AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR APPORTIONING THE FODDER OF HORSES, CATTLE, AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacques Masson, of No. 82, Boulevard Sébastopol,
Paris, in the Empire of France, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR APPORTIONING THE FODDER OF HORSES, CATTLE, AND
OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS.".
Sealed the 8th June 1866, and dated the 14th December 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jacques Masson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
⚫ December 1865.
I, JACQUES MASSON, of No. 82, Boulevard Sébastopol, Paris, in the Empire.
of France, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR APPORTIONING THE FODDER OF HORSES, CATTLE,
AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS," to be as follows:-
My improved apparatus for apportioning or measuring out the fodder of
domestic animals consists in a case of wood or iron of any suitable dimensions,
and containing a number of measures varying in size to suit the requirements.
This apparatus, and which is of most simple construction, is placed beneath a
granary, a communication therewith being effected by means of pipes or
troughs which conduct the grain to the measures, the upper and lower ends of
which are furnished with self-acting registers or traps by means of springs
and levers conveniently arranged for the purpose in such a manner that whilst
the top one is open the lower is closed, the action thereof being somewhat

page_text: similar to that of the shot flask. In making use of the machine all that is
necessary is to open the bottom trap by means of a handle for the purpose,
the measured grain then falls into a basket or other receptacle placed beneath;
the upper trap closes simultaneously with the opening of the lower one, thus
cutting off the supply from the store; this is effected so rapidly that no grain
is permitted to pass beyond that contained in the measure. On withdrawing
the band from the handle the measure closes at the bottom, whilst the top
opens and is at once refilled and ready to be again discharged as abovo
described. It is scarcely necessary to observe that this operation can be
repeated as long as there is sufficient grain in the store to supply the
measures.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
I by the said Jacques Masson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
June 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JACQUES
MASSON, of No. 82, Boulevard Sébastopol, Paris, in the Empire of France,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
IIer reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Jacques Masson, Her special licence that I, the said Jacques
Masson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Jacques Masson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR APPORTIONING THE FODDER OF HORSES, CATTLE, AND OTHER DOMESTIC
ANIMALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jacques
Masson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent,

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that i, the said Jacques Masson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following:
statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:
My improved apparatus for apportioning. or measuring out the fodder of:
domestic animals consists in a case of wood or iron of any suitable dimensions,
and containing a number of measures varying in size to suit the requirements."
This apparatus, which is of most simple construction, is placed beneath a
granary, a communication therewith being effected by means of pipes or
troughs which conduct the grain to the measures, the upper and lower ends of.
which are furnished with self-acting registers or traps by means of springs
and levers conveniently arranged for the purpose in such a manner that whilst
the top one is open the lower is closed, the action thereof being somewhat.
similar to that of the shot flask. In making use of the machine all that is
necessary is to open the bottom trap by means of a handle for the purpose;
the measured grain then falls into a basket or other receptacle placed beneath;:
the upper trap closes simultaneously with the opening of the lower one, thus.
cutting off the supply from the store; this is effected so rapidly that no grain
is permitted to pass beyond that contained in the measure. On withdrawing
the hand from the handle the measure closes at the bottom, whilst the top'
opens, and is at once refilled and ready to be again discharged as above-
described. It is scarcely necessary to observe that this operation can be.
repeated as long as there is sufficient grain in the store to supply the
measures.
The above description will be readily understood by. reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my apparatus; Fig. 2, a vertical section';
Fig. 3, a plan; and Fig. 4, a longitudinal section having a few modifications
of my principle; the same letters of reference indicate the same parts shown
in the different Figures.
a is the case containing the mechanism, and may be made of wood or iron,
or a combination of both, as may be considered desirable; b, c, d, aro the
measures, varying in size to suit the requirements and the nature of the rations
to be apportioned; e, e, are the lower traps or registers, which are self-acting
and slide in the grooves ff; 9,9, are the upper registers, also sliding in the
same manner; h, h, are the handles or knobs fixed on the lower registers e, 6 ;
i, i, i, are springs acting on the registers and keeping the lower ones closed
and the upper open; j,j, are jointed levers acted upon by the springs i, i, i, and
regulate the movement of the registers; k, k, are supports to the said levers;

page_text: 1,7, are mortises at the lower part of the registers, and in which the ends
of the levers are fixed; m, m, are strengthening irons or braces to the
apparatus.
In Fig. 4 the lower parts of the measures are represented as furnished with
self-acting valves in place of the registers; and outside the case of the appa-
ratus may be placed a clock or indicator to show how much grain has been
measured, the levers being arranged so as to prevent the possibility of two
valves opening at a time. a is the case divided into two compartments, in
one of which is the mechanism, whilst the other is divided into several parts
serving as measures; b are the lower valves where the grain is discharged;
these work on hinges and are opened or closed by the handles c, c; d, d, are
the upper valves; e is an oscillating lever fixed on a support, the object being
to prevent two valves opening at a time; f is a similar lever acted upon by
those working the upper valves; 9 is a spring fixed to the lever f, having a
rectilineal and alternative movement, and sets in motion a dial or indicator
placed outside the case a; his a spring which maintains the lever fin a raised
position and ready for operation.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is, the peculiar arrangement and construction of the herein-
before mentioned apparatus as described by these Presents and illustrated by
the accompanying Drawings.
• In witness whereof, I, the said Jacques Masson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
E. HÉBRÉ,
Boulevard Sébastopol, 82,
Paris.
JACQUES MASSON. (L.S.)