Patent ID: 8793080

Claim:
A system for measuring a load on a sucker rod string, the sucker rod string comprising first and second cable strands secured to a walking beam, a polished rod, and a carrier bar secured to the polished rod and the first and second cable strands the system comprising: a cable collar attached to the first and second cable strands, the cable collar configured to horizontally deflect the first and second cable strands a set distance; at least one rod secured between the cable collar and the carrier bar, the rod defines a predetermined vertical distance between the carrier bar and the cable collar; a strain gauge secured to the cable collar wherein the strain gauge measures a horizontal force applied between the first and second cable strands to maintain the set distance; and a processor that receives the measured horizontal force from the strain gauge and calculates a total load on the sucker rod string up to the cable collar based upon the measured horizontal force, the predetermined vertical distance and the set distance.