Axle vertical load measurement device and method
First Claim
1. A vertical load measurement device for measuring a load at least partially supported by an axle of a railcar comprising:
- a bearing adapter sized to be mounted between a load bearing member of the railcar and an axle bearing housing of the railcar;
at least one elongate beam member having a first end and a second end, at least one of said first end and said second end being secured to said bearing adapter, and a midsection extending between said first end and said second end which supports the load applied by the load bearing member of the railcar, said midsection being vertically spaced from said bearing adapter to allow deflection of said at least one elongate beam member in response to the load applied by the load bearing member; and
a sensor secured to said elongate beam member which measures said deflection of said elongate beam member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vertical load measurement device and a method for measuring a load at least partially supported by an axle of a railcar are disclosed. The measurement device includes a bearing adapter sized to be mounted between a load bearing member of the railcar and an axle bearing housing of the railcar. The beam member has a first end and a second end, at least one end being secured to the bearing adapter, and a midsection extending between the ends which supports the load applied by the load bearing member of the railcar. The midsection of the beam member is vertically spaced from the bearing adapter to allow deflection of the beam member in response to the load applied by the load bearing member. The vertical load measurement device also includes a sensor secured to the beam member which measures the deflection of the beam member.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A vertical load measurement device for measuring a load at least partially supported by an axle of a railcar comprising:
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a bearing adapter sized to be mounted between a load bearing member of the railcar and an axle bearing housing of the railcar; at least one elongate beam member having a first end and a second end, at least one of said first end and said second end being secured to said bearing adapter, and a midsection extending between said first end and said second end which supports the load applied by the load bearing member of the railcar, said midsection being vertically spaced from said bearing adapter to allow deflection of said at least one elongate beam member in response to the load applied by the load bearing member; and a sensor secured to said elongate beam member which measures said deflection of said elongate beam member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A vertical load measurement device for measuring a load at least partially supported by an axle of a railcar comprising:
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a bearing adapter sized to be mounted between a load bearing member of the railcar and an axle bearing housing of the railcar; at least one beam member having a first end and a second end, at least one of said first end and said second end being secured to said bearing adapter, and a midsection extending between said first end and said second end which supports the load applied by the load bearing member of the railcar, said midsection being vertically spaced from said bearing adapter to allow deflection of said at least one beam member in response to the load applied by the load bearing member; and a sensor secured to said beam member which measures said deflection of said beam member, wherein said at least one beam member is a plurality of beam members, each having a first end, a second end, and a midsection extending therebetween, said plurality of beam members being positioned parallel to each other and secured to said bearing adapter. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A vertical load measurement device for measuring a load at least partially supported by an axle of a railcar comprising:
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a bearing adapter sized to be mounted between a load bearing member of the railcar and an axle bearing housing of the railcar, said bearing adapter including a semicircular shaped axle receiving portion; a plurality of beam members, each beam member having a first end and a second end that are secured to said bearing adapter, and a midsection extending between said first end and said second end which supports the load applied by the load bearing member of the railcar, said midsection being vertically spaced from said bearing adapter to allow said beam member to deflect in response to the load applied by the load bearing member; and a plurality of sensors secured to an underside of each beam member that measures deflection thereof. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method for measuring vertical load at least partially supported by an axle of a railcar having a load bearing member and an axle bearing housing, said method comprising the steps of:
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mounting a bearing adapter between the load bearing member of the railcar and the axle bearing housing of the railcar; providing at least one elongate beam member having a first end, a second end, and a midsection extending between said first end and said second end; securing at least one of said first end and said second end of said at least one elongate beam member to said bearing adapter in a manner that said midsection is vertically spaced from said bearing adapter; supporting the load applied by the load bearing member of the railcar with said midsection of said at least one elongate beam member, said midsection of said at least one elongate beam member being deflected in response to the supported load; and measuring the deflection of said midsection of said at least one elongate beam member. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A vertical load measurement device for measuring a load at least partially supported by an axle of a railcar comprising:
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a bearing adapter sized to be mounted between a truck of the railcar and an axle bearing housing of the railcar; at least one beam member having a first end and a second end, at least one of said first end and said second end being secured to said bearing adapter, and a midsection extending between said first end and said second end which supports the load applied by the truck of the railcar, said midsection being vertically spaced from said bearing adapter to allow deflection of said at least one beam member in response to the load applied by the truck; and a sensor secured to said beam member which measures said deflection of said beam member.
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Specification