Abstract: An electrical insulator having high mechanical strength is disclosed for use in connection with a force sensor body portion of a weld probe force gage. The force sensing body includes a pair of pockets for receiving a corresponding pair of welding electrodes. The pockets are lined with one or more anodized aluminum alloy inserts. Disposed upon each surface of each insert is a layer of oxide, which acts as an electrical insulator. The inserts are bonded to the receiving pockets so that one layer of oxide is internally disposed between the receiving pocket and the electrode. The force sensor body is fabricated from an aluminum alloy and anodized to form a second oxide layer between the receiving pockets and the inserts. The inserts protect the two oxide layers from external mechanical wear from welding electrodes.

Abstract: A zero tracking circuit (32) monitors the output of an electronic scale employing a dual slope integrating type analog-to-digital converter (20) to detect low magnitude output signal levels characteristic of drift and other low level noise. The converter (20) samples the magnitude of an input analog signal proportional to applied weight and in response controls a count accumulated in a resettable up/down counter (36). The counter (36) is manually reset to provide tare, that is, to provide a zero reading with an applied weight. The output of the counter (36) is supplied to a digital display (40a-40d) that displays changes in applied weight. The zero tracking circuit (32) includes a decoder (56) that monitors the output of the counter (36) and in response to low magnitude counts characteristic of drift, e.g., one count on each side of zero, resets the counter (36) to eliminate the drift.

Abstract: A low profile scale utilizes four strain gage-based sensing beams which are isolated from mechanically or thermally-induced distortions on the weighing platform by means of interposed elastic elements. The platform is capable of moving upwardly relative to the sensing elements without transmitting any load thereto. The platform cooperates with a floating lower enclosure system to essentially seal the mechanism so that it is splash proof and washable as required for use in the food industry. Adjustable overload stops channel excess forces around the sensing beams to protect them from damage.

Abstract: A scale for precise weighing measurements utilizing a strain gauge load cell includes a weighing platform which is cantilevered to one side of the load cell in order to permit a high profile load cell to be used while retaining a low platform height. An overload protection system causes the platform to bottom out against a fixed supporting base when a predetermined load is exceeded.