Improvements in Automatic Grain-weighing and Bagging Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 2nd May, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Grain-weighing and Bagging
Machines.
We, FRANCIS HENRY RICHARDS, Mechanical Engineer, of No. 64 Farmington
Avenue, and CHARLES HENRY COOLEY, Superintendent, of No. 1 Flower Street,
both in the City and County of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut, United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 grain-weighing and bagging machines, and has for its
object the adaption for the bagging of grain of the grain-weighing improvements
described in our prior application for Letters Patent No. 20,457, dated 16th
December 1890.
In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this Specification,
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a grain weighing and bagging machine embodying
our improvements.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, as seen from the left-hand in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine, as seen from the right-hand in Fig. 1,
with some parts broken away for illustrating certain details of construction; in
this view the bag D is shown in place for receiving its load.
Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional elevation, corresponding in position to Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the upper part of the machine, some details being
omitted.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the details at the lower part of the machine, some parts;
including the frame, being shown in section, and others broken away the better to
show the construction and arrangement of minor details.
Fig. 7 is a front view, partially in section, of the bag-holder.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the under side of the bag-holder.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are a series of views similar to the upper part of Fig. 2, for
illustrating the operation of the valve mechanism.
Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.
The machine shown in the drawings consists of a framework, the scale-beam B
and its counterpoise, a supply-chute, and a cut-off and a reducing valve for said
chute, and valve-actuating mechanism whereby the cut-off and reducing valves are
actuated from the scale-beam; all substantially as shown and described in our said
prior application. These several features of the machine may be briefly described
as follows:
The framework for carrying the operative parts of this machine usually, and ar
shown in the drawings, comprises two side frames or uprights, as 2 and 4, which
may be held together by the top plate 5, (carrying the supply-chute H,) and by
the bottom plate or bar 3, herein shown formed integral with the side frames. Or,
the side frames may be separate, and held together by suitable tie-rods and braces,
(not shown,) in a well-known manner.
The scale-beam B consists of a central shaft 50; two bucket-supporting arms, 19
and 21, provided at their front or outer ends with the usual knife-edges 15 and 17,
on which to suspend the hangers; a weight-supporting arm 28 oppositely-disposed
on sail shaft relatively to said arms 19 and 21, and having a suitable knife-edge, 27,
see Figs. 2 and 3 on which to suspend the main weight; and, bearings which are
adapted to rest on the beam-supporting knife-edges 24 and 26 that are carried by
the framework.
These features of our present machine are also described in our aforesaid
application

page_text: For counterbalancing the hangers and the bag-carrying mechanism carried
thereby, together with the load of grain, we employ the improved weight
described in our said prior application. The main-weight W, of a mass balancing
the unloaded bag-carrying mechanism, is suspended from the arm 28 of the scale-
beam by a rod 32. A circular cover, 104, is fixed to the top of the main-weight,
and on this cover rest the several load-weights, which together should equal in
weight the load of grain. The cylindrical cover 105 is fitted to slide up and down
on the suspension-rod, and is preferably formed conical at top, as shown, for the
purpose of shedding grain, dust, &c., falling thereon.
The stop shown herein for limiting the vertical movements of the counterweight
is or may be substantially the same as described in our aforesaid prior application.
At the lower part of Fig. 4 is shown in section a portion of the framework of the
machine, consisting of the bottom-plate or bar 3 carrying the weight-supporting
bracket 108. Said bracket has formed therein a slot, 120, through which passes
the weight-rod 32, together with the sleeve, or thimble, 121, carried on said rod
at the lower end thereof. Said sleeve is suitably fixed to the rod 32 by means of
a pin, 119, a key or the like. Above the pin 119, and below the bracket 108,
there is shown formed on the sleeve 121, the lower stop-collar 123, and at the upper
end of said sleeve, the upper stop-collar, or flange, 122, on which rests the main-
weight M of the counterpoise W. Said stops 122 and 123 limit the rising and
falling movements of the rod 32 and of the scale-beam, and through these control
the rising and falling movements of the hangers and the parts carried thereby.
