Surface mount torque loadcell

A refuse collection vehicle having a hydraulically operated lifting apparatus, including at least one lift arm for lifting, dumping, and lowering a refuse container, and a fork arm and a torque tube, which is pivotally attached to the lift arm and is fixedly attached to the fork arm, and a weighing system for weighing the loaded refuse container as it is lifted and loaded and the empty container as it is being lowered, the weighing system including:

• a surface-mounted, bending beam loadcell attached to the torque tube;
• the bending beam loadcell generating a first electric signal that corresponds to the torque that is generated by the fork arm on the torque tube
• a compression sensing loadcell attached to the fork arm;
• the compression sensing loadcell generating a second electric signal that corresponds to the container's center-of-gravity by measuring the compression of the fork arm when the container is lifted;
• and
• a computer connected to the loadcells receiving the electric signals, therewith calculating the weight of the container.

A method for weighing a load on a lifting apparatus mounted to a vehicle, wherein the lifting apparatus includes a lift arm assembly and a torque tube that is pivotally attached to the lift arm assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

• lifting the load by means of an arm of the lift arm assembly;
• measuring torque, which is generated by the load on the torque tube;
• generating a first electric signal corresponding to and calibrated to the amount of torque on the torque tube;
• and
• calculating the weight of the load lifted by the lift arm assembly with an electronic calculation device using the electric signals.