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US 7,858,888 B2Granted
Methods and systems for metering and monitoring material usage
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsBruce Lucas, Rebecca McConnell, Stephen Crain
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for transporting and/or sensing mass of industrially useful material to identify inventory, mass or volumetric delivery rates. A load measuring apparatus comprising a framework and at least one load sensors coupled to the framework is disclosed. The load sensor senses a load applied to the framework.
Claims16
A load measuring apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle;
- a weighing platform coupled to the vehicle;
- a transportable container removably securable to the weighing platform;
- a first lever arm defined by a first end and a second end;
- a second lever arm defined by a first end and a second end;
- a first support foot on the first lever arm and a second support foot on the second lever arm;
- and
- a load sensor;
- wherein the weighing platform is transportable by the vehicle;
- wherein the weighing platform is operable to weigh the transportable container;
- wherein the first ends of the first and the second lever arms are coupled to the weighing platform and the second ends of the first and the second lever arms are coupled to the load sensor;
- wherein the first support foot is located between the first end of the first lever arm and the second end of the first lever arm;
- and
- wherein the second support foot is located between the first end of the second lever arm and the second end of the second lever arm.
11 more elements
A load measuring apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle;
- a weighing platform coupled to the vehicle;
- and
- a transportable container removably securable to the weighing platform;
- wherein the weighing platform is hinged at a first end;
- a load sensor coupled to the weighing platform;
- a support foot coupled to the load sensor;
- and
- a lifting device coupled to the weighing platform, wherein the lifting device protects the load sensor from shock loads;
- wherein the load sensor senses a load applied to the weighing platform by the transportable container.
7 more elements
A method of measuring a load comprising:
- coupling a weighing platform to a vehicle;
- removably securing a transportable container to the weighing platform;
- coupling the weighing platform at a first end to a first torque sensor;
- providing support to a first side of the weighing platform;
- applying a load to a second side of the weighing platform;
- using the first torque sensor reading to determine a value of the load applied to the weighing platform by the transportable container;
- coupling the weighing platform at a second end to a second torque sensor;
- coupling a first lever arm to the first torque sensor;
- coupling a second lever arm to the second torque sensor;
- providing support to the first lever arm and the second lever arm;
- and
- determining a value of the load applied to the weighing platform by the transportable container from a sum of the torque sensed by the first torque sensor and the torque sensed by the second torque sensor.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.