Platform scale with under-platform mounted load cell protection cases for reducing side forces

A weighing scale assembly comprising:

• (a) at least two weighing scale units, each weighing scale unit including;
• (i) a pair of L-shaped bases for contacting a support surface, each base including a horizontal bottom leg for contacting the support surface and a vertical top leg extending upwardly from the bottom leg;
• (ii) a platform for contact with a load, the platform having four corners, the platform disposed above the base, the platform having four load cell mounts, each one of the load cell mounts disposed proximate a corner of the platform and providing a deflection gap between a load cell and the platform, each load cell mount having a pair of mounting apertures and an access aperture;
• (iii) four load cell cases, each disposed below a load cell mount, each load cell case having a top member which abuts the load cell mount and a continuous side member extending downwardly from the periphery of the top member to define a load cell enclosure with an open bottom, the top member having a pass through apertures aligned with the mounting apertures and adjustment access aperture of the platform:
• (iv) a four single ended, shear beam load cells, each one of the load cells being disposed in the load cell enclosure of a load cell case, each load cell having a body of a predetermined length with a first end and second end disposed toward the platform corner, and a pair of mounting apertures disposed toward the first end and aligned with the mounting apertures of the platform, and a threaded fastening aperture disposed toward the second end and aligned with the adjustment access aperture of the platform, each load cell being fastened to the platform at its first end by a pair of threaded fasteners disposed through the mounting apertures, the pass through apertures of the case, and the mounting apertures of the platform, each fastener threaded bottom end extending below the load cell body and having a threaded nut attached thereto;
• (iv) four engagement members, each one of the engagement members being in operational contact with the base and one of the load cells, each engagement member including a foot nut disposed on the top surface of the base bottom leg and having a vertically disposed threaded aperture, a foot member fastening the foot nut to the bottom leg, and a threaded engagement fastener of a predetermined length, the engagement fastener bottom end being threadedly disposed in the foot nut aperture and the engagement fastener top end being threadedly disposed in the fastening aperture of the load cell;
• and
• whereby, in use, a load applied to the platform is directed to the first end of each load cell in cooperation with the second end of each load cell being supported by the respective engagement members, and the protection of the load cells by the respective load cell cases, optimizing load sensing deflection of the single ended shear beam load cells;
• and
• (b) an electrical control/display and a power supply operatively connected to the at least two weighing scale units for displaying the total weight supported by the scale assembly.

A vehicle weighing scale assembly comprising:

• (a) a pair of side-by-side weighing scale units separated a predetermined distance from each other corresponding to the track or wheel width of a vehicle to be weighed, each weighing scale unit including front and rear tandem scales, each scale including:
• (i) a pair of L-shaped bases of a predetermined length for contacting a support surface, each base including a horizontal bottom leg for contacting the support surface and a vertical top leg extending upwardly from the bottom leg;
• (ii) a rectangular platform for contact with a load, the platform having front and rear ends and left and right sides defining a predetermined platform width equivalent to the length of the bases and a predetermined platform length which forms a vehicle travel path and which is greater than the platform width, the platform further having four corners, the platform disposed above the base, the platform having four load cell mounts, each one of the load cell mounts disposed proximate a corner of the platform and providing a deflection gap between a load cell and the platform, each load cell mount having a pair of mounting apertures and an access aperture;
• (iii) four load cell cases, each disposed below a load cell mount, each load cell case having a top member which abuts the load cell mount and a continuous side member extending downwardly from the periphery of the top member to define a load cell enclosure with an open bottom, the top member having a pass through apertures aligned with the mounting apertures and adjustment access aperture of the platform;
• (iv) a four single ended, shear beam load cells, each one of the load cells being disposed in the load cell enclosure of a load cell case, each load cell having a body of a predetermined length with a first end and second end, the body being disposed longitudinally with respect to the lengthwise travel path of the platform and the second end being disposed toward the platform corner, and a pair of mounting apertures disposed toward the first end and aligned with the mounting apertures of the platform, and a threaded fastening aperture disposed toward the second end and aligned with the adjustment access aperture of the platform, each load cell being fastened to the platform at its first end by a pair of threaded fasteners disposed through the mounting apertures, the pass through apertures of the case, and the mounting apertures of the platform, each fastener threaded bottom end extending below the load cell body and having a threaded nut attached thereto;
• (iv) four engagement members, each one of the engagement members being in operational contact with the base and one of the load cells, each engagement member including a foot nut disposed on the top surface of the base bottom leg and having a vertically disposed threaded aperture, a foot member fastening the foot nut to the bottom leg, and a threaded engagement fastener of a predetermined length, the engagement fastener bottom end being threadedly disposed in the foot nut aperture and the engagement fastener top end being threadedly disposed in the fastening aperture of the load cell, the engagement fastener having a length sufficient to elevate the load cell, load cell case and platform off of the ground a predetermined distance for placement of lift fork for lifting;
• whereby, in use, a load applied to the platform is directed to the first end of each load cell in cooperation with the second end of each load cell being supported by the respective engagement members, and the protection of the load cells by the respective load cell cases, optimizing load sensing deflection of the single ended shear beam load cells;
• and
• (b) each weighing scale unit further including:
• (i) a base connector disposed between the rear end of the front scale and the front end of the rear scale and attaching the scales in tandem;
• and
• (ii) an entry ramp connected to the front end of the front scale and an exit ramp connected to the rear end of the rear scale;
• (c) an electrical control/display and a power supply operatively connected to the two pairs of weighing scale units for displaying the total weight supported by the scale assembly.

A method of weighing an axle of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

• (A) providing a weighing scale assembly comprising;
• (i) a pair of weighing scale units, each unit including;
• (a) a base for contacting a support surface;
• (b) a platform for contact with a load, the platform disposed above the base, the platform having a predetermined number of load cell mounts, each one of the load cell mounts providing a deflection gap between a load cell and the platform;
• (c) a load cell case connected below each load cell mount, each load cell case having a top member which abuts the load cell mount and a continuous side member extending downwardly from the periphery of the top member to define a load cell enclosure with an open bottom;
• (d) a number of single ended, shear beam load cells equal to the number of load cell mounts, each one of the load cells being disposed in the load cell enclosure of a load cell case, each load cell having a body of a predetermined length with a first end connected to the platform and a second end extending therefrom;
• and
• (e) an engagement member connected to the second end of each load cell, each one of the engagement members being in operational contact with the base, each engagement member including a foot disposed on the top surface of the base and having a vertically disposed threaded aperture, and a threaded engagement fastener of a predetermined length, the engagement fastener bottom end being threadedly disposed in the foot aperture and the engagement fastener top end being threadedly disposed in the second end of the load cell,
• (B) positioning each scale unit of the weighing scale assembly on a support surface;
• (C) moving an axled vehicle onto the scale assembly such that each scale unit supports one end of an axle thereof;
• and
• (D) observing the output of the electrical display.