Abstract:
An apparatus for connecting a measuring device to a piping system such as fittings or pipe in which the measuring device allows for the flow and measurement of a mass. Each apparatus comprising two adapter flange bodies each having a circumferential groove mateable with the measuring device. The adapter flanges are compressed against each other by connecting bolts.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to, and incorporates by reference in its entirety, provisional application, Ser. No. 60/582,190, filed Jun. 23, 2004.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to an apparatus for inserting a measuring device in-line with a piping system. The apparatus having compressing flange bodies to join the measuring device to the piping system.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The invention relates to the use of an adapter to mate upstream and downstream pipes with an intra-pipe measuring device. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of flange adapters having a mateable circumferential groove with the outer surface of an in-line flowmeter.  
         [0004]     There are currently several methods of inserting measuring devices in pipes with various attaching devices. Typical of the current methods of connecting flowmeters to pipes, is the placement of a flange on both ends of the metering device. These flowmeter flanges are then connected to flanges which are connected to the ends of both upstream and downstream pipes by welding or bonding. A disadvantage to this approach is the frequency of misaligned apertures between the connection flanges.  
         [0005]     Another approach used to connect flowmeters to pipes is to have pipe extensions from the flowmeters clamped to the ends of the upstream and downstream piping. Clamping is achieved through various forms of clamping brackets applied to the pipe end of a connecting flange and to the connecting pipe.  
         [0006]     However, both of these alternatives lack the ability to withstand high pressure flow and to align pipe and flowmeter apertures. Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for connecting in-line measuring devices with intake and outtake pipes.  
         [0007]     The present invention solves these deficiencies by using a flange having a circumferential groove on the meter side of the flange which engages and seals the connection; tapered interior surface which minimizes flow turbulence; and connecting holes  110  which are equidistant from each other and are correspondingly connectable with connecting bolts and nuts.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The invention is an apparatus for connecting the ends of an in-line measuring device to a piping system having two flange adapter bodies, each flange adapter body having a disk portion and a tubular portion, the disk portion having a plurality of substantially and radially equidistant holes between a tubular side and a device side of the disk portion, the disk portion having a circumferential groove on the device side of the disk portion so as to mate with an end of the measuring device, each flange adapter having a tubular portion on the tubular side of the disk portion, the tubular portion joinable to a pipe; and a plurality of corresponding bolts and nuts insertable within each hole so as to compress the flange adapters against each other. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     A wide variety of potential embodiments will be more readily understood through the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of the adapter flange;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the adapter flange in configuration with a flowmeter and upstream/downstream pipes; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a flowmeter frontal view of the adapter flange. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The present invention relates to a flange adapter  100  for connecting pipes to in-line measuring devices. Although the flange adapter  100  may be used in any intra-pipe configuration, the embodiment of the present invention as discussed herein will make reference to a flangeless flowmeter as the measuring device.  
         [0014]     Shown in  FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of the flange adapter  100 . The flange adapter body  100  comprises generally of two sections, a tubular portion  185  and a disk portion  180 , and may be constructed as one-integral piece or as a two piece device joined through various means such as welding or bonding. The flange adapter body  100  may be made of any material such as metal or plastic. Preferably the flange adapter body  100  is constructed of metal such as stainless steel when used for high pressure applications, although plastics have been know to withstand high pressure.  
         [0015]     On the flowmeter side  170  (device side) of the adapter flange  100 , the flange adapter  100  has a circumferential groove  120  mateable with the end outer circumference  155  of the flowmeter  240 . The corner  125  of the circumferential groove  120  is radial or rounded so as to form a smooth transitional surface between the axial and transverse interior surfaces of the circumferential groove  120 . A rounding of the edge is preferable so as to accommodate the placement of an insert such as a washer, ring or gasket (“gasket”). The gasket (not shown) is preferably flexible and constructed to substantially fit within the circumferential groove  120 . Likewise the corner  135  between the circumferential groove  120  and the interior surface  140  is rounded so as to create a smooth transition and minimize turbulence associated with flow.  
         [0016]     The interior surface  140  of tubular portion  185  is tapered from the pipe side  175  of the adapter flange  100  towards the circumferential groove  120 . The tapering of the interior surface  140  of tubular portion  185 , serves four functions: 1) provides a friction fit between the outer surface of a pipe and the interior surface  140 ; 2) minimizes flow turbulence; 3) minimizes any abrupt changes in pressure due changes in flow diameter; and 4) minimizes bacterial or other biological growth. Although other degrees of tapering may be used, it is preferable that the tapering of the interior surface  140  should be less than or equal to 17 degrees with respect to the interior surface  140  between the pipe end of the adapter flange and the circumferential groove.  
