Weight, balance, and tire pressure detection systems

A weight and balance system for an aircraft or the like having a support which bends in proportion to the weight applied thereto comprising, a pair of members mounted one at each end of said support and each having means for measuring the angle of bend of said support, and means for determining the weight from the measured angle of bend of said support.

A weight and balance system for an aircraft having landing gear including a nose gear with an axle member and at least one main landing gear having a bogie beam member and wherein said axle member and bogie beam member bend in a known manner relative to the aircraft weight supported thereby comprising, a pair of inclinometers mounted to each of said axle and said bogie beam members adjacent opposite ends thereof and each having a signal output representing the angle of the associated member with respect to the horizontal, and means for summing signal outputs of each pair of inclinometers as an indication of aircraft weight.

A weight measuring system for an aircraft which determines weight carried by a section of the aircraft by measuring the bend of a structural member associated with said section as caused by said carried weight comprising, a pair of inclinometers mounted to said section member at locations at opposite sides of said carried weight and each having a signal output representing the angle of the section member at said locations relative to a reference plane.

A weight measuring system for an aircraft wing which extends outwardly from the aircraft fuselage and has fuel tanks comprising, a plurality of inclinometers mounted on said wing one at either side of said fuel tanks, said inclinometers each having a signal output representing the angle of the wing at the location of the inclinometer, and means for comparing said signal outputs to determine the bend of the wing between inclinometers as caused by the weight of fuel in said fuel tanks.

A weight measuring system for determining weight carried by an aircraft having a fuselage and a pair of wings extending therefrom with landing gear associated with each of said wings and said wings having fuel tanks comprising, a plurality of servoed accelerometers positioned relative to said fuselage and wings to have a pair of accelerometers mounted at opposite sides of each fuel tank and each landing gear and at said fuselage, each of said accelerometers having an electrical output representing the angle taken by that part of the aircraft to which the accelerometer is mounted, and means for comparing the outputs of the paired accelerometers to determine the bend of that part of the aircraft caused by carried weight.

A weight and balance system for an aircraft having landing gear including a nose gear with an axle member and at least one main landing gear having a bogie beam member and wherein said axle member and bogie beam member bend in a known manner relative to the aircraft weight supported thereby comprising, a plurality of servoed accelerometers each having a sensitive axis, a pair of said servoed accelerometers mounted to each of said axle and said bogie beam members adjacent opposite ends thereof with their sensitive axes in parallel with the axis of the associated member and each having a signal output representing the angle of the associated member with respect to the horizontal, and means for summing signal outputs of each pair of servoed accelerometers as an indication of aircraft weight.

A low tire detection system for an aircraft having at least one main landing gear having a bogie beam member and front and rear tires, a pair of inclinometers mounted to said bogie beam member adjacent opposite ends thereof with their sensitive axis parallel to the bogie beam member and each having a signal output representing the angle of the bogie beam member with respect to the horizontal, and means for subtracting signal outputs of each pair of inclinometers as an indication of tilt of the bogie beam member caused by one tire being improperly pressurized.

A low tire detection system for an aircraft having at least one main landing gear having a bogie beam member and front and rear pairs of tires comprising, a first pair of inclinometers mounted to said bogie beam member adjacent opposite ends thereof with their sensitive axis parallel to the bogie beam member and each having a signal output representing the angle of the bogie beam member with respect to the horizontal, means for subtracting signal outputs of said pair of inclinometers as an indication of tilt of the beam member, and a second pair of inclinometers mounted adjacent said first pair and having their sensitive axis normal to the sensitive axis of said first pair for detecting torsional twist of the bogie beam member.

A weight measuring system for a device having a member which bends in response to weight comprising, a pair of inclinometers mounted to said member adjacent opposite ends thereof and each having a signal output representing the angle of the member with respect to a reference plane, and means for combining said signal outputs to generate a signal representative of weight on said member.

A weight and balance system for a device having a support which bends in proportion to the weight applied thereto comprising, a pair of members mounted one at each end of said support and each having means for measuring the angle of bend of said support, and means for determining the weight from the measured angle of bend of said support.

A weight measuring system for a vehicle having a member which bends in response to weight comprising, a pair of inclinometers mounted to said member adjacent opposite ends thereof and each having a signal output representing the angle of the member with respect to a reference plane, and means for combining said signal outputs to generate a signal representative of weight on said member.

A weight and balance system for a vehicle having a support which bends in proportion to the weight applied thereto comprising, a pair of members mounted one at each end of said support and each having means for measuring the angle of bend of said support, and means for determining the weight from the measured angle of bend of said support.

A low tire detection system for a vehicle having front and rear pairs of tires and a member between the pairs of tires comprising, a first pair of inclinometers mounted to said member adjacent opposite ends thereof with their sensitive axis parallel to the member and each having a signal output representing the angle of the member with respect to the horizontal, means for subtracting signal outputs of said pair of inclinometers as an indication of tilt of the member, and a second pair of inclinometers mounted adjacent said first pair and having their sensitive axis normal to the sensitive axis of said first pair for detecting torsional twist of the member.