Load weighing system for a heavy machinery

• US 6,225,574 B1
• Filed: 11/06/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joy Global Surface Mining Inc. (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Harnischfeger Technologies Inc. (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Inventors: Phillips, Paul G., Chang, Shu-Chieh, Chen, Demeng, Burant, John S., Rikkola, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Application Number:
  US09/187,146
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 177/136, 177/141, 177/147, 177/139
• US Class Current: 177/139
• 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

A hoisting machine including a device supported from a structure, the device holding the material to be lifted, the structure being movable to locate the device in respective loaded and unloading positions, and apparatus for measuring the quantity of material delivered by the device, the apparatus comprising means to determine the position of the device with respect to a selected location in the structure at a plurality of intervals during the movement of the device, means to provide a processable position signal indicative of the determined position of the device, means to determine the load at a selected location within the structure where the load is related to the weight of the device and device contents at the intervals during the movement of the device, means to produce a processable load signal indicative of the determined load at the location, and processing means to receive the position and load signals for a plurality of interval determinations and calculate therefrom a number of weight determinations of the device and device contents from the interval determinations made during the movement, to select a sample of less than all of the weight determinations based upon the dynamic influences on the machine when the signals are processed, and to average the sample of selected weight determinations to provide a final weight determination of the device and device contents.

Claims

1. A method of measuring the quantity of material delivered per cycle by large mining and hoisting machinery, the machinery having a device to hold the material to be delivered, the device being movable between loaded and unloading positions, said device being supported from a structure during movement between said positions, said method comprising determining the position of the device in respect to a selected location on said structure in the form of a processable position signal at a plurality of intervals during the movement of the device between said loaded and unloading positions, determining the load at a selected location within said structure where the load is related to the weight and position of the device and device contents in the form of a processable load signal at each said interval, processing said position and load signals for a plurality of interval determinations to provide a number of weight determinations of the device and device contents from the interval determinations made during said movement, selecting a sample of less than all of said weight determinations based upon the dynamic influences on the machinery when the signals are processed, some of the samples being excluded being those obtained at other than at the beginning and end of the movement of the device, and averaging said selected sample of weight determinations to provide a final determination of the weight of the device and device contents.

2. A hoisting machine including a device supported from a structure, the device holding the material to be lifted, the structure being movable to locate the device in respective loaded and unloading positions, and apparatus for measuring the quantity of material delivered by the device, said apparatus comprising means to determine the position of the device with respect to a selected location in the structure at a plurality of intervals during said movement of the device, means to provide a processable position signal indicative of the determined position of the device, means to determine the load at a selected location within the structure where the load is related to the weight of the device and device contents at said intervals during said movement of the device, means to produce a processable load signal indicative of the determined load at said location, and processing means to receive said position and load signals for a plurality of interval determinations and calculate therefrom a number of weight determinations of the device and device contents from the interval determinations made during said movement, to select a sample of less than all of said weight determinations based upon the dynamic influences on the machine when the signals are processed, some of the samples being excluded being those obtained at other than at the beginning and end of the movement of the device, and to average said sample of selected weight determinations to provide a final weight determination of the device and device contents.

3. The machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the structure includes a platform, and an upwardly extending boom connected at the lower end to the platform, and wherein said device is suspended from said boom.

4. The machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means to determine the position of the device with respect to a selected location in the structure at a plurality of intervals during said movement of the device includes means for determining the angle of the boom relative to the direction of the force of gravity.

5. The machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said boom angle determining means is an inclinometer.

6. The machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said structure further includes a sheave at the top of the boom, and a hoist rope trained over the sheave and attached to the device to suspend the device from said boom, and wherein said means to determine the position of the device with respect to a selected location in the structure at a plurality of intervals during said movement of the device considers the sheave diameter and the angle the hoist rope leaves the sheave.

7. The machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said processing means to select a sample of less than all of said weight determinations based upon the dynamic influences on the machine when the signals are processed uses device velocity and device acceleration in selecting weight determinations.

8. The machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said processing means to select a sample of less than all of said weight determinations based upon the dynamic influences on the machine when the signals are processed selects weight determinations where the device velocity and device acceleration are closest to zero.