The valve mechanism for reducing and for cutting off the flow of grain to the
"drip-holder" and bag, is actuated from and by the scale-beam. The reducing
valve 60 is carried by the arms 62 and 64 thereof, which are supported on the
pivots 61, said valve being furnished with a suitable stop to limit its closing move-
ment. This valve 60 closes under the outlet 65 of the supply-chute H somewhat
more than half the width thereof, and is actuated through its lever or cam-arm 69
to be opened by the valve-actuating arm 71 of the beam B. The arms 69 and 71
are curved relative to each other, so as to produce a graduated movement of the
one relative to the other.
For the purpose of illustration, and also because conforming to usual practice,
the beam-arm 71 is herein shown straight, while all the relative curvature or
divergence is shown formed in the valve-arm 69; this construction may, however,
be reversed.
The cut-off valve 70 is carried by the arms 72 and 74 pivoted at 73 to the
supply-chute H. The arm 72 is continued above the pivot 73, and carries the
cam 68, and some suitable weight, as 90. The actuator 55, which in this case is a
small roller carried by the arm 54, is carried at a fixed point on the beam-arm 19,
as shown.
The cam 68 being above the pivot 73 of the cut-off valve, and the
valve-arm being of a short radius, the cam follows the beam in its downward
movement, and thus has a more direct and effective action thereon.
This arrange-
ment and combination of the several parts enables us to use a large angular move-
ment of the valve relatively to the extent of the beam movement, thereby obtaining
a long stroke for the weight 90 on the arm of the cut-off valve.
For a more particular description of the operation of the cam-arm on the beam
subsequent to the poising, whereby the weight of said arm is thrown upon the beam
for a special purpose, reference may be had to our aforesaid prior application.
When the scale-beam is carried down by the completed load, (which, however, is
then very nearly counterpoised and thus has no material effective weight,) power is
furnished by said cam-arm bearing on the beam to disengage the detent-latch of
the drip-catching apparatus and thus discharge said drip into the bag. In said
prior application a combination is described having a similar function and wherein
force thus thrown upon the beam subsequent to the poising is used to disengage the
bucket-catches for discharging the grain-bucket of the grain-weigher. As in our
said prior application, so also in our present improvements, said cam-arm may be
separate from the cut-off valve; but it is deemed preferable that said arm should

page_text: be fixed in the valve, since by this means the weight of the valve is utilized fo
over-weighting the beam, and the cam is used for operating the valve.
In our present improvements, instead of suspending a grain-bucket from the forward
end of the scale-beam, as in ordinary grain-weighing machines, we substitute for
said bucket bag-supporting devices suspended from said beam and carrying thereon
one of the principal features of our present invention, which feature consists in a
drip-catching apparatus having a catch-valve or drip-holder, as 366, that is
arranged to have successive movements whereby it first allows the grain to flow
unobstructed into the bag, next interrupts and catches the column of grain, and
then discharges its load into the bag.
The two hangers 16 and 18 are suspended from the beam-arms 19 and 21,
re pectively, of the scale-beam B, by means of the knife-edges and bearing-blocks
described in our aforesaid application, the knife-edges 15 and 17 being carried on
said arms respectively; while the blocks 15' and 17, together with the guards 345
and 347, are fixed under the hooks, 16' and 18', of said hangers respectively. The
lower ends of the hangers are connected by a cross-bar, 349, suitably affixed
thereto at each end of said bar; and for preventing any undue swaying movement
forward and backward of the lower end of the hangers, these are connected by
some suitable stay-rods, as for instance, the rods 346 and 348, to fixed points of the
framework, whereby slight sidewise movement is permitted, and also the vertical
movement derived from the rising and falling of the beam. Said stay-rods are or
may be of similar construction, so that a description of one of them will suffice.
