Improvements in Automatic Scales for Weighing and Measuring Material in Bulk,
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1898--Accepted, 17th Sept., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Scales for Weighing and Measuring
Material in Bulk,
I, PEETE BASIL CLARKE, of 11, Broadway, New York City, in the State of New
York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement
My invention relates to improvements in automatic scales for measuring all
classes of material in bulk and particularly to that class of automatic scales in
which the supply and discharge valves are operated by the power or weight of the
material which is being weighed
The object of the apparatus 16 to provide a simple and efficient apparatus for
continuously and automatically measuring and weighing material in bulk, to
provide a positive and rapidly closing cut-off valve, which will be reliable and
efhcient in its operation, to enable the operation of the apparatus to be controlled
when desired and locked in a position with its cut-off closed to prevent material
from passing through it, and also to secure greater accuracy in weighing
A further object of the invention is to provide means for varying the capacity
of the apparatus
The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrange-
ment of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying
diawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended
In the drawings.-
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, the inner movable casing being in ele-
vation
Figure 2 is a similar view, taken at right angles to Figure 1
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the entire apparatus
Figure 4 is a similar view taken at right angles to Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section
Figure 61s a detail sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 2
Figure 7 18 a similar view on line 7-7 of Figure 2
Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view of the device for locking the movable inner
section in its lowermost position
Figures 9 and 10 are detail views illustrating a modification of the scale gates
Figure 11 is a detail view of one of the slotted aims of the same.
Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures.
of the drawings
In the drawings 1 represents an outer casing or frame, constructed of suitable
metal. 2 is an inner casing or bucket forming a load-receiver and arranged so
as to move vertically, preferably on suitable flanged rollers 12, mounted on
brackets 15, located at the corners of the apparatus in the outer casing or frame 1,
as shown in Figure 5
In order to enable the material to be weighed, to be more readily introduced
into the bucket, the upper end of it is made flaring, or in the form of a hopper 10,

page_text: as shown The bucket is provided at the upper end with a suitable automatic
valve or cut-off 6, below the hopper, and at the lower end with a pair of auto-
matically opening gates 7, to permit of the discharge of its contents
The bucket 2
is suspended in the outer frame or casing by means of the scale weights 3, 3, on
either side, attached to the extremity of the cords 4, 4, running on the pulleys 5, 5,
placed on the inner face of the outer frame. The effect of these weights 18 to
hold the bucket normally in a stationary position in the outer casing by the
ongagement of the stops 13, on 'the quter face of the bucket, with the stops 14, on
the inner surface of the outer frame during the operation of charging
The automatic valve or cut-off 6, employed in the present case, consists of a
series of plates placed in the upper part of the bucket 2, arranged parallel with
one another, as shown in Figure 3, and having the lower edges 16, curved as
shown, to enable them in closing to cut through the material readily and instantly
shut off the same Each plate is mounted on a horizontal shaft or pintle, and is
provided with an exterior arm 17, depending from the shaft or pintle and
arranged to engage a buffer 19, when the inner casing moves downward, whereby
the plates will be simultaneously turned, so as to assume a horizontal position,
thereby closing the throat of the bucket automatically The lower portions of the
arms 17, are curved and the buffer 19, which forms a stop, is mounted in brackets
or guides 20, attached to the outer casing, and are provided with coiled springs 21
The coiled springs 21 are disposed around the shanks or stems of the buffer, and
are interposed between a horizontal bar, and the brackets or guides 20
buffers extend upward from the guides or brackets 20, the spiral springs 21 being
mounted upon the latter and in this way they operate to cushion the plates of
the cut-off and enable them to be instantly closed without injuring them The
end plates of the cut-oft close against bevelled 11bs 22, mounted on the inner faces of
sides of the inner casing, as shown in Figure 3
The
T'he
The scale gates 7, employed in the present case, are substantially quadrant-
shaped, as shown in Figure 3, are hinged at the tops of the inner adjacent edges
at 8, and by reason of their particular shape, the downward pressure on them,
caused by the material in the bucket, operates to hold thom normally closed
The scale gates are provided at opposite sides with projections or pins 9, which
are adapted to engage oppositely inclined downwaidly converging separating
flanges 11, mounted on the inner faces of the adjacent sides of the outer casing 1,
and adapted to open the scale gates as the bucket 2 moves downward
lower end of the bucket extends into the quadrant shaped scale gates, the latter being
mounted on the exterior of the same and being adapted to close automatically
by their own weight when the inner casing moves upward after discharging
their contents By mounting the scale gates on the exterior of the inner casing,
in the manner shown, the coal or other material being weighed does not interfere
with the opening movement, as would be the case were they arranged within
the inner casing and had to move upward through the mass of coal in opening.
