Patents Assigned to Fischer & Porter
  • Patent number: 6705172
    Abstract: A method and a device for measuring the flow rate of flowing, in particular liquid media using the Coriolis measurement principle, in which a measuring tube flowed through by the medium can be set vibrating and the deflection of the measuring tube is measured at at least two different measuring points via sensors and the flow rate can be determined from the amplitude and further vibration parameters with the aid of an electric evaluation unit. In this case, a further sensor is arranged at the site of vibration generation and the two other sensors are placed at sites which are arranged symmetrically with regard to their distance, referred to the tube section of the measuring tube, from the site of vibration generation. The evaluation unit contains logic means which, in the event of failure of one of the sensors, on the one hand report this, and on the other hand simulate the defective sensor in terms of evaluation by interpolation until the defective sensor is replaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Bailey-Fischer & Porter GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Deppe, Ralf Lesjak, Axel Papenbrock
  • Patent number: 5905206
    Abstract: Magneto-inductive flow measurement using a pulsed and/or reversing pulsed constant field wherein the measurement voltage which is induced by the flow, running transversely with respect to the magnetic field, of the measurement medium in the measurement tube of the magneto-inductive flowmeter is sampled in each clock time interval when the coil current is applied, even if the magnetic field has not yet reached its steady-state. Empirically determined correction values are used to correct the samples to the situation when measurements are carried out with a steady-state magnetic field. Calibration measured values can be recorded in a steady-state magnetic field from time to time, in order to check and, if required, to correct the correction factors. The coil current can be switched at frequencies which alternate with one another in time, the number of periods of the mutually alternating period sequences being varied in an irregular manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Bailey Fischer & Porter GmbH
    Inventors: Jorg Herwig, Klaus Schafer
  • Patent number: 5499543
    Abstract: A device for measuring the flow of a fluid through a measuring pipe, includes a first coil arranged above the measuring pipe, a second coil arranged below the measuring pipe, and a pair of electrodes facing one another, on the sides of said measuring pipe. The coils are excitable and produce both aiding and opposing magnetic fields. A correction circuit corrects the voltage (U.sub.r) between the electrodes. The corrected voltage is approximately proportional to the fluid flow in the presence of aiding magnetic fields when the measuring pipe is partially filled. The correction circuit provides correction to an output signal (S) corresponding to the flow of the fluid when the measuring pipe is partially filled by means of a correction function to a corrected voltage (U.sub.t) which depends on the voltages (U.sub.r, U.sub.g) between the electrodes in the presence of aiding and opposing magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Nissen, Klaus Schafer
  • Patent number: 5493914
    Abstract: A device for measuring the flow of a fluid flowing through a measuring pipe includes coils arranged above and below the measuring pipe and a pair of electrodes facing each other on the sides of the measuring pipe. The coils are excitable for producing aiding and opposing magnetic fields. A correction circuit corrects the voltage between the electrodes, which is only approximately proportionate to the flow of the fluid in the presence of aiding magnetic fields, to an output signal S which is proportionate to the flow of the fluid, by means of a correction function Ug/Ur which depends on the voltages Ur,Ug between the electrodes in the presence of aiding and opposing magnetic fields. Separate correction signals are determined depending on whether the Froude number of the flow in the measuring pipe is greater than or less than one. One of the correction signals is applied to the voltage Ur which corresponds to the aiding magnetic field, for producing an output signal S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Schafer
  • Patent number: 5450757
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the flow of fluid through a substantially horizontal measuring tube includes coils for producing two states of a magnetic field in which the magnetic fields extend through the measuring tube in a horizontal plane. The magnetic field in a first state extends through a first horizontal plane which intersects the measuring tube in substantially the same direction on both sides of the horizontal plane and in a second state extends in substantially opposite directions on both sides of the first horizontal plane. A pair of electrodes arranged at the measuring tube senses displacement of changes in the fluid and an electrical circuit corrects the voltage Ur between the electrodes in the first state of the magnetic field by using the voltage Ug between the electrodes in the second state of the magnetic field to obtain an output signal substantially proportional to the flow of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Nissen, Hans W. Schwiderski
  • Patent number: 5403533
    Abstract: A measuring tube for a flowmeter and a process for making the measuring tube. The measuring tube is lined with a tubular lining of thermoplastic material, particularly PTFE or PFA, which comes into contact with the measured substance which flows through the tube. The ends of the tubular lining are flanged around end flanges of the measuring tube after the ends of the tubular lining have been plasticised by heating. The plasticised ends of the tubular lining are turned outward by more than 90.degree. and then forced into undercuts in the end faces of the end flanges. Upon cooling, the ends of the lining are in intimate contact with the end faces of the end flanges and the undercuts in the end faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventor: Dieter Meier
  • Patent number: 5375475
