IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC WEIGHING-MACHINES AND REGISTERING MECHANISM THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AUTOMATIC WEIGHING-MACHINES AND REGISTERING MECHANISM THEREFOR,'
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
"
This Invention relates to the class of automatic scales in which the material to
be weighed, such as grain, is received from a supply tube in an oscillating box that
is suspended from a scale beam, and it consists in the combination with the
oscillating box of a grain supply tube projecting into the mouth of the box to
prevent the overflow of grain should the weighing apparatus accidentally get out
of order. It also consists in providing V shaped hollow bearings for the knife
edges of the scale and in a new device for bringing the oscillating box with
certainty into the positions in which it is to be filled. It also consists in other
devices hereinafter, described which increase the accuracy and certainty of the
action of the apparatus.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings, is a vertical central section of this
improved scale. Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same. Figures 3, 4,
and 5 are vertical cross sections of the frame in which the oscillating box is, hung.
Figure 6 is a face view of the dial used for registering. Figure 7 is a horizontal
section of the scale on the line x-x Figure 1. Similar letters of reference indicate
the same parts in the different Figures of the Drawing.
The frame A which supports all of the parts of the scale is intended to rest upon
the edges of the bin or spout into which the scale discharges. In the top of this
frame A are secured three cross bars c d d. The central cross bar c is made
vertically adjustable, its ends being secured by scrows c² c³ to vertically slotted
parts of the frame A. The bar c may also be adjustable in the direction of its
Jength, as shown in Figure 3.

page_text: The lower part of the frame A carries a hopper C. The sides of the hopper C
are inclined, leaving an opening D for the discharge of the material being weighed.
In this opening is placed a ridge shaped plate E which is attached to a lever F
that is pivoted in the ears e at one end of the hopper C and provided with a
counterweight G capable of holding the free end of the lever F in contact with the
underside of a stop when there is no discharge upon the plate E of material being
weighed. The lever F connects by a rod U with the crank shaft of a gate Q which
is hung in the upper part of the apparatus as shown in Figure 1, and as described
in Letters Patent of the United States of America, N° 255,832.
A bifurcated scale beam H is provided on opposite sides with knife edges g
which are received in V shaped bearings formed in ears h projecting downward
from the top frame B. These V shaped bearings centralise the knife edges and
limit the vibrations of the -beam. An arm I projecting outwards from the scale
beam H and forming a part thereof, is provided with an adjustable sleeve J from
opposite sides of which project knife edges i which support the weight K. These
knife edges also enter V shaped bearings as shown in Figure 1. The weight K is
adjusted toward or away from the knife edges g by sliding the sleeve J on the
arm I and it may be secured in any desired position by turning a thumb screw j
which clamps the sleeve J to the arm I. The free end of the arm I rests normally
on a lug projecting from the frame A.
Knife edges project inwardly from the sides of the forked scale beam H with
their edges uppermost and are received in V shaped bearings in a rectangular
frame m which supports the oscillating box L. The frame m is shown in top view,
Figure 7. The ends of the frame m are rigidly secured to the upper ends of
upright bars n that are forked at their point of attachment to the frame m.
The upright bars n aro also forked at their lower ends as shown at o, Figure 2,
for receiving the connecting ties or rods p which extend across below the oscillating
box L and which unite the frame m, uprights n n, and rods p all into one rigid
structure. Each rod p is provided with a roller g for closing the gates ? at the
bottom of the oscillating box L. The oscillating box is provided at opposite ends
near the middle of its height with knife edges n' which are supported in V shaped
bearings in the perpendicular side bars n.
The oscillating box L is partly closed at the top having however an opening M
into which the supply spout N projects a short distance. The supply spout N is
provided with flanges & which are secured to the cross bars d of the frame A or to
other parts of said frame. The lower end of the supply spout N is bifurcated, as
in Figure 1, to accommodate the adjustable cross bar cand the attachments thereof
presently to be described. The oscillating box L is, by a partition P which extends
to the lower angle of the bottom of the oscillating box L, divided into two equal
compartments the top of the partition forming a bar O with bevelled upper edge,
the same as shown in the United States Patent N° 223,692. A roller t is hung in
one of the branches of the supply spout N in position to be touched by the edge of
the bar whenever the said bar passes the centre line of the apparatus. The
convexity of the roller prevents the bar O from stopping at or near the centre of
its oscillation. The roller t may be hung in the bar c, as shown in Figure 3, to be
touched by an arm which projects from the bar O. In a bar u extending across
the centre of the frame m are pivoted two detent levers having nibs w capable of
engaging an arm z extending upward from the bar O. The outer ends of the
detent levers v are connected by links a' with pivotal pins b¹ projecting from
the side of the adjustable cross bar as in Figures 2 and 4, or from arms c³ which
project from the frame A, as shown in Figure 5. The detent levers v retain the
oscillating box L in either of the positions it occupies while being filled from the
spout N. When the box L is filled and in descending carries down the frame m,
it swings the detent levers on their pivots so as to disengage the nib w from the
arm when the box is free to oscillate. By raising or lowering one of the ends of
the bar c the time of releasing the detent levers v may be varied so as to adjust the

