Patents Assigned to M & FC Holding Company
-
Patent number: 6453757Abstract: An ultrasonic gas meter housing member is configured to provide an associated multi-configuration ultrasonic gas meter assembly. The housing member is installable in an ultrasonic gas flow meter which includes an internal flow measurement tube along which gas travels for flow measurement, the tube having an inlet end and an outlet end. The ultrasonic gas meter housing member includes a closed back portion and a front portion spaced from the back portion to define a space for receiving the internal flow measurement tube such that the tube extends across the internal space of the housing member. At least one wall portion extends between the back portion and the front portion, the wall portion having a first opening and a second opening therethrough for connection of the housing member to a gas inlet pipe and a gas outlet pipe. The gas meter housing member is symmetrical about a plane which divides the housing member into a first portion and a second portion.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 1999Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignee: M&FC Holding CompanyInventors: Dennis R. Montag, William R. Mazza, Jr., Kevin A. Long
-
Patent number: 6268683Abstract: A transducer for use in an ultrasonic gas flow meter includes a housing having an open end and a closed end with a side wall extending therebetween. The closed end of the housing is shaped to receive and transmit sound waves during operation of the transducer. A resonator is positioned in the housing with a transmitting and receiving end facing the closed end of the housing. A thickness of the side wall of the housing at the closed end is less than at a position further toward the open end in order to divert and diffuse spurious vibrations that might otherwise occur near the resonating frequency of the transducer. Generally, such vibration diversion and diffusion is best achieved when the thickness of the side wall housing gradually decreases toward the closed end of the housing. Further, an outer diameter of the housing side wall may gradually decrease toward the closed end of the housing to improving ringing and bandwidth properties.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 1999Date of Patent: July 31, 2001Assignee: M&FC Holding CompanyInventor: Guang Li
-
Patent number: 6250167Abstract: A sensor assembly for a fluid flow meter, more particularly a gas meter, includes a sensor well made of a non-magnetic material and a sensor which is removable from the well without depressurizing the fluid line in which the flow meter is located. The sensor well is mounted within a bore formed in a meter body boss and, in a preferred embodiment, extends through the internal rotor housing and includes an inner face contoured to conform to the inner wall of the housing. In certain embodiments of the invention, the sensor is shaped to cover the sensor well mounting bolts so that the well cannot be removed without first removing the sensor. In other embodiments, the sensor well mounting bolts are retained in the sensor well by dowel pins, stakes or retaining rings such that the bolts must be gradually and sequentially loosened to remove the sensor well, in order to prevent improper removal of the sensor well from the meter body boss.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 1998Date of Patent: June 26, 2001Assignee: M & FC Holding CompanyInventors: Daniel W. Peace, Lewis C. Ometz, Gary P. Corpron
-
Patent number: 6168210Abstract: A pipe coupling (10) for coupling and sealing adjacent ends of two pipe sections (12, 14) of the same or different outer diameters. The pipe coupling (10) includes an annular sleeve (24), a pair of annular gaskets (22) and a pair of follower flanges (20) that surround the adjacent ends of the pipe sections (12, 14). The gaskets (22) have inclined front walls (42) that are angled generally complementary to clamping surfaces (28) formed at opposite ends of the sleeve (24). The gaskets further include inclined back walls (52). As the follower flanges (20) are urged toward the opposite ends of the sleeve (24), the inclined back walls (52) of the gaskets (22) cooperate with skirts (32) formed on the follower flanges (22) to cause the gaskets (22) to readily toe-in toward the outer walls of the pipe sections (12, 14) at relatively low torque and cause sealing engagement with pipe ends sections (12, 14).Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1998Date of Patent: January 2, 2001Assignee: M & FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventor: Edwin A. Bird
-
Patent number: 6131265Abstract: A plastic pipe adaptor (10) includes a length of pipe (12) having a plastic pipe wall (14) with a substantially rigid pipe stiffener (32) disposed inside the pipe and a substantially rigid collar (34) disposed about the pipe exteriorly of the pipe wall (14), the collar having a recess (40) therein. The stiffener (32) and collar (34) are positioned such that a portion (50) of the plastic pipe wall is disposed between the stiffener (32) and the collar recess (40) and at least a portion (52) of the pipe stiffener is deflected outwardly against the pipe wall portion (50) by an amount sufficient to wedge the pipe wall portion (50) into engagement with the collar recess (40). The result is a firm grip to the pipe which allows the collar to serve as an attachment to another member such as a mechanical joint (30). A method of making the adaptor (10) is also described.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 1999Date of Patent: October 17, 2000Assignee: M & FC Holding CompanyInventor: Edwin A. Bird
-
Patent number: 6087957Abstract: A utility data gathering system is disclosed as comprising a register including a series of index members coupled to a meter mechanism. Each index member includes a plurality of contacts and a switch arm moveable with its index member. The meter mechanism is responsive to utility consumption for moving the index members to positions indicative of the utility consumed, whereby each switch arm completes in normal operation a circuit with just one of its plurality of contacts dependent upon the position of its index member. A digital computer is programmed for performing first and second scans of each contact of each index member to obtain corresponding first and second sets of data indicative of a completed circuit through the switch arm and contacts of each index member. The completed circuit data obtained from each of the first and second scans are compared and if the circuit data of the first and second scans are different, an alarm manifestation is generated.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 1993Date of Patent: July 11, 2000Assignee: M&FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventor: Bruce Edward Gray
