LOAD LIFT SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20070278019A1
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Larry D. Santi
• Original Assignee: Larry D. Santi
• Inventors: Boyovich, Richard, Santi, Larry
• Granted Patent: US 7,633,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/136
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/022 the discharging means comprising a device for determining the weight of the content of refuse receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0279 the discharging means mounted at the front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/083 lift truck scale

Abstract

A lift and weighing system comprises two lift arm assemblies directly and mechanically coupled to at least two weight-measuring devices. The system may further comprise a first elongated support member extending between and coupling to the two weight-measuring devices, and a second elongated support member interposed between and rigidly affixed on opposing sides thereof to the lift arm assemblies and/or the weight-measuring devices to protect the weight-measuring devices from side loads. The system further comprises at least two end plate adaptors respectively positioned on and rigidly attached toward opposing ends of the elongated support member and adapted to rotatably engage an external actuating system configured to operate the lift and weighing system. In another embodiment, the weight-measuring devices are housed in the elongated support member.

Claims

1. A lift and weighing system, comprising:

a first lift arm assembly having a base coupled to an arm;

a second lift arm assembly having a base coupled to an arm;

a first weight-measuring device coupled to the first lift arm assembly toward the base thereof;

a second weight-measuring device coupled to the second lift arm assembly toward the base thereof;

a first elongated support member having a first end and a second end, the first elongated support member being coupled toward the first end thereof to at least one of the first lift arm assembly and the first weight-measuring device, the first elongated support member being coupled toward the second end thereof to at least one of the second lift arm assembly and the second weight-measuring device; and

a first end plate adaptor rigidly attached to and positioned adjacent at least one of the base of the first lift arm and the first weight-measuring device, the first end plate adaptor configured to mechanically couple to a first portion of an external actuating system for imparting motion to the first end plate adaptor.

2. The lift and weighing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second end plate adaptor rigidly attached to and positioned adjacent at least one of the base of the second lift arm assembly and the second weight-measuring device, the second end plate adaptor being configured to mechanically couple to a second portion of the external actuating system, opposed to the first portion, for imparting motion to the second end plate adaptor.

3. The lift and weighing system of claim 2 wherein each of the first and second end plate adaptors comprises an inner plate, an outer plate, a first opening formed in at least the inner plate, a first pin, and a coupling structure, the inner plate being substantially parallel to the outer plate and positioned to remain a fixed distance from the outer plate, the first pin having a first end and a second end, the first pin being rigidly coupled to the outer plate toward the first end and rigidly coupled to the weight-measuring device toward the second end, a portion of the first pin between the first and the second ends extending through the first opening of at least the inner plate, the first pin being configured to be rotatably coupled to a hydraulically operated arm of the external actuating system and the coupling structure being configured to be rotatably coupled to a retractable cylinder of the external actuating system, a retraction of the retractable cylinder rotating the corresponding end plate adaptor about the first pin and pivoting the lift and weighing system about a longitudinal axis of the first pin when in use.

4. The lift and weighing system of claim 3 wherein the first pin is configured to be rotatably coupled to the hydraulically operated arm by having a bearing member surrounding at least a portion of a perimeter of the first pin and being sized to position between first and second portions of the hydraulically operated arm, the first portion of the hydraulically operated arm being configured to mechanically fasten to the second portion for rotatably securing the first pin therebetween.

5. The lift and weighing system of claim 3 wherein the coupling structure is rigidly coupled to at least one of the outer and the inner plates.

6. The lift and weighing system of claim 3 wherein the coupling structure comprises a second pin, the second pin having a first end and a second end, the second pin being rotatably coupled to the outer plate toward the first end and rotatably coupled to the inner plate toward the second end, the second pin being configured to be fixedly coupled to the retractable cylinder of the external actuating system, a retraction of the retractable cylinder rotating the corresponding end plate adaptor about the first pin and pivoting the lift and weighing system about the longitudinal axis of the first pin.

7. The lift and weighing system of claim 3 wherein the coupling structure comprises a second opening formed in each of the inner and outer plates, the second openings being configured to be rotatably coupled to the retractable cylinder of the external actuating system, a retraction of the retractable cylinder rotating the corresponding end plate adaptor about the first pin and pivoting the lift and weighing system about the longitudinal axis of the first pin.

8. The lift and weighing system of claim 3 wherein the outer plate comprises a first opening and the first pin extends through and rigidly couples to the first opening of the outer plate toward the first end of the first pin.

9. The lift and weighing system of claim 2 wherein the first arm extends substantially parallel to the second arm and the first elongated support member extends substantially perpendicular to the first and the second arms.

10. The lift and weighing system of claim 2 wherein the first end plate adaptor is rigidly attached to the first weight-measuring device and the second end plate adaptor is rigidly attached to the second weight-measuring device, the first and the second weight-measuring devices being configured to experience and communicate an accurate indication of a weight of a load manipulated by the lift and weighing system when the lift and weighing system is positioned such that the first and the second arms extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of a force of gravity acting on the load.

11. The lift and weighing system of claim 10 wherein the first weight-measuring device is directly and mechanically fastened to the first lift arm assembly toward the base thereof, and the second weight-measuring device is directly and mechanically fastened to the second lift arm assembly toward the base thereof.

12. The lift and weighing system of claim 1 wherein the first and second weight-measuring devices each include a differential bending load cell.

13. The lift and weighing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second elongated support member having a first end coupled to an inner surface of at least one of the first lift arm assembly and the first weight-measuring device, and a second end coupled to an inner surface of at least one of the second lift arm assembly and the second weight-measuring device.

