Coriolis mass flow sensor including a single connection and support structure

In a Coriolis mass flow meter apparatus including a flow sensor for insertion in a pipeline having material flowing therethrough and for developing measurement signals corresponding to the mass flowing through the pipeline, and signal processing means responsive to said measurement signals and operative to generate an output indicating the mass flow rate of said material, an improved flow sensor, comprising:

• an elongated, rigid junction means for coupling two axially aligned but separated ends of a pipeline intended to conduct a flow of mass to be measured, said junction means having a longitudinal axis for coaxial alignment with that of said pipeline and having a first passageway formed therein and extending axially into one end thereof and mining laterally to form an exit port, and having a second passageway formed therein and extending axially into the opposite end thereof and mining laterally to form an entrance port;
• a length of conduit forming a generally helical flow tube means wrapped around said junction means and having an inlet end coupled to said exit port and an outlet end coupled to said entrance port, said length of conduit intersecting no more than five times an imaginary plane passing vertically through said junction means and including said longitudinal axis, two of such intersections lying above said junction means and three of such intersections lying beneath said junction means;
• first node plate means joining together at a point removed from and on one side of said plane a first two of the three conduit portions passing beneath said junction means, and second node plate means independent of said first node plate means and joining together at a point removed from and on the opposite side of said plane, a second two of the three conduit portions, said first and second node plate means serving to define the ends of two active loops of said conduit extending out and around said junction means, said active loops being generally parallel to each other;
• means for driving the uppermost portions of said active loops toward and away from each other in oscillatory fashion;
• and
• means for detecting Coriolis induced differences in displacement or motion of one loop relative to the other as said active loops are moved toward and away from each other by said driving means.