The cross-bar 349 has therein a mortise 350, through which is inserted a screw or
pin 351, which passes through the jointed end 352 of the stay-rod; which end is
connected by a pivot-pin, 353, to the principal part of the stay-rod, as shown in
Figs. 3 and 6. The rearward end of the principal part of the stay-rod 346 is
connected by a similar pin, 354, to the rearward stay-rod-end 355, which is
similarly carried by a screw or pin, 356, fixed in the frame of the machine, as
will be understood by comparison of Figs. 3 and 6. In order that the pivots 353
and 354 may be of a very small diameter and thus reduce to a minimum the
friction due to the vertical movement of the cross-bar 349, the said rod is pre-
ferably made, as shown in Fig. 6, with the ends thereof divided into several
arms which interlock with the arms of the stay-rod-ends 352 and 355, thus
furnishing several separate bearings; whereby a very small wire pivot-in practice,
about one-eighth of an inch in diameter for an ordinary size of machine-may
be used. It will be understood, however, that the principal features of our
improvements are not limited to the use of this particular form of stay-rod,
since other and well-known forms of stay-rods are adapted to be used for said
purpose.
As a means for connecting the cross-bar 349 see Figs. 2 & 3 to the lower ends
of the hangers, the ends or hubs, 357 and 359, of said cross-bar are slotted to
receive the rectangular keys 358, which also engage in corresponding notches
extending into the hanger-rods 16 and 18", thus positively locking said rod and
bar together. As a substitute for this preferable mode of connecting said parts,
the cross-bar may be attached to said hanger-rods by set-screws, or may be pinned
thereto in a well-known manner.
The bag-seat consists of a shelf 360, whose ends are formed into suitable hubs.
as 361 and 363, which are bored to fit and slide on the hanger-rods 16 and 18"
respectively, for the purpose of making said bag-seat adjustable vertically of the
hangers to accommodate different sizes of bags. As a means for holding in place
the bag-seat, the hubs 361 and 363 are slotted and provided with clamp-screws 362
and 364, whereby the hubs may be clamped upon the said hanger-rods in a well-
known manner, which will be understood by comparison of Figs. 1, 3 and 6. In
Fig. 1 the bag-seat is shown in its lowermost position. By loosening the clamp-
screws 362 and 364, it may be elevated as required, and securely fastened on the
hanger-rods by tightening said screws.
Secured in place between the hangers and near the upper end thereof, there is a

page_text: catch-pan 365, which is located immediately below the supply-chute and cut-off
valves, and which is provided with a drip-holder or catch-valve, 366, whereby the
"drip" is retained in the pan until the load is completed, when the "drip" or
"minor" part of the load is discharged into the bag. This is for the purpose,
hereinafter more fully set forth, of making uniform a feature of the operation
which otherwise would be variable and thus lead to error in weighing. The catch-
pan 365 is carried by its projecting arms or bosses 367 and 369, which are rigidly
secured to the upper ends of the hangers by the screws 368, as will be clearly
understood from Fig. 1 of the drawings. The bag-holder 370, provided with a
hook 391, for securing the bag, is connected to the sides of said pan by its arms 371
and 372, and by screws 373, so as to leave some space between the discharge-
spout, 374, of said pan and said bag-holder, wherein the catch-valve 366 may be
operated by swinging it to its successive positions shown, respectively, in Figs. 9,
10 and 11. The catch-valve is carried on two studs, 375 and 377, fixed in the
ends of the catch-pan, and is operated by hand by means of a handle 376, whose
arm 378 is fixed to the valve in any suitable manner, as for instance, by screws 379,
see Figs. 1 and 3. The catch-valve has thereon a stop-segment 380, which carries
two stops 381 and 383, the first of which is for holding the catch-valve in the
position shown in Fig. 9, and the second for holding it in the position shown in
Fig. 10. For thus holding said valve by said catches, a latch-aim, 382, provided
with a corresponding catch, 384, is pivoted to the catch-pan at 365, and has a pro-
jecting arm or lever 385, which is operated by some suitable stop, as 386, on the
framework of the machine. For operating the catch-valve, it is furnished with a
suitable weight, as 387, whose exact position circumferentially of the valve-axis,
and whose mass and weight, are experimentally determined in each particular case
so as to properly counterpoise the catch-valve itself; so that when the valve is
opened for starting the machine (as shown in Fig. 9) it will have a tendency to fall
on the uncatching of the latch 382 to the position shown in Fig. 10, where it is
caught by the second stop 383. On the further operation of the machine, when the
latch is detached from the second stop 363, said weight acts to throw the valve
into its back or "final" position (shown in Fig. 11) where the catch-pan is again
shown open.
