Productivity monitoring system for loading machinery

A device for loading and moving loads, for example, a wheeled loader, track type loader, shovel loader, crane, scraper, back hoe, etc., is equipped with various sensors for determining when a load is being moved and what the weight and volume of the load is. The data from the sensor is buffered and supplied to a microprocessor. This is done for a period of time as the operator uses the loading device. The data accumulated for each load moved by the operator is used to determine the efficiency of the operator in using the device. A display provides the operator with various information regarding the load being moved, such as its weight and volume, or the total weight and volume of several loads delivered to a particular location, etc. The same display can be used to provide data regarding the efficiency and productivity of the operator during a work period. A printer is also provided to print out the data.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field Of The Invention 
This invention relates to a system used to determine the productivity and 
efficiency of an operator using loading machinery, such as wheeled 
loaders, track type loaders, scrapers, back hoes, cranes, shovel loaders, 
etc. The system will provide the operator with information regarding each 
load such as the weight and volume of the load being carried, the total 
volume and weight of the load delivered to a particular location, and how 
much more of the load should be delivered to that location. 
2. Description Of The Related Prior Art 
In industry, it is often necessary to know the quantity of raw or 
manufactured materials transported into or out of a plant or business. 
Such information is used for billing purposes, providing the client with 
the exact amount requested, regulating the maximum weight of trucks on the 
road, limiting the quantity of material used in a manufacturing process, 
etc. One way to regulate the weight is to use scales in which the material 
is brought to the scales, placed on the scales, and weighed. In some cases 
it may be necessary to add more material or subtract from it and the 
location to load the material and the location of the scales are sometimes 
different, for example in the case of transporting bulk materials by truck 
to and from a manufacturing plant. Such procedures are time costly. 
However, in the prior art, there are known devices which allow for the 
dynamic measuring of the quantity of material as it is being loaded and 
moved. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,729, issued on Aug. 4, 1981, to James E. Farley et al. 
is concerned with the precise measuring of raw materials while the 
material is transported by a bucket to a furnace. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,794 issued Mar. 7, 1989 to James R. Blair et al. 
discloses an apparatus for measuring the quantity of material delivered 
per cycle by measuring the quantity of material delivered per cycle by a 
shovel loader. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,222 issued Apr. 24, 1990 to Christos T. Kyrtsos et al. 
discloses a dynamic payload monitor for determining the weight of a load 
by curve fitting the sensed cylinder pressure of the lift arm cylinders 
and then displaying the weight as well as the total weight measured. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,468 issued Feb. 26, 1991 to Masao Fukuda, discloses a 
load weight measuring system in which the weight of each load is measured 
as it is transported to a particular location and the weight of each load 
is subtracted from a total desired weight to be delivered to that 
particular location, thereby informing the operator of the loader how much 
more material is to be delivered to that location. 
Japanese Patent No. 59-80841 to Mamorv Arazeki, issued May 5, 1984, and 
Japanese Patent No. 59-85047 to Jiyun Arazeki, issued May 16, 1984, 
disclose a device for determining the actual number of operating times and 
the total operating time of a bulldozer or the like. 
None of the above disclosures show using the accumulated weight and volume 
of material delivered during a working period to determine the efficiency 
and productivity of the operator of the loader. For example, in earth 
moving operations, a cost estimate for moving a given quantity of bulk 
dirt has to be determined by estimating the overall cost of moving each 
cubic yard of earth. This estimate is necessary for determining a bid for 
a contract and is done in part by knowing approximately how many cubic 
yards of earth an operator generally moves per unit time with a particular 
loader. In order to come up with a dependable approximation of the overall 
cost to accomplish a given job, an estimator relies on experience in past 
field operations. Typically, the estimator might stand in the field for an 
hour and watch a scraper work. Knowing the loaded capacity of a scraper in 
cubic yards, the estimator approximates the quantity of earth in each load 
and totals it over an hour to come up with a per day production figure. 
