Year: 1886

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by CLEMENT COLERIDGE CLAWSON, of Newark, in
the County of Essex, and State of New Jersey, United States of America,
Manufacturer.]
I WILLIAM BEILBY AVERY of 12 Digbeth, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Machine Maker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists in a novel construction of apparatus for automatically
weighing various articles of commerce.
The apparatus consists of a pair of standards set up upon a base and supporting a
table which carries a hopper to receive the material to be weighed.
On one or more standards or posts secured to the base are the bearings for one or
more weighing beams the inner ends of which carry on knife edges scale pans the
outer ends being provided with weights. In the centre of the base is a post on the
top of which is secured a tray through which the scale pan supports pass.-This tray
overlies the bearings of the scale beams and thus serves to catch any overflow of the
material being weighed and prevents any accumulation on the beams whereby the
accuracy of the weighing might be interfered with.
Attached to the scale pan support is one end of a rod the other end being secured
by a link to the underside of the hopper table.-This rod which is bent to clear
the overflow tray serves to move a rocking shoot as will be hereafter explained.
The hopper apparatus consists of a tray provided on one side with an opening and
it is secured to the table, with the opening above a corresponding opening in the
table. Projecting upwards from the centre of this tray is a stud on which the hopper
is mounted and turns. The bottom of the hopper is flat and on its under side is
formed with a number of pockets the bottoms of which are formed by the tray. Each
pocket is open to the hopper and the material to be weighed fills the pockets and is
carried round in them as the hopper rotates until it comes opposite the opening in the
tray and in the table.

page_text: The hopper is rotated by means of a driving belt which is suitably and conveniently
driven and inside the hopper are secured fixed blades or stirrers which have the
effect of stirring up the contents and forcing it into the pockets as the hopper
rotates.
Below the opening in the table is suspended an oscillating counter weighted spout
which directs the material being weighed into one or the other of a pair of fixed
spouts or shoots which are suitably supported in a position to guide the material into
the bags or receptacles on the scale pan.
On either side of the oscillating spout is a lug or ear against which as the scale pan
descends under the weight of the material, a projection or finger on the linked rod
comes into contact and depresses it so as to bring the counterweight of the spout onto
the opposite side of a vertical line drawn through the bearing which counterweight is
then in a position to throw the spout over to guide the material into the other
fixed shoot and to the empty bag. The filled bag is then replaced by an empty one.
Dated this 24th day of August 1886.
I WILLIAM BEILBY AVERY of 12 Digbeth, Birmingham in the County of 2
Warwick, Machine Maker, 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 object of this invention is to construct a simple and efficient machine for
automatically weighing various substances such as toa, and powders of different 2
kinds.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shown, at Fig. 1, a front elevation, partly
in section, of a machine constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is an end
elevation, also partly in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show
slight modifications in certain of the details.
A is a base plate, upon which are secured the standards B. These standards B
carry a top plate or table C, which supports the hopper D and its accessories. Inside
the standards B, and secured to the base plate A, are a pair of U-shaped standards E,
which carry the bearings for the knife edges a a of a pair of scale beams or steel-
yards F. These steelyards or scale beams consists of a U-shaped piece F, into the 8

