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US 5,741,969 AGranted
Utility meter assembly and method of use
AssigneeBrooklyn Union
InventorClement Vincent Sebastopoli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas meter installation wherein a gas meter is contained within a protective bag during normal operation and wherein the bag may not be opened to obtain access to the meter without causing a permanent indication of such opening.
Claims10
A fluid meter assembly comprising a fluid meter having fluid input and output conduits and a meter reading window,
- a cover enclosing the meter, said cover being transparent at least in the vicinity of said window,
- said cover having air inlet openings for admission of air to circulate around the meter, and drain openings to allow drainage of condensate that forms within the cover,
- said cover having a second opening through which said meter is removable from said cover, said second opening being closeable, and
- a closure element which maintains said second opening closed and which cannot be opened without causing a permanent indication that it has been opened.
1 more element
A method of installing a fluid meter, said method comprising the steps of:
- placing the meter inside a protective enclosure, said enclosure having a transparent area in registry with a readout from said meter, and having first openings to permit circulation of air around, and drainage of condensation from, said meter,
- inserting fluid inlet and outlet lines through a second and a third opening in said enclosure and connecting said lines to said meter within said enclosure, and
- closing said enclosure so that said meter can not be removed therefrom without producing a permanent indication on said enclosure of such removal.
A method of maintaining a fluid meter said method comprising the steps of
- placing a fluid meter in a protective enclosure, said enclosure having openings through which fluid inlet and fluid outlet lines can be inserted;
- closing said enclosure in a manner such that said meter cannot be removed therefrom except by producing a permanent indication of such removal,
- inserting fluid inlet and outlet lines through said openings in said enclosure and connecting said lines to said meter,
- thereafter, disconnecting said lines from said meter and removing said meter with said enclosure from said facility, for the purpose of reconditioning
- removing the meter from the enclosure and reconditioning the meter,
- placing the reconditioned meter in a new enclosure, said new enclosure also having openings through which fluid inlet and fluid outlet lines can be inserted;
- and
- reconnecting the meter to fluid lines which extend through said openings in the new enclosure.
5 more elements
A fluid meter enclosure comprising
- a flexible bag having a transparent region to allow the reading of a meter contained therein,
- said bag having air inlet openings for admission of air to circulate therein, and drain openings to allow drainage of condensate that forms within the bag,
- said bag having a further opening through which a meter can be placed into the bag, said further opening being closeable, and
- a closure element which maintains said further opening closed and which cannot be opened without causing a permanent indication that it has been opened.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.