Such operations are time costly and not very accurate. The device of the 
present invention would enable an estimator to make a more valid 
approximation. 
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a device for 
monitoring the total weight and volume of material moved by an operator of 
a loader during a working period to determine the efficiency of the 
operator in using the loader. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for 
monitoring the total number of times a load was moved by the operator and 
the amount of time it took to help determine the efficiency of the 
operator. 
Another object of the present invention is to allow the operator to know 
the volume and weight of each load being moved. 
Still another object of the invention is to use data derived above as well 
as other data to calculate, display and print the efficiency of the 
operator, including how many loads per unit time the operator moved and 
the total weight and volume of material moved within the working period. 
The present invention provides for sensors used to derive various 
parameters of the loader while in use, such as the hydraulic pressures 
detected in the lifting members of a wheeled loader or the strain 
determinations of the lifting members of a shovel loader, along with data 
regarding the positions of the various load lifting and load moving 
members. This data is supplied to a controller and can be used to 
determine when a full load is loaded, as opposed to a partial load while 
loading or unloading, and the weight of the full load. The controller can 
be a microprocessor provided with program storage memory, for example ROM, 
for loading the microprocessor with the program for processing the data. 
Data is also stored and retrieved by the microprocessor using data storage 
memory, for example RAM. The microprocessor receives data and instructions 
from a keypad and can display data as well as print data.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In the prior art of FIG. 1, a material weight measuring system used while 
the wheeled loader 1 is in operation is disclosed. Sensors are placed on 
the loader including a position sensor 5 used to indicate the position of 
the lifting arm and a fluid pressure sensor 6 used to detect the pressure 
in the cylinder which moves the lifting arm (a). When the position sensor 
5 indicates that the lifting arm (a) is fully elevated, then the pressure 
indicated by sensor 6 is used to calculate the weight of the load by a 
microcomputer 7. A buzzer 3 is also sounded to indicate to the operator 
that the load has been measured. Note that the weight of the bucket (b) is 
not considered part of the weight of the load and the pressure detected by 
the sensor 6 when the bucket (b) is empty and fully elevated, when button 
28 of the weight instrument 8 is pushed, is calibrated to indicate a 
weight load of zero. 
The weight instrument 8 uses a display 21 to display to the operator 
information regarding the weight of the load in the bucket (b), (indicator 
24), and the weight of the remaining material to be loaded to the 
particular location (indicator 23). Various control switches (25, 26 and 
27) are provided on instrument 8 for allowing the processor to vary the 
way in which the data is displayed. Canceling switch 2 is used to indicate 
to the microcomputer 7 that the load is to be delivered to a new location, 
thereby resetting the total weight to be delivered. Further description of 
the device of FIG. 1, can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,468 to Fukuda, 
incorporated herein by reference. 
In the weight measuring system of the present invention, as illustrated in 
FIG. 2, sensors 52 are provided to indicate the weight of a load which a 
loader is to move from one location to another location. The nature and 
placement of the sensors to indicate the weight of a full load is known to 
those skilled in the art and is dependent upon the particular type of 
loader used. For example, the sensors 52 could be a position sensor 
(1000), fluid pressure sensor (2000), and a reset switch (part of keypad 
55) as used in Fukuda as described above where the loader is a wheeled 
loader. However, the loader could be a shovel loader as described by Blair 
et al. or a tiltable hopper as described by Farley et al., all prior art 
of record. 
The particular sensors needed in order to detect the weight of a load is 
dependent on the type of loader used. It would be within the scope of 
those skilled in the art to modify the prior art to detect the weight of 
loads moved by cranes, back hoes, etc. 
