Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BARRY D. CURRAN
SCALE DEVICES
BACKGROUND OF Tf3E I~VENTION
Field of the Invention
1 Thi~ invention relate~ to scale device~ for
weighing freight and other itemq, that ~re of the type
that are normally 3tored out of the way, and which can
be rai ed into po~ition to contact and weigh the
freight.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
An important con~ideration to manufacturer~ and
~hippers, i~ the ability to be able to quickly and
ea~ily obtain the weights of variouA item~ prisr to
~hipment, which information i~ needed for calculating
charges and i8 particularly desirable for good~ being
~hipped by air, due to loading restriction~ and other
considerations.
The U.S. Patent to Linz No. 3,587,670 di~clo~es a
rail-supported transfer vehicle for metallurgical
ves~els with mean~ or weighing the load ~upporting
thereon. The Linz ~tructure includes an upper and
lower carriage with a pre~ure measurinq and load
weighing device therebetween, which includea a
hydraulic liting device for the upper carriage, but
which device lift~ the entire carriage is not
protected, nor i8 it of comparable structure to that of
the invention.
Much freight is palletized and charactèri~tlcally
picked up at a variety of CuBtOmer locat~on~, and then
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taken to an airport cargo area, or truck terrninal where
the pallets are assembled with other goods to form a
load. Time and space considerations require that
structure be provided whereby freight can be weighed at
the terminal dock prior to loading or, if desired, can
be weighted on the pickup vehicle.
In some instances, it is more convenient to be
able to weigh the freight on the pickup vehicle, and
then provide the actual weight to the terminal
personnel who are assembling the load, or to be able to
provide the weight to personnel who are unloading the
freight for subsequent shipment, such as by air where
weight considerations are of paramount importance.
The apparatus of my invention can be located at
the terminal or on the pickup vehicle to weigh the
freight, and provide concurrent advantage~ not found in
prior methods of freight weighing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to scale devices to be used
at a stationary location or on a pickup vehicle such as
a trailer, truck or other structure to obtain the
weights of various items placed on the scale devices,
and includes one or more retractible pneumatic scale
assemblies for weighing.
The principal object of the invention is to
provide scale devices that are capable of being stored
out of the way until use.
A further object of the invention is to provide
scale devices which permit of traffic thereon, in out
of use position, without injury thereto.
A further object of the invention is to provide
scale devices wherein the shock load on the device is
minimized.
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A further object of the invention is to provide
scale devices which are simple and inexpensive to
construct but sturdy and reliable in operation.
A further object of the invention i~ to provide
scale devices which are suitable for weighing a wide
variety of items at fixed or on movable structures.
Other objects and advantageous features of the
invention will be apparent from the description and
claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The nature and characteristic features of the
invention will be more readily understood fro~ the
following de~cription taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings forming part hereof in which:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view, illustrating one
embodiment of scale device of the invention, four being
shown;
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, of
the scale device of FIG. 1, taken approximately on the
line 2-2 of FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, of
the scale device of FIG. 1, taken approximately on the
line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and showing the device in stored
out of use postion;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the
scale device in condition to contact an item for
weighing;
FIG. 5 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 1 but
showing eight scale devices; and
FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to
FIG. 4 but showing another embodiment of the scale
device of the invention.
S ~ L ~
It should, of course, be understood that the
description and drawings herein are illustrative merely
and that various modifications and changes can be made
in the structure disclosed withou~ departing from the
spirit of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIM~NT
Referring now more particularly to the drawings
and FIGS. 1-4 thereof, a floor 10 which can be a
vehicle floor or which could be the floor of a terminal
dock is illustrated in FIG. 1 which, if a freight
pickup vehicle, can be a truck, trailer or other
structure, and onto which items are placed. The floor
10 is shown as carrying four scale devices 15 of the
invention in recesses 16. The devices 15 are of
generally rectangular configuration and each include a
lower upturned U-shaped channel 18, which rests on the
botto~ surface 19 of recess 16. A pneumatic lifting
assembly 20 is provided which, in FIGS. 2-4, is shown
as being an airbag of well known type carried inside of
and resting on the channel 18, with a second channel 21
engaged therewith, also of U-shape extending upwardly,
and separated from the side walls 23 of channel 18 by
guide and wear plates 24.
