Conveyor belt scale apparatus

摘要

A scale apparatus is provided for weighing material moving on a conveyor belt supported by an idler assembly. The apparatus includes a load cell support and a load cell having a base and a contact portion extending upwardly away from the base. The base of the load cell is configured to bend in response to a vertical force being applied to the contact portion to generate an output signal proportional to the force. The load cell is non-responsive to horizontal forces. The load cell is coupled to the load cell support, and the load cell support is coupled to a conveyor frame to suspend the load cell below the conveyor belt. The apparatus further includes an idler support for supporting the idler assembly. The idler support is coupled to the contact portion of the load cell. The idler support applies a downwardly directed force to the contact portion of the load cell to bend the base of the load cell in response to material moving on the conveyor belt over the idler support to change the output signal generated by the load cell in proportion to the weight of the material. The magnitude of the force applied by the idler support changes as the weight of the material moving over the idler support changes.