Improvements in Automatic Grain-scales.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1891-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Grain-scales.
1, FRANCIS HENRY RICHARDS, of No. 64 Farmington Avenue, in the City of
Hartford, County of Hartford and State of Connecticut, one of the United States of
America, Mechanical Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to that class of automatic grain-scales having a single
oscillating bucket suspended from the scale-beam, and having a valve mechanism
operated from the upward and downward movements of the scale-beam and bucket.
In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this Specification,
Fig. is a front elevation of an automatic grain-scale embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the scale as seen from the right-hand in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a view, similar to Fig. 3, of the scale as seen from the left-hand
in Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a right-hand side elevation of the scale, and illustrates the first stage of
the weighing operation.
Fig. 7 is a left-hand side elevation of a portion of the supply-chute and the
reducing and cut-off valves, said valves being in the same position as in Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a right-hand side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 7, and of sonie
adjacent parts.
Fig. 9 is a right-hand side elevation of the scale, illustrating the second stage of
the weighing operation.
Figs. 10 and 11 are detached views similar to portions of Fig. 9, and are illus-
trative of certain features of the construction and operation of the scale.
Fig. 12 is a right-hand side elevation of the scale, illustrating the third stage of
the weighing operation.
Fig. 13 is a right-hand side elevation of the machine, and illustrates the first
stage of the return movement of the bucket.
Fig. 14 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 13, but as seen from the opposite
side.
Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view of the framework and the supply-chute of
the machine, and of certain other parts carried by the framework.
Figs. 16 and 17 are an enlarged plan and a side view, respectively, of the cut-off
valve actuating cam.
Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.
The framework for carrying the operative parts of the machine usually, and as
shown in the drawings, comprises two side frames or uprights, 2 and 4, set on a
base, 3, to which they may be secured by screws (not shown) in the usual manner, and
the supply-chute, H, carried by the plates 5 and 5' resting on said uprights.
The grain-bucket G, of the single-chamber type or class, is suspended under the
The grain-
supply-chute H and discharges its loads of grain intermittingly.
bucket G is journaled at 12 in bearings formed in the hangers 16 and 18, which are
suspended by V-shaped bearings on the pivots or knife-edges, 15 and 17, of
the principal arms, 19 and 21, of the scale-beam B. This beam has V-shaped
bearings, 20 and 22, one at each end thereof, which bearings rest on the pivots
or knife-edges 24 and 26, that are suitably supported at 23 and 25, on the
framework. Opposite to arms 19 and 21, a pair of arms, 28 28, extend rearwardly
and are provided with pivots or knife-edges 27 27, on which the main-weight W
(also designated as the counter-weight) is suspended by a T-shaped rod, 29.

page_text: ;
For limiting the vertical movement of the counter-weight, I provide a stop con-
structed substantially as follows: Two uprights, 95 95, are fixed to or formed on the
base, 3, of the framework, and carry a stop-pin, 96, fixed therein. A reduced
part, 97, of the weight W depends therefrom and has a slot, 99, formed therein to
receive the said stop-pin 96; a pin, 98, similar to pin 96, is fixed in the lower end 5
of the part 97 to engage the said pin 96 and thus limit the rising movement of the
weight on the full downward movement of the main-weight, the pin 96 strikes in
the upper end of the slot 99, thus checking said downward movement. When the
described parts are to be disassembled, one of the pins 96 or 98 is first removed.
In practice, the main-weight W is constructed of a mass just counterbalancing the
unloaded bucket mechanism, and one or more load weights, as 6, are provided for
balancing the complete load of grain in the bucket. These load weights have
suitable means, as for instance the tongue and groove at 7, for holding them in
proper lateral position on the main-weight, and are slotted, as at 8, Fig. 15, to permit
the ready placing and removal of them.
The scale-beam, designated in a general way by B, is shown formed of a single
piece, which comprises the arms before mentioned, the shaft 50, and the several
knife-edges and V-shaped bearings carried thereon. The shaft 50 may be formed
hollow to secure greater strength and rigidity with a given weight. The axis of
oscillation of the beam coincides, of course, with the line of the knife-edges 24 and 26.
The bearings 20 and 22 have the stems 20' and 22', respectively, formed thereon,
by means of which they are secured to the under side of the shaft 50, while the knife-
edges 15, 17 and 27 are secured to the upper side of the arms 19, 21, and 28, 28,
respectively, in a well-known manner.