In any case, the particular type of sensors used is not relevant to the 
present invention. In FIG. 2, sensors 52 are used to determine by the 
microprocessor 51 the weight of the load when fully loaded and ready to be 
moved by a loader. The particular algorithms which could be used by the 
microprocessor 51 to determine the weight from the data provided by the 
sensors 52 is known by those skilled in the art. For example, see Kyrtsos 
et al., prior art made of record. Buffers 53 are used to provide 
meaningful digital data to the microprocessor 51 from the various analog 
sensors 52. For example, buffers 1010 and 2010 provide information 
regarding the position of lifting arm (a) and the weight of the load, 
respectively. Program memory 60 is non-volatile memory, for example ROM, 
on which the program for processing the input data is stored. The 
algorithm for this program is illustrated in FIG. 3 and will be discussed 
later. Data storage memory 61 is used to store and retrieve data used in 
the calculations performed by the microprocessor 51, for example a section 
of RAM dedicated exclusively for data storage. A display 57 is used to 
indicate to the operator during a working period the weight of a load 
being moved or the number of units moved if the load is not bulk material, 
for example pipes. Such a display could be a CRT, LED display, LCD, etc. 
For example, a row of eight of seven segment LCD's with decimal points 
could be used. The display interface 56 would control the row of LCD's to 
display in decimal form the digital data provided by the microprocessor 
51. 
At the end of a work period, a supervisor can determine the operator's work 
efficiency by using the keypad 55 to request from the microprocessor 51 a 
history of the operator's tasks completed during that work period. This 
history could be printed out by printer 59 using the printer interface 58 
as the output buffer. Such a history would include how many loads were 
moved, the weight of the material moved if the material is a bulk 
material, and the volume of the bulk material moved. The volume of bulk 
material is calculated by knowing the density of the bulk material. 
Whether or not a load is a bulk material or not is determined by the 
microprocessor 51 by comparing the weight of the load with a range value 
set to be the approximate weight of the non-bulk material. For example, if 
a loader is used to move bulk material and then used to move pipes, the 
weight of the pipe or pipes placed into the bucket would be within the 
range value and would not be added to the total weight of bulk material 
moved. A separate counter (1st counter) is used to count the number of 
loads B moved which were not bulk material. This information is also 
provided to the supervisor. The supervisor is also given the average 
weight, volume and number of loads of bulk material moved per hour during 
the working period. The supervisor is also given the number of pipes moved 
per hour as well as the amount of bulk material in weight and volume moved 
per load. A timer 54 or 54A is used in the present invention to provide 
real time data to the microprocessor 51 so as to calculate the above 
averages involving time. This timer could be a software timer 54A stored 
in program memory 60, or optionally, an external timer 54 which would 
provide elapsed time since reset by the microprocessor 51. 
In earth moving operations, the above data from the printout can be used to 
establish quantities for payment. In an earth moving contract, the 
standard unit price is in cubic yards. In general, topographical surveys 
are performed before a job is started and after a job is completed. The 
client will determine the quantity of excavating from these surveys and 
then multiply this quantity by the unit price to come up with the proper 
payment. Since the device of the present invention accurately measure 
weight and volume, it eliminates the need for surveys. The contractor 
simply provides the client with a copy of his daily printouts till the job 
is completed. The total volume of bulk material, e.g., dirt, moved each 
day is tabulated to determine the quantity of excavation for billing 
purposes. 
FIG. 3 shows the preferred mode of operation of the present invention. When 
the loader is turned on, and the microprocessor 51 is initially powered up 
it waits for an input via keypad 55. The input has to be a valid code to 
initiate either an initial set-up mode, supervisory access mode, or the 
operator's mode. The input code could be a string of digits of a certain 
combination entered on a numeric section of the keypad. For example, the 
keypad 55 would have a numeric section 70 with buttons to enter in a 
decimal number 0-9 when punched a first time and any real integer by 
pushing other buttons thereafter, as is notoriously well-known in the art. 
