Abstract: This invention relates to a method for seating a pitot tube type flow meter against the remote wall of the pipe in which it is being installed and subsequently sealing same within the tubular fitting through which it enters the pipe, such method comprising using a movable abutment to push compressible packing contained within an annular space provided between the outside of the pitot tube and the inside of its tubular fitting against a fixed abutment on the pitot tube thereby forcing the latter inward until it bottoms on the remote pipe wall and thereafter continuing to advance the movable abutment to narrow the gap between it and the fixed abutment so as to compress the packing between the two until it expands to fill the annular space and form a fluid-tight seal around the pitot tube. The invention also encompasses the novel apparatus for carrying out the above-described method.

Abstract: This invention relates to the novel method for stabilizing the pressure sensed by the downstream-facing port of a pitot tube type flowmeter over a broad flow range, thereby providing a stable and repeatable flow coefficient. The invention comprises localizing the areas of boundary layer separation across deflecting surfaces located upstream of said port by sharply contouring the edges thereof and directing the flowing stream thereacross, and preventing reattachment of said boundary layer by positioning and contouring the surfaces containing said port downstream of said sharply contoured edges so as to continuously lie within the wake of the fluid flowing around the latter over a broad range of flow rates.