Abstract: A device for measuring sap flow in a stem region comprises a rigid housing, configured like a clam-shell, and insulated and sealed from intrusion from radiation or water or weather by a collar which circumscribes the housing situated around the stem region being measured. Enclosed within this housing is a substrate preferably constructed from a composite of foam tape and rubber gasket material to provide a means for the electronics to conform to a diversity of stem cross-sections and irregularities. Temperature-sensing electronics measure energy transferred from an internal heater strip to the ambient, to the stem region, and to measure heat flowing up the stem. Heat transfer related to sap flow in a stem region is determined from four signals, two signals provided by two pair of differential thermocouples, a signal generated from a thermopile, and a signal indicative of the millivoltage delivered to the heater.

Abstract: A gas flow meter includes a cylinder closed at its upper end and slidably supported within a bearing ring. The cylinder side wall is provided with openings. A gas flow is directed into the interior of the cylinder which causes it to rise with respect to the bearing ring and permitting the gas to flow out of the area of the openings exposed above the bearing. During a constant flow of gas through the cylinder the flow rate can be measured by the distance which the cylinder has moved upwardly as indicated on a fixed marker positioned adjacent to the cylinder. An electrical signal is also provided by means of an electrical sensor positioned axially within the cylinder.

Abstract: A conduit included in a Coriolis force mass flowmeter has two generally straight end sections with central axes disposed on a first plane and respectively extending from two secured extremities of the conduit, and a curved midsection with central axis disposed intermediate two parallel planes perpendicular to the first plane and respectively including the central axes of the two generally straight end sections, which curved midsection connects the two generally straight end sections to one another, wherein an electromagnetic vibrator vibrates the two generally straight end sections relative to one another, and a pair of motion sensors respectively measure flexural vibrations of the two opposite halves of the curved midsection of the conduit.

Abstract: A tightening fixture for tightening a lock nut on a chuck including a torque readout device for measuring the torque applied to tighten the lock nut. The tightening fixture includes a stationary support block having a torque transmitting collar rotatively mounted therein. The torque transmitting collar is designed to receive and hold the chuck so that the chuck is held nonrotatable with respect to the collar. When torque is applied to tighten the lock nut on the chuck, the chuck and collar rotate as a unit. A torque indicator is mounted in the stationary block and is responsive to the rotation of the torque transmitting collar to provide an indication of the torque applied to tighten the lock nut.

Abstract: A device for measuring mass flow of gases which utilizes a substantially buoyant pressure vessel suspended within a fluid/liquid in an enclosure. The pressure vessel is connected to a weighing device for continuously determining weight change of the vessel as a function of the amount of gas within the pressure vessel. In the preferred embodiment, this pressure vessel is formed from inner and outer right circular cylindrical hulls, with a volume between the hulls being vented to the atmosphere external the enclosure. The fluid/liquid, normally in the form of water typically with an added detergent, is contained within an enclosure with the fluid/liquid being at a level such that the pressure vessel is suspended beneath this level but above a bottom of the enclosure. The buoyant pressure vessel can be interconnected with selected valves to an auxiliary pressure vessel so that initial flow can be established to or from the auxiliary pressure vessel prior to flow to or from the buoyant pressure vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for accurately and economically measuring fluid flow within a closed conduit system. The apparatus includes a means for extracting a proportional amount of the fluid flow, a flowmeter reduced in size from the main conduit system for measuring the flow of the extracted proportional amount of fluid, and a means for returning the extracted portion of fluid to the fluid flow. The fluid flow is extracted and returned without disrupting the fluid flow. A means for promoting the extraction of the proportional amount of fluid flow is provided within said conduit between the means for extracting and returning the fluid flow.

Abstract: Apparatus and accompanying methods for inclusion in a Coriolis meter that substantially eliminate temperature induced measurement errors which might otherwise be produced by performance differences existing between the separate input channels contained in the meter. Specifically, two pairs of input channels are used in the meter. In operation, the meter repetitively measures the internal phase delay of each of these pairs and then subtracts the delay associated with each pair from actual flow based measurement data subsequently obtained therefrom. While one channel pair is measuring actual flow, the other channel pair is measuring its internal phase delay, with the channels being continuously cycled between these functions.

Abstract: A device and method for creating favorable conditions for achieving adjustable laminar fluid flow is described. In the practical example of a thermal mass flow meter the laminar flow element contains a porous, open celled, flexible material such as stainless steel mesh. The mesh creates a labyrinthine flow path, for the creation of laminar fluid flow, within the laminar flow element. Means for compressing or elongating the steel mesh renders the laminar flow element adjustable over an extended fluid flow range, and provides optimal fluid dynamics.

Abstract: In a thermal flow sensor comprising a cylindrical housing, a straight-pipe-shaped detecting tube, and a heat-sensitive resistor provided in the detecting tube, the housing has a net at its one end opening through which fluid to be measured flows therein, and no net is provided at the other end opening. Instead, an insertion preventing member is provided downstream of the heat-sensitive resistor and inside the detecting tube to prevent the insertion of an unwanted object such as the finger into the detecting tube.

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.