As a means for rendering the detent-latch 382 operative in connection with the
first and second stops 381 and 383, said second stop is placed at a somewhat greater
radius from the catch-valve axis, so that on the first descent of the catch-pan from its
position in Fig. 9 to its position in Fig. 10, the stop 386 on the frame acting through
the lever 385 of the stop-latch, lifts the catch 384 from the first stop 381 of the
catch-valve, the intermediate part 388 of the stop-segment acting as a cam to
throw the detent-latch into the position shown in Fig. 10, where said lever or arm
stands at some distance above said fixed stop 386. This requires a further down-
ward movement of the catch-pan and scale-beam before the latch 382 will be
detached from said second stop, (as in Fig. 11,) said downward movement of the
beam and pan being the movement for cutting off the drip which takes place in all
grain-weighers of the class described in our aforesaid application, and wherein the
two supply-chute valves close in succession.
Having delivered a load of grain into the bag and the machine having reached
the point shown in Fig. 11, it is necessary to prevent opening the supply-chute
before the bag has been removed and another bag placed on the machine. For
this purpose, a fixed arm or abutment 389 is provided on the framework, and the
catch-valve is provided with a lock-arm 392 carrying a roll 390, which is so
arranged relative to said valve and to said abutment 389 that on the final move-
ment of the catch-valve said roll comes into the position shown in dotted lines in
Fig. 11, directly over the valve-axis and under said abutment, thus blocking or
locking the scale-beam down and stopping the machine. The abutment lower or
working face is cross-wise to the direction of the hanger movement, and the lock-
arm, on the final movement of the catch-valve, comes substantially vertical to said
face; by this means, the valve having a handle rigidly connected thereto, the

page_text: valve-handle and said lock-arm together constitute, in effect, a single lever whereby
the operator may control by hand the upward movement of the scale-beam to open
the supply-chute, and thus start the machine; during this operation the roll 390
runs along on said abutment-face, as the arm 392 swings on its axis, through its
successive positions shown in dotted lines in Figs. 9, 10 and 11.
The
To start the machine, the operator takes the catch-valve by the handle 376, and
forcibly carries the handle by a steady continuous movement from its position in
Fig. 11 to the position shown in Fig. 9, thus permitting the catch-pan to rise, (it
being carried up by the counterpoise weight,) and the beam-arms open the supply-
valves in the usual manner, and thus deliver the grain through the open catch-pan
and through the bag-holder into the bag D. When the "major part" of the load
of grain is delivered into the bag, the reducing valve closes as in Fig. 10, thus
bearing down the beam, and by bringing the arm 385 against the stop 386
disengages the detent-catch 384 from the valve-catch 381, thus allowing the
weighted catch-valve to close the catch-pan, (as also shown in Fig. 10,) and thus
retain therein the "minor part" of the load, usually denominated the "drip."
grain now continues to flow slowly or "drip" into the catch-pan until the grain in
the bag and that in the catch-pan together constitute the full load, and bear down
the beam as in Fig. 11, thus entirely cutting off the supply and again bringing the
arm 385 against the stop 386, thereby disengaging the said detent-catch from the
second valve-catch 383, when the valve again moves as before, now passing beyond
the discharge outlet of the catch-pan, and discharging the "drip" part of the load
into the bag; also, as above described, locking the scale-beam down until it shall
be again permitted to rise by the operator raising the aforesaid lever. The drip
being caught or intercepted as set forth by a drip-holder or receptacle immediately
under the supply-chute, the fall thereof is through the space of a few inches only,
and is substantially uniform in quantity, weight, momentum and force of impact,
whatever be the size or height of the bag being loaded; this uniformity of the said
several effective conditions and forces is found to be highly important to the
successful use of automatic weighing machines for the bagging of grain.
