Cable load sensing device

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:871420

Beus, Michael J ^[1]; McCoy, William G ^[1]

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1. Spokane, WA

Apparatus for sensing the magnitude of a load on a cable as the cable is employed to support the load includes a beam structure clamped to the cable so that a length of the cable lies along the beam structure. A spacer associated with the beam structure forces a slight curvature in a portion of the length of cable under a cable "no-load" condition so that the portion of the length of cable is spaced from the beam structure to define a cable curved portion. A strain gauge circuit including strain gauges is secured to the beam structure by welding. As the cable is employed to support a load the load causes the cable curved portion to exert a force normal to the cable through the spacer and on the beam structure to deform the beam structure as the cable curved portion attempts to straighten under the load. As this deformation takes place, the resistance of the strain gauges is set to a value proportional to the magnitude of the normal strain on the beam structure during such deformation. The magnitude of the normal strain is manipulated in a control device to generate a value equal to the magnitude or weight of the load supported by the cable.

• Research Organization: USDOE Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC), PA (United States)
• Assignee: United States Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5728953
• OSTI ID: 871420
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

cable
load
sensing
device
apparatus
magnitude
employed
support
beam
structure
clamped
length
lies
spacer
associated
forces
slight
curvature
portion
no-load
condition
spaced
define
curved
strain
gauge
circuit
including
gauges
secured
welding
causes
exert
force
normal
deform
attempts
straighten
deformation
takes
resistance
set
value
proportional
manipulated
control
generate
equal
weight
supported
circuit including
strain gauges
strain gauge
control device
sensing device
beam structure
value equal
load sensing
curved portion
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