Vehicle trailer bed overload indicating system

Claim 2

An overload sensor for a load-supporting area that is yieldably supported, as by leaf spring means above vehicle axle means, said overload sensor including a first contact carrier universally suspended below said load-supporting area including means insulatively carrying a first contact suspended therewithin to extend therebelow, a second contact carrier downwardly universally connected to extend above said vehicle axle means and supporting a grounded second contact thereabove, said second contact carrier including a tubular member to receive said first contact carrier intertelescoped thereinto and relatively rotatable therewithin with relation thereto and into guidable contact therewith, compression spring means based within said insulative means above said first contact to bear yieldably downwardly thereagainst to yieldably buff against said first contact in its slidable upward travel in overtravel after overload effected, relative movement between and within said carriers, said sensor having an electrically powered indicia circuit connected through said insulative means above said compression spring to extend insulatively through and from said first contact carrier to carry current upon circuit closure through said first and second contacts, whereby to indicate the occurrence of overload upon said load-supporting area.

Claim 3

An overload sensor for a load-supporting area that is yieldably supported, as by leaf spring means above vehicle axle means, said sensor including a first contact carrier universally suspenDed below said load-supporting area, a second contact carrier intertelescoped within, and relatively rotatable within said first contact carrier and universally supported above said vehicle axle means and disposed for contact closure upon relative movement between said contact carrier and universally supported above said vehicle axle means and disposed for contact closure upon relative movement between said contact carriers, said second contact carrier insulatively mounting a second contact therein within its lower end and from which extends an insulated conductor, a first contact normally supported within said first contact carrier, also compression spring means based within said first contact carrier above said first contact to bear yieldably downwardly thereagainst to yieldably buff against said first contact in its slidable upward travel in overtravel after overload effected relative movement between said carriers has carried said first contact into grounding contact closure with said second contact, said insulated conductor extending from said lower end of said universally supported, first contact carrier to a source of electrical power and to carry circuit means operative upon contact closure to sense overload.

Claim 4

An overload sensor for a load-supporting area that is yieldably supported, as by leaf spring means above vehicle axle means, said sensor including a first contact carrier universally suspenDed below said load-supporting area, a second contact carrier intertelescoped within, and relatively rotatable within said first contact carrier and universally supported above said vehicle axle means and disposed for contact closure upon relative movement between said contact carrier and universally supported above said vehicle axle means and disposed for contact closure upon relative movement between said contact carriers, said second contact carrier insulatively mounting a second contact therein within its lower end and from which extends an insulated conductor, a first contact normally supported within said first contact carrier, also compression spring means based within said first contact carrier above said first contact to bear yieldably downwardly thereagainst to yieldably buff against said first contact in its slidable upward travel in overtravel after overload effected relative movement between said carriers has carried said first contact into grounding contact closure with said second contact, said insulated conductor extending from said lower end of said universally supported, first contact carrier to a source of electrical power and to carry circuit means operative upon contact closure to sense overload.

Claim 5

An overload sensor for a load-supporting area that is yieldably supported, as by leaf spring means above vehicle axle means, said overload sensor including a first contact carrier universally suspended below said load-supporting area including means insulatively carrying a first contact therein for disposition in extent downwardly therewithin, a second contact carrier downwardly universally connected to extend above said vehicle axle means and intertelescoped within, and relatively rotatable within said first contact carrier, a second contact within said second contact carrier and yieldably supported therein by compression spring means to upstand around an included ground rod which bases upon said second contact carrier and intertelescopes upwardly into said second contact to carry ground contact therefrom to said second contact carrier, whereby after overload effects contact closure between said first and second contacts, said compression spring means buffs against further downward travel of said second contact responsive to further load upon said load-supporting area, said sensor having an electrically powered sensing circuit connected through and from said first contact above said first contact carrier to carry circuit, upon circuit closure through said first and second contacts, to sense the occurrence of overload upon said load-supporting area.

Claim 6

An overload sensor for a load-supporting area that is yieldably supported, as by leaf spring means above vehicle axle means, said overload sensor including a first contact carrier universally suspended below said load-supporting area including means insulatively carrying a first contact therein for disposition in extent downwardly therewithin, a second contact carrier downwardly universally connected to extend above said vehicle axle means and intertelescoped within, and relatively rotatable within said first contact carrier, a second contact within said second contact carrier and yieldably supported therein by compression spring means to upstand around an included ground rod which bases upon said second contact carrier and intertelescopes upwardly into said second contact to carry ground contact therefrom to said second contact carrier, whereby after overload effects contact closure between said first and second contacts, said compression spring means buffs against further downward travel of said second contact responsive to further load upon said load-supporting area, said sensor having an electrically powered sensing circuit connected through and from said first contact above said first contact carrier to carry circuit, upon circuit closure through said first and second contacts, to sense the occurrence of overload upon said load-supporting area.

Claim 7

An overload sensor as claimed in claim 3, which includes means to insulate said second contact carrier from grounding through connection above said vehicle axle means, in which said second contact carrier is grounded through said first contact carrier, and which includes ground strap means to carry ground from said first contact carrier to said load-supporting area.

Claim 8

An overload sensor as claimed in claim 3 in which said source of electrical power comprises the storage battery of a motor vehicle prime mover which draws behind it the vehicle providing the vehicle axle means above which said load-supporting area is supported.

Claim 9

An overload sensor as claimed in claim 2, in which said first contact carrier is universally suspended below said load-supporting area by a first universal joint, and in which said second contact carrier is universally supported above said vehicle axle means by a second universal joint.

Claim 10

An overload sensor as claimed in claim 3, in which said load-supporting area comprises the bed of a truck.

Claim 11

An overload sensor as claimed in claim 3, which additionally includes a second overload sensor as thus claimed, in which said load-supporting area comprises the bed of a truck trailer, in which said vehicle axle means comprises a forward axle means of the truck trailer and a rearward axle means thereof, said overload sensor being disposed between the forward, underside of the traileR bed and said forward axle means, and said additional overload sensor being disposed between the rearward, underside of the trailer bed and said rearward axle means.

Claim 12

An overload sensor as claimed in claim 3, which additionally includes three more overload sensors as thus claimed, in which said load-supporting area comprises the bed of a truck trailer, in which said vehicle axle means comprises a forward axle means of the truck trailer and a rearward axle means thereof, two of the aforesaid sensors being disposed between the respective left and right forward underside areas of the truck trailer bed, and said forward axle means, and the other two of the aforesaid sensors being disposed between the respective left and right rearward underside areas of the truck trailer bed, and said rearward axle means.

Claim 13

An overload sensor as claimed in claim 3, in which said second contact carrier is downwardly universally connected to extend above said vehicle axle means by a support member, in which said vehicle axle means comprise first ans second axles of a tandem unit, a pin connected to and upstanding from said first axle, an upright member connected to and upstanding from said second axle, a tubular member extending around said pin and thereabove and based upon said first axle, an upright member connected to and upstanding from said axle, said support member being connected at one end to said tubular member and provided a yoke at the other end thereof, and a transverse pivot pin connecting said yoke to the upper end of said upright member.