         [0017]     Although it is preferable to have the pipe inserted within the interior surface  140  when using thin walled pipes, the adapter flange  120  may also be joined to a pipe by inserting the tubular portion 185  within the interior surface of the connecting pipe. In either circumstance, welding or bonding of the tubular portionl 85  to the pipe is preferable. In an alternate means of joining the tubular portion to either the upstream or downstream pipe, the tubular portion  185  may have threads on the interior surfacel 40  or outer surface  142  of the tubular portion  185  so as to mateably engage with a pipe having egagable corresponding threads on either the interior or exterior surface of the pipe.  
         [0018]     The disk portion  180  has a plurality of holes  110  through which connecting bolts are inserted. The bolts compress the two adapter flanges  100 , when the bolts engage corresponding nuts in a threaded manner preferably at the pipe side  175  of the adapter flange  100 .  
         [0019]     The spacing of the holes  110  on disk portion  180  is substantially and radially equidistant from each other so as to maximize the application of compressive forces. Preferably, the holes  110  should also be positioned equidistantly from the circumference edge of the disk portion  180 .  
         [0020]     Shown in  FIG. 2  is a flangeless flowmeter sandwiched between two adapter flanges  100 . As shown, the ends of the flowmeter  155  mateably engage with the adapter flange  100  at the circumferential groove  120 . Between the mating surfaces of the groove and the flowmeter, a gasket is placed to seal the contacting surfaces. In application, the two flange adapters  120  are compressed against each other and against the ends of the intermediate flowmeter  240 .  
         [0021]     Alignment of the flange adapters  120  and the flowmeter  240  is achieved through the mating of the respect ends of the flowmeter with corresponding circumferential grooves of each of the flange adapters  120 . The result is the alignment of adapter orifices and the flowmeter orifice.  
         [0022]     In addition, alignment of the two flange adapters  120  is also achieved by the insertion of bolts  190  between corresponding holes  110  between the two flange adapters  120 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a sleeve  194  is inserted through hole  110 . A bolt is then inserted through sleeve  194 . Both the sleeve  194  and bolt  190  are inserted through the two corresponding holes  110  on each of the adapter flanges  110 . A nut  196  is then threaded and tightened on bolt  190 . The nut and bolt are preferably made of non-corrosive materials such as plastics and steel. Gaskets may be used on either side of the bolt.  
         [0023]     The sleeve  194  is preferably made of a rigid material such as hard plastic or metal such as stainless steel. The sleeves  194  serve to align the holes  110  on the disk portion  180  before the bolts are inserted. The rigidity of both the sleeve  194  and the bolt  190  serve to align the holes  110  and thereby aid the alignment of the flowmeter  240  within the circumferential grooves  120 . It is preferable that the sleeve  194  engage holes  110  in corresponding adapter flanges  100  in a friction fit manner. Shown in  FIG. 3  is a frontal side view of the adapter flange  120 . Although a grounding hole  310  may be placed anywhere on the adapter flange  120 , it is preferably placed on the circumferential or perimeter side of the disk portion  180 . The hole  310  receives a screw type grounding plug engageable with the hole in a threaded manner. The plug is connected to a grounding wire which is connected to earth ground or a floating ground. A grounding plug on each of the flange adapters may be independently grounded or have one plug grounded and the other plug conductively connected to the grounded plug.  
         [0024]     In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the perimeter of the circumferential groove  120  may be coated with a soft elastomer. By adding the soft elastomer coating, the coating provides primarily high abrasion resistance at the upstream connection with the flowmeter—although some abrasion resistance is also evident at the downstream connection. Moreover, the soft elastomer coating minimizes the risk of damaging the flowmeter during installation and enhances the seal between the flowmeter and the surface of the circumferential groove. In some low pressure applications the need for a gasket may be eliminated.  
         [0025]     On the interior surface  140  of the tubular portion 185 , a hard elastomer coating or other protective coatings may be applied. The hard elastomer coating provides dimensional stability against the effects of pressure and water absorption so as to maintain measurement accuracy. Other protective coatings provide resistance to corrosion and/or abrasion. On the outside surface of the flange adapter  100 , an epoxy coating may be applied.  
         [0026]     The foregoing Detailed Description of a preferred embodiment should be understood as being in every respect illustrative and exemplary. The scope of the invention disclosed herein is not to be determined from the description of the invention, but rather from the Claims as interpreted according to the full breadth permitted by the patent laws. It is to be understood that the embodiments shown and described herein are only illustrative of the principles of the present invention and that various modifications may be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.