Device for Measuring the Rate of Flow of Flowable Prodcuts, Particularly Loose Material

Author:  Hans Oetiker
Source:  US Patent 4,067,238
Doc ID:  1976050
Year of Publication:  1976
Abstract:  
The device is of the type including a balance beam pivotally connected to a housing, an inclined measuring plate, adapted to deflect a product stream supplied in metered quantities and flowing off by gravity, mounted on the balance beam in a position in which its measuring surface extends substanially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the balance beam, and a mechanism in the housing, operatively associated with the lever arm of the balance beam remote from the measuring plate, and operable to act on such lever arm, in opposition to the effect of the deflecting force acting on the measuring plate, to produce a variable proportional to the time rate of the product flow and represented by a preferably pneumatic signal, resulting from oscillation of the balance beam about its position of equilibrium, this signal constituting the basis of either a measurement or a flow control derived from the signal.