page_text: arms of which the knife edges a a are fitted, and a graduated rod or bar F¹ which
carries the weight. Into the outer ends of the U-shaped piece F, are also fitted knife
edges bb, upon which is hung another U-shaped piece 1, and in the centre of this
piece is firmly secured a post carrying the scale pan. I prefer to use the form of
scalebeam or steelyard just described, as I obtain wide bearings, and thereby steadiness
in the weighing mechanism is ensured, but it will be evident that I may use any other
suitable form of weighing mechanism.
The ensure the verticality of the post, I secure thereto one end of a rod G, which
extends upwards to near the top plate or table C, where it is connected by a link
rod G¹ to a bracket piece C¹pendent from the underside of the table C.
The length of the link rod G' corresponds with the distance between the knife
edges a and b, and thus the rod G is obliged to move in a vertical direction, the
verticality of the scale pan post being thereby ensured.
The rod G has another office, which will be more particularly referred to
hereafter.
Below the scale pans, and carried by a standard H, is a shield H', which extends
over the bearings of the scalebeams or steelyards, and serves to prevent the collection
thercon of any of the material being weighed.
Upon the top plate C is firmly secured a metal tray 1, from the centre of which
projects upwardly a stud pin I, and upon this pin is mounted proferably a cylindrical
metal casting J.-One side of this casting is formed with a series of pockets c, and the
other side d forms a socket into which the hopper D is fitted.-The external periphery
of this part & serves also as a pulley round which a band e from any prime mover is
passed, and by means of which, rotary motion is communicated to the casting and the
hoppor.
The casting is held down in position on the stud I' by a sloeve f, which is secured
to the stud by a clamping screw or otherwise. This sleeve is cast with a laterally
projecting cutting blade f¹, which serves to cut up or break the longer sticks or
pieces of tea, to such a size as will readily pass through the openings into the
pockets c as the hopper rotates. In addition to the blade, stirrers may be fitted
to the sleeve -The tea or material to be weighed collects in the pockets
and as
the hopper D rotatos, the pockets are brought successively over an opening I³ in the
bottom of the tray I, and the tea is discharged through said opening. This opening I'
is arranged to correspond with a similar opening in the top plate C, and the passage
thus formed is prolonged by a short tube C, which is conveniently secured to the
underside of the top plate C.
Thus tube conducts the material to be weighed to an oscillating funnel K, which is
suitably carried in brackets pendent from the underside of the top plate. This funnel
alternately guides the material to one of a pair of fixed spouts L, carried by curved
brackets pendent from the top plate, and arranged to direct the material into bags or
receptacles placed upon the scale pans.
The change of position of the funnel K is effected by the rods G, which are
provided at their upper ends with fingers G³, that come into contact with lugs or
ears K¹ formed on the funnel K. When the proper quantity of the material or
substance has collected in the bag or receptacle on one of the scale pans, the scale-
boam or steelyard in connection with that scale pan is tipped, and its rod Ġ descends.
This brings the finger G³ into contact with the lug or ear K' on that side of the
funnel, and the funnel is rocked, so as to direct the material to be weighed into the
other bag or receptacle. To assist in the tipping, the funnel may be provided with a
counterweight or weights K', as shown in the drawings.
In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, I show in sectional elevation, plan, and side views, a slight
modification in the form of the casting J and the blade, the sectional view being
taken on the line, Fig. 5. This modification is more particularly suited to the
treatment of powdered substances. Thus, the pockets c are dispensed with, and the
powder runs from the hopper through holes formed in the bottom thereof, into a
chamber J, in which it is caused to move round by contact with the rotating
casting J, and is forced through the opening I' in the bottom of the tray I, by means

page_text: of a curved guide f³, which is fixed to the tray, and extends across the path of travel
of the material.
In this instance, I use two blades f¹, but instead of presenting a cutting edge to
the material, they act in the reverse direction, viz., as curved pressing plates to press
the material through the openings in the casting J.
Fig. 6 is an edge view of these pressing blades, taken at right angles to the position
shown at Figs. 4 and 5.
In both cases, the bottom of the tray I will be turned up quite smooth, to avoid
friction as much as possible.
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. A machine for automatically weighing tea and other substances, constructed,
arranged, and operating substantially as herein shown and described.
2nd. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with the scale pan, of the
rod G and link G₁ connecting the rod to the top plate C, whereby the vertical position
of the scale pan is ensured, substantially as set forth.
3rd. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination of a scale beam or
steelyard with a linked rod, as G, provided with a finger, and an oscillating
spout or shoot, provided with lugs or ears, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
4th. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination of the tray I, rotating
casting J, with or without pockets c, and hopper D, substantially as described and
shown in the drawings.
5th. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with a top plate, as C, of
the tray I, rotating casting J, with or without pockets c, hopper D, and an oscillating
spout or shoot, as K, substantially as described.
6th. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with the rotating casting J,
with or without pockets and hopper D, of the fixed cutting blade or pressing
blades, and the stirrers f³, substantially as described.
7th. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination with the rotating casting J,
without pockets c, and hopper D, of the pressing blades f¹, tray I, and the curved
directing guide 13, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Sth. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination of a rotating casting J,
with or without pockets c, hopper D, and fixed tray 1, with an oscillating spout or
shoot K, substantially as described.
9th. In an automatic weighing machine, the combination of a rotating casting J,
hopper D, and fixed tray I, with a weighing mechanism substantially as described.
Dated this 24th day of Mov 1887