The airbag 20 is connected to a source of air
under pressure (not shown) to selectively provide air
for expansion of the airbag to be described.
The channel 21 has a downturned cover plate 22
thereon also of U-shape, which extends over the outside
of channel 18 between it and vertical walls 27 of
~ecess 16.
A load beam 25 is provided which extends along
4~L~
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channel 21 with at least one load cell 26 engaged
therewith, and which cell 26 is carried by a retainer
plate 28 which is engaged with channel 21. The load
cell 26 is of well known type, and preferably
electronic, with leads (not shown) connected to a
digital read out panel 35 to display the weiyht of the
item or items being weighed.
Referring now more particularly to FIG. 5, another
floor 100 i8 illustrated which includes a plurality of
10 devices 115, some eight in number being shown, which
are carried in recesses 116 in the floor 100. In all
other respects, the devices 115 are identical to those
illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, but for certain
applications it may be desirable to utilize more than
15 four devices and, in actuality, as many as are desired
and can be accommodated may be used.
Referring now more particularly to FIG. 6, another
embodiment of scale device 215 is therein illustrated,
which is carried in a recess 216 of a floor 200. The
20 device 215 is of generally rectangular configuration
with a lower upturned U-shaped channel 218 which rests
on the bottom surface 219 of recess 216. The channel
218 carries a load beam 225 thereon which extends
therealong, and has a load cell 226 carried therein by
25 a retainer plate 227. The load cell 226 is of well
known type and can be identical to load cell 26
previously described. The channel 218 on the outside
thereof is provided with guide and wear plates 224,
over which a cover plate 222 of U-shape extends
30 downwardly into recess 216.
A pneumatic lifting assembly 220 is provided which
can be an airbag as described for assembly 20 and is
carried on top of load beam 225 between it and the
cover plate 222.
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The airbag 220 is connected to a source of air
under pressure (not shown) for selective expansion as
desired to lift the plate 222 into contact with the
items (not shown) to be weighed.
The mode of operation will now be pointed out.
Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the airbag 20 is normally
in deflated condition as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 so that
the scale device 15 is entirely below the floor 10.
When the weight of a pallet (not shown) which contains
various items ~o be weighted is desired, the pallet i8
picked up, and is placed on one or more of the scale
devices 15. The airbag or bags 20 are inflated as
shown in FIG. ~, to the desired predetermined pressure,
and the channels 21 are elevated so that the tops 36 of
the load cells 26 are engaged with the undersides 37 of
cover plates 22, thereby transmitting the weight of the
pallet and items thereon to the load cell or cells 26.
The weight of the freight item or items is displayed on
panel 35 and may be recorded. The airbags 20, when in
inflated condition, act as a cushion or shock absorber
thereby providing protection to the scale devices 15
from impact loads. The airbags 20 are deflated, and
the scale devices 15 are retracted to a position below
the floor 10 level, where they are protected until use
is again required.
Referring to FIG. 6, the airbag 220 is shown in
inflated condition for engagement of the items to be
weighed. The airbag 220 would start in deflated
condition like airbag 20 and, when inflated, lifts
cover plate 222 to engage the item or items (not
shown) to be weighed, and the weight would be
transmitted to the load beam 225, and thereby to the
load cell 226 where the weight is ascertained and
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transmitted to a read out panel (not shown) where it
may be read by the operator. The airbag 220 can be
deflated and cover plate 222 re~urn to floor level as
desired.
It will thus be seen that apparatus has been
provided with which the objects of the invention are
attained.