Other keys on the keypad 55 could include a decimal point to enter 
fractions, operation buttons 80 and command instruction buttons 90. For 
example, in the preferred embodiment the keypad 55 is provided with a 
numeric section 70 including a decimal point, and a supervisory input code 
switch which is activated by a keylock 95. Upon inserting and turning the 
keys to the "on" position, a signal is sent from the keypad 55 to the 
microprocessor 51 to indicate that a supervisor is going to initiate 
either an initial "set-up" mode by entering in the number 1 on the keypad 
55 or the "supervisory access mode" by entering in the number 2 on the 
keypad 55. The microprocessor 51 is now waiting for an input code (see 
step 100 of FIG. 3). If a 1 is entered, than at step 200 a valid initial 
set-up code is detected. The program of the microprocessor 51 than 
executes step 201 of the flowchart. In step 201, input set-up parameters 
are input into the computer 51. In the preferred embodiment this includes 
the density of the bulk load to be loaded. This density is used later to 
determine the volume of bulk material moved by the operator. The average 
or approximate weight per cubic yard of soil types could be used to 
determine the volume if the bulk material is soil. The methods use to 
determine this volume is not a part of the present invention, but is 
within the scope of those skilled in the art. 
In step 201, the supervisor enters the density by operating the keypad's 
numeric section 70. If an error is made, that error can be cleared by 
pressing the "C" button. The numbers entered are displayed on the display 
57 as they are entered. Once the correct number is displayed the 
supervisor then pushes the "density" button to enter the data displayed as 
the new density number (see FIG. 5). If zero is displayed on the display 
57, the present density value stored in memory is displayed when the 
"density" button is pressed but no new density value is stored. Once a new 
density value is stored, the supervisor enters the range of the weight of 
the non-bulk material, for example, pipes. This is done by entering the 
lower limit of the range, pressing the decimal point, and then entering 
the upper limit of the range. This is done on the keypad's numeric section 
70. If an error is made, that error can be cleared by pressing the "C" 
button. The numbers entered are displayed on the display 57 as they are 
entered in the same manner described above for entering the density. The 
range data is stored in the same manner as the density data was stored, 
except that the "range" button is pressed instead. Likewise, if zero is 
displayed on the display 57, the present range value stored in memory is 
displayed when the "range" button is pushed. After the range value is 
stored, the program advances to step 202 which resets a first counter (B) 
to zero. In the first counter, the value B represents the number of 
non-bulk loads moved. Also a second counter with the value A representing 
the number of bulk material loads moved is reset to zero. The total 
accumulated weight and volume, W and V, respectively, of the bulk material 
loaded during a working period are reset to zero in step 203. All values 
above are stored in data storage memory 61. As illustrated in FIG. 5, all 
values have a designated location within data storage memory 61. This ends 
the initial set-up mode. 
From step 203, the logic flow could proceed directly to step 401 of the 
operator's mode. In the preferred embodiment the operator begins his/her 
shift by pressing the "operator" button on the keypad 55. Note, that the 
supervisor should turn off the key to the supervisory input code switch 
and remove the key to prevent the operator from accessing the initial 
set-up mode or supervisory access mode. Once the operator has started 
his/her shift and pressed the "operator" button, the program detects the 
pressed button as the valid operator's code and proceeds to step 401 and 
starts the timer 54 or 54A to accurately measure the elapsed time from the 
beginning of an operator's shift. In step 402, the weight of a load to be 
moved by the loader is detected. Once the buzzer 75, preferably connected 
to the display 57, sounds, the operator knows that the load is weighed. 
The volume of the load is then calculated by the microprocessor 51 and 
both weight and volume are displayed to the operator as described below. 