It will be understood from the drawings and from the foregoing description of
the construction and operation of the mechanism, that in the drip-catching apparatus
the principal feature is the movable drip-holder or "catch-valve," which, when the
machine is started in operation, first stands free of the descending column of grain,
then intercepts said column, and finally discharges its load into the receptacle
below; and that the catch-pan is a device adjunctive to the drip-holder, whereby
said holder is permitted to be, in any particular case, of lesser size, and to have a
lesser working stroke. If the catch-pan be dispensed with, of course suitable
means should be substituted therefor for holding the drip-holder pivots and for
carrying the detent-latch, said means being carried by the hangers. For this
purpose, suitable castings or brackets, similar in shape to the end portions of the
catch-pan shown, may be fixed to the hangers as the ends of said pan are fixed in
the present instance, and as will be obvious to those acquainted with this class of
machinery. We prefer, however, for the reasons herein set forth, to use a catch-
pan substantially as shown, since this furnishes a suitable means of connecting the
hangers, and for carrying the said holder or catch-valve and the detent-latch; and
since by this means said holder or valve may have a longer stroke, and thus be
more readily operated with a given scale-beam movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is -
1. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the scale-beam, of the hangers
suspended therefrom, a drip-holder movably supported on the hangers substantially
as described and having a catch arranged to engage a detent-latch, a detent-latch
located to engage said drip-holder-catch for holding the drip-holder clear of the
descending column of grain, and a stop located to disengage said catch on the

page_text: downward movement of the scale-beam, whereby the drip-holder is first held clear of
the descending column of grain, and on the downward movement of the scale-beam
is disengaged and allowed to intercept said column, substantially as described.
2. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the scale-beam, of the hangers
suspended therefrom, a drip-holder substantially as described supported and carried
by the hangers and having thereon stop-catches corresponding to successive
positions of said holder, a detent-latch arranged to engage said catches succes-
sively for holding the drip-holder in successive positions, and a stop located
to disengage said latch on the downward movement of the hangers, whereby the
drip-holder is first held clear of the descending column of grain, and is disengaged
and allowed to intercept said column on the downward movement of the scale-beam,
substantially as described.
3. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the scale-beam, of the hangers
suspended therefrom, a drip-holder substantially as described pivotally-supported
and carried by the hangers, and having two stop-catches corresponding to successive
positions of said holder, a detent-latch located for engaging said catches, means
substantially as described for moving the drip-holder on the unhooking of the
catches, and a stop located to unhook the detent-latch on the downward movement
of the scale-beam and thereby allow the drip-holder to intercept the descending
column of grain, and to disengage the second catch on the further downward move-
ment of the scale-beam and thereby allow the drip-holder to discharge its load,
substantially as described.
4. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the supply-chute and the scale-
beam, and with a reducing-valve and a cut-off valve for the supply-chute, of the
bag-holder suspended from the scale-beam and having the catch-pan carried
therewith, and a catch-valve operatively connected to close the catch-pan on the
closing of the reducing-valve and to open the same on the closing of the cut-off
valve, substantially as described.
5. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the scale-beam and the hangers
suspended therefrom, of the catch-pan carried by the hangers, the catch-valve
supported to close the discharge-outlet of said pan and having stops substantially
as described, a detent-latch carried by the hangers and engaging the valve, and a
stop on the frame operating said latch on the descent of the scale-beam, whereby
the valve is closed under the catch-pan on the downward movement of the scale-
beam, substantially as described.
6. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the scale-beam and the hangers
suspended therefrom, of the catch-pan carried by the hangers, the catch-valve
having two stop-catches corresponding to two successive positions of the valve, and
a detent-latch arranged to engage said catches successively, to hold the valve in
successive positions, first open and then closed, substantially as described.
7. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the scale-beam and with the hangers
suspended therefrom, of the catch-pan carried by the hangers, the catch-valve
supported to close said pan and having two catches arranged for locking the valve
in successive positions, first open and then closed, a detent-latch, and a counterweight
arranged to close the valve on the unhooking of the first catch and to open the 4
valve on the unhooking of the second catch, substantially as described.
8. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the scale-beam, of the hangers
suspended therefrom and carrying the catch-pan, the catch-valve supported sub-
stantially as described and having two stop-catches corresponding to two successive
positions of the valve, one of said catches being located on a longer radius than the 5
other, and a detent-latch supported substantially as described and arranged to
engage said catches in succession, whereby one fixed stop on the frame first dis-
engages the first catch on the downward movement of the scale-beam, and after-
wards disengages the second catch on the further downward movement of the
scale-beam, substantially as described.
9. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the scale-beam, of the hangers
suspended therefrom and carrying a catch-pan, the catch-valve pivotally-suppoited
5

page_text: substantially as described and having two stop-catches corresponding to two succes-
sive positions of the valve, one of said catches being located on a longer radiu
than the other, a detent-latch supported substantially as described and arranged to
engage said catches in succession, whereby one fixed stop on the frame firs
disengages the first catch on the downward movement of the scale-beam, and after-
wards disengages the second catch on the further downward movement of the scale-beam,
the latch-actuating stop, and a valve-actuating weight arranged to close the valve on
the disengagement of the first catch, and to open the valve by a continued move-
ment thereof on the disengagement of the second catch, whereby the catch-valve is
first closed and then opened by successive movements in the same direction, all
substantially as described.
10. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the scale-beam, of the hangers
Suspended therefrom and carrying the catch-pan, the catch-valve pivotally-supported
substantially as shown and having catches engaging a detent whereby the valve is
held in successive positions, a fixed abutment, and a lock-arm on the valve located
to lock down the scale-beam by engaging said abutment on the final movement of
the valve, whereby the supply-chute remains closed on removal of the load, all
substantially as described.
11. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the scale-beam, of the hangers
suspended therefrom and carrying the catch-pan, the catch-valve supported
substantially as described and having catches engaging a detent whereby the valve
is held in successive positions, a fixed abutment having its face crosswise to the
hanger movement, and a lock-arm located on the valve to come vertically under
said abutment on the final movement of the valve to discharge the drip, and a
handle for the valve whereby to re-set the mechanism, said handle and lock-arm
together constituting a lever for controlling by hand the upward movement of the
scale-beam, all substantially as described.
12. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the scale-beam, and with the
reducing valve and the cut-off valve, each actuated substantially as described from
said beam to be closed successively, of the hangers suspended from the scale-beam
and carrying a catch-pan and the catch-valve for closing said pan, means sub-
stantially as described for detaining said valve in successive positions, said means
comprising a detent-arm and a stop located for operating said arm on the downward
movement of the hangers, all organized and co-acting substantially as described to
close the catch-valve on the closing of the reducing valve and to open the catch-
valve on the closing of the cut-off valve, whereby the major part of the load passes
through the catch-pan, and whereby the drip is retained in the catch-pan until the
close of the weighing operation, all substantially as described.
13. In the grain-weigher, the combination with the supply-chute and the scale-
beam, and with the reducing valve and the cut-off valve actuated to be opened by
said beam on the upward movement thereof, said cut-off valve having a cam-arm
substantially as described provided with two faces, one of which is neutral and the
other effective in respect of the beam movement, whereby the weight of said arm
is thrown on to the beam subsequent to the poising, bag-holding devices suspended
from the scale-beam and carrying drip-catching apparatus substantially as set
forth, and a detent operating to discharge the drip subsequent to the poising, all
organized and co-acting substantially as set forth, whereby the drip is discharged
by the force of said cam-arm bearing on the beam, substantially as described.
14. In a grain-weigher, the combination with the supply-chute and the scale-
beam, and with the cut-off valve actuated to be opened by said beam on the upward
movement thereof, of a cam-arm substantially as described provided with two
faces, one of which is neutral and the other operative in respect of the scale-beam
movement, said arm being located in the machine to bear its effective face on the
scale-beam subsequent to the poising, bag-holding devices suspended from the
scale-beam and carrying drip-catching apparatus substantially as described, and
a detent operating to discharge the drip subsequent to the poising, all organized
and co-acting substantially as set forth, whereby the detent is disengaged and the

page_text: drip is discharged by the weight of said cam-arm transmitted to the scale-beam
through said effective cam-face bearing on the beam subsequent to the poising,
substantially as described.
15. In a grain-weigher, the combination with hangers suspended from the scale-
beam, of the catch-pan 365 fixed between the hangers, the bag-holder 370 carried
by arms connected to the sides of the catch-pan, and the catch-valve pivotally-
supported on the catch-pan and swinging between the catch-pan and the bag-holder
arms, said valve being provided with a handle for operating it, substantially as
shown and described.
Dated this Ninth day of February A D. 1891.
FRANCIS HENRY RICHARDS.
CHARLES HENRY COOLEY.