When reference is herein made to the movement of the "scale-beam," the move-
ment of the bucket-supporting arms thereof is meant, this coinciding, of course,
with the movement of the bucket itself.
At a point about the height of the bottom of the bucket, the hangers 16 and 18
are connected together by means of some suitable yoke or cross-bar, as 10, which
may be fixed to said hangers 16 and 18 by the screws 9 and 11, respectively. Any
undue forward movement of the hangers is prevented by means of the stops 30 and 31,
which extend inwardly from the sides of the framework immediately forward of
the lower ends of the hangers, as shown in Fig. 1 and by dotted lines in the several
side views.
For preventing any rearward movement of the hangers, and any undue swaying
of the bucket while weighing, I employ a pair of thrust-rods set between the hangers
and bearings on the framework. Said rods being alike in form and operation, a
description of one will answer for a description of both. The thrust-rod 47 has
pointed or wedge-shaped ends forming "knife-edges," which engage the V-shaped
bearings 51 and 53, on the bucket-hangers and framework of the machine, respec-
tively; this arrangement permits of perfectly free vertical movement of the bucket
and hangers, but prevents any swinging movement of the same. The bearing 58
is fixed to the frame by the screw 54, or by other well-known means.
The grain-bucket, designated in a general way by G, is limited in its oscillating
novement by stops fixed thercon and engaging abutments suitably formed and
located on the hangers and on the framework, respectively. The stops 13 and 14
limit the return movement of the bucket by striking the abutments or bearing
surfaces at 32 and 33, respectively, of the hangers 16 and 18. The forward move-
ment of the bucket to discharge the load, as illustrated in Fig. 12, is limited by
similar stops, 34 and 35, fixed on the bucket and engaging the abutments 36 and 37,
respectively, which project inwardly from the side frames 2 and 4, as will be under-
stood by comparison with Figs. 3 and 12.
For locking the bucket in its upper or normal position shown in Fig. 3, and for
unlocking the same at the proper time, I usually provide a pair of bucket-latches,
located one on each side of the bucket; but I have shown and will describe only
one of said latches. A catch, 46, is fixed on the bucket and is fitted to engage

page_text: ::
with the detent-catch 41 of the latch 42, which latch is pivoted at one end thereof
at 43 to the hanger 16. The opposite end, 45, of said latch or lever 4? extends
backward and stands immediately above the stop-pin 46. The said stop-pin 46 is
curved or
cranked, as shown best in Fig. 2, and is pivoted or journaled in the
upright 2 of the framework outside of said upright a lever or crank-arm, 48,
having a handle 49, is attached to the pin 46, whereby the operator may throw said
stop-pin from its operative position shown in Figs. 3, 6, 9, 12 and 13, to its inoperative
position illustrated in the detached view Fig. 11. On the descent of the loaded
bucket, the end 45 of the latch 42 strikes the stop-pin 46, disengaging the bucket-
catches and allowing the bucket to turn in its bearings and discharge its load
of grain.
The bucket G is substantially the same as the grain-bucket "B" whose con-
struction and operation is particularly described in United States Patent No. 414,080,
dated Oct. 29, 1889, to which reference may be had. The bucket consists of
the bottom 81, the side walls 82 and 84, the door or closer 83 hinged to the said side
walls at 86 and 88, and the front wall 85. Near the forward edge of, and under-
neath the bottom-plate 81 is secured the guard-plate 87, for the purpose (hereinafter
more fully set forth) of increasing the effectiveness of the automatic regulation of
the machine.
The valve mechanisni comprises a reducing valve for reducing the full flow of
grain to the size of a "drip," a cut-off valve for cutting off the drip when the load
is fully completed, a cam operated by the rising and falling bucket mechanism to
actuate the cut-off valve, and means for opening the reducing valve on the upward
inovement of the beam and closing the same on the first portion of the downward
movement of the beam. The reducing valve, designated in a general way by 60, is
carried by its arms 62 and 64, which are suspended on pivots, 61 61, fixed in the end
walls of the supply-chute, H. This valve closes under the outlet 65 of the chute H
somewhat more than one-half the width thereof, and is limited in said movement
by some suitable stop, as 66. The arm 64 of the valve 60 is furnished with a
roller, 67, pivotally attached thereto at 68; said roller engages the upwardly-
projecting end, 181, of the hanger 18. By means of this construction, the opening
and closing of said valve 60 is effected by the rising and falling movements, respec-
tively, of the scale-beam.
