In-motion car weighing system

A system for bidirectional in-motion weighing of railroad vehicles of a train having freight cars and a locomotive that comprises:

• spaced first and second tracks having aligned pairs of rails;
• a weighbridge, that is mounted between said first and second tracks and that has a third track, as the platform of said weighbridge, with gaps between the ends of its pair of rails and the rails of said first and second tracks, said first, second and third tracks providing a path of travel for the cars;
• first and second sets of load cells, said sets being mounted under said platform on opposite sides of the central transverse plane of said weighbridge and the load cells of each set of load cells being connected to provide an output voltage corresponding to the weight of the load applied to that set of load cells and located to provide a rapid rise of output voltage from said first set of load cells when an axle passes onto the adjacent end of said weighbridge;
• first wheel sensing means having a component mounted beside one of said rails of said first track and spaced from said end of said third track of said weighbridge a distance greater than the distance between adjacent axles of a truck of a freight car and the distance between any adjacent axles of a truck of a locomotive of any train that is to have vehicles of that train weighed by the system and a distance less than the distance between the inner axles of trucks of a freight car, said component being constructed to provide a signal at an output in response to a wheel of an axle passing the location of said component;
• second wheel sensing means having a component mounted beside one of said rails of said second track and spaced from said second end of said third track of said weighbridge a distance greater than the distance between axles of a track of a freight car and the distance between any adjacent axles of a truck of a locomotive of any train that is to have vehicles of that train weighed by the system and the distance less than the distance between the inner axles of the trucks of a freight car, said component being constructed to provide a signal at an output voltage in response to a wheel of an axle passing the location of said component of said second wheel sensing means;
• another wheel sensing means having a component that provides a signal during the entire time that a wheel of the moving vehicle is passing through a zone at which said component of said another wheel sensing means is located, said component of said another wheel sensing means being located at a zone that is at a distance from one of said first and second tracks or said third track relative to one end of said weighbridge so that, when an axle of a truck of any freight car is at that end of said weighbridge, an adjacent axle of that truck is within said zone;
• controls means that is connected to said first and second sets of load cells and to said first, second and another wheel sensing means and that is constructed:
• to count the signals from said first or second wheel sensing means, dependent upon the direction of train travel, as a count of the number of axles of a vehicle passing the location of said component of that wheel sensing means that is receiving said signals;
• to count the number of rapid rises of output voltage from that set of load cells, adjacent to that wheel sensing means of said first and second sensing means that is counting said axles, as a count of axles of a vehicle passing on to that end of said weighbridge after passing said that wheel sensing means that is counting axles;
• to determine a count representing the total number of axles of the vehicle, when the counts of signals from said that wheel sensing means, that is counting axles, and the counts of rapid rises of output voltage from that set of load cells, that is providing said number of rapid rises of output voltage, are in first coincidence;
• to determine when the count of the number of rapid rises of output voltage from that set of load cells is the count representing the total number of axles of the vehicle;
• to restart the count of signals from that sensing means whenever the count of signals from said that wheel sensing means is twice its count at the time of coincidence;
• to restart the count of rapid rises of output voltage from that set of load cells when it count is twice the count at the time of the coincidence;
• and
• to determine for all adjacent axles of a truck of a vehicle whether there is a coincidence of a signal from said another wheel sensing means and a rapid change of output voltage from that set of load cells that are at the end of the weighbridge that is said distance from said zone at which said another wheel sensing means is located;
• means operative in response to said control means:
• for axle weighing, after said control means has counted each rapid rise of output voltage from said that set of load cells, to convert the output voltages, from said first and second sets of load cells, for a first predetermined period of time to digital information corresponding to the weight of an axle on the weighbridge and to total the weights of axles, including the weight of the axle that provides the last rapid rise of output volgage from said that set of load cells by which said control means determines that the count of rapid rises is the count representing the total number of axles of the vehicle;
• or
• for truck weighing, after said control means has determined that the count of signals from said wheel sensing means and the count of rapid rises of output voltage from said that set of load cells are in said coincidence, to convert the output voltages from said first and second sets of load cells for a second predetermined period of time to digital information corresponding to the weight of a truck of the vehicle on the weighbridge, to repeat the conversion for said second predetermined period of time, after said control means has determined that the count of rapid rises of output voltage is the count representing the total number of axles of the vehicle, to digital information that corresponds to the weight of the other truck of the vehicle on the weighbridge, and then to total the weights of the two trucks of the vehicle;
• or
• for entire car weighing, after said control means has determined that the count of rises of output voltage from said that set of load cells is the count representing the total number of axles of the vehicle, to convert the output voltages from said first and second sets of load cells for a third predetermined period of time to digital information corresponding to the total weight of said vehicle;
• and
• print means to print out the total weight of the vehicle in response to said control means that provides a signal after the total weight of the vehicle has been obtained, said control means being constructed also:
• to provide said signal, after the total weight of the vehicle has been obtained, for a normal print out of the weight of the vehicle only if said control means has determined that there is said coincidence for all sets of adjacent axles of a truck of the vehicle.

