Truck or trailer axle overload indicator

• US 3,891,964 A
• Filed: 07/15/1974
• Issued: 06/24/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leo Franklin Geiger
• Original Assignee: Leo Franklin Geiger
• Inventors: Geiger, Leo Franklin
• Primary Examiner(s): Waring, Alvin H.
• Application Number:
  US05/488,310
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52R,272 200/61.42,61.44,85R
• US Class Current: 340/440
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/305 Indicating devices for towed vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/12 having electrical weight-sensitive devices

Abstract

An axle overload indicator for trucks, tractors and trailers comprising: (a) an indicator assembly that suspends a flexible indicator over the midpoint of the center of the differential or axle housing and visually indicates an overloaded condition by contacting it, said indicator being so designed that it cannot damage the differential or axle housing by contact; (b) a transverse horizontal indicator mounting bracket that can be clamped to the longitudinal frame members of the vehicle and that supports the indicator assembly high enough above the axle to be monitored to avoid damaging it under the severest depression of the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s springs; (c) an electrically actuated overload indicator light or buzzer, supplementary to the visual indicator, that functions whether the vehicle is at rest or in motion.

Claims

1. An improvement in axle overload indicators for motor trucks and trailers, said improvement consisting of an adjustable height horizontal beam with ends bent at substantially right angles, attached by nuts and bolts at each end through one of a plurality of pairs of holes in each member, to a pair of frame brackets, each of said frame brackets attached by nuts and bolts to a truck or trailer frame clamp plate, an indicator support bar rigidly attached to and extending frontwardly or rearwardly from the center of said horizontal beam, an indicator holder and adjustment bolt passing through and affixed to one of a plurality of holes in said indicator support bar, a flexible pendent indicator attached to and suspended from said indicator holder and adjustment bolt, the lower end of said pendent indicator being positioned directly over and in close proximity to the center of the truck or trailer axle or differential housing.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the flexible pendent indicator is an insulated flexible electrical cable 12 terminated at the lower end with a metallic contact plug in combination with a sensor circuit comprised of a battery, a current limiting resistor with tap, an arc supressing condensor, a time delay relay, and a signal device.

3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein the signal device is comprised of an electric light bulb.

4. The improvement of claim 2 wherein the signal device is comprised of an electrically activated buzzer.

5. The improvement of claim 2 wherein the time-delay relay latches in closed position and the sensor circuit includes a reset switch.

6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein one frame bracket and attached frame clamp are omitted and wherein the horizontal beam has a stiffening indentation impressed along its horizontal section, through the corner and along its vertical section.

7. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the horizontaL beam and frame brackets are replaced by a arched beam mounting bracket.