Crush (Chute) Scales

[flywire]

I have a good solid old vet crush and I want a set of scales. I'd like comments on pouring a concrete pad to put the Chinese loadcells under.

I envisage a 100mm (4") grooved concrete slab with C-section steel purlin on the sides, say 500kg for crush and another 500kg for slab. I'd like to put the slab under the crush so the whole thing gets tared off because I understand that gives better measurements. My only real concern is a rowdy beast, say a heavy bull, could topple the crush which would be sitting on the feet of the 4 loadcells attached to the slab.

Comments?

 

[flywire]

Good scales will lock on in a few seconds. The cheaper versions from China that the sell online are not so user friendly. You get what you pay for.

IMO under the chute is the way to go... [Tru Test] make a lot of hold down plates for different chutes. They are floating on the load bars so they move around a bunch with a skitsy cow but so far they have held up well.

I haven't been able to work this out from the pictures.

 

[littletom]

Farm where i do feeder cattle scales under chute. Bolted down load bars with those good blue concrete bolts. Lots been through it no problems. They are very rowdy. Home cow/calf farm chute is portable. We have a scale box right behind it. Scales set up same way. Big cows and big bulls no problems.

 

[flywire]

littletom. Could you load a couple of pics?

 

[flywire]

No worries, I've figured it out.

1. Drill holes into the C-section purlin to bolt crush and load cells to
2. Add steel reinforcement and pour concrete floor with v-groves across it
3. Use round pipe set in concrete footing to capture the feet
4. Drill holes each side of the feet and put a bolts through them to capture the feet so the crush will not over topple

This could be a good application for thicker aerated concrete.

 

[bird dog]

Your plan will not work. The chute cannot have hold downs. Are you using just plain load cells connected directly to the chute or load bars with the load cells underneath them? If its just the load cells sitting on the concrete, the animal hitting the head gate will cause the chute to come off the ground in the rear and move forward. This would scare the crap out of me. You cannot chain it down or tie it to some sturdy poles without fowling the scale read outs.

With load bars, you bolt down the bars with concrete expansion anchors and then bolt bent plates to the top of the bars. These bent plates go up over the edge of the chute to hold it in place. Usually they fit tight to the back and front to keep the chute from moving or toppling over. True test scales will have a variety of these bent plates that fit different chutes or you can build your own. The chute is independent of any tie downs and will shake back and forth the same as a set of truck scales will.

Scales under the chute are by far the way to go once you understand how they work. You have to be aware that the read out will fail if you let to much manure build up under the chute or if you attach anything to the chute like a palp cage. The chute has to be free of anything touching it. It sounds like a pain but it is not.

Why do you need a grooved slab? Does your crush not have a floor?

 

[flywire]

The crush doesn't have a floor yet. I'm looking to sit it on a slab sitting on the load bars. The load cell feet travel would be restricted but this is below the sensors.



I understand you consider normal movement would break the load cells but seem to be focused on load bars as the solution.

I suppose steel channel in the footings could be used for the same effect as the True Test bent bars, or perhaps sleeved RHS in each corner.

 

[wbvs58]

I like to have a separate weigh box before the crush. I do a lot in the crush so I don't like making it higher or wobbly.

Ken

 

[bird dog]

Dig out for your slab so it will be sitting at ground level. You don;t want them having to jump up to get into the crush.

Those load cells look like the kind that are suppose to be bolted to a pan. A channel in the slab would work but that is not going to stop the cells from moving around. If you put some kind of stop or something to keep them from moving your scales will not read right if the cells are touching anything. The crush has to be free floating. if it is rubbing against anything it will not be accurate.

 

[simme]

"I'd like comments on pouring a concrete pad to put the Chinese load cells under.".
"The crush doesn't have a floor yet. I'm looking to sit it on a slab sitting on the load bars".
"I'd like to put the slab under the crush so the whole thing gets tared off."

Did I read this correctly? Sounds like you intend to put the load cells UNDER the concrete pad - weighing the cow, the crush and the concrete and tare off the crush and concrete weight????

That would be unique. Hope I am misunderstanding that. I don't see that style single mounted load cell as being a good solution. Load cells are built for forces (weight) in the vertical down direction, not with large horizontal forces side to side and front to back. Better to put them in a load bar as Bird dog has covered very well. You need the heavy duty load bars under a crush.

I purchased a set of Tru-Test MP600 load bars in the late 90's. With a steel framed wood floored platform for using in an alleyway. Still using them 25+ years later.

Here is a video on installation of tru-test heavy duty load bars. With the appropriate accent.

https://us.tru-test.com/resources/how-install-hd5t-load-bars