-
Patent number: 6052888Abstract: A method of stiffening a flexible pipe using inserts or stiffeners. To account for non-uniformities and toe in of the flexible pipe, the method involves inserting a pipe stiffener into an end of the pipe and expanding the pipe stiffener within the end to a desired diameter. The stiffener is expanded using an expander, and may be sized to any desired diameter. The pipe stiffener may be expanded within the pipe until its outside diameter approximates the inside diameter of the pipe. Alternatively, the pipe stiffener may be expanded within the pipe by an expander until its inside diameter approximates the inside diameter of the pipe before the pipe stiffener is expanded within the pipe. Finally, the stiffener may be expanded within the pipe until the outside diameter of the pipe approximates the outside diameter of other pipes to be joined thereto.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 1996Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: M & FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventor: Edwin A. Bird
-
Patent number: 6016826Abstract: An automatic center cavity equalizing valve for equalizing pressure in a main valve. The equalizing valve includes a body with a bore for providing fluid communication between an upstream port and a center cavity port, and a downstream port and the center cavity port. A metal ball is disposed within the bore and is arranged to mate with upstream and downstream seats to seal communication with the upstream or downstream port and the center cavity port depending upon the differential pressure across valve. The metal ball is spring biased against the downstream seat to prevent damage to the downstream seat due to rattling. In addition, access plugs are provided at opposite ends of the bore to allow for access to the interior of the bore for repairing or replacing the metal ball, the seats, and/or other internal components.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 1995Date of Patent: January 25, 2000Assignee: M&FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: Earl A. Bake, Leonard J. Stephens
-
Patent number: 5967568Abstract: A plastic pipe adaptor (10) includes a length of pipe (12) having a plastic pipe wall (14) with a substantially rigid pipe stiffener (32) disposed inside the pipe and a substantially rigid collar (34) disposed about the pipe exteriorly of the pipe wall (14), the collar having a recess (40) therein. The stiffener (32) and collar (34) are positioned such that a portion (50) of the plastic pipe wall is disposed between the stiffener (32) and the collar recess (40) and at least a portion (52) of the pipe stiffener is deflected outwardly against the pipe wall portion (50) by an amount sufficient to wedge the pipe wall portion (50) into engagement with the collar recess (40). The result is a firm grip to the pipe which allows the collar to serve as an attachment to another member such as a mechanical joint (30). A method of making the adaptor (10) is also described.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 1997Date of Patent: October 19, 1999Assignee: M&FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventor: Edwin A. Bird
-
Patent number: 5877430Abstract: A turbine gas flow meter (10) includes a meter body (12) including an inlet portion (24) having an inlet body (32) mounted therein, with an exit end (30) of the body inlet portion being defined at an internal plenum (22) of the meter body, and a removable turbine meter measuring module (44) including a rotor assembly (48) which is inserted into the plenum with an inlet end (127) of the rotor assembly and the exit end of the inlet portion defining an interface therebetween. A closed space (114) is formed about the rotor assembly within the plenum between an inner wall (106) of the body and outer walls (116, 118) of the rotor assembly. An axial gap (128) between a surface (130) of the rotor assembly inlet end and a surface (132) of the body inlet portion exit end, and/or radial notches in either of the surfaces (130, 132), provide fluid pressure communication from the interface to the closed space.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 1997Date of Patent: March 2, 1999Assignee: M&FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: Daniel W. Peace, Richard V. Woodward
-
Patent number: 5856791Abstract: An electronic expander (12) allows for reading a plurality of utility meters (14) with an interrogation device (30) via a common electronic access point (16) wherein the interrogation device (30) interrogates and receives meter usage data from all of the meters (14) during a single coupling with the common electronic access point (16).Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1996Date of Patent: January 5, 1999Assignee: M&FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: Bruce E. Gray, Timothy J. Belski
-
Patent number: 5473932Abstract: Methods and an apparatus for measuring gas flow with greater reliability than earlier single-rotor and double-rotor turbine meters and dual turbine meter systems are disclosed. The apparatus comprises two independent rotors, in close proximity of each other, housed in the same meter body, but isolated from the effects of each other. No pressure and temperature correction are needed for accuracy performance comparison between the two rotors. Because of the two rotor averaging technique, the reliability of the volume totalization is greatly improved over earlier double-rotor and single-rotor designs.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1993Date of Patent: December 12, 1995Assignee: M & FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: James J. Fitzpatrick, Daniel W. Peace
-
