Abstract: A method of providing a display signal, wherein digital data to be displayed has associated with it statistical values determined for pre-determined sized blocks of the digital data, comprising the steps of: determining display scaling parameters; determining from the display scaling parameters the extent to which the statistical values are suitable to use in place of some or all of the digital data when determining which data points of either the digital data and/or statistical values to display; determining the data points to display; reading the digital data and/or statistical values to be displayed; and generating the display signal from the digital data and/or statistical values.

Abstract: A load cell bending beam includes a mounting block, a sensing arm, and a load receiving arm connected in succession, and preferably integrally, to one another. The mounting block is to be secured onto a reference support. The load receiving arm is “folded back” under the sensing arm, so the two arms extend respectively along two substantially parallel planes that are spaced apart from one another. A load to be measured is introduced through a clearance hole in the sensing arm onto the load receiving arm, so as to deflect the load receiving arm and therewith the sensing arm. Strain gages arranged on remaining flexure beams of the sensing arm beside the clearance hole measure the resulting strain. The bending beam has a low profile height and is preferably machined from a single monolithic block of metal with a narrow slot (e.g. less than 0.1 inch) separating the two arms.

Abstract: A load cell includes a strain gage on a narrow sensing section of a beam element, on a planar outer surface facing outwardly from the median plane extending longitudinally through the cell. A cup-shaped seal cap enclosing the strain gage is laser welded onto the outer surface of the beam element to form a hermetic seal. A wiring tunnel in the load cell body leads from inside the seal cap into an electronics cavity for wires to pass from the strain gage to electronic circuitry. The load cell body and seal caps, made of stainless steel or titanium, are hermetically sealed for use in harsh environments. The seal caps have a minimal influence on strain in the sensing sections. The load cell has a low-end capacity of 5 kg or less.

Abstract: A load cell includes two beam elements and a strain gage arranged on a narrow sensing section of a beam element, on a flat planar outer surface facing outwardly away from the median plane extending longitudinally through the load cell. A cup-shaped seal cap encloses the strain gage, and is laser welded onto the outer surface of the beam element to form a hermetic seal. A wiring tunnel in the load cell body leads from inside the seal cap into an electronics cavity for wires to pass from the strain gage to electronic circuitry in the cavity. The load cell body and seal caps, made of stainless steel or titanium, are entirely hermetically sealed and suitable for use in harsh environments. The seal caps have a minimal influence on the strain development in the beam element sensing sections. The load cell has a low-end capacity of 5 kg or less.

Abstract: A tank weigh module includes a bottom plate that has two lower stop blocks protruding upwardly therefrom, and a top plate that has an upper stop block protruding downwardly therefrom into a space between the two upper stop blocks with a block free play clearance therebetween. A restraining pin is arranged to extend through aligned pin receiving holes in all of the stop blocks. In the lower stop blocks, the holes provide a tight friction fit for the pin, while the hole in the upper stop block has a larger diameter and provides a pin free play clearance. Motion of the top plate relative to the bottom plate in the back-and-forth Y-direction is limited to the extent of the block free play clearance. Travel of the top plate in the side-to-side X-direction and in the uplift Z-direction is restrained by the extent of the pin free play clearance. Tilting and twisting about the X-, Y-, and Z-axes are also limited by the pin interacting with the blocks and the blocks interacting with each other.

Abstract: A torsion ring transducer has a sensing ring mounted in a ring housing by a first ring web between the housing and the sensing ring and by a second ring web between the sensing ring and a central load application body. The ring housing is secured to a mounting base by an isolation device, for example, a ring cylinder having a defined cylinder wall length in the direction of a central transducer axis and a defined cylinder wall thickness in the radial direction. The ring cylinder prevents mounting effects from reaching the sensing ring.

Abstract: A precision pressure sensor in the form of a load cell has a mounting ring closed at one end by an end wall which has axially outwardly facing dead-end holes therein to form sensor beams each having an axially outwardly facing plane surface to which strain gages are bonded. The dead-end holes have bottoms forming sensor membranes. Opposite the closed end the mounting ring encloses a cavity forming a sensor space which is closed by a closure plug that simultaneously has a bore for admitting fluid under pressure to be measured into the sensor space. A ring groove in the end wall has approximately radially sloping surfaces which together with the dead-end holes determine the minimum cross-section of the measuring beams. The ring groove also determines the minimum thickness of the sensor membranes.