page_text: weighing capacity of the two compartments of the box L. I desire it to be under-
stood that I can either use the roller t in connection with the detent levers vv or
alone, that is to say, without these detent levers.
The bottom of the box L is inclined from its sides downward toward the centre
line, and the gates r when closed are in the same plane as the portion of the bottom
of the box to which they are attached, so that when open they will be closed by
their engagement with the rollers q as the box is oscillated.
The supply spout N is provided with a swinging valve Q, which is fastened to
a crank-shaft R, extending through the side of the spout. The valve Q closes
against a valve-seat T, in the upper portion of the spout N, and shuts off the
supply of material to be weighed. The crank on the end of the shaft R is connected
by the rod U with the lever F, so that wherever the said lever is depressed by a
discharge from the oscillating box L upon the plate E the supply spout N will be
closed.
The recording mechanism in the box V receives motion from some vibrating
part of the machine, either as shown in the United States Patent N° 223,692, or
otherwise. The dial W of the register, as shown in Figure 6, is provided with
three circular rows of graduations. One of these circles, 2, has a pointer, 3, which
shows thereon each single discharge of the weighing-box L. The outer side of the
larger circle, 1, of graduations ropresents multiples of the motions of the index 3,
which are shown by a pointer, 4, and the multiples of the record of this circle are
in turn denoted by Figures inside of the larger circle, 1, by the aid of a pointer, 5.
These pointers are turned by suitable means; the pointer, 3, moving one step at
each discharge from the weighing-box; the pointer 4 one step at each revolution
of pointer 3 and the pointer 5 one step at each revolution of pointer 4. Thus, if
every ten discharges of the box L yield one bushel, the pointer, 4, shows the
numbers of bushels between 1 and 100 and the pointer, 5, shows the numbers of
bushels from 100 to 10,000.
The pipe A¹, through which the supply spout N receives the material to be
weighed, is inserted in the upper end of the spout and rests upon a narrow
internal flange f¹ which is formed in the spout and is in absolute continuity
therewith. The spout N dips into the box L, as shown. By this arrangement
it becomes impossible that grain overflow if the weighing apparatus should become
clogged. I regard this feature as a valuable improvement on the United States
Patent N° 222,851, in which the spouts A and B are disconnected.
This improved weighing apparatus is adapted to weighing wheat and other
grain, and all kinds of granular, comminuted and even liquid material.
The operation is as follows:-material to be weighed is conveyed by the pipe A¹
to the spout N, which delivers it to one of the compartments of the oscillating
box L. When enough material has entered the compartment to over-balance the
weight K, the box L descends by its own gravity, and carrying down the bar u
and pivotal ends of the detent levers v, causes the detent levers to turn on their
pivots and withdraw the nib w from the arm x, allowing the superior weight of
the filled side of the box L to tilt the box on its knife edges n¹ and release the
gater on the filled side of the box L, allowing the material to escape into the
hopper C, and upon the plate E, causing the lever F to turn on its fulcrum and
register one discharge of the box L, at the same time momentarily closing the
valve upon its seat T, preventing the flow of the material from the pipe A¹
until the gater in the bottom of the empty chamber of the oscillating box L is
closed, and until in fact the weight G of the lever F lifts said lever, when the
valve Qwill be again thrown open and the empty compartment of the box L begin
to fill:
Should the shute, into which the hopper C discharges, become filled with the
material being weighed so as to choke the opening D, and prevent the free action
of the lever F, the valve Q will remain closed and the apparatus will cease to
operate or waste any grain until the material below the hopper C is removed,

page_text: I do not limit or confine the improvement to the exact form herein shown
and described, as these may be varied without departing from the spirit of this
Invention. Among obvious modifications, I will mention that the roller t may be
journalled upon the bar O. In this case a projection would be formed on the
spout N.or bar c, to engage the said roller..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1 The combination with the oscillating box and scale-beam of an automatic
weighing machine, of oppositely arranged adjustable detent levers v, provided with
nibs w, whereby the oscillating box is locked in one or the other of the positions
in which it is filled, and released by the downward movement of the scale-beam
and oscillating hox, as described.
.
2nd The combination with the oscillating box of an automatic weighing machine
of a supply spout which is in positive contact throughout with the supply pipe A¹,
and which projects into the top of the said box to prevent the overflow of grain, as
specified.
3rd The combination with the oscillating box L, provided with a central,
longitudinal bar O, of the roller t, hung in the stationary part of the weighing
machine, for preventing the oscillating box from resting in a central position, as
described.
4th The combination with the oscillating part of a scale of knife edges with
V shaped bearings, adapted for their reception, substantially as described.
5th In an automatic weighing machine the combination with the scale beam H,
provided with an arm I of an adjustable sleeve J, provided with knife edges i,
and a weight K, having bearings adapted to the knifo odges i as described.
Gth In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with the oscillating
box L of the gates 7 r and friction rollers q. as herein specified.
7th In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with the spout N of an
internal flange f' and supply pipe A', inserted in the upper end of the spout and
resting on the said flange, as described.
8th In an automatic weighing machine, a dial W, provided with three rows
of Figures, one representing single discharges of the weighing box L, a second
representing multiples of the first, and a third representing multiples of the
second, as specified.
Date Looth