Patent number: 5454031Abstract: The present invention is a dial in-bound MIU capable of deriving its operating current from a telephone line. The MIU is coupled to the telephone line using conventional practices. The MIU has the capacity to initiate data transmission at a predetermined time or upon demand by the customer or the utility company. The MIU includes a microprocessor which serves as the command processing center for the MIU. The microprocessor also manages all time dependent functions for the MIU. When the microprocessor determines that data transmission is required, the MIU dials up a central computer using a modem built into the MIU circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 1995Date of Patent: September 26, 1995Assignee: M & FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: Bruce E. Gray, Donald R. Fletcher
-
Patent number: 5438329Abstract: The remote instrument reading and telemetry system of the present invention includes at least one instrument link interconnected to a data gathering device and a remote station interrogation apparatus. The interrogation apparatus and instrument link both include radio transmitters and receivers so information and instructions can be communicated between them. In the interrogation mode, the interrogation apparatus instructs the instrument link to transmit information (e.g., data from the data gathering device) in a specified manner, within certain time frames, and in a specific frequency channel. Before requesting the transmission of information, the interrogation apparatus determines which of the available reply radio channels is the best for transmission of information and instructs the instrument link to use this reply channel.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1993Date of Patent: August 1, 1995Assignee: M & FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: C. S. Gastouniotis, Nuno Bandeira, Bruce E. Gray, Scott H. Seehoffer
-
Patent number: 5434911Abstract: A call in-bound remote reading and data collection system for the remote reading of utility meters, including a data processor and a remotely located meter interface unit (MIU) interconnected to at least one utility meter to be read. Also disclosed is a meter interface unit and a method for the remote reading of utility meters and the collection of data. The data processor collects, stores and processes data and includes a modem to interconnect the data processor to conventional telephone lines. The MIU is interconnected to the telephone lines and the data processor, to transmit scheduled meter reading to the data processing means, when a prespecified interval has elapsed. The MIU is also interconnected to transmit unscheduled or demand meter readings when the MIU receives telephone line transmissions requesting such a reading (e.g. receipt of a specified tone). A modem is used to interconnect the MIU so it can communicate over the telephone lines.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1993Date of Patent: July 18, 1995Assignee: M & FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: Bruce E. Gray, Donald R. Fletcher
-
Patent number: 5288054Abstract: A valve is presented comprising a valve body defining a chamber, a valve stem extending into said chamber, a disk attached to the valve stem, a discrete annular seat movably disposed in the chamber, a resilient ring disposed in the chamber adjacent the annular seat, and a retainer fixed in the chamber on a side of the seat opposite from the ring, wherein the ring exercises a bias on the seat in a direction toward the disk, urging the seat into engagement with the disk. The invention further contemplates a method for making the valve.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1993Date of Patent: February 22, 1994Assignee: M&FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: Earl A. Bake, Leonard J. Stephens
-
Patent number: 5232201Abstract: A plastic ball valve having improved valve stem sealing means.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 1992Date of Patent: August 3, 1993Assignee: M&FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: Ricky E. Spears, Frank D. Sears, Stephen M. Horvath
-
Patent number: 5209524Abstract: A pipe coupling member comprising a collar member, flanges disposed on the collar member for connecting the collar member a support member, the collar member and the support member being adapted cooperatively to substantially encircle a first pipe member, lugs disposed on the collar member for connecting the collar member to a collar assembly substantially encircling a second pipe member, and elongated protrusions extending inwardly from an inside surface of the collar member and adapted to engage an external surface of the first pipe member.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1991Date of Patent: May 11, 1993Assignee: M&FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: Michael E. Corwon, Edwin A. Bird, Kirby L. Shaddix
-
Patent number: 5190324Abstract: A pipe restraining member comprising a collar member, flanges disposed on the collar member for connecting the collar member to a support, the collar member and the support being adapted cooperatively to encircle a first pipe member, lugs disposed on the collar member for connecting the collar member to a collar assembly encircling a second pipe member, and discrete groups of protrusions extending inwardly from an inside surface of the collar member and adapted to engage an external surface of the first pipe.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1991Date of Patent: March 2, 1993Assignee: M&FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: Edwin A. Bird, Kirby L. Shaddix
-
Patent number: RE36401Abstract: Methods and an apparatus for measuring gas flow with greater reliability than earlier single-rotor and double-rotor turbine meters and dual turbine meter systems are disclosed. The apparatus comprises two independent rotors, in close proximity of each other, housed in the same meter body, but isolated from the effects of each other. No pressure and temperature correction are needed for accuracy performance comparison between the two rotors. Because of the two rotor averaging technique, the reliability of the volume totalization is greatly improved over earlier double-rotor and single-rotor designs.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1997Date of Patent: November 23, 1999Assignee: M & FC Holding Company, Inc.Inventors: James J. Fitzpatrick, Daniel W. Peace