Removable orifice plate device

Abstract

A removable orifice plate device includes a body having an un-threaded portion which includes a groove. An orifice plate receiving slot bisects the groove and extends partially through a body diameter. An orifice plate having an orifice slides into the orifice plate receiving slot with an orifice central axis co-axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the body at an orifice plate installed position in the orifice plate receiving slot. A tab integrally extends from the orifice plate and is oriented perpendicular to a body of the orifice plate. The tab includes an indicator symbol, the indicator symbol visually identifying a predetermined size of the orifice. A transparent indicator sleeve is slidably disposed on a body outer surface and is axially slidable between a first position covering the groove to a second position exposing the groove. The indicator symbol is visible through the indicator sleeve in the first position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A removable orifice plate device, comprising:
 a body having a groove and an orifice plate receiving slot intersecting the groove and extending partially through a body diameter;   an orifice plate having an orifice, the orifice plate slidingly disposed in the orifice plate receiving slot in an orifice plate installed position;   a tab integrally extending from the orifice plate; and   a transparent indicator sleeve slidably disposed on an outer surface of the body axially slidable between a first position covering the groove to a second position exposing the groove, the tab being visible through the indicator sleeve in the first position.   
     
     
         2 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 1 , further including a support sleeve fixed to an un-threaded portion of the body, wherein the groove is created through a portion of an outer surface of the un-threaded portion of the body proximate to an inward end of the support sleeve, the groove defining a planar surface. 
     
     
         3 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 2 , wherein the orifice plate receiving slot bisects the planar surface and extends approximately  50 % through a diameter of the un-threaded portion. 
     
     
         4 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 2 , wherein the orifice plate receiving slot is offset with respect to a center of the planar surface. 
     
     
         5 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 2 , further including:
 a first end of the indicator sleeve in direct contact with the support sleeve in an installed position of the indicator sleeve; and   a handle nut having internal threads threadably engaged with a threaded portion of the body, the handle nut threadably displaced on the threaded portion until an engagement end of the handle nut circumferentially and sealingly contacts a second end of the indicator sleeve creating a circumferential, sealing contact between the first end of the indicator sleeve and the support sleeve, and between the engagement end and the second end of the indicator sleeve to prevent gas from escaping through the orifice plate receiving slot to atmosphere.   
     
     
         6 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 1 , wherein an orifice central axis is co-axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the body at the orifice plate installed position. 
     
     
         7 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 1 , wherein the tab includes an indicator symbol, the indicator symbol visually identifying a predetermined size of the orifice. 
     
     
         8 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 1 , wherein the tab is oriented perpendicular to a body of the orifice plate, the body including the orifice. 
     
     
         9 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator sleeve when moved to an operating position has a first conical end of the indicator sleeve circumferentially contacting a conical engagement end of a support sleeve fixed to the body thereby sealing against a gas within the body from escaping to atmosphere via the orifice plate receiving slot. 
     
     
         10 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 1 , wherein the orifice plate receiving slot bisects the groove. 
     
     
         11 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 1 , wherein a frictional sliding fit is provided between the orifice plate and the orifice plate receiving slot to minimize leak paths for a gas to escape to atmosphere via the orifice plate receiving slot when the orifice plate is received in the orifice plate receiving slot. 
     
     
         12 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 1 , wherein when the orifice plate is slidingly received in the orifice plate receiving slot the tab contacts a planar surface on one side of the orifice plate receiving slot thereby physically and visually indicating to a user that a central axis of the orifice is co-axially aligned with a central longitudinal axis of the body. 
     
     
         13 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 1 , wherein the groove is created in an un-threaded portion of the body. 
     
     
         14 . A removable orifice plate device, comprising:
 a body having a groove extending partially through the body;   an orifice plate slidingly received in the orifice plate receiving slot, the orifice plate having an orifice with an orifice central axis being co-axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the body at an orifice plate installed position in the orifice plate receiving slot;   a tab extending from the orifice plate, the tab including an indicator symbol, the indicator symbol visually identifying a predetermined size of the orifice; and   a transparent indicator sleeve slidably disposed on an outer surface of the body and axially slidable between a first position covering the groove to a second position exposing the groove, the indicator symbol being visible through the indicator sleeve in the first position.   
     
