Patent GB-362909-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for weighing and dividing plastic substances
IPC: G01G19/00
Filed: 1930-09-09
Abstract: 362,909. Weighing and dividing dough &c. BROOKS, J. F., 9, Portland Road, Clarendon Park, Leicester, BROOKS, T. J., Ashestiel, Kirkley Gardens, Horns Road, Ilford, Essex, and WRIGHT, H. W. S., 466, Narborough Road, Leicester. Sept. 9, 1930, No. 26893. [Class 143.] A machine for weighing and dividing plastic substances such as dough, comprises means for feeding the substance from bulk in the form of a stream or ribbon, means for severing portions from the stream or ribbon, means for controlling the operation of the machine, and a weighing scale device including a scale beam or equivalent, the device being constructed to receive the stream or ribbon on one side of the fulcrum and after weighing a portion and severance of the latter to transfer the same to the opposite side of the fulcrum, i.e. to the loaded side of the device, the scale device and controlling means being so relatively disposed that the weight of the portion is effective on each side of the fulcrum to operate the controlling means of the machine. The dough is drawn from a hopper 1, Fig. 1, by means of a pair of draw rollers 3, 4 and is delivered in the form of a ribbon d to an endless belt 13 which leads the ribbon on to a drum 17 pivoted upon a scale beam 18. When a predetermined weight of dough has passed on to the drum the scale beam rocks and its end 37, Fig. 2, overcomes the resistance of, and slips past, a weighted bell-crank lever 30. The end 37 in rising engages and rocks a control rod 59 thereby reversing the positions of two pawl-actuating toggles co-operating with an epioyclic gearing 60 connected to the main driving shaft 58. This reversal causes the epicyclic gearing (1) to stop a feed shaft 57 connected to the dough-feeding rollers and conveyer band thus stopping the feed of dough, and (2) to start a shaft 62 so as to draw a circular knife 38 carried on a slide 46, across the dough. Gearing 47 on the knife spindle engaging a stationary rack 48 rotates the knife during its translatory movement, and the severed portion d<1> of dough rotates the drum 17 and falls into a pan 24 pivoted on the other arm of the scale beam. The transference of the severed portion causes the end 37 of the scale beam to descend and bring a pan catch 78, pivoted on the scale beam, into engagement with the control rod 59 to reset the same and also to liberate the pan which temporarily swings into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and discharges the weighed portion. The resetting of the control lever 59 again starts the feed shaft 57 to restore the flow of dough and stops the shaft 62 from which the knife is operated. If the stroke of the knife has not been completed before the dough portion reaches the pan 24 the descent of the beam end 37 is temporarily arrested by a finger 79 which is subsequently displaced by a tappet on the knife slide. The knife makes a cutting stroke alternately in opposite directions and these movements are effected from the shaft 62 through a reversing mechanism 108 including a clutch which is put into the neutral position at the end of each stroke of the knife by a lug on the knife carriage acting upon a clutch lever 103. The clutch is moved to the appropriate position' in the reversing mechanism by the starting of the feed shaft 57 and is then in readiness for the next movement of the knifetraversing shaft 62. Lubricating pads 124 grease the knife, and the conveyer belt is dusted with flour extracted from a container 127 by a blower. Distributing rollers 128 may be employed to direct the dough to the draw rollers 3, 4. A scraper 128a arranged between the rollers 128 is provided with an opening 128b through which the dough may rise to prevent its compression between the upper and lower rollers.