"
The cut-off valve 70 is similarly suspended by its arms 72 and 74, which arms are
pivotally connected to the supply-chute by the pivots 63 63. The arm 72 has a
cam-roll, 77, pivoted thereon, which roll is acted upon by the cam or "valve-
actuator 78, that is pivotally supported at 79 on the upright 2 of the
framework. The cam 78 is operated in part from the vertical movement of the
hanger, and in part from the oscillating movement of the grain-bucket, by means
of a connecting-rod, 80, the lower end of which is attached to said bucket, and the
upper end to the said valve-actuating cam.
During the descending movement of the hangers, (the bucket not then turning
on its journals,) the downward movement of the valve-actuating cam 78 follows
exactly downward the movement of the bucket mechanism. The construction and
arrangement of the parts is such that the "poising-point " occurs when the cam is in
the position shown in Fig. 8, the roll 77 resting on the non-effective face 75 of the
cam, contiguous to the inclined or effective face 76 thereof. On the first downward
movement of the bucket mechanism below the poising point, the roll 77 passes onto
the inclined face 76 of the cam, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, so that the weight of
the valve 72 (and of the valve-weight 71 thereon) bears upon said face to exert a
downward thrust upon the bucket mechanism and thereby force downward the same
to detach the catches 40 and 41 and thus permit the loaded bucket to turn or "tilt"
from its position in Fig. 3 to its position in Fig. 12. On the turning forward of the
bucket to discharge the load, as shown in Fig. 12, the connecting-rod pivot 80' on
the bucket passes downward toward the under side of the bucket-bearing 12, and
thus throws downward the cam 78 relatively to the hanger 16. On a partial

page_text: discharge of the load taking place, the beam gradually rises as the bucket turns back
toward its load-receiving position, so that said valve-actuating cam has a different
position relatively to the bucket during the upward movement of the bucket than
it had during the downward movement thereof. The object of this construction and
mode of operation is to prevent the opening of the cut-off valve until after the
bucket shall have so far returned as to catch and securely hold any grain which
may escape through the opening valves, this position being shown in Figs. 3
and 14.
The two valves 60 and 70 are arranged as shown, one on the front, and one on
the back side, of the spout or chute II, after the manner shown and described in
prior Letters Patent granted to me. The cut-off valve weight 71 should be fixed to
said valve so as to stand, when the valve is open, substantially above the valve-
pivot 63, as indicated in Fig. 3. On the closing movement of the valve, said weight
passes rapidly from over said pivot, and thus becomes more effective for exerting
the required downward thrust on the cam 78.
For reducing the friction of the cam 78 on its supporting stud 79, said cam has
or may have the knife-edge 55, whose edge rests in the V-bearing formed at 56 in
the stud 79, as shown in Fig. 17. The knife-edge bearing should, of course, coincide
with the axis of the stud 79.
The downward movement of the beam comprises three periods: first, the
reduction of the full column of grain, represented by the beam movement froin
line a a to the "poising line bb; second, the poising of the scale-beam; third, the
discharge of the load. The first period begins and ends with the closing movement
of the reducing valve. The second begins with the closing of the reducing valve
and ends when the cut-off valve begins to close. The third is the period of cut-off-
valve closure, during which the bucket-latches are disengaged and the load begins
discharging. The reducing valve is operated directly from the bucket-hanger 18;
the upper end, 18', of said hanger engaging the roller 67 on the arm 64 of said
valve, as herein before described. On the descent of the beam, the valve 60 is
gradually closed by means of the differential or varying effect of its own weight on
the bucket mechanism; and on the rising of the beam said valve is quickly opened,
in a manner readily understood. Said varying effect is produced by reason of the
peculiar location of the roll 67 relatively to the pivot 61 and the arm 18', as shown
in Fig. 7 the stroke of the roll being from its said position upwardly therefrom,
the effective radius of the roll decreases, while, owing to the outward swing of the
valve, the effective weight increases, as will be understood from Fig. 5.
action results in the required gradual downward movement of the beam, for effecting
the gradual reduction of the column of grain. As a means for returning the grain-
bucket to place on the discharge of the load and the rising of the scale-beam, and
for positively preventing the premature opening of the valves, the bucket is (usually
on each side thereof, but only one of which need be described, since they are
duplicates) provided with a cam, 100, fixed thereon, which cam engages an
abutment-roll, 102, that is pivotally supported on an arm or abutment, 103,
projecting from the upright 2 of the framework. Said cam is so formed,
substantially as shown, that as the bucket rises it is thereby returned to its normal
or load-receiving position shown in Fig. 3.
