Load measuring apparatus

Abstract: Load measuring apparatus particularly but not solely for the weighing of animals is supported on load-bearing feet. Each load bearing foot provides an electrical signal indicating the load thereon and the sum of the electrical signals indicates the total load. Each load bearing foot has a strut (1) which is in use attached to the load, housing (2) which rests on a load-bearing surface and a load cell (3) which is fixed within housing (2) and transmits the load force carried by strut (1) to housing (2) and thence to the load-bearing surface. The strut (1) passes through an aperture (7) in housing (2) to bear against load cell (3) which is in the central cavity (5) of the housing (2). The strut (1) is able to move towards load cell (3), but is substantially restricted from moving away from the load cell (3), and preferably is able to have some rotational movement relative to base (4). The load-bearing feet overcome the bulkiness and expensiveness of prior art weighing systems and are portable, inexpensive and accurate in use.

Description: This invention relates to load measuring apparatus and in particular but not solely a weighing system and load measuring transducers therefor. In the weighing of animals, for example, it is known to provide a platform upon which the animal stands, which platform is supported by beams which deflect due to the animal's weight. Such beams are provided with strain gauges which provide an output which is a function of the deflection of the beams and when suitably calibrated, the animal's weight. An electronic processor supplies current to the strain gauges and measures the value of the output signal from the strain gauges to provide on a digital display the value of the animal's weight. Such animal weighing systems (excluding the platform which is usually provided by the apparatus installer) are bulky and expensive to produce. Expensive load measuring devices in other applications include an arrangement shown in patent publication DE-U-9304804. In that publication the arrangement includes a strut extending into a housing to engage against a load cell. The strut is restrained in that position by two or more elastometric membranes. It is an object of the present invention to provide a weighing system and/or components therefor which overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages or which at least provide purchasers with a useful choice. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a load bearing foot comprising: a housing having a base which in use is supported by a load bearing surface and an aperture in said housing opposite said base, a load cell means adapted to receive an applied load, said load cell means mechanically supported by and within said housing, and a strut having a lower end which bears against said load cell means and extends outside said housing through said aperture, said strut in use being connected to an applied load, characterised in that said strut is free to move axially in a direction towards said load cell means, and said aperture has a greater diameter than that of the strut to allow a limited degree of rotation of the strut away from said direction. In a second aspect the invention consists in a load measuring transducer comprising a load bearing foot according to the above paragraph wherein such load cell means provides an electrical output which is a function of the applied load. In a third aspect the invention consists in a weighing system comprising: a platform having an area to accommodate the physical dimensions of the load to be weighed, at least one load measuring transducer as set forth above attached to said platform to support it on a load bearing surface, and electronic summing means which receive the electrical signals from each load cell and provide an output signal having a value which is a function of the weight of said load. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 shows a diametrical cross-section through a load bearing foot for use in a weighing system, Figure 2 shows a diametrical cross-section through the load cell and strut according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 shows an underneath view of the load cell of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, including strain gauge, and Figure 4 shows a diametrical cross-section through the load cell and strut according to a third embodiment of the present invention Referring to Figure 1 the load bearing foot consists of three main parts - a strut 1 which in use is attached to the load, a housing 2 which in use rests on a load bearing surface and a load cell 3 which is fixed within housing 2 and transmits the load force carried by strut 1 to housing 2 and thence to the load bearing surface. The foot housing has a base 4 of sufficient diameter to ensure reasonable bearing pressure when in use and incorporates a central cavity 5 having a hemispherical top surface 6. An aperture 7 is provided concentrically with the pole of the hemispherical surface to allow the load bearing strut 1 to enter housing 2. The aperture 7 has a greater diameter than that of strut 1 to allow a limited degree of rotation of strut 1 relative to the base 4. Strut 1 takes the form of a rod 25 and is fixed to a hemispherical retaining member 8, the radius of this hemisphere being substantially identical to the radius of the hemispherical surface 6. As is shown in the drawing, the rod retention member in combination with the housing cavity permits retention of the strut while allowing angular rotation off the perpendicular within the limits defined by the diameter of aperture 7. Mounted within housing 2 is a load cell 3. