Weighing system for a ladle transfer car
AssigneeMettler-Toledo AG
InventorsEric V. Wechselberger, Jonathon Berger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A weighbridge for weighing a ladle transfer car has a foundation pit, a weighing platform, and a plurality of load cells. The foundation pit has a base and the weighing platform, positioned in the foundation pit, bears upon the base. The plurality of load cells are arranged in the foundation pit to collectively bear the weight of the weighing platform. A characterizing feature of the weighbridge is that, during use, the foundation pit contains a liquid, with a level that is maintained to at least partially submerge each of the load cells.
Claims14
A weighbridge for weighing a ladle transfer car, the weighbridge comprising:
- a foundation pit, said foundation pit having a base;
- a weighing platform positioned in the foundation pit, bearing upon the base;
- and
- a plurality of load cells, arranged in the foundation pit such that, collectively, the load cells bear the weight of the weighing platform;
- and
- a system for filling, draining, and maintaining the quality and quantity of the liquid in the foundation pit;
- wherein, during use, the foundation pit contains a liquid, with a level thereof being maintained to at least partially submerge each of the load cells.
A weighing system for weighing a ladle transfer car having at least a fore truck assembly and a rear truck assembly, each truck assembly having at least one axle bar with a pair of steel wheels, the weighing system having a weighbridge comprising:
- a fore weighing platform and a rear weighing platform, spaced apart to correspond to a spacing between the fore truck assembly and rear truck assembly;
- a fore foundation pit and a rear foundation pit, each having a base and associated with a respective weighing platform;
- and
- a plurality of load cells associated with each of the weighing platforms, each of the load cells arranged below the associated weighing platform between a bottom surface of the weighing platform and the base of the associated foundation pit to measure the weight borne by the base from the weighing platform;
- wherein, during use, each foundation pit contains a liquid, with a level thereof maintained to fully or at least partially submerge each of the load cells;
- wherein the fore foundation pit and rear foundation pit are in selective liquid communication.
A method for weighing a ladle transfer car, comprising the steps of:
- providing a weighbridge having a foundation pit with a base, at least one weighing platform positioned in the foundation pit such that the weight of each weighing platform bears on the base, and a plurality of submersible load cells, arranged to collectively receive the total weight of all of the weighing platforms, wherein the foundation pit contains a liquid of sufficient depth to at least partially submerge each of the load cells;
- moving a ladle transfer car bearing a load of molten metal onto the weighbridge so that the entire weight of the loaded ladle transfer car is borne by the plurality of the load cells;
- transmitting an output signal from each of the plurality of load cells to a terminal remote from the weighbridge;
- and
- calculating, at the remote terminal, a weight of the molten metal in the loaded ladle transfer car based upon a weight of the ladle transfer car when not loaded.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.