US1196321A - Meter-prover attachment. - Google Patents

Description

E. C WEISGERBER. METER PROVER ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6. 1916.

Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

1-1 G. 1 F! 132 O 4 WITNESSES -11 NaRms psrs/es cow. p-ow.|.nuo., WASHINGTON. n c.

UNITE TA% FTENT UFFTTJTQ.

ED'WIN C. WEISGERBEBI, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO EQUITABLE METER COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

METER-PROVER ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent,

mam Aug. 29, 1a1e.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN C. Wnrscnnnnn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Meter-Prover Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

A type 01 meter prover now in general use is in the form of a miniature gas holder, the same consisting of a tank-like base portion and a vertically movable telescoping dome, the latter being suspended from a cord which passes over an elevated sheave with its depending portion counterweighted and provided with a hand-hold or grip for manually elevating the dome and thereby filling the holder for a meter proving operation. This manual manipulation is laborious, due not only to the weight of the dome, but also to the fact that when moving upwardly the dome acts as a pump for filling the holder with air. Also, the hand ma nipulation seriously retards the work of the operator. While the objection would not be pronounced in the proving of one or two meters, it assumes serious proportions when the apparatus is in use for an extended period as when testing meters in large numbers.

The present invention is designed to decrease the necessary manual effort and at the same time speed the operation by providing mechanical means for elevating the prover dome, such means being preferably embodied in a cylinder to which air or other fluid under pressure may be admitted, the piston rod of the cylinder being maintained in operative relation with the dome or its supporting cord and adapted by simply manipulating a valve to raise the dome into filled or set position. And the arrangement is preferably such that after the dome has been elevated the power device is returned to position for again elevating the dome after the prover has been emptied.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of meter proving apparatus of the above mentioned type equipped with the mechanical setting device of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the latter taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the cord-embracing arm carried by the piston rod, and Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the two-way valve.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the tank-like base of the prover, and 3 the telescoping dome thereof suspended from cord 1, the latter passing over sheave 5 with its depending portion 4: counterweighted at (S and provided with hand-hold or grip 7, all being of usual and well known construction.

The mechanism of the present invention is designed to cooperate with depending portion 1 of the cord and grip 7. As here embodied, the mechanism for mechanically elevating the dome consists of upright cylinder 8, piston 9, and piston rod 10 movable through the upper end of the cylinder, an arm 11 projecting from the rod and having its extremity bifurcated at 12 to loosely embrace the cord above grip 7. Pipes 13 extending from opposite ends of the cylinder are connected to valve casing 141, the latter also provided with a fluid pressure connec tion 15 and exhaust 16. The two-way plug valve 17 is thus adapted to admit air or other fluid under pressure to either end of the cylinder and simultaneously exhaust the opposite end thereof. The valve handle 18 is within convenient reach of the operators position in front of the prover.

In Fig. 1 the dome Off the prover is shown in elevated position and hence with portion 4 of its suspending cord fully depressed, the meter being thus fully charged. and ready for a proving operation. As such operation proceeds, dome 3 lowers and a corresponding upward movement is imparted to cord part 4: and to grip 7. At the completion of the proving operation when the holder is empty or nearly so, grip 7 has been elevated to position adjacent arm 11, and to recharge the prover it is only necessary to manipulate the valve in such manner as to admit fluid to the upper end of the cylinder and exhaust its lower end, thereby lowering the counterweighted portion of the dome suspending cord and raising the dome, grip 7 serving as a stop which is engaged. by arm 11. When the dome has been elevated as required, the valve is reversed, thereby raising the piston rod and arm 11 to the position shown in Fig. 1 and in readiness for the next dome raising movement. 1

The operation of the prover is Well understood by those skilled in the art and need not be described herein. Usually, the meter M to be tested is supported on a table 19 closely adjacent the prover to which the meter is connected by hose 20.

I claim:

1. The combination With a meter prover dome, and a Vertically movable dome supporting cord provided with a stop, of a vertically movable cord embracing device adapted to engage said stop for elevating the dome, said device and cord being movable independently of each other excepting when raising the dome.

2. The combination with a meter prover dome, and a vertically movable dome suspending cord provided With a stop, of a fluid-pressure cylinder, means for admitting and for exhausting fluid from each end thereof, a piston and piston rod for the cylinder, and an arm projecting from the piston rod loosely embracing said cord and adapted to engage said stop for raising the dome.

3. The combination with a meter prover dome, and a vertically movable dome suspending cord provided with a stop, of a cylinder, a two-way valve having fluid pressure and exhaust connections, pipes extending from the valve to opposite ends of the cylinder with the valve adapted to admit fluid under pressure to either of said pipes and simultaneously open the other pipe to the exhaust, a piston and piston rod for the cylinder, and an arm projecting from the piston rod loosely embracing said cord and adapted to engage said stop for raising the dome.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN C. TVEISGERBER.

Vitnesses J. M. NESBIT, ELLA MCCONNELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

Images