Abstract: A flow meter comprising a cavity, an inlet to the cavity and an outlet from the cavity, and two oval rotors mounted within the cavity between the inlet and the outlet. The rate of rotation of the rotors is substantially proportional to the flow of fluid through the meter. The rotors are provided with magnets. Electrical inductors, which are capable of detecting the magnets, are arranged outside the cavity to monitor rotation of the rotors without being mechanically linked thereto, and to provide a measure of the flow of fluid through the meter. A division ratio adjuster is included in electrical circuitry of the meter to vary the calibration of the measurement in dependence upon the flow rate through the meter.

Abstract: A totalizer of the decade counter type or the like which, when being pulsed, tends to drain a battery, where the battery and totalizer are remotely located. The battery thus needs to have a long life because of its remote location. The same is effected by a circuit including a voltage regulator which holds average power constant, at least from pulse to pulse.

Abstract: A fluid dispensing method and apparatus particularly adapted for post-mix dispensing of a soft drink, with accurate relative proportions of carbonated water and soft drink syrup. Separate syrup and water valves are controllably turned on and off, independently, at prescribed duty cycles, to provide a prescribed mix ratio, and syrup and water flow meters monitor the instantaneous flow rates of the water and syrup to minimize the effects of any pressure variations in the initial syrup and water supplies. The apparatus is conveniently modified for use with different soft drink syrups using a separate removable personality module for each syrup, characterizing its prescribed mix ratio and its viscosity.

Abstract: A device for counting or measuring the length of road marking lines or for a total counting of road marking line segments on roads or the like, characterized in that the control or the switching on or off counters of a known type is carried out by the application device, e.g., a spray gun for making the road marking lines.

Abstract: A device for measuring the amount flowing through and/or the speed of flow of a medium which is pumped by means of a pump unit. The device comprises a drive motor for producing the working cycles of the pump unit and a pick-off to detect said working cycles and to deliver a pick-off signal depending on said working cycles. Further included is an electronic unit (10) to record, by means of said pick-off signal, a value proportional to the number of working cycles. From this value, the amount flowing through and/or the speed of flow can be determined by means of a nominal calibrating factor K.sub.N laid down for the pump unit. The electronic unit 10 includes a calibrating unit 11 which is adjustable to convert said pick-off signal into at least one output signal which represents a certain true calibrating factor K.sub.V, calculated with reference to a specific correction factor K.sub.K for correction of the nominal calibrating factor K.sub.N.

Abstract: An upright tubular housing is divided into a lower compartment, a central compartment and an upper compartment by horizontal partition plates. Within the lower compartment are the hydraulic components which may be any number of a variety of hydraulic systems from conventional non-electronic or electronic gasoline pumps. A meter of the hydraulic system drives a shaft which, in turn, drives a pulser disposed in the intermediate compartment to provide a clock pulse. Within the upper compartment are the electronic components which include the power supply and a number of pc boards or cards, including a computer board carrying a microprocessing unit, a power fail detector, and a non-volatile memory. Information is transfered to the non-volatile memory on shut down or power failure. A battery pack supplies sufficient power for operation of the displays, after shut down. Other boards include a price control board, and an interface board.

Abstract: The method and apparatus herein described relate to the indirect measuring of thermal energy supplied to a number of user stations, for instance to all the apartments of a single building or to many buildings or the like. A temperature sensor with a voltage frequency converter provides an electric signal with a frequency which varies according to the temperature of the thermal carrier fluid. An electronic circuit processes the temperature signal through a variable multiplier which is set by respective multiplexed heat transfer ratings of the corresponding stations to produce a series of impulse trains corresponding to thermal energy consumed by the corresponding stations. Multiplexed counting devices, controlled by demand signals corresponding to fluid flow in the respective stations, receive the respective pulse trains to produce readings of the thermal energy consumed by the corresponding stations.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying fluid of preset quantity comprises a fluid supplying pump provided in a fluid supplying pipe arrangement, a motor for driving the fluid supplying pump, meter for metering the fluid flowing in the fluid supplying pipe arrangement, and a control circuit for detecting that supplied quantity of fluid measured by the meter has reached a quantity smaller than a preset fluid supplying quantity by an estimated oversupply quantity of fluid, and stopping the motor from being driven. The estimated oversupply quantity of fluid is set to a quantity equal to a quantity of fluid supplied by the fluid supplying pump after the motor is stopped from being driven and rotates due to inertia.

