Vehicle load count-down system

• US 4,108,262 A
• Filed: 02/16/1977
• Issued: 08/22/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joe H. Anderson
• Original Assignee: Joe H. Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, Joe H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartary, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US05/769,026
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 177/136, 177/DIG. 3, 177/173, 177/164, 177/25, 177/15, 340/52 R, 235/92 WT
• US Class Current: 177/136
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/12 having electrical weight-sensitive devices

Abstract

A load-monitoring system in a vehicle, which system enables a person located remote from the vehicle, such as the person performing a loading operation, to follow and be aware of the decreasing load-carrying capacity of the vehicle as added load thereon approaches maximum allowable load.

Claims

1. A count-down load-monitoring system for a load-carrying vehicle of the type including on-board load-monitoring apparatus, which vehicle is required to carry no more than a certain maximum load, said system in operative condition in a vehicle comprising

count-down load-indicating means mounted on the vehicle for viewing from a distance away from the vehicle, operable to indicate a decreasing, additional load-carrying capacity for the vehicle within a selected range extending below said certain maximum load as load is added to the vehicle, and

informing means for said load-indicating means operatively interposed between the latter and said on-board load-monitoring apparatus and located adjacent the operator'"'"'s station, operable to cause said load-indicating means, with the additional load-carrying capacity of the vehicle falling within said selected range, to produce a remotely viewable indication reflective of remaining additional load-carrying capacity of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said informing means comprises means selectively actuatable by an operator within the operator'"'"'s station.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said informing means comprises means responsive automatically to the performance of said on-board load-monitoring apparatus.

4. Vehicle load-monitoring apparatus in operative condition in a vehicle comprising

means incorporated in the vehicle for following the load carried thereby,

first load-indicating means operatively connected to said following means for indicating the amount of load carried at any given time by the vehicle as noted by the following means, said first load-indicating means being mounted within the operator'"'"'s station in the vehicle for viewing therein by an operator,

second load-indicating means mounted on the vehicle for viewing from locations remote from the vehicle by someone outside the vehicle, operable within a selected range to indicate a decrease in the load-carrying capacity of the vehicle as load is added to the vehicle, and

informing means operatively connected to said second load-indicating means and disposed adjacent the operator'"'"'s station for enabling from adjacent such station informing of the second load-indicating means of the vehicle'"'"'s load carrying capacity within the said selected range in accordance with the load indication produced at any given time by said first load-indicating means.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said second load-indicating means is constructed to provide indications in preselected increments within said selected range.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said informing means comprises means selectively actuatable by an operator within the operator'"'"'s station.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said informing means includes means operatively interconnecting said first and second load-indicating means.

8. A count-down load-monitoring system for a load-carrying vehicle which is required to carry no more than a certain maximum load, said system in operative condition in a vehicle comprising

on-board load-measuring means incorporated in the vehicle for measuring the load supported at any given time by the vehicle,

first load-indicating means mounted on the vehicle for viewing within the operator'"'"'s station therein, operatively connected to said load-measuring means and operable to indicate the load measured at any given time by the load-measuring means,

second load-indicating means mounted on the vehicle for viewing from a distance away from the vehicle, operable to indicate a decreasing, additional load-carrying capacity for the vehicle within a selected range extending below said certain maximum load as load is added to the vehicle, and

informing means for said second load-indicating means operatively connected thereto and located adjacent the operator'"'"'s station, operable to cause said second load-indicating means, with the additional load-carrying capacity of the vehicle falling within said selected range, to produce a remotely viewable indication reflective of remaining additional load-carrying capacity of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said informing means comprises means selectively actuatable by an operator within the operator'"'"'s station.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said informing means comprises means operatively inter-connecting said first and second load-indicating means.