Ronald V Benson, Age 63Conover, WI

6425849, Jul 30, 2002

Mar 27, 2001

09/818368

Ronald D. Benson - Colgate WI, 53017

B04B 910

494 37, 494 58, 494 84

A solid bowl centrifuge with liquid release during rotation includes a frame, solid bowl, drive device, scraper assembly, slurry spray, liquid collection trough, and speed control circuitry. The solid bowl includes a centrifuge chamber, and a liquid evacuation chamber. A plurality of openings are formed on the outer wall of the liquid evacuation chamber. The solid bowl is pivotal retained by the frame. The liquid collection trough is disposed around the liquid evacuation chamber. The drive device causes the solid bowl to rotate. The speed control circuit controls the speed of the drive device. Slurry is sprayed on to the wall of the centrifuge chamber while in rotation. The speed of the solid bowl is reduced to allow liquid to exit the centrifuge chamber through the liquid evacuation chamber into the liquid collection trough. The speed of the solid bowl is further reduced and the scraper assembly is activated to remove the solid material from the wall of the centrifuge chamber. The solid material falls out of the centrifuge chamber on to a conveyor or the like.

6443328, Sep 3, 2002

Jun 16, 2000

09/595829

Robert J. Fehl - Milwaukee WI
Richard R. Boyle - Milwaukee WI
Joseph S. Simon - Jackson WI
Ronald D. Benson - Colgate WI

Badger Meter, Inc. - Milwaukee WI

B67D 500

222 14, 222 55, 222 1, 7386177, 700283

A device for delivering a preset volume of fluid, such as oil, includes a casing ( ) with an inlet port ( ), an outlet port ( ) and supply passages ( ) for flow of fluid from the inlet port ( ) to the outlet port ( ). A valve including a valve member ( ) is situated to control the flow of the fluid through a valve chamber ( ). The valve is manually actuated to an open position and held by momentary energization of a latching solenoid ( ). When the fluid volume reaches a preset volume, the latching solenoid ( ) is energized again to allow the release the valve member ( ) to return to a closed position. In the event of a battery low condition, the latching solenoid ( ) can be disabled, so that the valve can only be held open manually, thereby preventing an electrical failure with the valve open. A manual push button ( ) is directly connected to the valve member ( ) for closing the valve manually. A method for controlling the dispensing of a fluid is also disclosed.

6659306, Dec 9, 2003

Oct 2, 2001

09/969193

Richard R. Boyle - Milwaukee WI
Ronald D. Benson - Colgate WI
Joseph S. Simon - Jackson WI
Robert J. Fehl - Milwaukee WI

Badger Meter, Inc. - Milwaukee WI

B67D 530

222 1, 222 14

A system for delivering a preset volume of fluid, such as oil, includes a master control station ( ) and one or more metering device ( ) communicatively linked through a wireless communications network. The master control station ( ) provides command signals to enable dispensing of a fluid from the metering device ( ) and provides a preset amount of fluid to be dispensed. The metering device ( ) is manually activated by a manually-operated lever ( ), and is thereafter latched in an open position to dispense lubricant. The amount of lubricant dispensed is metered until the predetermined amount of lubricant is dispensed. After the preset amount is dispensed, the metering device ( ) is latched in a closed position, preventing further dispensing until the metering device ( ) is again enabled by the central control station ( ).

6740027, May 25, 2004

Apr 20, 2002

10/127047

Ronald D. Benson - Colgate WI, 53017

B04B 1108

494 29, 494 31, 494 37, 494 56, 494 58, 494 65, 494 83

A solid bowl centrifuge with liquid release during rotation includes a frame, solid bowl, drive device, scraper assembly, slurry spray, and liquid collection trough. The solid bowl includes a centrifuge chamber, and a liquid evacuation chamber. A plurality of openings are formed on the outer wall of the liquid evacuation chamber. The solid bowl is pivotal retained in the frame. The liquid collection trough is disposed around the liquid evacuation chamber. The drive device causes the solid bowl to rotate. Slurry is sprayed on to the wall of the centrifuge chamber while in rotation and eventually scraped-off the wall of the centrifuge chamber. A second embodiment of the solid bowl centrifuge with liquid release during rotation utilizes at least three bearing wheels to support an outer perimeter of the solid bowl at a bottom thereof. The liquid evacuation chamber is replaced with a liquid ring attached to a bottom of the centrifuge chamber and a liquid collection trough disposed around the liquid ring.

6948363, Sep 27, 2005

Apr 26, 2004

10/831817

Lee Karsten - Fox Point WI, US
George De Jarlais - Wauwatosa WI, US
Ronald D. Benson - Colgate WI, US

Badger Meter, Inc. - Milwaukee WI

G01F003/32

73238, 73258

A fluid meter () has a casing () providing a measuring chamber () and an inlet () and outlet () communicating with the measuring chamber (). A partition () in the chamber () separating said inlet () from said outlet (). A disc () is positioned in the chamber () and includes projections () or niches () which are disposed in an arc relative to a center of the disc () and the casing is provided with integrally formed depressions () or with projections () disposed opposite the projections () or niches () on the disc () to be engaged the disc () as the disc () is nutated with the result of counteracting forces imposed on said disc () by fluid flow.

7143645, Dec 5, 2006

Apr 26, 2004

10/831990

Ronald D. Benson - Colgate WI, US
Eric Metzger - Milwaukee WI, US
Lee Karsten - Fox Point WI, US

Badger Meter, Inc. - Milwaukee WI

G01F 3/32
G01F 15/14

73238, 73237, 73273

A water meter housing assembly () comprises a cylindrical, plastic housing body (), a non-cast housing bottom () of hydroformable or stamped brass, a single-piece strainer and sealing member () that is disposed in the housing bottom () and portions of non-cast hydroformable or stamped brass tubing () with spud ends () for connection in a water supply line. The brass consists essentially of lead-free material. The assembly () is designed to provide a lower cost alternative to foundry cast meter housings. The assembly () also provides advantages in a method of vertical assembly that saves manufacturing cost.

7412882, Aug 19, 2008

Feb 14, 2006

11/353773

Mark Lazar - New Berlin WI, US
Ronald D. Benson - Colgate WI, US
Eric Metzger - Milwaukee WI, US
Joseph Stauber - Sheboygan Falls WI, US

Badger Meter, Inc. - Milwaukee WI

G01F 15/14

73273

A combined utility meter and meter register assembly () is disclosed in which a housing () for both a utility metering element and a meter register has no visual readout or display of metering data. Metering data is signaled through a data port () or an antenna () to external equipment. The meter register is provided by electronic circuitry () that is placed in an upper cavity () in the housing part () that is then closed by a cover () or a body of sealing material. A label () can be placed over the closure informational purposes. An additional embodiment of the housing is also disclosed.

7535635, May 19, 2009

Apr 25, 2007

11/789640

Ronald D. Benson - Colgate WI, US
John A. Olson - Brookfield WI, US

Badger Meter, Inc. - Milwaukee WI

G02B 27/02

359436, 359440, 359900, 73431, 324156

The invention provides a method and a transparent housing cover for a meter index for communicating optical signals through an optical port formed on a front face of the transparent housing cover, for further communicating optical signals in a straight line past one side of the meter index; and for re-directing the optical signals at an angle of approximately ninety degrees to or from an optical transceiver. The cover includes an integrally formed light pipe, the light pipe further forming the optical port near the front of the body and the light pipe extending along one side of the body and behind the meter index; and the light pipe includes a surface at a back end for reflecting light at approximately ninety degrees to and from a light transceiver positioned behind the meter index.