In a system for in-motion weighing of freight cars having spaced first and second track sections and a weighbridge with a track section that is mounted between said first and second track sections, and first and second sets of load cells, said sets being mounted under said weighbridge on opposite sides of the central transverse vertical plane of said weighbridge and the load cells of each set of load cells being connected to provide an output voltage corresponding to the weight of the load applied to that set of load cells when an axle is on said weighbridge:

• means for axle, truck or entire car weighing including, in combination:
• wheel sensing means mounted beside said first track section and spaced from the adjacent end of said weighbridge a distance greater than the distance between adjacent axles of a truck of a freight car and a distance less than the distance between the inner axles of trucks of a freight car, for providing a signal in response to a wheel of an axle passing said wheel sensing means,
• control means that is connected to said first and second sets of load cells and to said wheel sensing means, including:
• first means for counting the signals from said wheel sensing means as a count of the number of axles of a freight car passing said wheel sensing means;
• second means responsive to the output voltages from said first set of load cells for counting axles of a freight car passing on to said adjacent end of said weighbridge;
• and
• means for determining a first coincident count between said first and second counting means;
• for axle weighing, means operative in response to the output voltage of said first set of load cells when an axle enters the weighbridge from said first track section for initiating a weighing operation utilizing the output of both of said sets of load cells, and means for accumulating the weights of successive weighing operations for a number of axles equal to twice said first coincident count for a total car weights;
• or for truck weighing, means operative in response to said first coincident count to initiate a first weighing operation utilizing the output of both of said sets of load cells, for initiating a second weighing operation when the count of said second counting means is twice the coincident count, and for accumulating the weight of said first and second weighing operations for a total car weight;
• or
• for entire car weighing, means operative in response to said second counting means when its count equals twice said first coincident count for initiating a weighing operation utilizing the output of both of said sets of load cells for a total weight;
• and
• means for recording the total weight of the freight car in response to said control means.

In a system for in-motion weighing of freight cars of a train having a locomotive, said system having spaced first and second track sections and a weighbridge with a track section that is mounted between said first and second track sections, the combination comprising:

• first and second sets of load cells, said sets being mounted under said weighbridge on opposite sides of the central transverse vertical plane of said weighbridge and the load cells of each set being connected to provide an output voltage representing the weight of the load applied to that set when an axle passes on to said weighbridge;
• means responsive to the output voltages from said first set of load cells for detecting and providing signals representing axles passing on to the adjacent end of said weighbridge in one direction of train movement or passing off said adjacent end of said weighbridge in the other direction of train movement;
• wheel sensing means located adjacent one of said track sections to sense a wheel on an axle passing through a zone, that is spaced from said adjacent end of said weighbridge a distance, so that the distance from at least one point in the zone to said adjacent end of said weighbridge is equal to the spacing of all adjacent axles of a truck of each freight car of the train but the distance from no point in the zone to said adjacent end of said weighbridge is equal to the distance between at least one set of adjacent axles of a truck of a locomotive, for sensing and providing signals representing passing wheels;
• means utilizing the output voltages from both sets of load cells for performing weighing operations to obtain separately the total weight of freight cars and locomotives of a train passing over said weighbridge in either direction;
• means for recording said total weight;
• and
• means for comparing a first signal from said axle detection means and a second signal from said wheel sensing means and operative in either direction of train movement for controlling the operation of said weight recording means to record the total weights of freight cars responsive to coincidence between said first and second signals and, selectively, to record or not record the total weights of locomotives responsive to lack of coincidence between said first and second signals.

A system for in-motion weighing of freight cars that comprises:

• spaced first and second tracks having aligned pairs of rails;
• a weighbridge, that is mounted between said first and second tracks and that has a third track, as the platform of said weighbridge, with gaps between the ends of its pair of rails and the rails of said first and second tracks, said first, second and third tracks providing a path of travel for the cars;
• first and second sets of load cells, said sets being mounted under said platform on opposite sides of the central transverse plane of said weighbridge and the load cells of each set of load cells being connected to provide an output voltage corresponding to the weight of the load applied to that set of load cells and loacated to provide a rapid change of output voltage from said first set of load cells when an axle passes onto the adjacent end of said weighbridge;
• wheel sensing means having a component mounted beside one of said rails of said first track and spaced from said first end of said third track of said weighbridge a distance greater than the distance between adjacent axles of a truck of a freight car and a distance less than the distance between the inner axles of trucks of a freight car, said component being constructed to provide a signal at an output in response to a wheel of an axle passing the location of said component;
• control means that is connected to said first and second sets of load cells and to said wheel sensing means and that is constructed:
• to count the signals from said wheel sensing means as axles pass the location of said component of said wheel sensing means;
• to count each rapid change of output voltage from said first set of load cells as axles of the same freight car pass onto said adjacent end of said weighbridge;
• to determine, as a first concident count, the number of axles of the first truck of that freight car when the count of signals from said wheel sensing means and the count of rapid changes of output voltage from said first set of load cells are equal;
• to determine, from said first coincident count and from subsequent signals from said wheel sensing means, when the last axle of the second truck of the freight car is passing said location of said component of said wheel sensing means;
• to determine, from said first coincident count and from subcounts of rapid change of output voltage from said first set of load cells, when the last axle of the second truck of that freight car has passed onto said adjacent end of said weighbridge;
• to restart the count of signals from said wheel sensing means whenever it is determined that said last axle is passing said location of said component of said wheel sensing means;
• and
• to restart the count of rapid changes of output voltage from said first set of load cells whenever it is determined that said last axle has passed onto said adjacent end of said weighbridge;
• means operative in response to said control means:
• for axle weighing, each time said control means has counted a rapid change of output voltage from said first set of load cells, to convert the output voltages, from said first and second sets of load cells, for a first predetermined period of time to digital information corresponding to the weight of an axle of a freight car on the weighbridge and to total the weights of axles, including the weight of the last axle, of that freight car;
• or
• for truck weighing, after said control means has determined said first coincident count for a freight car, to convert the output voltages from said first and second sets of load cells for a second predetermined period of time to digital information corresponding to the weight of said first truck of that freight car on the weighbridge, to repeat the conversion for said second predetermined period of time, after said control means has determined that said last axle has passed onto said adjacent end of said weighbridge, to digital information that corresponds to the weight of said second truck of that freight car on the weighbridge, and then to total the weights of the two trucks of that freight car;
• or
• for entire car weighing, after said control means has determined that said last axle of said second truck of a freight car has passed onto said adjacent end of said weighbridge, to convert the output voltages from said first and second sets of load cells for a third predetermined period of time to digital information corresponding to the total weight of that freight car;
• and
• print means to print out the total weight of the freight car in response to said control means that provides a signal after the total weight of the freight car has been obtained.