This
The general operation of the grain-scale is as follows: The hopper H being
supplied with grain in any convenient manner, and the cut-off valves 60 and 70
being open as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the grain flows from the chute H, through
outlet 65 thereof, and falls into the grain-bucket G in a full stream or column.
When the major part of a load of grain has been deposited in the bucket, this
begins to descend, thereby allowing the reducing valve 60 to gradually close, and
thus gradually reducing the flow of grain to a "drip." The position of the parts
at this stage of the operation is illustrated in Fig. 6, where, it will be noticed, the
cam 100 stands clear of the abutment-roll 102. When the full load has been
deposited in the bucket, this further descends until the end 45 of the bucket-latch 42

page_text: strikes the pin 46 which operates to disengage the detent-catch 41 from the bucket-
catch 40, as illustrated in Fig. 9; at this time the cam 100 stands fully below the
line of said roll 102, ready for the tilting of the bucket. Said catches being
disengaged, the bucket is free to turn on its pivots 12; and as the bucket is so
constructed that the major part of its load of grain is located forward of the center
of gravity thereof, the bucket is overbalanced by its load and turns forward to its
position shown in Fig. 12. This movement brings the outer face 104 of the cam 100
directly under the abutment-roll 102, thereby temporarily locking the bucket
mechanism in its lowest position, and thus securely guarding against the premature
opening of the valves. At the time the grain pours out through the space at 89,
below the lower edge of the front wall S5, the closer 83 swings open, and the grain,
if there is a previous accumulation below the machine, forms a pile forward of the
guard 87, as shown by the dotted lines at 92 92, Fig. 12. The resistance due to
the weight or mass of this pile of grain against the lower part of the bucket is
sufficient (when the cam 100 is properly proportioned) to prevent the return of the
bucket, notwithstanding that the entire main-weight W is acting through said
cam 100 to effect such return movement. This mode of operation is attained by
making the incline or "rise" of the working face 104 of said cam 100 to be only
slightly in excess of the actual angle of repose." The result of this construction
of the cam is that the frictional resistance of the parts nearly counteracts the
effective action of the inclined cam-face 104. so that the slight additional resistance
of the pile of grain in front of the guard 87 (or against the lower edge of the
bucket-beam 81 when no guard is used) is sufficient, in practice, to secure the proper
co-action of the several parts of the mechanism. The load of grain having been
discharged as described and the machine brought to rest thereby, when the pile of
grain is gradually lowered until the resistance thereof against the lower edge of the
bucket is less than the effective power of the main-weight acting through said
cam 100, the bucket is then turned by the action of the cam and weight from its
position in Fig. 12 to its position in Fig. 13, when the cam 78 is carried up to a
point ready to begin the opening of the cut-off valve, and the arm 181 is brought
up against the roll 67 ready to begin the opening of the reducing valve, the cam 100
having in the meantime turned in firm contact against the abutment-roll until the
bucket has reached a position for catching any grain escaping through the opening
valves. On the further return movement of the bucket, the cam 100 passes back
of the abutment-roll, and the bucket mechanism is then fully raised by the main-
weight, thereby fully opening both valves. During the upward movement as
aforesaid of the bucket and its simultaneous return tilting movement, the bucket
acquires a considerable momentum, owing to the action of the weight and cam as
above described, so that when the cam 78 opens the cut-off valve, this operation is
performed partly by the rising movement of the bucket mechanism and partly by
the return rotary movement of the bucket on its journals 12, this being the reverse
of the closing movement herein before described. On the return of the bucket to
its position in Fig. 3, the bucket-catches 40 and 41 engage as there shown, thus
locking the bucket in its load-receiving position; as the bucket reaches this position,
the closer 83 is closed by its own weight.
