Patent ID: 8714028

Claim:
A fluid flow meter comprising: a fitting configured to be attached to a valve or pipeline adjacent to an insertion aperture of the valve or pipeline and extend at least partially through the insertion aperture such that a first end of the fitting is disposed in the valve or pipeline; a measurement cylinder, having generally opposite first and second ends open to fluid flow, pivotally attached to the first end of the fitting and including a fluid vortex generating obstruction, wherein the measurement cylinder is selectively movable from a position generally aligned with a primary axis of the fitting for insertion through the aperture of the valve or pipeline and to a position generally parallel to the flow of fluid through the valve or pipeline, such that the fluid flows through the measurement cylinder, after insertion into the valve or pipeline; and a sensor element at least partially disposed within the measurement cylinder and spaced from and generally aligned with the obstruction so as to be downstream the obstruction for detecting fluid vortices generated by the obstruction; wherein the measurement cylinder has a length greater than an outer diameter of the measurement cylinder.