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, this load cell is of the diaphragm strain gauge type adapted to receive applied load through a central abutment 9 and to resist reactive forces at the perimeter rim 10. A resistive strain gauge 20 is bonded to the diaphragm 18 of the load cell. To allow for strut movement off the perpendicular (foot not on level ground) while at the same time permitting the whole of the force applied to strut 1 to be transferred to load cell 3 a single point contact system is used between strut 1 and load cell 3. This is provided by forming a central recess 11 within the bottom surface of retention member 8 which accommodates a spherical ball bearing 12 which rests within conical surface 13 of diaphragm abutment 9. The rod retention member 8 bears against ball bearing 12 at a single point. Electrical outputs from a resistive strain gauge 26 are indicative of the load applied to the load cell, due to the deformation of the load cell diaphragm when a load is applied. In the alternative and preferred embodiment of the load cell shown in Figure 2, is also a diaphragm type adapted to receive applied load through central abutment 9 and to resist the reactive forces at the perimeter rim 10. However, to allow for strut movement off the perpendicular, while at the same time permitting the whole of the force applied to strut 1 to be transferred to load cell 3 through the abutting surfaces of the abutment 9 and the strut 1, one of the abutting surfaces is formed as a spherically curved depression 16, while the other surface is a complementary spherically curved dome 17. It is preferred that the centre of curvature of these abutting surfaces is coincident with the centre of curvature of the hemispherical surface 6 and of the hemispherical retaining member 8, so that free rotation is able with constant tolerances between the hemispherical surface 6 and hemispherical retaining member 8. It is also preferable that the diameter of the strut 1 is larger than the diameter of abutment 9, so that load is less capable of being localised in abutment 9. Other aspects of the embodiment shown in Figure 2 are also considered advantageous. It has been found that the arrangement of load cell features and the relative dimensions of the features are important to the performance of the load cell. An arrangement of the features and relative dimensions which has been found optimal by trial and error testing, is shown in Figure 3 which is to scale. Effectively it has been found that the configuration shown and in particular the relative relationship of the dimensions is optimal for producing a diaphragm load cell of very small size. For example a cell having overall diameter of less than 50 mm is possible for measuring weights up to 1000 kg with reasonable accuracy. The material of construction of the load cell is also important, as the material properties cause variation in the performance of the diaphragm under load. It is envisaged that the cell could be made for example from aluminium or steel, and it has been found that in particular the aluminium alloy 2024 T81 is suitable It has also been found that in relation to material, forming processes are important, and although the load cell could be made by machining from a large billet, it is preferred that the load cell be forged and appropriately heat treated, due to the advantageous grain structure that is imparted. With reference to Figure 4 a third embodiment of the present invention is shown being a combination of the preferred embodiment described with reference to Figure 2 and an aspect of the first embodiment of the invention described with reference to Figure 1. The third embodiment of the invention is an identical load cell to that described with reference to Figure 2, however rather than the strut bearing directly on central abutment 9, instead the strut 1 is provided with a central recess 11 within the bottom surface of retention member 8, which accommodates a spherical ball bearing 12 which rests in a spherically curved depression 16 of abutment 9. It has been found that this arrangement allows slight transverse movement, and consequently can be more accurate when used in conjunction with flexible platforms. Strut 1 comprises a steel rod 25 which is threaded over length 14 to enable it to be bolted to a load bearing platform (not shown). In addition, use of a screw thread allows for convenient height adjustment. A resilient insert 15 is provided within base to absorb impact loading on the foot, and to resist lateral forces. The load cell, while conveniently of diaphragm configuration, need not use a strain gauge technology. Alternatives include a cell providing variable electrical capacitance as a result of diaphragm deflection or changes in resonant frequency arising from change in resonating mass at fixed stiffness. In the preferred form of the invention, a diaphragm strain gauge is used, having a non-directional character. For example the strain gauge measures strain over the total periphery of the cell cavity, to ensure the cell is not sensitive to side loading in a particular direction. The preferred strain gauge 20 is of the configuration shown in Figure 3, which is a known strain gauge normally used in pressure sensing devices, but adapted in this case for securing to the diaphragm of the load cell. The strain gauge has four resistive gauges 21, 22, 23, 24 arranged to give even coverage of the surface of the diaphragm. This allows the gauge to overcome the adverse effects of non-unifom strain caused by pressure on the trunnion 9. This strain gauge allows the disphragm load cell of the preferred form of this invention to be very small but retain sufficient accuracy for its desired purpose. In use, three or four load bearing feet of the type described above would be connected to the underside of a load bearing platform to support the platform on a load bearing surface, or in the case of hanging platform, as few as one foot may be connected to the platform to support the platform from a load bearing support. The load cells would be connected to an electronic processor which would sum the signals received from each foot and provide a display of the weight of the load on the platform. The overall arrangement could typically be used for the weighing of animals. The present invention by providing a combination load transducer/load bearing foot means that the prime manufacturer of weighing systems of this type need only supply the requisite number of feet together with the appropriate electronic processing and display means. There is thus a saving in the supply of bulky beams as is currently done. While the load bearing foot has been described with reference to a weighing system it could equally be used wherever it was necessary to measure forces in struts.

