GB2246638A - Mounting for flow meter - Google Patents

Abstract

A mounting for a liquid flow meter, such as a domestic water meter (35), incorporates a stop valve in a fluid passage between a fluid inlet (12) and a fluid outlet (13). The valve comprises a movable member (16) which on rotation moves axially to seal against O-ring (24). The member is rotated using a handle (33) which engages a flange (17) on the member (16). A non-return valve (31) is mounted in pipe (26) extending from the meter outlet. <IMAGE>

Description

LIQUID FLOW METER MOUNTING This invention relates to an improved liquid flow meter mounting and particularly to a mounting for a water meter suitable for underground installation and which incorporates a stop valve.

Domestic properties in the United Kingdom are usually connected to the water main by an underground supply pipe, typically 1 m below ground level. A stop valve is provided for each supply pipe at the property boundary, access to the valve being through a cover at ground level and a vertical guard pipe.

In the United Kingdom there is a growing demand for water meters to be fitted to ensure that water is not wasted by the end user. Meters may be fitted in the rising main within the property, but this is generally undesirable because the property must be entered to read the meter.

Furthermore, entry to the property must be gained for service or removal of a meter.

Installation of a meter below ground level at the property boundary requires construction of a permanent inspection chamber. These chambers must be large enough to give reasonable access to the supply pipe and meter fittings, and are consequently expensive to construct.

Moreover it is difficuit to make such chambers waterproof and thus prevent the meter and stop valve becoming submerged in areas with a high water table.

It has been proposed to provide a fitting for a conventional stop valve body which would allow a meter to be connected to an existing supply without disturbing the supply pipe. Such a fitting has a rather high head loss and therefore requires a high mains pressure to ensure an adequate supply pressure to the property. Water supply companies are however seeking low head loss devices so that mains pressure can generally be reduced, thereby reducing supply volume lost through mains leaks.

The present invention provides a low cost, low head loss mounting for a liquid flow meter.

According to the invention there is provided a mounting for a liquid flow meter, said mounting comprising a body having an inlet port, an outlet port and a stop valve, a fluid passage being provided from said inlet port through a rotatable member of said stop valve to said outlet port, an opening to said passage being provided in said rotatable member, and said opening being adapted to receive a meter for measuring the flow of liquid in said passage.

In such an arrangement, the body of the water meter may act as a handle or handgrip for operating the stop valve. Preferably however handgrip means extending around the outside of the meter are provided so as to relieve the meter body of load during stop valve operations. The meter may thus be located above the stop valve resulting in the possibility of a reduced diameter guard pipe, and the benefit of easier operation of the stop valve.

The components of the mounting are preferably moulded from plastics material.

The rotatable member may include portions of said flow passage which are concentric about the axis of rotation thereof. Preferably the opening is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotatable member and spans said portions.

In a preferred embodiment the rotatable member includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder defining concentric passageways, said opening being substantially coextensive with the inner diameter of the outer cylinder; the inner diameter of the outer cylinder may be internally threaded to receive a liquid flow meter.

The end of the inner cylinder adjacent said opening may be axially within the outer cylinder.

In a preferred embodiment the outer cylinder is externally threaded in said body, rotation thereof thus causing the cylinder to rise or fall in relation to the body. The end face of the outer cylinder distal from the opening may comprise one sealing face of the stop valve; the mounting may include a sealing ring on the body for cooperation with said end face thereby to provide a water tight seal between the body and outer cylinder.

The mounting is preferably adapted for servicing through a guard pipe, all movable and sealing components being removable therethrough from above.

Sealing means may be provided on said mounting for Co- operation with a guard pipe to prevent ingress of ground water.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment shown by way of example only in the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an axial section through a mounting according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with parts omitted for clarity.

The drawings illustrate a water meter mounting comprising a plastics base moulding 11 having an inlet passage 12 and an outlet passage 13; direction of water flow is indicated by the arrows.

Secured to the main base by any suitable method (e.g.

adhesive or screws) is a flanged plastics housing 14 having an externally threaded upper portion 14a and a lower guide portion 14b. The upper portion 14a is co-axial with the entrance of the outlet passage 13, as shown, and is of larger diameter than the guide portion 14b. A transfer passage 15 is moulded into the side of the guide portion 14b to connect with the inlet passage 12.

Slidable within the guide portion 14b is a plastics sleeve 16 having a flange 17 at the outer end and an adjacent internally threaded portion 18. An internal shoulder iocates a sealing ring 20.

A mid-portion of the sleeve has an acme thread cut therein for engagement with a split nut 19 housed in the annular space between the sleeve 16 and upper portion 14a.

The split nut 19 is held stationary with respect to the upper portion of the housing by any suitable method; rotation by the sleeve 16 thus resulting in axial movement with respect to the nut 19. Annular spacing rings 20a, 20b are provided above and below the nut as shown.

A screw cap 21 retains the split nut 19 within the housing 14 as shown. O-ring 22, located beneath the split nut 19 at the base of the enlarged diameter portion 14a, seals the sleeve 16 to the housing 14.

