Forklift weight sensing device

• US 5,986,560 A
• Filed: 11/02/1998
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brutus Rayburn
• Original Assignee: Brutus Rayburn
• Inventors: Rayburn, Brutus
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Sihong
• Application Number:
  US09/184,930
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 340/666, 340/665, 340/685, 177/136, 177/140, 177/141, 177/211, 177/229, 177/139, 701/50
• US Class Current: 340/685
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/003 for fork-lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/083 lift truck scale

Abstract

A weight sensing means for a forklift includes an elongated sleeve having a closed end and an open end in communication with an interior chamber. The interior chamber is dimensioned to receive a forklift lifting member. A weight sensing means is received within the interior chamber and is attached to the inner surface of the sleeve. The weight sensing means is in communication with a display means mounted on the forklift dashboard allowing a forklift operator to readily determine the weight of an object resting on the forklift blades. The weight sensing means is also in communication with an audible alarm means to alert a user whenever the lifting capacity of the forklift has been exceeded.

Claims

1. In combination with a forklift having a dash board, a pair of roof supports vertically extending from said dashboard, a pair of vertical support members and at least one horizontal lifting member extending from said support members and vertically movable therealong, a weight sensing means comprising:

an elongated hollow sleeve having a closed end and an opposing open end in communication with an interior chamber, said chamber dimensioned to receive said lifting member;

a weight sensing means integral with said sleeve for measuring the weight of an object resting thereon.

2. A device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a display means mounted on said dashboard and in communication with said weight sensing means for visually depicting the weight measured by said weight sensing means.

3. A device according to claim 2 further comprising:

a wiring assembly for establishing electrical communication between said weight sensing means and said display means.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve includes a planar top wall, a planar bottom wall, two parallel side walls perpendicularly disposed therebetween and is dimensioned to surround a substantially rectangular lifting member.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve is substantially cylindrical and is dimensioned to receive a substantially tubular lifting member.

6. A device according to claim 3 wherein said wiring assembly comprises:

a hollow housing having a front wall with an aperture thereon and two opposing side walls, said housing mounted on said dashboard;

a first pulley rotatably mounted within said front wall aperture;

a rod received within said housing and rotatably attached to the opposing side walls,

said rod having a spool mounted thereabout;

a fixed shaft coaxially received within said rod, said shaft having an inner bore and a continuous conductive path thereon;

a first wire having a pair of terminal ends and an intermediate portion therebetween with a first end coupled with said display means and a second end received within said shaft bore and coupled with said continuous path;

a second wire having a pair of terminal ends and an intermediate portion therebetween with a first end electrically coupled to said weight sensing means and a second end slidably engaging said continuous conductive path, said intermediate portion of said second wire helically wrapped about said spool and engaging said first pulley.

7. A device according to claim 6 further comprising a second pulley mounted to a forklift roof support for supporting the intermediate portion of said first wire.

8. A device according to claim 6 further comprising:

a coil spring having two opposing ends, said spring encompassing said rod with a first end attached to said spool and the opposing end attached to a housing side wall to bias said spool in a predetermined angular direction.

9. A device according to claim 1 further comprising means for securing said sleeve on said forklift lifting member.

10. A device according to claim 9 wherein said securing means comprises:

a pair of opposing bolt means adjacent the open end of said sleeve for tightly engaging opposing sides of said forklift lifting member.

11. A device according to claim 4 further comprising:

a panel integrally co-extending from the bottom wall of said sleeve, said panel having a terminal edge with a flap hingedly attached thereto, said flap movable between a vertical position wherein said flap abuts a vertical support member and a horizontal position to release said sleeve from said lifting member.

12. A device according to claim 1 further comprising an audible alarm means in communication with said weight sensing means for audibly alerting a user that a load resting on said sleeve is greater than a predetermined value.

13. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a pressure sensor received within said sleeve interior chamber and attached to its closed end, said pressure sensor in communication with an alarm means for alerting a user when said closed end impacts an object with a predetermined amount of force.