Abstract: A device for monitoring the leakage of cooling gas into the stator water cooling system is disclosed. The vent from the water cooling reservoir tank is connected to the inlet of a U-shaped passageway and the outlet of the passageway is connected to an atmospheric vent. A liquid is provided in the passageway so as to prevent the passage of cooling gas from the inlet to the outlet without a desired pressure differential. At the specified pressure differential however, gas bubbles from one side of the passageway to the other and is trapped by a measuring cup in one position. When a sufficient quantity of gas is passed under the cup, the buoyancy of the cup becomes positive allowing it to rise to a second position where at least a portion of the gas is discharged. Because the amount of gas discharged can be determined and a number of cycles of operation of the cup can be measured, the flowrate can be precisely measured.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of this invention is related to measuring a flow rate of a liquid having a density .rho. from a vessel having an inner cavity and a pouring channel. A flow sensor introduces a first gas flow into the liquid in the cavity at a first position, the inner cavity having a cross-sectional area A.sub.1 at the first position, and a second gas flow into the liquid in the pouring channel at a second position, the pouring channel having a cross-sectional area A.sub.2 at the second position, there being a vertical distance z between the first and second positions. A transducer provides an output signal proportional to a pressure differential p.sub.1 -p.sub.2 between the first and second gas flows. A processor receives the output signal and determines the liquid flow rate m through the pouring channel according to the proportional relation ##EQU1## where g is gravity.

Abstract: A device to measure the flowrate of a fluid containing electrical charges which flows in a pipe section. The device includes at least one electromagnet connected to a current source which generates a magnetic field through the pipe section and at least two electrodes whose central imaginary connecting line passes through the flow stream in the region of the magnetic field to measure the potential resulting from the charge displacements. The circuitry also includes a timing circuit which periodically changes the strength of the excitation current from the current source to the electromagnet and switches a signal shunt which is connected between the electrodes and at least two signal memories. The timing circuit also controls a current sink which is connected in parallel with the electromagnet.

Abstract: A fluid volumetric flowmeter has a wall plate forming a chamber and a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet. Two rotors positioned within the chamber have intermeshing lobes and valleys for turning in the chamber as fluid flows from the inlet through the chamber to the outlet. An indicator housing is connected to the chamber. A response shaft is rotationally mounted in the housing, and an encoder disk rotates with the shaft. A first coupling is mounted on the rotor. A second coupling is mounted on the shaft for rotating the second coupling, the shaft, and the encoder disk in response to rotation of the rotors.

Abstract: A Coriolis effect mass flowmeter for measuring mass material flow in a conduit. Elements of the meter are clamped directly onto an existing pipe or other conduit without diversion of the flow. The meter comprises a driver, such as a magnetostrictive driver, to oscillate a section of pipe between two supports. The driver is mounted on the pipe section at or near an anti-node of the second harmonic mode of the natural frequency of the pipe section. A sensor, such as an accelerometer, is mounted onto the pipe section at the node point of the second harmonic mode of the natural frequency of the pipe section during zero flow, (zero flow node point). The second sensor measures the amplitude of displacement of the zero flow node point due to the Coriolis effect forces from the mass of the material flowing through the oscillating pipe. This measurement is indicative of the mass flow rate of the material flowing through the pipe.

Abstract: In a method of correcting temperature characteristics of a flow velocity sensor, the flow velocity sensor having a heater and a pair of temperature-measuring sensors arranged on both sides thereof is set such that the temperature-measuring sensors are located at upper and lower vertical positions along the flow of a target gas to be measured. A difference in self-heat amount is set between one of the temperature-measuring sensors, located on an upstream side of the flow of the gas, and the other temperature-measuring sensor located on a downstream side of the flow of the gas.

Abstract: A sensor measures the flow velocity and/or the volumetric flow rate of a fluid flowing in a pipe and in a measuring tube mounted therein, and includes a bluff body disposed in the conduit of the measuring tube, said bluff body being designed to generate Karman vortices and having a blind hole which is in communication with the conduit via passages formed in the bluff body, a vortex sensor inserted into the blind hole and having an electrodynamic transducer responsive to the vortexinduced pressure fluctuations, said electrodynamic transducer supporting a first oscillating body being a sensor sleeve which is deflectable by the pressure fluctuations, has a first cavity sealed from the fluid, and supports a permanent magnet within the cavity, and a second oscillating body movably disposed within the cavity so as to be isolated from the pressure fluctuations and supporting at least one coil located opposite the permanent magnet.

Abstract: A method for determining the relationship between the density of a multi-component fluid mixture comprising a number of known components and the concentration of one of the components of the fluid mixture. The method comprises the steps of:(i) determining a first and a second density-concentration relationship to define the relationship between the density of the fluid mixture and the concentration of the component at first and second known temperatures T.sub.1 and T.sub.2, respectively;(ii) measuring the temperature T of the mixture;(iii) determining a temperature ratio value according to the relationship ##EQU1## (iv) choosing a component concentration value C.sub.i ; (v) determining first and second density values .rho.(C.sub.i, T.sub.1) and .rho.(C.sub.i, T.sub.2) by inputing the component concentration value C.sub.

Abstract: A housing for an air flow rate meter is embodied by two housing parts joined together by a detent connection, so that the assembly is reduced to a single operation, and screws and nuts are omitted. The housing for air flow rate meters is especially suitable for fuel injection systems of mixture-compressing internal combustion engines with externally supplied ignition, or air-compressing, self-igniting internal combustion engines.

Abstract: A method, system and device for determining the quality of assembly of tool parts involves measurement of the rates of rotation of the tool parts or the torque imposed on the tool parts, or a combination thereof, followed by measurement of axial strain, or torsional strain, or hoop strain, or a combination thereof. The measured data are processed to determine the presence of a shoulder, seizing, seals, extreme hoop pressure, mismatched connections, and the like during assembly of the tool parts, thus assuring quality of assembly. The collected data are plotted versus time and displayed for the operator. The clamping device employed can be a one-part device for measuring hoop strain only, or can be a two-part device for measuring two or more of the aforementioned strain values.