Claims: A load bearing foot comprising: a housing (2) having a base (4) which in use is supported by a load bearing surface and an aperture (7) in said housing (2) opposite said base (4), a load cell means (3) adapted to receive an applied load, said load cell means mechanically supported by and within said housing (2), and a strut (1) having a lower end which bears against said load cell means (3) and extends outside said housing (2) through said aperture (7), said strut (1) in use being connected to an applied load, characterised in that said strut (1) is free to move axially in a direction towards said load cell means (3), and said aperture has a greater diameter than that of the strut to allow a limited degree of rotation of the strut away from said direction. A load bearing foot as claimed in claim 1 wherein said strut (1) comprises a rod (25) having rod retention means (8) connected thereto within said housing (3), said rod retention means substantially preventing movement of said rod (25) in an axial direction away from said load cell means (3). A load bearing foot as claimed in claim 2 wherein said housing defines a hemispherical interior surface (6) with said aperture (7) located at the pole thereof, said rod retention means (8) is hemispherical in shape and attached to said rod (25) at the pole thereof, the radius of each hemisphere being substantially equal and said aperture (7) is of greater diameter than the diameter of said rod (25). A load bearing foot as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said load cell means (3) includes a load cell having a diaphragm (18) and deformation measuring means (20) adapted to provide a response variable by deformation of said diaphragm and an abutment portion (9) adapted to receive an applied load, located at the centre of the diaphragm (18) and said diaphragm is supported at its periphery by a perimeter rim (10). A load bearing foot as claimed in claim 4 wherein said diaphragm (18) is substantially circular and said abutment portion (9) comprises an extension from the upper face of said diaphragm (18) at the centre thereof. A load bearing foot as claimed in either claim 4 or claim 5, wherein said perimeter rim (10) encircles and is concentric with said diaphragm (18), and is fashioned by machining or forging, said perimeter rim extending below the level of the lower surface of said diaphragm (18), and resting on a resilient insert (15) within the base (4). A load bearing foot as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein said load cell means includes a single point contact system to transfer the force applied to the strut (1) to the load cell (3). A load bearing foot as claimed in claim 7 wherein said force transfer means comprises a spherical ball (12), presenting a convex exterior surface to each of said strut (1) and said load cell (3), and being disposed there between, said strut (1) bearing against said ball (12) and said ball in turn bearing against said load cell means (3), and a central recess formed in a bottom surface of the retention means (8) and a conical or spherical surface formed in the abutment portion (9), the central recess accommodating the ball which rests in the conical or spherical surface. A load measuring transducer comprising a load bearing foot as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said load cell means provides an electrical output which is a function of the applied load. A weighing system comprising: a platform having an area to accommodate the physical dimensions of the load to be weighed, at least one load measuring transducer as claimed in claim 9 attached to said platform to support it on a load bearing surface, and electronic summing means which receive the electrical signals from each load cell and provide an output signal having a value which is a function of the weight of said load.

Inventors: BOULT BRIAN FREDERICK, BOULT, BRIAN FREDERICK
Applicants: TRU TEST LTD, TRU-TEST LIMITED
Application year: 1995
Main classification: G01G21
IPC codes: G01G21, G01G17