Abstract: A water meter housing assembly (10) comprises a cylindrical, plastic housing body (11), a non-cast housing bottom (13) of hydroformable or stamped brass, a single-piece strainer and sealing member (40) that is disposed in the housing bottom (13) and portions of non-cast hydroformable or stamped brass tubing (15) with spud ends (16, 17) for connection in a water supply line. The brass consists essentially of lead-free material. The assembly (10) is designed to provide a lower cost alternative to foundry cast meter housings. The assembly (10) also provides advantages in a method of vertical assembly that saves manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A water meter housing assembly (10) comprises a cylindrical, plastic housing body (11), a non-cast housing bottom (13) of hydroformable or stamped brass, a single-piece strainer and sealing member (40) that is disposed in the housing bottom (13) and portions of non-cast hydroformable or stamped brass tubing (15) with spud ends (16, 17) for connection in a water supply line. The brass consists essentially of lead-free material. The assembly (10) is designed to provide a lower cost alternative to foundry cast meter housings. The assembly (10) also provides advantages in a method of vertical assembly that saves manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A fluid meter (10) has a casing (11) providing a measuring chamber (27) and an inlet (18) and outlet (19) communicating with the measuring chamber (27). A partition (20) in the chamber (27) separating said inlet (18) from said outlet (19). A disc (28, 48) is positioned in the chamber (27) and includes projections (36) or niches (57) which are disposed in an arc relative to a center of the disc (28, 48) and the casing is provided with integrally formed depressions (37) or with projections (56) disposed opposite the projections (36) or niches (57) on the disc (28) to be engaged the disc (28) as the disc (28, 48) is nutated with the result of counteracting forces imposed on said disc (28, 48) by fluid flow.

Abstract: A pilot valve is operated by a solenoid formed by a coil wound around a non-magnetic spool that has a bore. A rare earth permanent magnet is inside the bore adjacent one end and abuts a flux concentrator farther inside the bore. A plunger is slidably located within the bore biased away from the flux concentrator by a spring and projects out another end of the bore. An enclosure of magnetic material completes a magnetic flux path around the solenoid and has an aperture though which the plunger projects. The pilot valve includes a cage of rigid non-magnetic material which abuts the enclosure and has a recess which supports the plunger out of contact with the housing. The plunger selectively opens and closes a pilot tube through the cage to operate a diaphragm the responds by engaging a primary valve seat to control the flow of fluid through a valve body.

Abstract: At least one new battery (60, 61) is added to a transponder unit (10) used in a subsurface pit enclosure (11), by removing a transponder housing (25, 26) from the pit enclosure (11), removing a breakout portion (33) of a top wall (32) of the transponder housing (25, 26) to provide an access opening (52) to access a pair of transponder terminals (50, 51) in the transponder housing (25, 26), mounting a battery (60, 61) sealed in a battery casing (62) to a side of the transponder housing (25, 26), with a pair of battery pack leads (47, 48) extending from the battery casing (62), connecting the battery pack leads (47, 48) to the transponder terminals (50, 51) in the transponder housing (25, 26), and providing a sealed battery pack cover (41) over both a top opening (65) in the battery casing (62) and the access opening (32) in the transponder housing ( 25, 26).

Abstract: A remote meter reading arrangement in which utility consumption data accumulated in an electronic metering unit located within an underground enclosure is transmitted via radio frequency signals to a handheld data collection unit or to a mobile data collection unit carried in a vehicle. An assembly for installation in the underground enclosure includes an antenna enclosure, a transponder enclosure and means for enclosing and protecting an antenna within the antenna enclosure and a transponder within the transponder enclosure. Two embodiments are disclosed.