23 are independent sliding weights arranged to slide freely on the outer surface
of the bucket 2, in the straps or guides 24, Figures 1 and 2, sufficiently heavy to
counterbalance the scale weights when the upper part or hopper of the bucket
above the valve is full Duing the operation of filling the lower part of the
bucket, they are held in a fixed position resting on the supporting lugs 51, on
either side of the bucket, as 18 shown in Figures 2 and 4 Un either side of the
frame or outer casing 1, is placed a trip lever 25, pivotted to its inner surface at
'the point 52, the upper extremity of which 53, 18 so bent as to engage with a
suitable notch or recess 50, in the face of the sliding weight 23. The lower
extremity of this trip lever passes through a loop or keeper 27, on the surface
of the bucket, and is also slightly bent as shown in Figures 2 and 4
material 18 passing freely through the valve 6, into the lower part of the bucket,
the weights 23 rest upon the lugs 51, and are supported thereby, and their effect
is to partially counterbalance the scale weights 8, and to cause the bucket to
When the

page_text: ever,
began to move downward slightly before the total quantity of material to be
weighed has passed through the valve 6, into the lower part of the bucket. As
the material continues to enter the bucket the weights 23 descend with it, and
as they descend the projecting bent extremity of the lever 25, engages with the
recess 50 and lifts the weights 23, and holds them stationary The bucket, how-
when the theoretical amount has passed though the valve 6, continues by
reason of its own weight to descend and as it descends the loop or keeper 27, trips
the bent portion of the lower arm of the trip lover 25, whereby the arm is drawn
anward, and the tooth or bent extremity 53, 18 withdrawn or released from the
notch or recess 60 This disengages the weights 23 which thereupon drop on the
lugs 51, and the additional impetus thereby imparted to the bucket produced by
the sudden falling of the weights causes a quick and positive movement of the
mechanism operating the out-off plates
The outer casing or frame 1, is provided on its interior with vertical rack
bars 28, with which mesh pinions 29 that are mounted on the movable bucket 2
and the pinions 29 that are mounted on the movable bucket 2 and the pinions
which are provided at opposite sides with ratchet treth 30, are engaged by pawls 31
The ratchet wheels, formed by the ratchet teeth, are of less diameter than the
spur teeth, and the pawl 31, which consists of a level, has its upper portion
bifurcated and straddling the pinion, as clearly illustrated in Figure 7 of the
accompanying drawings The lever, which constitutes the pawl 31, is fulci ummed
between its ends and has its upper portion engaged by a spring 32 and its lower
portion 18 connected with operating mechanism, whereby the pawl is thrown out
of engagement with the ratchet teeth of the pinion The gearing is employed
for locking the bucket against upward movement, the ratchet teeth being
arranged to permit the bucket to move downward fieely, and the pawl being
adapted to lock the pinion against rotation in the opposite dueation In this
manner, the automatic scale may locked out of operation for any desired period,
and when it is desired to have the scale work continuously automatically, the
lever, which constituted the pawl is held out of engagement by any suitable means,
and this gearing need not be employed if desired, so that the scale will opeiate
as long as there is any material to be weighed
The operating mechanism for releasing the pawls 31 preferably consists of a
rook shaft 33, provided with inwardly extending arms 34 and cords 35, or other
flexible connections, extending from the arms 34, to the lower portions of the
pawls, guide pulleys 36 and 37 being mounted on the outer casing to direct the
cord so that when the rock shaft 18 partially rotated, the pinions will be released.