Abstract: A measured voltage is converted into a digital value according to the follow-up principle. A compensation signal is added to the measuring signal so that the mean value of both signals becomes zero. The compensation signal is formed from at least two auxiliary compensation values which are each a square wave signal having a fixed frequency and a keying ratio which is adjustable independently of the other square wave voltage. The keying ratios are varied or adjusted so that the compensation signal compensates the measured signal. In order to achieve this the value deviating from zero of the sum of the measured signal and the compensation signal is integrated, converted into digital values, and supplied to a PI-or PID-control circuit which controls in a closed loop manner the keying ratios of the square wave signals. The I-value of the PI- or PID-control circuit serves as a measure of the measured voltage.

Abstract: An electrical bridge circuit arrangement for multi-position measuring includes an auxiliary or standard resistance half bridge and measuring resistances (M.sub.1, M.sub.2, M.sub.3) arranged in respective bridge arm circuits. An auxiliary or standard resistance (E) common to all measuring resistances is part of the bridge circuit. The measuring resistances (M.sub.1, M.sub.2, M.sub.3) and the auxiliary resistance (E) can be connected to a supply voltage by means of supply voltage switches (S.sub.12, S.sub.22, S.sub.32 ; S.sub.E3). The voltages present at the ends of the supply voltage diagonal of the bridge circuit are tapped by conductors (L'.sub.12, L'.sub.22, L'.sub.32 ; L'.sub.E3) and are supplied to the inputs of operational amplifiers (1, 2) which adjust or control the voltage level at the tapping point to a reference level. Voltage drops across the measuring diagonal are tapped by additional conductors (L.sub.31, L.sub.21, L.sub.11 ; L.sub.

Abstract: The load measuring sensitivities of transducers, such as beam type transducers, or the like, are desensitized by connecting a desensitizing resistance in series with the strain gages attached to a transducer so that these desensitizing resistances become part of the respective bridge arm in which the corresponding strain gage is located. In a group of four transducers, each carrying, for example two strain gages, the transducer which has the lowest sensitivity is ascertained. Thereafter, the sensitivities of the other three transducers are reduced by the desensitizing resistors connected directly in series with the strain gages in the other three transducers so that all have substantially the same sensitivity as the mentioned lowest initial sensitivity in the group of transducers. Any influences of these desensitizing resistors from one bridge arm to another bridge arm are considered in the derivation of the correct desensitizing resistances.

Abstract: The deforming body of a force measuring device or load cell is provided with radial stems (3) equipped with foil strain gages (7) and integrally connected to a hollow cylindrical outer ring (1) and to a central hub (2). The outer ring (1) and the central hub (2) extend axially on both sides of a central plane (5) at least as far as three times the largest thickness of the radial stems (3). A force introducing flange (13) is arranged on the outside of the outer ring (1) and lies in the radial central plane (5) of the radial stems (3). Each stem (3) is thicker at its ends near the hub and ring so that the thinnest stem portion is located approximately intermediate the stem ends for providing a linear characteristic for the load cell which is substantially non-sensitive to any loads other than loads applied perpendicularly to the central radial plane.

Abstract: Conventional transducer beams, and in particular platform load cells, can be simply and economically protected from accidental damage that may be incurred during handling and shipping. Safety screws, preferably of high strength plastic, are inserted in threaded holes that are drilled through the transducer beam so that the screws take up substantial portions of accidental loads, thereby protecting the fragile sensing sections of the transducer beam. The safety screws are to be left in place until the units are incorporated into respective platform type scales and the scales are installed for their ultimate use.

Abstract: A platform for a scale is formed by elongate elements rigidly interconnected to provide a platform frame structure having, for example, an H-configuration. The strain gage transducer beams are formed integrally at each end of the elongate elements. Vertical load components are introduced into the transducer beams by suitably locating support feet under the platform frame structure so that the beams may properly flex. Load transfer from an upper platform to the transducer beams is preferably accomplished by ball and socket loading devices provided at each end of the elongate elements forming the frame structure.

