Portable animal weighing cart

• US 4,359,099 A
• Filed: 12/15/1980
• Issued: 11/16/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William Henslin
• Original Assignee: William Henslin
• Inventors: Henslin, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartary, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US06/216,270
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 177/136, 177/211, 177/256, 177/DIG. 9, 177/140, 177/245
• US Class Current: 177/140
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 17/08 for weighing livestock

Abstract

A cart for weighing small animals with the cart having a torsional undercarriage mechanism that directs the weight of an animal in a weighing pen through a single tension support member wherein the elastic deformation of the single tension support member is measured with an electrical resistance strain gauge mounted on the tension support member and a conventional digital strain gauge read-out device.

Claims

1. A combination cart and weighing device having a weighing pen;

said weighing pen having an opening in the top to place an animal therein and sufficiently high sides to prevent an animal from jumping out of said weighing pen;

said weighing pen having a plurality of first members attached to said weighing pen for transmitting a downward force;

a support frame, said support frame having a first end and a second end and means thereon to permit movement of said cart and weighing device from one location to another;

a torsional support system having a plurality of bearing members on each end of said torsional support system with said plurality of bearing members pivotally connecting said support frame to said torsional support system, said torsional support system including a first half-linkage mounted on said first end of said support frame and a second half-linkage mounted on said second end of said support frame with said first half-linkage connected to said second half-linkage and said first half-linkage and said second half-linkage extending from said first end of said support frame to said second end of said support frame;

a tension member located intermediate said first end of said support frame and said second end of said support frame, said tension member connected to said weighing pen and to said first half-linkage and said second half-linkage so that when an animal is placed in said weighing pen the weight of the animal provides a downward force on each of said first half-linkage and said second half-linkage through said bearing members to thereby provide a tension force on said tension member in proportion to the weight of the animal in said weighing pen while providing a rigid structure to support the use of said combination cart and weighing device as either a cart or a weighing device; and

means mounted on said tension member to measure the strain on said tension member to thereby provide a signal corresponding to the weight of an animal in said weighing pen.

2. The invention of claim 1 including a visual read-out device responsive to the signal produced by the strain on said tension member.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said weighing pen includes a handle for pushing or pulling said weighing pen and said means on said support frame comprises wheels to permit said weighing cart to be moved about.