Weighing apparatus with overload protection for off-center loading

Claim 1

A weighing instrument which comprises: (a) a planar frame for engaging a support surface, said frame having a central area for receiving a load cell thereon; (b) a load cell having a first end including a raised mounting surface and a second opposing end including raised load receiving surface, a portion of said mounting surface engaging the central area of said frame; (c) a first adjustable stop affixed to the central area of said frame proximate to the first end of said load cell; (d) a large area weighing platform having a load receiving upper surface; (e) a plurality of radially extending support arms coupled between the load receiving surface of said load cell and the outer peripheral region of the weighing platform; (f) a support member extending between two adjacent support arms and overlying a portion of the second end of said load cell; (g) a second adjustable stop affixed to the support member proximate to the second end of said load cell, said first and second stops residing within a plane orthogonal to the weighing platform; (h) a pair of overload protectors affixed to the central area of said frame and extending upwardly towards and being spaced from said weighing platform to limit downward movement thereof to a predetermined distance, said first pair residing within a plane which is orthogonal to the weighing platform and to the plane of said first and second stops, each stop and overload protector residing within adjacent quadrants about the load cell to thereby protect said cell from centrally located excess loading of the weighing platform; and (i) peripheral overload protectors affixed to said frame and extending upwardly towards and being vertically spaced from the peripheral portion of said weighing platform to thereby protect said cell from peripherally located excess loading of the weighing platform.