which cooperates with the discharge outlet means (49) for closing the discharge outlet means (49) during weighing of each discrete quantity of the liquid for subsequent delivery of the weighed liquid through a main outlet means (36) from the weighing chamber (15),
taking a liquid sample of each weighed discrete quantity of liquid as the discrete quantity of liquid is being discharged from the weighing means (45,46) by a sampling means (140) located beneath the discharge outlet means (49) from the weighing means (45,46), and
storing the liquid samples in a liquid sample storing means (135) which communicates with the sampling means (140) for subsequent collection.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.