     
         15 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 15 , wherein the orifice plate includes a first diameter portion having a semi-circular shape, a diameter of the first diameter portion substantially equal to a diameter of the body such that the first diameter portion defines a sliding fit with respect to an inner bore wall of the indicator sleeve proximate to the orifice plate receiving slot. 
     
     
         16 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 15 , further including first and second spacers fixed to an inner bore wall of the body; wherein the orifice plate further includes a second diameter portion having a semi-circular shape, a radius of the second diameter portion being substantially equal to or less than a radius defining a diameter of the first and second spacers such that the second diameter portion abuts against the inner bore wall of the body when the orifice plate is installed. 
     
     
         17 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 16 , further including opposed, stepped shoulders created by a diameter difference between the first and second diameter portions each aligned with and abutting one of the first and second ends of the orifice plate receiving slot in the installed position of the orifice plate. 
     
     
         18 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 14 , further including first and second spacers fixed to an inner bore wall of the body, each of the first and second spacers including an orifice plate directed face, a spacing between the orifice plate directed faces of the first and second spacers being substantially equal to a width of the orifice plate receiving slot such that the orifice plate is also in frictional sliding contact with both orifice plate directed faces when the orifice plate is slidably received in the orifice plate receiving slot. 
     
     
         19 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 14 , wherein the orifice plate receiving slot bisects the groove such that the tab contacts a planar surface on either a first or an opposed second side of the orifice plat receiving slot. 
     
     
         20 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 14 , wherein the body is tubular shaped and the groove extends partially through a body diameter. 
     
     
         21 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 14 , wherein the tab is oriented perpendicular to a body of the orifice plate. 
     
     
         22 . A removable orifice plate device, comprising:
 a body having an un-threaded portion having a groove;   an orifice plate receiving slot bisecting the groove and extending partially through a body diameter;   an orifice plate having an orifice slidingly disposed in the orifice plate receiving slot, the orifice plate having an orifice central axis co-axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the body at an orifice plate installed position in the orifice plate receiving slot;   a tab integrally extending from the orifice plate and oriented perpendicular to a body of the orifice plate, the tab including an indicator symbol, the indicator symbol visually identifying a predetermined size of the orifice; and   a transparent indicator sleeve slidably disposed on an outer surface of the body and axially slidable between a first position covering the groove to a second position exposing the groove, the indicator symbol being visible through the indicator sleeve in the first position.   
     
     
         23 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 22 , wherein the body is tubular shaped and further includes a threaded portion. 
     
     
         24 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 23 , further including a handle nut having internal threads threadably engaged with a threaded portion of the body, the handle nut contacting the indicator sleeve to retain the indicator sleeve. 
     
     
         25 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 22 , further including a support sleeve fixed to the un-threaded portion of the body, a first end of the indicator sleeve being in direct contact with the support sleeve in an installed position of the indicator sleeve. 
     
     
         26 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 25 , further including a handle nut having internal threads threadably engaged with a threaded portion of the body, the handle nut threadably displaced on the threaded portion until an engagement end of the handle nut circumferentially and sealingly contacts a second end of the indicator sleeve creating a circumferential, sealing contact between the first end of the indicator sleeve and the support sleeve, and between the engagement end and the second end of the indicator sleeve to prevent gas from escaping through the orifice plate receiving slot to atmosphere. 
     
     
         27 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 25 , wherein the indicator sleeve includes a first conical end and an opposite second conical end, the indicator sleeve in the first position having the first conical end circumferentially contacting a conical engagement end of the support sleeve, and the second conical end in contact with the handle nut. 
     
     
         28 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 22 , wherein the body is tubular shaped and made of a polymeric material and includes an inner bore wall defining a through bore that extends longitudinally throughout a length of the body. 
     
     
         29 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 28 , further including a support sleeve made of a length of a polymeric material pipe, the support sleeve including an inner bore surface defining a through bore extending longitudinally throughout a length of the support sleeve, the inner bore surface having a diameter that defines a sliding fit with respect to the diameter of the outer surface of the un-threaded portion. 
     
     
         30 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 29 , further including an adhesive applied between the inner bore surface and the outer surface fixedly connecting the support sleeve to the un-threaded portion. 
     
     
         31 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 29 , wherein the indicator sleeve includes an inner bore wall having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the support sleeve through bore. 
     
     
         32 . The removable orifice plate device of  claim 22 , wherein the indicator symbol visually identifies a predetermined size of the orifice.