    Abstract: Device to measure the flowrate of a fluid flowing in a partially full line, such as a canal or open channel, with coils arranged above and below the partially full line to generate a magnetic field extending essentially vertically through the partially full line and with electrodes arranged opposite each other on opposite lateral walls of the partially full line. An excitation circuit excites the coils and an evaluation circuit processes the potential difference at the electrodes resulting from the magnetic field and the fluid flow to produce a flowrate proportional signal. The device is characterized by a bridge which spans the partially full line and on which the upper coil is positioned with the vertical axis of the upper coil extending through the central region of the bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: Wilfried Kiene, Peter Nissen
  • Patent number: 5370000
    Abstract: A circuit for detecting faults in a magmeter system in which an electrically conductive fluid flows which is maintained at a reference potential. The circuit includes at least two electrodes in contact with the fluid. The electrode signals are conducted to the corresponding inputs of a measuring circuit. An alarm circuit is connected ahead of the measuring circuit. A difference in the magnitude of the values (+U.sub.S and -U.sub.S) of the electrode signals and/or non-symmetries in the noise content of the electrode signals and/or a disturbance in the high frequency signal (U.sub.G) in a loop which contains the electrodes and a high frequency producing generator causes an alarm to be activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: Jorg Herwig, Dieter Keese, Karl H. Rackebrandt, Hans W. Schwiderski
  • Patent number: 5327787
    Abstract: A weir is placed across a pipe section and an electromagnetic flow meter with multiple electrodes is located upstream of the weir. The liquid level and velocity of fluid in the pipe section are evaluated by the electromagnetic flow meter to determine flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: Wilfried Kiene, Peter Nissen
  • Patent number: 5301556
    Abstract: A liquid flow measuring system which, by means of a suitable timing sequence, is able to detect unbalanced voltage generation which occurs when the tube element through which the liquid is flowing is not completely full and, by means of a correction process, supplies an output signal which is proportional to the rate of flow. When the tube element is full, the system operates in the same way as a normal magnetically inductive flowmeter. If the level in the tube element falls, electrodes which are installed in the lower half of the tube element and other electrodes, if necessary, can be used exclusively or additionally to record the measured values. Moreover, with a view to improving the recording of measured values when the level falls below a specific limit, an arrangement of electromagnets, specially optimized for partially filled tube elements, can be activated instead of the normal arrangement of electromagnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: Peter Nissen, Hans W. Schwiderski
  • Patent number: 5299461
    Abstract: Fluid flowrate measuring apparatus in which magnet coils, positioned symmetrically about a pipe through which fluid flows, are excited to generate magnetic fields during four periods of an excitation cycle which are additive during the first period of excitation, opposing during the second period of excitation, additive during the third period of excitation in an opposite sense to that during the first period, and opposing during the fourth period of excitation in an opposite sense to that during the second period. Electrodes, which sense fluid flow through the magnetic fields, develop signals representative of fluid flow through the pipe during the four excitation periods and these signals are processed to develop a flowrate measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: Klaus Schafer, Peter Nissen
  • Patent number: 5243596
    Abstract: A data communications network in which multiple host processors are linked in a ring network by respective network interface processors or nodes includes circuitry in each of the nodes which aids in the implementation of a distributed resource locking scheme and a reliable multicasting system. The circuitry includes a packet generator which automatically generates specialized packets that are used to procure resource locks and to implement the multicast system. In addition, the node includes circuitry which may be used to modify the contents of a received packet and circuitry which automatically retransmits the packet onto the network. The node is controlled by a set of state machines which implement the resource locking and multicasting protocols. In addition, the nodes include circuitry which detects congestion in the node and in the network and acts automatically to relieve the congestion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: Adrian G. Port, Charles D. Spackman, Nicholas R. Steele, Jonathan R. Wells
  • Patent number: 5235595
    Abstract: This invention is concerned with packet switching techniques, protocols, networks, and equipment for use on a local area or wide area scale. Packets which include a fixed-length data field and memory offset field are employed so that packeting, block data transfer to contiguous memory and depacketing can be effected at the destination by hardware-mediated processes with minimal processor involvement. Multiple sessions can be readily handled by assigning addresses to multiple memory buffers at the destination. Thus, each packet carrying computer data provides three levels of addressing for its data segment corresponding to the destination node or device, the memory buffer for the data block being transfered and the memory location within that buffer into which the segment of data carried by the packet is to be placed. The equipment includes loop-based, collision-free packet switches in which packets are modified and re-circulated when a destination is busy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventor: Michael B. O'Dowd
  • Patent number: 5187988
    Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the flow of a fluid medium which flows upward through a substantially vertically mounted tube section having a suspended body in the tube section. The vertical position of the suspended body depends on the intensity of the flow. Movement of a magnet, movable with the suspended body, is sensed by a unit which includes a Hall sensor and an electronic evaluation circuit, responsive to the Hall sensor output, develops an output signal corresponding to the flow of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: Hans J. Dettmer, Jorg Herwig, Joachim Hagemann, Werner Marchewka, Michael tzfeld
  • Patent number: 5019256
    Abstract: A UV lamp rack assembly usable in an ultraviolet ray wastewater treatment system, the rack including a horizontal hanger bar. When the assembly is installed in a channel through which a stream of wastewater to be treated is conducted, the bar is then supported above the channel in the flow direction of the stream. Depending from the bar at an upstream position is a vertical rod along which sleeves are pivotally mounted at spaced points thereon whereby each sleeve can be swiveled in a horizontal plane. Depending from the bar at a downstream position is a vertical conduit along which detachable lamp couplers are mounted at corresponding points, each coupler housing a lamp socket that is connected through the conduit to a power source. Extending between each sleeve and the coupler corresponding thereto is a lamp unit formed by a transparent protective tube enclosed at its upstream end and housing an elongated UV lamp whose terminal pins are at the downstream end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: Lee Ifill, Robert Walker, Steven Wolfe, Fiore Schena
  • Patent number: 4972724
    Abstract: A flowmeter of the Coriolis type in which the fluid to be metered is conducted through a straight measuring tube attached at its inlet and outlet ends to fixed supports, whereby the tube is free to vibrate in a circular path as well as to torsionally oscillate. Actuator means are provided to excite the tube at a point intermediate the inlet and outlet ends, causing the tube to vibrate in a circular path. When fluid flows therethrough, the tube is subjected to Coriolis forces, causing it to torsionally oscillate in accordance with mass flow. A pair of sensors are disposed at respective points between the inlet and outlet ends of the tube and the excitation point to yield in response to the torsional oscillations, sensor signals which are applied to a processing circuit from which a measurement signal is derived that depends on the relative phases of the sensor signals, after averaging several circular vibrations to provide a mass flow readout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventor: Hans M. Ricken
  • Patent number: 4957005
    Abstract: A mass flowmeter of the Coriolis-type in which fluid to be metered is conducted through a flow tube which is coiled to define a helix having a pair of identical measuring loops forming a double loop, on either side of which is an isolation loop. The fluid is admitted into the input of one isolation loop and is discharged from the output of the other isolation loop. The helix is concentric with a support structure having at one end a flow inlet to which the isolation loop input is affixed, and at the other end a flow outlet to which the isolation loop output is attached. A rigid bar parallel to the axis of the helix is joined to the junction of the measuring loops as well as to the respective junctions of each measuring loop and its associated isolation loop whereby the isolation loops then function as decoupling springs to effectively isolate the bar and the double measuring loop from external forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: John Yard, Warren O. Strohmeier
  • Patent number: 4953409
    Abstract: An electromagnetic flowmeter whose primary includes a flow tube through which the fluid to be metered is conducted to intersect a magnetic field and thereby induce a voltage therein that is transferred to electrodes to produce an electrode signal as a function of flow rate, which signal includes a noise voltage. The electrode signal is applied to the input amplifier of a secondary whose output is fed to one input of a summing stage, the output of which is fed to a range amplifier that yields a test voltage, the input and range amplifiers producing offset voltages. To compensate for the noise and offset voltages, a compensation voltage is derived from the test voltage and applied to the other input of the summing stage. This compensation voltage is produced only when the test voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: Werner Marchewka, Karl-Heinz Rackebrandt, Klaus Schafer, Albert Seebode
  • Patent number: 4953408
    Abstract: An electromagnetic flowmeter in whose primary the fluid to be metered is conducted through a flow tube to intercept a composite magnetic field to induce therein a voltage which is picked up by capacitive metering electrodes. The composite field is formed by a low-frequency comparison field having a long period on which is superimposed a high-frequency switching field having a short period. The voltage from the capacitive electrodes is fed by way of a high pass filter to the input amplifier of a secondary whose amplified output is analyzed to provide separate components, one originating from the comparison field and the other from the switched field. An output signal is produced in accordance with the time phasing of these components, after compensating for the signal loss experienced in the filter by the comparison field component by means of a compensation voltage derived from the switched field component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: Eggert Appel, Wilfried Kiene, Rudi Kuchemann, Dieter Meier, Peter Nissen
  • Patent number: 4879450
    Abstract: A laser welding technique for joining two parts together, the parts having contacting faces which define an interfacial region. One part is permeable to a laser beam directed toward and focused on the interfacial region, the face of the other part having light-disruptive characteristics whereby when the beam impinges thereon, multiple internal reflections are produced within the interfacial region which trap the energy of the beam to generate sufficient heat to cause the parts to superficially melt and fuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: Fischer & Porter Company
    Inventors: Jean-Pascal Valentin, Pierre Maitre, Masahiro Kazahaya