The rock shaft 33 is provided with a suitable handle, or it may be operated by
any other suitable means This construction 18 especially desirable in weighing
coal, which is immediately used, as another charge need not be delivered until
the former has been entirely consumed
In weighing various kinds of grain, it is often desirable to have the charge of
grain come close to the cut-off 6, to prevent any liability of more grain passing
through the cut-off than is necessary to supply the charge, and in order to
regulate the height of the change in the lower part of the bucket, hinged plates 38
are employed The plates 38 which are dispised at opposite sides of the inner
casing are hinged at their upper ends and have their lower portions engaged by
adjusting devices 39 which consist preferably of screws and which enable the
plates to vary the capacity of the buchet so that the charge will rise to the
proper height therein
In Figures 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings is illustrated a modification
of the scale gates, and in this construction, a pan of tilting gates 40 are employed
and mounted on transverse shafts or pintles These gates, when closed, are
arranged in a horizontal position, and ale provided with outwardly extending
arms 41, on their sides, which arms incline downward and are pivotally connected
with the outer casing 1, whereby when the inner casing or bucket 2 moves down-

page_text: waid, the scale gates 40 will be automatically opened Pirots 42 of the arms 41
are mounted on brackets 43, and are arranged in slots 44 of the said aims 41, to
permit the necessary play of the parts as the inner casing or bucket 2 moves
upward and downwaid Each gate 40 is provided with a cential aim 45, extending
from a tiansverse 1od 46, which connects the arms 41, as clearly illustrated in
Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings The 1od 46 is aanged outside of the inner
casing 2 and a spring 47 is connected with the aim 45 and with the inner casing
to hold the gates 40 firmly closed when the inner casing is in its elevated pusition,
and open when the inner casing is in its lower position which latter position is
shown in dotted lines of Figure 9
The operation of the apparatus is as follows-
Let us assume that five hundred pounds of material are to be weighed Scale
weights 3, 3 are then employed of such weight that when five hundred pounds of
material have passed through the cut-oft 6 into the bucket 2 the latter will drop
and discharge its contents Supplemental weights are employed weighing about
one hundred pounds and as they partially counterbalance the scale weights, when
four hundred pounds of material have passed into the bucket 2 the latter will
begin to drop This in turn causes the shafts of the cut-off plates 6 to drop and
assume the position shown in Figure 6, resting upon the rod which closes them,
ready to be closed thereby when the bucket finally drops As, however, the
material continues to enter the hopper, the bucket continues to descend although
the sliding weights 23 are supported on the trip mechanism, until a point is
reached in its descent where the trip levers 25 are tripped and they are released
The weights 23 thereupon fall, upon the supporting lugs 51, on the bucket,
thereby adding their weight to that of the bucket and its contents, and operating
to cause it to descend to the bottom of its line of travel with a quick drop, thereby
anapping the cut-off plates up into a horizontal position As a result the supply
of material from the upper into the lower part of the bucket is absolutely stopped,
and the discharge gates 7 opened at the same moment, and the contents permitted
to fall out into any suitable receptacle. After the discharge of the contents, the
bucket is instantly lifted to its original position by the weight of the scale
weights 23, so that the lugs 13 engage with the lugs 14 the cut-off plates are
thereupon released, the discharge doors 7 closed, and the flow into the bucket
continues as before, and the operation of charging and discharging constantly
repeated. In this way a continuous flow of material is constantly passing through
the apparatus and 18 being measured and weighed as it passes
While I have illustrated one form or embodiment of my invention in the accom-
panying diawings, yet it will be readily understood that various changes in the
construction and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing
from the spirit of the invention
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1 The combination in a scale mechanism in which the feed cut-off is actuated
by the drop of the loaded scale bucket, of means for partially counter-balancing
the scale weights during the operation of loading and adding to the load an
additional weight when the discharging point is reached, whereby an additional
impetus is imparted and the closing of the valve is effected, substantially as
described
2. The combination of a suitable frame, suitable pulleys on the frame, cords
running on the pulleys, a bucket moving vertically in the frame attached
to one end of the cords; scale weights attached to the other end of the cards;
a valve actuated by the movement of the bucket for controlling the supply of
material thereto, means for partially counterbalancing the scale weights during
the operation of loading and adding an additional weight to the load when the
discharging point is reached, whereby an additional impetus is imparted thereto

page_text: and the closing of the valve 18 effected, and means for discharging the contents
of the bucket after it falls, substantially as described.
