DIONAL MULTICATION A New or Improved Automatic Meter for Grain and other like Matters.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 4th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 8th Feb, 1887.
MUY DIONAL MULTICATION
A New or Improved Automatic Meter for Grain and other like
Matters.
I. LOUIS ADRIEN COUTEAU, of 8, rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France,
Gentleman Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for A.NEW OR
IMPROVED AUTOMATIC METER FOR GRAIN AND OTHER LIKE MATTERS to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to a new or improved apparatus for measuring and controlling
the quantities taken from reserves or stores, access to which being impossible, the said
apparatus forming the only outlet.
For the better understanding of the invention, reference will now be made to the
accompanying drawing, in which fig. I represents a side view of the meter, and fig. 2
a front view of the same.
Similar letters refer to corresponding parts in both figures.
A is the feeding tube, seen in section in fig. 1, which also shows the interior
arrangements and the grain contained. This feeding tube has a circular opening, see
fig. 2, such as to allow a drum B to form its lower part. It is quite separate from
the meter at the part where the knife edge passes, and is kept in this position by
rods L or other suitable supports. By this arrangement the knife edge is enabled to
pass freely in the grain without danger of obstruction in the grooves. The edges of
the feeding tube are fitted with slides M which by their own weight press upon the
drum and prevent the grain from escaping through the space between the feeding
tube and the drum.
This drum made of iron, steel, or other suitable metal is fitted on an axis C. A
slanting section of the dimension of the bottom of the feeding tube is cut in the drum,
see fig. 1, and the whole of the curved part of this section is brought to a very
sharp edge. Inside the drum a measure E is placed immediately under the
feeding tube, its upper edges being bevelled off to facilitate the entrance of the grain.
The apparatus works as follows: when the drum is set in motion by means of the
crank G, its opening passes under the bottom of the feed tube, the grain therefore
falls at once into the measure E and fills it; as the motion is continued, the slanting

page_text: part passes under the bottom of the feed tube, cutting off the grain, upon which the
solid part of the drum closes the bottom of the feed tube; as the opening in the drum
passes under the bottom of the measure E, the latter consisting merely of vertical
sides, allows the grain to fall into a recipient placed for the purpose. It is therefore
obvious that at each turn of the handle, a given quantity of grain will pass
through the apparatus, and it will be easy to regulate the size of the measure
used, either by replacing it by one of different size, by drawing the sides nearer
together, setting them further away from each other, or in any other way.
In order to prevent too rapid a movement from being imparted to the drum B, a
stop is placed on the line passed over by the crank G. This stop consists of two
parallel guides O, P, between these guides there is a space in which the crank G can
pass. On the guide O there is a projection R which stands in the course of the
crank G and stops it. When the movement is to be resumed, the crank must be
shifted aside into the slot S until it passes the projection, after which it is placed in
its former position.
Any ordinary indicator may be fixed to this apparatus to show the number of
revolutions performed by the drum, and consequently the number of measures of grain
taken from the store.
The drum is furnished with a ratchet wheel T to prevent its being turned
backwards.
The entire apparatus is enclosed in a metallic or other casing to prevent fraud.
This envelope is shown by a dotted line V fig. 2.

page_text: farmer, 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 :—
The invention relates to a new or improved apparatus for measuring and controlling
the quantities taken from reserves or stores, access to which being impossible, the said
apparatus forming the only outlet.
For the better understanding of the invention, reference will now be made to the
accompanying drawing, in which:
Fig 1 represents a side view of the meter;
Fig. 2 a front view of the same
Fig. 3 a section of the internal arrangement of the drum providing for the various
measures required; and
Fig. 4. a plan view of fig. 3.
Similar letters refer to corresponding parts in all the figures.
A is the feeding tube, seen in section in fig. 1 which also shows the interior
arrangement and the grain contained. This feeding tube has a circular opening,
see fig. 2, such as to allow a drum B to form its lower part. It is quite separate
from the meter at the part where the knife edge passes and is kept in this position
by rods L or other suitable supports. By this arrangement the knife edge is enabled
to pass freely in the grain without danger of obstruction in the grooves. The edges
of the feeding tube are fitted with slides M. which by their own weight, press upon
the drum and prevent the grain from escaping through the space between the feeding
tube and the drum; the lower edge of the slides may be fitted with strips of india-
rubber or other suitable material as at H, fig. 1.
This drum made of iron, steel, or other suitable metal is fitted on an axis C. A
slanting section of the dimension of the bottom of the feeding tube is cut in the
drum, see fig. 1, and the whole of the curved part of this section is brought to a
very sharp edge. Inside the drum, a measure E is placed immediately under the
feeding tube, its upper edges being bevelled off to facilitate the entrance of the
grain.
This measure E may be enlarged or diminished as the case may be, by means
of sheet iron or other plates P fitting on ledges 3. 4. 5. (figs. 3 and 4): these plates
are numbered 3. 4. 5 corresponding with the ledges, so that by placing two of the
plates P, viz: those bearing the number 3 on the ledges 3 the content of the measure
will be 3 litres (about 23 quarts); by placing two of the plates P, viz; those bearing
the number 4 on the ledges 4, the content of the measure will be 4 litres and so on.
It will thus be seen that the content of the measure may be changed and varied at
will. These plates are bent over at the upper part in order to prevent the grain

page_text: from falling into the space left open between the plates and the sides of the
measure.
The apparatus works as follows: when the drum is set in motion by means of the
crank G. its opening passes under the bottom of the feed tube, the grain therefore
falls at once into the measure E and fills it; as the motion is continued the slanting
part passes under the bottom of the feed tube, cutting off the grain upon which the
solid part of the drum closes the bottom of the feed tube; as the opening in the drum
passes under the bottom of the measure E, the latter consisting merely of vertical
sides, allows the grain to fall into a recipient placed for the purpose. It is therefore
obvious that at each turn of the handle, a given quantity of grain will pass through
the apparatus, and it will be easy to regulate the size of the measure used by means
of the plates P above described.
In order to prevent too rapid a movement from being imparted to the drum B, a
stop is placed on the line passed over by the crank G. This stop consists of a
projection R placed on the ring O and when the crank strikes against the projection
it cannot proceed until it is lifted over the projection, by which movement the tooth S
at the end of the crank enters a recess V contrived for that purpose in the
circumference 0; the crank passes over the projection R by this lever movement and
the operation may be repeated.
Any ordinary indicator may be fixed to this apparatus to show the number of
revolutions performed by the drum and consequently the number of measures of
grain taken from the store. A bell U is struck at each revolution of the drum.
The drum is furnished with a ratched wheel with which a pawl T gears to prevent
its being turned backwards. The entire apparatus is enclosed in a metallic or other
casing to prevent fraud. This envelope is shown by a dotted line fig. 2.
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 ;
1st. In an automatic meter, the new or improved combination of a drum B
placed under a feeding tube A and having a knife edge; the drum B being quite
separate from the feeding tube A, the latter fitted with slides M substantially as
described.
2nd. The interior measure E contained in the drum B with facilities for varying
said measure by means of plates P and a suitable number of ledges.
f
3rd. The combination of the stop or projection R, recess V, and tooth S to
arrest the movement of the crank G substantially as described.
4th. In an automatic meter, an indicator Q, hell U, ratchet wheel T, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
A. H. REED,
Agent.