Tension and compression loadmeasuring device

Claim 1

A FORCE MEASURING DEVICE COMPRISING A FORCE SENSING ELEMENT FORMED IN A PLATE MEMBER MOUNTED TRASVERSELY TO THE AXIS OF THE APPLIED FORCE AND INCLUDING STRAIN SENSING TRANSDUCER MEANS, SAID PLATE MEMBER BEING SUPPORTED BETWWEEN A PAIR OF LOAD RECEIVING MEMBERS HAVING CENTRALLY LOCATED LOAD TRANSMITTING PORTION TO TRANSMIT THE APPLIED FORCE TO SAID FORCE SENSING ELEMENT, SAID LOAD RECEIVING MEMBERS HAVING RIM PORTIONS JOINED TO THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PLATE MEMBER AND SIDE WALLS ON SAID LOAD RECEIVING MEMBERS SPACED FROM SAID PLATE MEMBER AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID LOAD TRANSMITTING PORTIONS AND SAID RIM PORTIONS, A PROTECTIVE HOUSING FORMED INTERNALLY TO RECEIVE SAID PLATE AND LOAD RECEIVING MEMBERS WITH A SLIDING FIT, SAID PLATE AND LOAD RECEIVING MEMBERS BEING SECURED IN SAID HOUSING BY WELDING, PLATE MEANS SECURED TO ONE SIDE OF SAID HOUSING FACING ONE OF SAID LOAD RECEIVING MEMBERS HAVING MEANS FORMED THEREIN TO SECURE SAID MEASURING DEVICE AGAINST REACTION TO THE APPLIED FORCE, SAID PLATE MEANS BEING HOLLOWED OUT ON THE SIDE FACING SAID LOAD RECEIVING MEMBER TO FORM A CHAMBER THEREBETWEEN, VENT MEANS FORMED IN SAID PLATE MEANS TO VENT SAID CHAMBER, A SECOND PLATE MEANS MOUNTED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID HOUSING AND BEING HOLLOWED OUT TO FORM A SECOND CHAMBER BETWEEN SAID SECOND PLATE MEANS AND THE OTHER OF SAID LOAD RECEIVING MEMBERS, SAID SECOND PLATE HAVING A CENTRALLY LOCATED APERTURE FORMED THEREIN, AND MEANS TO APPLY FORCE TO SAID DEVICE PROTRUDING FREELY THROUGH SAID APERTURE AND CONNECTED TO AT LEAST ONE OF SAID LOAD TRANSMITTINGPORTIONS.