Liquid flow meter

A fluid flow meter, comprising:

• a compartment enclosure formed from an upper case part and a lower case part,
• said lower case part containing a volumetric measuring container having a specified fluid volume capacity, mounted upon a rotatable pivot having an axis of rotation,
• said axis of rotation of said volumetric measuring container being determined by location of said rotatable pivot,
• a counterbalance weight affixed to said volumetric measuring container opposite said axis of rotation, and a static filling rotational position of said volumetric measuring container limited by an external stop integral with the upper case part,
• a moment created by said counterbalance weight about said axis of rotation maintains said static filling rotational position until said specified volume capacity is achieved,
• a plurality of bearing blocks affixed to the lowercase part of said compartment enclosure for supporting said rotatable pivot,
• a rotation stop limit affixed to said lower compartment enclosure determining rotational position of the discharge position of said volumetric container,
• an influent port formed in said upper case part for directing liquid flow into said volumetric measuring container through said compartment enclosure,
• said influent port located to deliver flow approximately vertically into the approximate center of said volumetric measuring container,
• and being located to deliver flow approximately perpendicular to a centerline of said rotatable pivot and terminating after passing through said enclosure thereby providing a drip lip,
• an effluent port located in said lower case part for discharge of liquid volume of said volumetric measuring container,
• a location of said influent conduit to deliver flow approximately vertically into the approximate center of said volumetric container between the centerline of said rotatable pivot and limit of said volumetric container attaching said counter weight terminating after passing through said enclosure or mount thereby providing a drip lip.

A method for measuring waste water flow, comprising flowing waste water into a compartment enclosure containing a volumetric container having a specified fluid volume capacity mounted upon a rotatable pivot having an axis of rotation, creating a moment differential by a counterbalance weight and thereby maintaining said volumetric bucket assembly against a rotation stop limit affixed to said compartment enclosure determining rotational position of said static filling position of volumetric bucket assembly,

• filling said volumetric container by flow through an influent conduit in an upper part of said compartment enclosure until moment of said specified liquid capacity results in a balanced moment about said rotational pivot axis,
• flowing further fluid flow into said volumetric container to result in a moment imbalance causing initiation of rotation of the volumetric container about said rotational pivot axis,
• said initiation of rotation resulting in flow of fluid contained within said volumetric container over an elongated pouring lip of the volumetric container,
• the flow of fluid over said elongated pouring lip resulting in a shift of centroid of mass of the fluid contained within said volumetric container,
• the shift in centroid of mass of liquid contained within said volumetric container increasing the moment imbalance about said rotatable pivot axis,
• increasinge the moment imbalance about said rotatable pivot axis to accelerate rotation of said volumetric container until the discharge position rotational stop limit impacts,
• impacting said volumetric container upon said rotational position limit of discharge position stop to thereby cause inertia momentum flow of fluid contained within the volumetric container,
• the inertia momentum flow of fluid contained within said volumetric container causing rapid discharge of fluid contained by the volumetric container,
• a lower part of said compartment enclosure buffering pulsed fluid flow of said volumetric container discharge channeling fluid into said effluent port thereby minimizing fluid remaining in the said compartment enclosure,
• rapidly returning the volumetric container to the rotational stop in the static filling position by a moment imbalance caused by said counterbalance weight upon emptying said volumetric container,
• counting the total number of cycles with a mechanical counter and summation means to provides a total cycle count.