Once the load is weighed in step 402, it is determined in step 403 whether 
or not the load is within a given range. If not, the load is a bulk 
material and the second counter A of data storage memory 61 is incremented 
by one (step 404) and the accumulated weight W is increased by the value 
of the weight of the load (step 406). The accumulated volume, V, is 
increased by the volume of the load as calculated above. Otherwise, the 
value in the first counter, B, is incremented by one (step 405). After 
each of these steps it is determined whether or not a supervisor wishes to 
interrupt (407). If the keylock 95 is turned "on" in this step, and the 
supervisor wishes to interrupt, the timer is stopped (step 408) and the 
microprocessor 51 is again waiting for an input code (step 100). The 
supervisor now may wish to determine the operator's efficiency during his 
work period. By pushing the number 2 key, the program enters the 
supervisory access mode (step 300-313) to be described later. This mode 
will not change any of the stored values affecting the operator's 
efficiency. After step 313 the microprocessor 51 is again waiting for an 
input code (step 100). When the operator is ready to continue, the 
"operator" button is pushed. In step 407, the microprocessor 51 waits for 
a supervisor interrupt signal until another load is weighed. Then the 
program returns to step 402 to determine what the weight and volume of the 
load is and the cycle continues. While each load is loaded and the weight 
is determined and from that the volume, the weight and volume of each load 
is shown to the operator on display 57. The weight and volume of the load 
is displayed simultaneously by dedicating a portion of the display 57 for 
displaying only weight while another portion displays only volume. 
If the operator is given a task to deliver a certain amount of material to 
a particular location then, he/she enters the amount using the numeric 
section 70. The value is displayed and may be cleared from the display 57 
by pushing "C". Once the displayed value is correct, the operator enters 
this value into the computer 51 by processing the "Task" button. This 
value is stored in the data storage memory 61. Again, if all zeros appear 
on the display 57, the task value stored in memory 61 is displayed when 
the task button is pushed. As the operator moves loads to the particular 
location, the accumulated gross load moved to that location is also 
stored. This data is available to the operator by pressing the "Gross" 
button. The amount of the load still needed to be delivered to a 
particular location can be calculated by subtracting the "Gross" value 
from the "Task" value. This value can be displayed to the operator upon 
the actuation of the "Load" button. All of the "Gross", "Task", and "Load" 
values are displayed only for a few seconds, say five, before the value of 
the present load is again displayed. Upon pushing the "Reset" button the 
values of "Gross" and "Load" are set to zero. 
The supervisory access mode of the present invention will now be described. 
Upon turning the keylock 95 to the "on" position and pressing 2 when the 
program is in step 100, the valid supervisor's access code is detected in 
step 300. The value of A is displayed for a certain amount of time (steps 
301 and 302). Then the value B is displayed for a certain amount of time 
(steps 303 and 304). Next the value W is displayed for a certain amount of 
time (steps 305 and 306). The volume is also displayed for an amount of 
time (steps 307 and 308). The average weight and volume of bulk material 
transported per hour are then calculated by dividing separately the 
accumulated weight W and the accumulated volume V, respectively, each by 
the accumulated time as indicated by the timer (see step 309). The average 
weight and volume of bulk material transported each time a load was moved 
by the loader during an operation's working period are also calculated by 
separately dividing the accumulated weight W and the accumulated volume V, 
each by the value A. Then the average number of bulk material loads and 
non-bulk material loads moved per hour are calculated by dividing the 
value A and B, each separately, by the elapsed time. These averages are 
also displayed separately for an amount of time. All of the above 
mentioned amounts of times for displaying are generally a few seconds. 
Next the values of A, B, W, V, and the averages are printed out by printer 
59 once these values are passed to printer interface 58. (See step 311). 
While a preferred embodiment has been set forth in detail, minor 
modifications can be made thereto that are within the scope of the 
invention. For example, a hardwire digital circuit controller could be 
used as a substitute for the microprocessor controller. The data storage 
memory could include tape or disc drives. The keylock 95 could be a card 
reader with a coded magnetic strip, etc. Such modifications or 
substitutions of analogous parts are within the scope of the present 
invention. 
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the 
sole embodiment descried above, but encompasses any and all of the 
embodiments within the scope of the following claims.