3. The combination of a suitable frame, suitable pulleys on the frame; cords
running on the pulleys; a bucket moving vertically in the frame attached to
one end of the cords; scale weights attached to the other end of the cords; a
suitable valve placed in the upper part of the bucket actuated by the latter for
controlling the supply, and a supplemental weight arranged to add to the load
an additional weight when the discharging point is reached, whereby an additional
impetus is imparted thereto, and the closing of the valve is effected; and gates at
the bottom of the bucket arranged to open when the bucket falls, substantially
as described.
4. The combination of a suitable frame, suitable pulleys on either side of the
frame, cords running on the pulleys. a bucket
attached to one end of the cords. scale weightsing vertically in the frame
to the other end of the
cords, a cut-off consisting of a series of pivotted plates mounted in the upper
part of the bucket and provided with independent arms located within the space
between the outer casing or frame and the inner casing at a point above the stop,
and arranged to onagage the same when the inner casing moves downward,
independent supplemental weight arranged to add an additional weight to the
bucket when the poising point 18 reached, means for supporting and tripping
the said weight, and gates at the bottom of the bucket arranged to open when the
bucket falls and to close again when it rises, substantially as described
an
5 The combination of a suitable frame, suitable pulleys on either side of the
frame, cords running on the pulleys, a bucket moving vertically in the frame
attached to one end of the cords, scale weights attached to the other end of the
cords, a stop mounted on the frame, a cut-off consisting of a series of pivoted
plates mounted within the bucket and provided with independent arms located
within the space between the frame and the bucket at a point above the stop,
and arranged to engage the same when the bucket moves downward, an inde
pendent supplemental weight arranged to add an additional weight to the bucket
when it moves downward, means for supporting and tipping said weight, and
means for discharging the contents of the bucket after it falls, substantially as
described
6 The combination of a suitable frame, suitable pulleys on the frame, cords
running on the pulleys a bucket moving vertically on, the frame, having a rolling
interlocking contact with the frame attached to one end of the cords, scale weights
attached to the other end of the cords, locking devices for holding the bucket
against movement manually operated means for releasing the inner casing, a
out-off consistang of a series of pivoted plates provided at one side with curved
edges so arranged as to be at the bottom of the cut-off when the latter is opened;
a stop mounted on the frame, aims connected with the cut-off, plates arranged to
engage the said stop, an independent supplemental weight arranged to engage and
impart a sudden blow to the inner casing when the latter moves downward, and
means for supporting and tripping the said weight, substantially as described
7 The combination of an outer frame or casing, a vertically movable inner
casing, a rack bar mounted on one of the parts, a pinion arranged on the other
and meshing with the rack bar, and means for locking the pinion against rotation,
substantially as and for the purpose described
8 The combination of an outer casing, an inner vertically movable casing, a
rack bar mounted on one of the casings, a pinion mounted on the other, meshing
with the rack bar and provided with ratchet teeth a pawl engaging the ratchet
teeth and arranged to permit the inner casing to move downward freely and to
look the pinion and prevent the inner casing from moving upward, and operating
mechanism connected with the pawl for releasing the same, substantially as
described
9 The combination with an outer casing, a vertically movable inner casing, a
rack bar mounted on the outer casing, a pinion carried by the inner casing,

page_text: meshing with the rack bar and provided at its opposite faces with ratchet, teeth,
a bifurcated pawl mounted on the inner casing, straddling the pinion and engag-
ing the ratchet teeth, a rock shaft journalled on the outer casing and provided with
a handle and an inwardly extending arm, and connections between the latter and
the pawl, substantially as described
10 The combination of a vertically movable load receiver, scale weights con-
nected with the same, means for partially counterbalancing the scale weights
during the operation of loading and adding to the load an addition weight when
the discharging point is reached to impart an additional impetus to the receiver,
and a feed cut-off actuated by the drop of the loaded receiver and subjected to
the weight of the same and to the weight of the said counterbalancing means,
whereby it is closed to shut off the feed, substantially as described.
11 The combination of a load receiver, scale weights connected with the same,
a supplemental weight engaging the receiver and normally partially counter-
balancing the scale weights, and means for supporting and tripping the supple,
mental weight, substantially as described
WM P THOMPSON & Co,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant