Axle spring balance

• US 5,161,628 A
• Filed: 01/08/1991
• Issued: 11/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wirth Gallo Messtechnik AG
• Original Assignee: Wirth Gallo Messtechnik AG
• Inventors: Wirth, Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER JR, GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US07/634,204
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 177/137, 177/138, 177/199
• US Class Current: 177/137
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/002 Means for correcting for obliquity of mounting for pendulum-weight apparatus G01G1/16

Abstract

The vehicle springs, here leaf spring (7) are the primary spring (and) measuring springs (11) engaged parallel thereto are the secondary springs of elastic force dividers. The part of the weight force of a vehicle (6) flowing over the measuring springs is led over a force sensor (5). A clinometer (12) measures both longitudinal and also transverse inclination of the vehicle (6). The signals of the force sensors (5) and of the clinometer (12) are fed to a computer, which forces the sum of the weight forces that act upon the (here) four force sensors (5). Besides the inclination correction mentioned, the computer performs all the weighing arithmetic operations, such as tare weight formation, weight difference determination, and also calculates transport performance magnitudes.

Claims

1. A weighing device mounted on an elastically sprung vehicle for the determination of the weight of the transported goods, in which a vehicle spring (51) acts as primary spring of a spring reduction, and a force sensor (5, 44, 62) is acted upon by a relatively soft secondary or measuring spring (7, 8, 11, 46, 63) acting parallel to the primary spring, characterized in that

each side of each axle (50) of the vehicle presents such a weighing device, consisting of measuring spring (7, 8, 11, 46, 63) and force sensor (5, 44, 62),

to the vehicle frame there is fastened a clinometer (12) with which there can be ascertained the inclination of the vehicle both in longitudinal and also in transverse direction (α

₁ and α

_q respectively),

both the weighing devices and also the clinometer (12) give off electrical signals corresponding to the measurement values,

the force sensors (5, 44,

     62) and the clinometer (12) are connected over lines (18,

     19) with a computer (13) which from the electrical signals mentioned can determine the total weight of the vehicle superstructure and of a load and by further computing steps the weights of added loads and unloadings.

2. Weighing device according to claim 1, characterized in that

the measuring spring is a leaf spring (46).

3. Weighing device according to claim 2, characterized in that

the leaf spring (46) is borne by a carrier (59) which is fastened to a strut (41) of the vehicle,

the carrier (59) is removed by about the length of the leaf spring (46) from a vertical line running through the axle (50),

the free end of the leaf spring (46) carries a pivot bearing (47) into which there engages the upper end of a vertical bar (49), the lower end of which is borne in a substantially like-formed pivot bearing (48), and the pivot bearing (48) is fastened to the axle (50),

the force sensor (44) is fastened, in the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring (46), between the carrier (59) and the edge (53) likewise to the strut (41),

the leaf spring (46) presses over a force receiving member (45) onto the force sensor (44),

the upward movement of the leaf spring (46) is limited by an edge (53) fastened to the strut (41), which edge acts as overload protection for the force sensor (44).

4. Weighing device according to claim 3, characterized in that

the carrier (59) and the edge (53) are parts of a downward-open box (42) in which also the force sensor (44) is fastened.

5. Weighing device according to claim 2, characterized in that

the leaf spring is borne by a carrier (59) which is fastened to a strut (41) of the vehicle,

the carrier (59) is removed by about the length of the leaf spring (46) from a vertical line running through the axle (50),

the free end of the leaf spring (46) carries a ball joint, consisting of a pin (75), a ball zone (81) fastened to this and of a bearing box (76) swingable about this and likewise of ball zone shape, in which system the axis of the pin (75) stands substantially perpendicular to the axle (50) to which a ball joint constructed of like elements (75, 76, 81) is fastened,

to the upper bearing box (76) there are fastened a sleeve (78), to the lower bearing box (76) a bar (77), the bar (77) being slidably borne in the sleeve (78), but both parts (77, 78) are fixed with respect to one another by the bias tension of the leaf spring (46),

the two ball joints mentioned are each surrounded by a bellows (82) which is tighly joined to the adjacent components.

6. Weighing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring spring is a coil spring (63).

7. Weighing device according to claim 6, characterized in that

the coil spring (63) extends vertically upward from the axle (50) to which it is fastened by means of an end piece (65), is connected at its upper end with a force receiving member (70) of the force sensor (62) and exerts pull forces on this latter.

8. Weighing device according to claim 6, characterized in that

the coil spring (63) extends vertically upward from the axle (50) to which it is fastened by means of an end piece (65), is connected at its upper end with a force receiving member (70) of the force sensor (62) and exerts pressure forces on this latter.

9. Weighing device according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that

the clinometer (15) presents a reference mass (25) which is guided by two substantially horizontal and parallel guide rods (23) with elastic joints (24, 26) parallel in vertical direction,

the reference mass (25) is fixed by a force sensor (27).

10. Weighing device according to claims 2, 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that

the clinometer (12) consists of a twofold execution of all the following elements, namely a pendulum mass (33) which is rotatably borne by means of an elastic joint (34) on a substantially horizontal base plate (32), and that to the pendulum mass (33) there is fastened a substantially horizontally running bar (39) articulately and in force closure, which acts upon a force sensor (38) which is likewise fastened to the base plate (32), in such a manner that the effect line running through the bar (39) passes through the center of gravity (S) of the pendulum mass (33),

Further, the axes of the elastic joints (34) lie horizontal and perpendicular to one another, in such a manner that the one axis stands in traveling direction, and the other transversely thereto.

11. Weighing device according to any of claims 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that

the clinometer (12) presents a reference mass (25), which is guided by two substantially horizontal and parallel guide rods (23) with elastic joints (24, 26) parallel in vertical direction,

the reference mass (25) is fixed by a force sensor (27).

12. Weighing device according to any of claims 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that

the clinometer (12) consists of a twofold execution of all the following elements, namely a pendulum mass (33) which is rotatably borne on a substantially horizontal base plate (32) by means of an elastic joint (34), and that to the pendulum mass (33) there is connected articulately and in force closure a substantially horizontally running bar (39), which acts upon a force sensor (38) which is likewise fastened to the base plate (32), in such a manner that the effect line running through the bar (39) passes through the center of gravity (S) of the pendulum mass (33),

further, the axes of the elastic joints (34) lie horizontal and stand perpendicular to one another, in such manner that the one axis stands in traveling direction, and the other transversely thereto.