Abstract: To insert an instrument into a flow stream of a sewer pipe from the street, the instrument is fastened to a holder, which in turn is fastened to a portion of an expansion ring opposite its two opened edges. A cord is fastened to one of the edges of the expansion ring and passes over a curved post mounted to the other edge of the expansion ring and extended upwardly in a direction parallel to the edges of the expansion ring so that it can be pulled to compress the expansion ring to a small diameter cylinder and released to expand it against the wall of a pipe. A post is mounted to the expansion ring to permit a long tool to grip the post and move the expansion ring into a sewer pipe where it is expanded and released.

Abstract: To draw samples from a source of liquid, a pumping system measures the amount of liquid being pumped by detecting pump cycles and calculating the pumped liquid from this measurement and stored data including conduit size, pressure head and statistical data to correlate detected pump cycles with volume of liquid pumped. Pressure pulses cause by a peristaltic pump are sensed by a piezoelectric film positioned on an inlet conduit connecting the pump to the source of water and, when the liquid reaches a predetermined point determined by the nature of pulses are counted to determine the number of pump cycles.

Abstract: To measure flow rates, the cross-sectional shape of the flow path is changed by inserting a multiple position gate into the flow path and altering the position of the gate to maintain the head of liquid constant with a reduced flow cross section. The position of the multiple position gate is correlated with the depth as measured with a bubbler to provide an indication of flow rate. To purge the bubbler line, a purge tank is located near the bubbler line. At timed periods or as manually initiated the controller causes an increase in pressure in accumulator portion of the purge tank. When a predetermined pressure is reached, a purge valve in the purge tank opens, rapidly allowing a burst of air at a substantial pressure and velocity to flow through the bubbler line to remove any material adhering to the bubbler outlet port.

Abstract: To determine the average velocity of a fluid stream, an ultrasonic signal is transmitted into the fluid and reflected ultrasonic signal received. The signals are mixed with a frequency of the transmitted ultrasonic signals. A Fourier transform is performed on the signals, the largest coefficient used to normalize the signal and certain of the weighted signals are averaged.

Abstract: A method of making a sensor wherein flexible conduit means is assembled with a fixture having a strain-sensitive film and electrical connections are made to the film whereby variations in fluid pressure in the conduit means can be detected.

Abstract: To boost RPM and to minimize the back and forth transfer of kinetic energy between a crank and a connector/reciprocating member in mechanisms having a stroke that is four times the crankpin offset, a connector which attaches the reciprocating member to the crank is weighted with counterweights to produce an effective connector center of mass at a location on the connector that, while rotating around the crankpin defines a motion perpendicular to the oscillation of the reciprocating member such that the resulting translational inertia of the connector is equal to but perpendicular and ninety degrees out of phase with the translational inertia of the reciprocating member so that their combined kinetic energy is constant, thus resulting in a zero transfer in energy between the crank and the connector/reciprocating member through each revolution unless external force is applied to the crank or to the reciprocating member.