Patent GB-1013834-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to weighing apparatus
IPC: G01G13/00
Filed: 1962-10-25
Abstract: 1,013,834. Atomic feed weighers. SPERRY RAND CORPORATION. Oct.25, 1962 [Nov.13, 1961], No. 40431/62. Heading G1W. A weighing apparatus comprises a pair of weighing devices 12 each having a material receiving receptacle 1 or 2, means for delivering a continous stream of material to the devices and directing means including a pair of independently movable deflector members, are arranged to deflect a major portion of the stream and the other the remaining minor portion thereof, the directing means being capable of directing all of the stream into either receptacle and of directing the major portion into either receptacle and the minor portion into the other receptacle. Each material receiving receptacle comprises a container having a sloping bottom wall 64 and a bottom opening closed by a closure 66. The receptacles 1, 2 are each supported on a rod 16 projecting from a vertically movable float (not shown) in a liquid containing tank 14. The two receptacles 1, 2 are disposed closely adjacent each other and a circumferential side wall 28 is provided to direct the stream of material into the receptacles. The deflector members are in the form of two flat deflector plates 34, 40, each having upstanding end flanges on which the plates are pivoted for swinging movement about a common horizontal axis. Material is fed along a vibratory or other conveyor 32 and with the deflector plates in the position shown in Fig. 3 wherein they cover the top of the receptacle 2 all the material is directed into the receptacle 1. The plate 34 has a greater distance between its end flanges than the plate 40 and constitutes a deflector plate for the major or bulk portion of the stream of material, whilst the plate 40 deflects the minor or dribble stream. As the receptacle 1 fills it moves downwardly owing to the action of the float in the tank 14, and when a predetermined weight, somewhat less than the final desired weight has been reached a switch is closed and the bulk deflector plate 34 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 4, by action of a pneumatic motor 56 acting on a crank arm 52 and shaft 50 secured to the plate 34 so that the major portion of the stream of material is deflected into the receptacle 2. A dribble feed is still continued to the receptacle 1 by way of the plate 40 and when the final desired weight of material in the receptacle 1 is reached, the movement of the receptacle operates a further switch to move the deflector plate 40 into align - ment with the plate 34 so that all the material is deflected into the receptacle 2. With the plates 34, 40 in position over the receptacle 1, the closure 66 of this receptacle is opened by upward movement of a spring lever 88, pivoted at 90, which is engaged by a plunger 92 of a pneumatic motor 94. The arm 88 engages a projection 84 on one link 72 of a toggle linkage 70, 72 which is acted upon by a spring 80 to normally hold the closure 66 sheet. As the closure opens the weighed material is discharged from the receptacle 1 to a shoot 98. The cycle is continued so that each receptacle is filled alternately by the stream of material to reach a predetermined weight when the bulk feed is deflected to fill the other receptacle and the final desired weight is made up by the dribble feed which is also then deflected to the other receptacle, the first receptacle being emptied whilst the feed is solely directed to the other receptacle. The volume of each receptacle 1, 2 may be varied by moving a partition 102, Fig. 1, mounted on a rod 100, pivoted plates 106 ensuring that the material falls only into the desired part of the receptacles. The partitions 102 are arranged so that the desired weight of material fills the receptacle, and this reduces the errors introduced by falling material which enter the receptacles after the deflector plates have been moved as the required weight is reached. An electrical control circuit for automatic control of the pneumatic motors of the appparatus is described in the Specification.