An annular seat 23 is located within the housing 14 immediately adjacent the base 11. An O-ring 24 housed within an upwardly facing recess 25 co-operates with the end of sleeve 16 to form a water-tight seal when sleeve 16 is screw inwardly of the split nut 19.

The internal bore of seat 23 is co-axial with the entrance of outlet passage 13 and of the same internal diameter. An upstanding pipe 26 is connected for movement with sleeve 16 by virtue of a plurality of radial arms 24; the pipe is slidable through seat 23.

The base of seat 23 is stepped radially outwardly to a first diameter to house a sealing ring 27, and to a second diameter to house a cylindrical compression member 28. The compression member 28 ensures that ring 27 makes a watertight seal between the seat 23 and the external diameter of pipe 26.

Whilst the seat 23 and member 28 are shown as separate components for ease of manufacture and assembly, they could alternatively be formed integraily with base 11 or fixed thereto by e.g. adhesive.

The upper end of pipe 26 has an external shoulder on which is located sealing ring 29. The foot of pipe 26 has a reduced wall thickness and houses a non-return valve 31 as shown.

An upstanding guard pipe 32 is sealed to the housing by fiexibie seal 33 to prevent water ingress; the pipe 32 may be of any material acceptable to the water company.

Seated on the flange 17 is a generally cylindrical operating handle 33 having a radially outwardly extending rim 34 at the upper end, as illustrated. The handle 33 has teeth on the lower face which locate in complimentary recesses of the flange 17, so that rotation of the handle in either direction results in corresponding rotation of the sleeve 16. The rim 34 is provided with an undulating outer periphery for gripping by a hand or with a tool.

In use the mounting is installed in a conventional manner by excavating a hole in the ground to the depth of an existing or new service pipe; pipe connections to the inlet and outlet passages are made in a conventional manner.

A water meter 35 (shown in outline only) is attached to the flange 17 by means of the threads 18. The meter must be of the type having co-axial inlet and outlet passages to coincide with the annular passage between the sleeve 16 and the pipe 26, and the passage through the pipe 26 itself. 0 rings 20 and 29 ensure leakproof connection with the meter.

As the meter is screwed onto the flange 17, the sleeve 16 may rotate until the lower end reaches the abutment provided by seat 23 and O-ring 24. A peripheral flange of the meter loosely retains the handle 33.

Clockwise rotation of the handle 33 causes the lower end of sleeve 16 to seal against the O-ring 24, so closing the opening between transfer passage 15 and the annular space within sleeve 16. O-ring 22 ensures that water cannot escape under pressure past the split nut 19. The large diameter of handle 33 facilitates easy operation of the stop valve notwithstanding long periods of non-operation.

Anticlockwise rotation of the handle 33 causes the sleeve 16 to rise upwardly so allowing water to flow fron transfer passage 15 through the meter and non-return valve 31 to the outlet passage 13. Upward movement of the sleeve 16 is checked as the thread of the split nut 19 reaches the end of the thread in the sleeve 16. O-ring 27 seals the pipe 16 to the seat 23 so preventing direct flow of water from the transfer passage 15 to the outlet passage 13.

The water meter may be removed by continuing to rotate the meter body beyond the stop provided by the acme thread.

In cases where a water meter is not required, a plain cap may be fitted to the flange 17 after removal of handle 33. In this case the flange 17 is gripped to operate the stop valve.

The meter mounting may be easily serviced by unscrewing cap 21 and withdrawing upwardly the sleeve 16 and split nut 19; O-rings 22 and 25 may be hooked cut of their respective seats by a suitable tool. Other types of seal may be substituted for O-rings 20, 29, 22, 24 and 27, for example a lip seal may be substituted for O-ring 22.

Althouah the mounting has been described with inlet and outlet passage in-line, they could of course be arranged at right angles or in any other desired orientation.

Claims (10)

Claims:

1. A mounting for a liquid flow meter, said mounting comprising a body having an inlet port, an outlet port and a stop valve, a fluid passage being provided from said inlet port through a rotatable member of said stop valve to said outlet port, an opening to said passage being provided in said rotatable member, and said opening being adapted to receive a meter for measuring the flow of liquid in said passage.

2. A mounting according to claim 1 wherein said rotatable member includes portions of said flow passage concentric about the axis of rotation thereof.

3. A mounting according to claim 2 wherein the opening is perpendicular to said axis of rotation and spans said portions.

4. A mounting according to claim 3 wherein said rotatable member includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder defining concentric passageways, said opening being substantially co-extensive with the inner diameter of the outer cylinder.

5. A mounting according to claim 4 wherein the end of the inner cylinder adjacent said opening is axially within the outer cylinder.

6. A mounting according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the outer cylinder is externally threaded and said body includes an internally threaded member for co-operation therewith.

7. A mounting according to any of claims 4-6 wherein the end face of said outer cylinder distal from said opening comprises one sealing face of the stop valve.

8. A mounting according to claim 7 and further including an O-ring housed within said body for co-operation with said end face.

9. A mounting according to any of claims 4-8 wherein said inner cylinder is downstream of said outer cylinder.

10. A mounting according to claim 9 wherein a nonreturn valve is located within said inner cylinder.