In the drawings, an ordinary register, R, is shown supported on the side frame 2,
for registering the loads of grain discharged. The register is operated from the
bucket through a connecting-rod 90 and the register-arm 91. The mode of
operation will be understood by comparison of Figs. 3, 6 and 12. In Fig. 6, the
bucket is at the poising point and the connecting-rod 90 in a horizontal position,
wherein it offers the least possible resistance to the movement of the beam, which
at this moment is very sensitive to any varying force. The tilting of the bucket
to discharge the load swings the arm 91 toward the right-hand, from its position
in Fig. 3 to its position in Fig. 12; and the return movement swings said arm back
to its first position,-the double stroke of the arm being usually required to effect
the registration of one load.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In a grain-scale, the combination with the scale-beam and the hangers
suspended therefrom, and with the fixed abutment on the framework, of the
oscillating bucket journaled in the hangers and having the cam located on the
bucket to pass clear of the abutment on the downward movement of the hangers
and to pass under the abutment on the turning of the bucket to discharge the
load, said cam having an inclined working face substantially as described bearing
on the abutment during the return movement of the bucket.
2. In a grain-scale, the combination with the hangers suspended substantially as
described, of the bucket journaled in the hangers, the abutment-roll located above
the bucket-journal, and the cam 100 located on the bucket to swing under said roll
on the tilting movement of the bucket to discharge the load when the hangers are
in their lowest position.
3 In a grain-scale, the combination with the counter-weighted scale-beam, of
the hangers suspended therefrom, the fixed abutment on the frame, the oscillating
bucket journaled in the hangers, the cam on the bucket and engaging said abut-
ment on the return of the bucket, the cut-off valve, the valve-actuator operating
the cut-off valve, and the connecting-rod connecting said actuator with a point on
the oscillating bucket, whereby the cut-off valve is operated in part from the
vertical movement of the bucket mechanism, and in part from the tilting movement
of the bucket.
4. In a grain-scale, the combination with the supply-chute, and with a rising and
falling bucket mechanism substantially as described, of the cut-off valve, the cut-
off valve actuator pivotally supported on the framework and having the non-effective
face and the effective face, and a connection operating said actuator from the rising
and falling movements of the bucket mechanism.
5. In a grain-scale, the combination with the supply-chute and the rising and
falling bucket mechanism having bucket-carrying hangers suspended from the
scale-beam, of the reducing valve pivotally supported substantially as described
on said chute and having the roll 67 located above the valve-axis when the valve
is closed, and the arm 18¹ engaging under said roll to open the valve on the
upward movement of the bucket mechanism, whereby the downward thrust on the
bucket mechanism of said roll 67 is reduced during the closing movement of
the reducing valve.
6. In a grain-scale, the combination with the rising and falling bucket mechanism
having the oscillating bucket provided with the catch 40, of the bucket-latch
carried by the hanger and engaging said catch, and the stop-pin 46 consisting of a
pin revolubly mounted eccentrically to the working end thereof and having means
for shifting said pin from an operative to an inoperative position, and vice versa,
substantially as described.
7. In a grain-scale, the combination with the counter-weighted scale-beam and
with the bucket-carrying hangers suspended therefrom and having V-bearings
on the rearward side thereof, of the corresponding V-bearings on the framework
set opposite to said hanger-bearings, and the thrust-rods set between said V-bearings
and the opposite bearings on the framework, substantially as described.
8. In a grain-scale, the combination with the rising and falling bucket mechanism
having an oscillating bucket carried by hangers suspended from the scale-beam, of
the register carried on the framework, the register-mechanism-actuating arm located
to move laterally of the line of movement of the hangers, and a connecting-rod
having its points of connection in a line crosswise to the line of movement of the
hangers and connected at one end to said arm and at the other end to the bucket,
whereby the register and its actuating connection are non-resistant to the weighing
operation, substantially as described."
9. In a grain-scale, the combination with the rising and falling bucket mechanism

page_text: substantially as described having a detent-catch for unhooking the bucket, and with
a stop on the framework for detaching said catch, of the supply-chute above the
bucket, the cut-off valve under said chute and having a stud or roller 77, the
cam 78 pivotally supported on the frame and having an effective and a non-
effective face, and a connection operating the cam 78 from the falling movement of
the bucket mechanism to bring said effective cam-face under said stud or roller 77
for the unhooking of said bucket-catch, substantially as described.
Dated this 30th day of November 1891.
FRANCIS HENRY RICHARDS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.