Method and apparatus to monitor a reservoir or a structure
AssigneeTechnologies Intelia Inc.
InventorsClaude Bouchard, Josee Samson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system to monitor weight of a reservoir or a structure comprises a load cell which comprises an electrical or optical transducer to provide a proportional signal of the deformation, a load cell base support for holding the load cell on the ground substantially about the axis of the support element of the reservoir, a load cell support adapter to attach the loadcell to the support member of the reservoir. The cell support adapter may comprise an opening or a shouldering anchor aiming at facilitating attachment to a temporary lifting device.
Claims21
A system to measure the weight applied on a rigid surface by a supporting member of a structure, the system comprising:
- a compression load cell assembly comprising:
- a side mount fastener attaching a side portion of the compression load cell assembly to a side portion of the supporting member of the structure;
- a rigid base adapted to vertically support the compression load cell assembly;
- a deformation zone between the side mount fastener and the rigid base, the deformation zone comprising a deformation measurement sensor measuring the load supported by the side mount fastener;
- a shim insertable between the compression load cell assembly and a load cell assembly base;
- wherein the compression load cell assembly is compressed by the weight applied by the supporting member when the shim is inserted and maintains the supporting member at an elevation above the rigid surface;
- the compression load cell assembly base being:
- shaped to support and hold the rigid base of the load cell assembly and the shim;
- attachable to the rigid surface.
A method for installing a weighting system to a supporting member of a structure, the method comprising:
- attaching a load cell base to the rigid surface;
- seating a first portion of a load cell below a deformation measurement sensor of the compression load cell on the load cell base;
- attaching a second portion of the compression load cell over the deformation measurement sensor to a side portion of the supporting member;
- lifting the load cell attached to the supporting member;
- when the load cell is raised, inserting a shim between the compression load cell and the load cell base;
- lowering the lifted load cell until the load cell seats on the shim to compress the compression load cell with the weight applied by the supporting member.
A method for measuring the weight applied on a rigid surface by a supporting member of a structure, the method comprising:
- maintaining the supporting member at an elevation above the rigid surface using a shim between a compression load cell attached to the supporting member and a load cell base attached to the rigid surface, the weight applied on the supporting member compressing the compression load cell;
- measuring deformation of the compression load cell to calculate the weight applied on the supporting member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.