In a system for in-motion weighing of freight cars moving along a track having a track section on a weighbridge, said system having first and second sets of load cells mounted on said weighbridge at the entrance and exit portions of said weighbridge, that provide a rapid change of voltage signals when an axle enters and leaves, respectively, said weighbridge and that have their voltage signals used for a weighing operation while a predetermined number of axles are on said weighbridge, the improvement by additionally including:

• wheel sensing means at said track upstream from said weighbridge a predetermined distance;
• first data storage register means, connected to said wheel sensing means, for storing electrical signals representing axles detected by said wheel sensing means;
• second data storage register means, connected to said first set of load cells, for storing electrical signals, each representing a rapid change of voltage signal from said first set of load cells when an axle enters said weighbridge;
• total data storage register means, connected to both sets of load cells, for storing digital information representing the voltage signals from both sets of load cells for the number of weighing operations required to weigh one of said freight cars;
• and
• control logic means connected to said wheel sensing means, to said first and second data storage register means, and to said total data storage register means, for effectuating said storage operations of said electrical signals from said wheel sensing means and from said first set of load cells and of said digital information based on voltage signals from both of said sets of load cells, for comparing stored electrical signals in said first and second data storage register means to provide a digital signal based upon their relative signal status, and for comparing said digital signal with electrical signals in said second data storage means to initiate a transfer of digital information from said total data storage register means after completion of the weighing operations required to weigh said freight car.

In a system for in-motion weighing of freight cars of a train having a locomotive and moving along a track having a track section on a weighbridge, said system having first and second sets of load cells mounted on said weighbridge at the entrance and exit portions of said weighbridge, that provide a rapid change of voltage signals when an axle enters and leaves, respectively, said weighbridge and that have their voltage signals used for a weighing operation while a predetermined number of axles are on said weighbridge, the improvement by additionally including:

• wheel sensing means located adjacent one end of said weighbridge and adjacent one of said first and second sets of load cells to sense a wheel on an axle passing through a zone, that is spaced from said adjacent end of said weighbridge a distance, so that the distance from at least one point in the zone to said adjacent end of said weighbridge is equal to the spacing of all adjacent axles of a truck of each freight car of the train but the distance from no point in the zone to said adjacent end of said weighbridge is equal to the distance between at least one set of adjacent axles of a truck of a locomotive, for sensing and providing signals representing passing wheels;
• means connected to said adjacent set of load cells for detecting and providing signals representing axles passing on to or off said adjacent end of said weighbridge;
• and
• means for comparing a first signal from said axle-detecting means, connected to said first set of load cells, and a second signal from said wheel sensing means and operative in either direction of train movement for controlling the operation of recording a total vehicle weight so that there will be a recording in response to coincidence between said first and second signal for all adjacent axles of each truck of a freight car and, selectively, a recording or no recording for a locomotive in response to lack of coincidence between said first and second signals.

In a system for in-motion weighing of freight cars moving along a track having a track section on a weighbridge, said system having first and second sets of load cells mounted on said weighbridge at the entrance and exit portions of said weighbridge, that provide a rapid change of voltage signals when an axle enters and leaves, respectively, said weighbridge and that have their voltage signals used for a weighing operation while a predetermined number of axles are on said weighbridge, the improvement by additionally including:

• wheel sensing means at said track upstream from said weighbridge a predetermined distance for detecting axles;
• means connected to said first set of load cells to detect each axle entering said weighbridge based on a rapid change of voltage signal from said first set of load cells;
• and
• means connected to both sets of load cells to perform a weighing operation based on the voltage signals from both sets of load cells.