Abstract: The present patient weighing scale provides an automatic display of the patient's weight in digital form. For this purpose, a stretcher is secured to a cantilever boom through supporting means including two beam type transducers, for example double bending beam transducers, responsive to vertical forces and located in the respective ends of a tubular crossbar. The tubular crossbar is one element in a chain of supporting elements between trhe stretcher and the cantilever boom. The supporting elements include preferably pivots or bearings arranged so that the forces resulting from the weight of the patient extend in parallel to the direction of gravity whereby the transducer measuring axis always coincides with the direction of the gravity vector independently of the boom angle.

Abstract: In a platform scale in which the strain gage transducer beams are preferably formed as an integral part of a platform it is important that any distortions such as horizontal or angular force components that could falsify the reading of the weight, are prevented from affecting the transducers. For this purpose, the vertical load or weight representing force components are transmitted to each strain gage transducer beam through at least two cooperating curved, preferably spherical, surfaces. One curved surface has a larger curvature than the other so that a sufficient motion in any horizontal direction is permitted. The horizontal yielding prevents the transmission of a horizontal or angular force component to the sensing strain gages of the respective transducer beam but does not adversely affect the vertical force transmission to the transducer beams.

Abstract: Off-center load applications to strain gage pick-ups or transducers are substantially compensated by reducing the off-center load application sensitivity of such transducers. This is accomplished by providing the strain gage of the transducer with additional strain gage components which are so located that the effective position of the strain gage device is shifted on its supporting spring body. Thus, although the strain gage device remains physically in position on the supporting spring body, the center of the coordinate system which defines the ordinate of the system can be shifted in any one of the four directions of the system. If the spring body is equipped with a single strain gage only then the point of load application should lie upon the ordinate of the coordinate system what can be achieved by that shifting. If the spring body is equipped with more than one strain gage then the symmetry of the whole strain gage circuitry can be improved by shifting of the respective strain gage coordinate systems.

Abstract: A strain gage transducer, preferably of the above double bending spring or beam type, has secured to its spring or springs strain gage elements etched out of foil from which further conductor configurations have been simultaneously etched. These further conductor configurations are shunted by interruptable short circuits. Some of these configurations have such a shape that they are substantially nonsensitive to strain and hence located in a zone or zones of the spring or beam where the deformation due to strain is relatively small, for example in a central zone. Others of these configurations have a shape to exhibit large creeping. The latter shapes and the respective strain gage elements are secured to the spring or springs substantially in zones of large deformation. By interrupting the proper short circuits the negative creeping of the foil strain gage compensates the positive creeping of the respective spring.

Abstract: A liquid filled pressure pick-up or transducer comprises a housing, as strain gage sensor is supported in a liquid filled cavity in the housing and a membrane extends across an opening in the housing. A force transmitting rod connects the membrane to the strain gage sensor. In order to avoid damage especially to the membrane by extreme excess pressures, a plastically deformable support member acting as a stop is operatively held in the housing substantially in parallel to the membrane whereby the rod extends with play through the support member. An elastic seal extends around the rod hole in the support member toward the membrane. A substantially mirror symmetrical arrangement of two membranes and two support members results in a differential pressure transducer.

Abstract: A foil strain gauge pick-up is protected against environmental adverse influences by a multi-layer covering hermetically sealing and enclosing substantially the entire pick-up including its terminals. The covering includes at least two layers, preferably three layers. The first layer adjacent to the foil strain gauge proper is an electrically insulating layer. The outer layer may be a vapor deposited metal or oxide layer. An intermediate layer may be electrically conducting.

Abstract: The moment sensitivity of shear beam transducers is mechanically compensated to make such transducers relatively insensitive to load applications which are off-center relative to an optimal point of load application. Such shear beam transducers have a free end forming a load application section, a mounting section, and a fillet located substantially where the sections merge. The compensation is made by providing the fillet initially with a larger radius than the final compensating radius. The compensation is made by gradually changing the fillet radius until the transducer output shows substantially no difference between the measurement resulting from applying a defined load in the optimal loading point and the measurement resulting from applying the same load off-center the optimal loading point whereby the transducer becomes substantially insensitive to such off-center load applications.