14. The lift and weighing system of claim 13, further comprising:

at least one protective member coupled to the system toward opposing ends of at least one of the first and second elongated support members or toward the base of the first and second lift arm assemblies, to protect the first and second weight-measuring devices from impact with external objects.

15. The lift and weighing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first side brace coupling the base of the first lift arm assembly to the arm of the first lift arm assembly; and

a second side brace coupling the base of the second lift arm assembly to the arm of the second lift arm assembly.

16. The lift and weighing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first mounting plate coupling the arm of the first lift arm assembly to the first weight-measuring device; and

a second mounting plate coupling the arm of the second lift arm assembly to the second weight-measuring device.

17. A lift and weighing system, comprising:

a first lift arm assembly having a base coupled to an arm;

a second lift arm assembly having a base coupled to an arm;

an elongated support member having a first end and a second end, the elongated support member being coupled toward the first end thereof to the first lift arm assembly, and toward the second end thereof to the second lift arm assembly;

a first weight-measuring device at least partially positioned in the elongated support member toward the first end thereof;

a second weight-measuring device at least partially positioned in the elongated support member toward the second end thereof;

a first end plate adaptor rigidly attached to the elongated support member toward the first end thereof, the first end plate adaptor being configured to be mechanically coupled to a first portion of an external actuating system for imparting motion to the first end plate adaptor; and

a second end plate adaptor rigidly attached to the elongated support member toward the second end thereof, the second end plate adaptor being configured to be mechanically coupled to a second portion of an external actuating system for imparting motion to the second end plate adaptor.

18. The lift and weighing system of claim 17 wherein the first and second lift arm assemblies each include an inner surface and an outer surface, opposed to the inner surface, the first and second weight-measuring devices being positioned toward the inner surface of the first and second lift arm assemblies, respectively, the first and second end plate adaptors being positioned toward the outer surface of the first and second lift arm assemblies, respectively.

19. The lift and weighing system of claim 17 wherein the first and second end plate adaptors each include an inner plate, an outer plate, a first opening, and a second opening, the elongated support member extending through the first opening of the inner and outer plates, a portion of the elongated member between the first and second openings forming a pin portion configured to be rotatably coupled to a hydraulically operated arm of the external actuating system, and the second opening being configured to be rotatably coupled to a retractable cylinder of the hydraulically operated arm, a translation of the retractable cylinder with respect to the hydraulically operated arm rotating the lift and weighing system about an axis substantially parallel to a direction along which the elongated support member extends.

20. The lift and weighing system of claim 19, further comprising:

a bearing member rotatably coupled about a perimeter of the pin portion, wherein the first and second end plate adaptors each further comprise a coupling block having a concavity, the concavity being rigidly attached to a portion of a perimeter of the bearing member, a remainder of the perimeter of the bearing member being configured to nest in a concavity of the hydraulically operated arm, the coupling block being configured to mechanically couple to the hydraulically operated arm on opposing sides of the pin for rotatably coupling the pin to the hydraulically operated arm.

21. The lift and weighing system of claim 17 wherein the first and second weight-measuring devices each include a shear pin load cell in electronic communication with a communicating device operable to convey an indication of a weight of a load lifted by the lift and weighing system.

22. The lift and weighing system of claim 21 wherein the shear pin load cell is oriented such that a longitudinal axis thereof forms an approximately 45-degree angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of one of the first and second lift arms.

23. The lift and weighing system of claim 17, further comprising:

a first fitting having a first flange including an opening rigidly attached to the elongated support member toward the first end thereof, the base of the first lift arm assembly being coupled to the first flange of the first fitting, the base having a concavity, at least a portion of the elongated member nesting in at least a portion of the concavity; and

a second fitting having a first flange including an opening rigidly attached to the elongated support member toward the second end thereof, the base of the second lift arm assembly being coupled to the second fitting, the base having a concavity, at least a portion of the elongated member nesting in at least a portion of the concavity.

24. The lift and weighing system of claim 23 wherein the first and second weight-measuring devices each include a shear pin load cell in electronic communication with a communicating device operable to convey an indication of a weight of a load lifted by the lift and weighing system, and the first and second fittings each comprise a second flange positioned between the corresponding arm and the elongated support member to protect the shear pin load cell or the communicating device.

25. The lift and weighing system of claim 23, further comprising:

at least one resilient protective member mounted on at least one of the first and second fittings.

26. A method for configuring a lift and weighing system for expediently mounting the lift and weighing system onto a front load refuse vehicle, the method comprising:

rigidly coupling two weight-measuring devices to an elongated support member toward opposing ends of the elongated support member, respectively;

rigidly coupling two lift arms directly to two weight-measuring devices, respectively;

rigidly coupling two opposing end plate adaptors to the two opposing weight-measuring device, respectively; and

configuring the end plate adaptors for mechanically being coupled to opposing portions of an actuating system configured to impart motion to the two end plate adaptors, respectively.

27. A method for configuring a lift and weighing system for expediently mounting the lift and weighing system onto a front load refuse vehicle, the method comprising:

installing two weight-measuring devices within opposing ends of an elongated support member, respectively;

rigidly coupling two opposing end plate adaptors toward the opposing ends of the elongated support member, respectively; and

configuring the end plate adaptors for being mechanically coupled to opposing portions of an external actuating system configured to impart motion to the two end plate adaptors, respectively.