Abstract: A fluid delivery monitor having a flow sensor, accumulator for recording the duration of sensed flow, a code device to display the contents of and reset the accumulator upon entry of a preselected sequence, and a fluid sensor to disable the accumulator for sensed conductive fluid. The flow sensor is a pressure-sensitive switch recessed in a radial port and a vane substantially covering the port protects the switch from tampering and directs fluid toward the switch.

Abstract: A self-service station where a number of parties, each having an individual operating key or card, can pump gas from a single pump by inserting the key or card into a matching slot to activate the pump. When the fuel begins to flow to the discharge nozzle, a pulsing device is activated to register on a counter the amount of fuel pumped. To prevent pumping of fuel under circumstances where the pulsing device is not operating, there is a timer that shuts off the pump if the pulsing device does not become operative after a certain period of time. The timer is arranged with a flow responsive switch so that the time period is measured from the time fuel actually begins to flow to the time that the pulsing device starts to operate. This permits the time period to be made relatively short to minimize the pumping of fuel without recording the same on the counter.

Abstract: In a computer controller for fuel dispensing including a base member, a pulser member supported by the base member and capable of detecting the various increments of fuel quantity being dispensed in addition to deductions therefrom, the signals from the pulser being transmitted to a computer, the computer processing the signals for delivery to a display assembly, and disclosure of the processed information upon liquid crystal displays readily available for view by the customer; a junction box mounted upon the base member, the junction box being completely sealed for exhibiting explosion proof attributes to prevent ignition from sparking of the associated electrical wires or thermal heating of associated electrical components, contained therein and precluding an incident ignition of the external ambient fuel vapors, a computer housing mounted upon the junction box and incorporating the various intrinsically safe circuit boards comprising the computer, and the display assemblies either connecting upon the compu

Abstract: An electronic totalizer having a non-destructive readout indicative of the time-integrated total of a process variable such as flow rate, metered by a transducer whose output signal lies within a predetermined current range. In the totalizer, the transducer signal is converted into a proportional voltage signal that is applied to a voltage-to-frequency converter yielding pulses at a rate which varies with the magnitude of the voltage signal, the pulse frequency being high at the upper limit of the range. The converter pulses are fed to an adjustable scaler yielding output pulses at a scaled-down rate appropriate to the desired unit of measurement, these being applied to a counter which gives a totalized reading. By setting the scaler, one may establish a reading in useful increments of process flow, such as gallons or liters.

Abstract: A flow rate measuring device comprising a counter for counting pulses from a flow rate detector, a detector for detecting the temperature of a fluid to be measured, a difference detector for calculating the difference between the measured temperature from the temperature detector and a reference temperature, an arithmetic operation unit for executing predetermined arithmetic operations using the counted value from the counter, the temperature difference from the difference detector and the constant based on specific gravity, and a pulse generator for generating pulses based on the signal from the arithmetic operation unit.

Abstract: A gas flow volume corrector mounted on a flow meter is provided with a microprocessor which calculates a corrected volume each time the meter measures a unit volume of flowing gas. Customer supplied data as to base conditions, specific gravity and gas composition are utilized to calculate supercompressibility values. These values are then processed to provide a plurality of constants which define calculation equations. The constants are stored in the corrector on a diode matrix card or PROM and are utilized each time the meter measures a unit volume of flowing gas for calculating the corrected volume. To conserve memory space, integer arithmetic, rather than floating point arithmetic, is utilized in the calculations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the peak loading requirements of a gas utility allow the use of a unit rate structure which depends upon the ambient outside temperature. The apparatus employs an ambient temperature measuring device and a recording element responsive thereto for providing an output reading of gas consumption which takes into account the outside ambient temperature. Thereby, a differential rate structure dependent upon the measured ambient outside temperature can be implemented. In one embodiment, the recording element has a meter which provides an actuating signal for each occurrence of a measured volumetric consumption of gas. The actuating signal is directed to one of a plurality of counters depending upon the measured outside ambient temperature. The utility then uses a different rate for each of the several counters.