The combination of a bearing housing and a load measuring plate includes a bearing housing having a foot member possessing a substantially rectangular outer contour, with outer wall portions and transverse intermediate wall portions forming a planar overall contact surface to be in contact with and resting upon a load measuring plate. The load measuring plate is internally equipped with load measuring devices. The outer contour of the load measuring plate is closely adapted to the outer contour of the foot member of the bearing housing.

A load cell is disclosed having a top plate and a base plate, the top plate adapted for receiving a pillow block mounting and shaft bearing thereon and the base plate adapted to be fixedly secured to a machine frame or other fixed structure. A deformable spring member is secured to both plates, which upon deforming tilts the top plate. A pair of gauged beams are disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the plates and substantially orthogonal to the direction of an applied force. The gauged beams are secured at one end to a support member and at the other to a collar member. A load transfer rod secured at one end to the support member extends through the collar member to a link member secured to the top plate. Upon tilting of the top plate, the load transfer rod and the gauged beams deflect, causing strain gauges on the gauged beams to generate electrical voltage signals proportional to the applied force. Excessive loads and axial loads are diverted away from the gauged beams and the strain gauges.

An under-pillow bearing (UPB) load cell for controlling tension in the winding process for a continuous web of material. The load cell has a deflection and sensor assembly that is quickly and easily removable from the load cell for maintenance and repair. The deflection and sensor assembly includes a load beam that is insertable into the load cell. In one embodiment, a pluggable sensor insert may be inserted into or removed from the load beam, without removing any of the fasteners that mount the load cell to the machine support.

A protection apparatus for a load cell having a constrained end portion and a movable end portion and a load detection apparatus incorporating the same are provided. The protection apparatus includes a housing having a longitudinal axis with a first end and a second end, a pivot disposed through the housing and located in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing, and a sensor mount pivotally disposed on the pivot. The protection apparatus through its pivot transfers away from the load cell forces that are not aligned with a direction in which the load cell operates. The sensor mount has a first end and a second end, the first end of the sensor mount is disposed in the first end of the housing between a first position and a second position defined by the housing. The second end is configured for attachment to the movable end portion of the load cell. At least one spring is disposed in the second end of the housing for constraining the constrained end portion of the load cell.

A load cell comprises a member for receiving forces applied by the load, and a plurality of force sensing elements supported by the member and arranged with respect, to each other to independently sense differently directed components of the applied forces. The member is disposed, e.g., in a horizontal plane for receiving the load forces, and the force sensing elements are strain gages. One of the strain gages is arranged to sense a component of the forces applied in a vertical direction relative to the plane, and a second strain gage is arranged to sense a component of the forces applied in a horizontal direction relative to the plane. Among other advantages, the load cell is highly versatile can be used to measure loading forces applied in virtually any direction.