Jprovements in and connected with weigning Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1899
Jprovements in and connected with weigning Apparatus.
I, CHARLES INGREY, of 32, Victoria Street, Westminster, in the County of
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to weighing apparatus of the kind described in the Specifi-
cations of my former Patents Nos. 22126/95 and 20892/96, and has for its object
to simplify the construction of such apparatus and render it more efficient in
operation.
According to my invention a bucket or receptacle for the coal or material to
be weighed is provided with two trunnions placed in suitable positions and sup-
ported by levers or plates in such a manner that when the latter are raised by
the action of cams (or toggles) the knife edges with which the bucket is provided
are kept clear of the weigh beam, so that when the coal is delivered no action
can be imparted to the weigh beam.
To effect the opening of the door or doors on the bucket for discharging the
coal, the retaining of the said door or doors in an open position, and the releasing
and closing of the same in the desired manner, I provide a bar or bars carried
by pivoted or other suitable supports and so arranged that after the operation of
weighing has taken place the bar or bars is or are caused to travel and by means
of a tumbler or catch to engage with a crank working in connection with a door
hook or hooks so that the said hook or hooks may be removed and the door or
doors rendered free to open. Upon the door or doors I provide a suitable hook
or catch so that when the door is opened by the outrush of coal the hook or catch
engages with a hinged tumbler or lever whereby the door is retained open for
a sufficient time to allow the coal to be completely discharged, the said tumbler
or lever being subsequently moved out of gear with the hook or catch to allow
the door to close by its own weight (or by means of balance weights) and to be
fastened by means of the door hooks above referred to.
In connection with the weighing receptacle I provide radius arms or levers so
arranged that during the descent of the bucket in the action of weighing, the
said arms or levers prevent the bucket from swinging or swaying.
I arrange a steelyard in connection with the recording apparatus in such a
manner that should the recording apparatus or the balance spring be temporarily
disarranged the weighing can be effected by hand.
In order that the crane or other lifting apparatus shall be caused to operate a
valve or valves and levers for the purpose of transmitting hydraulic power to the
machine, I attach to the operating ram of the lifting cylinder a rod, rope or chain
so arranged that the movement of the ram is transmitted to a wheel the revo-
lution or partial revolution of which causes a pin to come into contact with a
lever and thereby to operate a valve or valves at the required time.
I advantageously combine with the door or doors of the weighing receptacle a

page_text: signal which will indicate to the crane driver whether or not the said door or
doors is or are properly closed.
In cases where the weighing apparatus is to operate independently of a crane,
(as, for instance, when one weighing apparatus is to be worked in conjunction
with two cranes) I arrange that the coal or other material in falling into the
bucket or receptacle of the machine, shall act upon a movable plate or lever or
plates or levers and cause the same to be depressed and give motion to valve
gearing for working the machine.
For this purpose I advantageously employ a plate or lever hinged to the hopper
or other fixed part of the machine and connect one end of the same by a rod,
cord, chain or link to valve gearing so arranged that when the coal or other
material is shot into the hopper, whether by a grab or bucket or from a shoot
it will strike the said plate and operate a weighted lever whereby pressure is
admitted to a cylinder, the piston or ram of which will cause the supports to the
bucket or receptacle to be withdrawn, and the operation of weighing to be
performed.
When the piston or ram has moved a given distance the said weighted lever
is thereby moved in the opposite direction, whereby the pressure is released, the
doors of the bucket opened, the material discharged and the machine restored to
its normal position ready for the next operation.
Or instead of employing the hinged plate or lever referred to I support or
partially support the bucket or receptacle by cams or levers which is or are held
in position by springs or weights so that when the coal or other material is
delivered into the bucket the springs or weights will be operated and the cams
or levers caused to transmit motion to the weighted lever.
The valve gear which I preferably employ comprises a weighted lever normally
supported by a catch hook and adapted when released to operate a valve for
admitting water to one end of the ram cylinder, the said valve being retained
open by a tumbler. The weighted lever is restored to its normal position by a
rod operated by the ram and in being so restored is slightly over-lifted for the
purpose of disengaging the tumbler. and allowing the pressure to reverse the
valve and admit water to the other end of the ram cylinder.
In order to check the exhaust from the ram cylinder to give time for the
weighing, and recording operations I employ a second valve which is put into
operation by the movement of the ram.,
T
1
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Weighing Apparatus.
I, CHARLES INGREY, of 32, Victoria Street, Westminster, in the County of
London, 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:
My invention relates to weighing apparatus of the kind described in the Specifi-
cations of my former Patents Nos. 22126/95 and 20892/96, and has for its object
to simplify the construction of such apparatus and render it more efficient in
operation.
'
According to my invention a bucket or receptacle for the coal or material to

page_text: be weighed is provided with two trunnions placed in suitable positions and sup-
ported by levers or plates in such a manner that when the latter are raised by
the action of cams (or toggles) the knife edges of the weigh beam are kept clear
of the bucket so that when the coal is delivered no action can be imparted to the
weigh beam.
To effect the opening of the door or doors on the bucket for discharging the
coal, the retaining of the said door or doors in an open position, and the releasing
and closing of the same in the desired manner, provide a bar or bars carried
by pivoted or other suitable supports and so arranged that after the operation of
weighing has taken place the bar or bars is or are caused to travel and by means
of a tumbler or catch to engage with a crank working in connection with a door
hook or hooks so that the said hook or hooks may be removed and the door or
doors rendered free to open. Upon the door or doors I provide a suitable hook
or catch so that when the door is opened by the outrush of coal the hook or catch
engages with a hinged tumbler or lever whereby the door is retained open for
a sufficient time to allow the coal to be completely discharged, the said fumbler
or lever being subsequently moved out of engagement with the hook or catch to
allow the door to close by its own weight (or by means of balance weights) and
to be fastened by means of the door hook above referred to.
In connection with the weighing receptacle I provide radius arms or links so
arranged that during the descent of the bucket in the action of weighing, the said
arms or links prevent the bucket from swinging or swaying.
I arrange a steelyard in connection with the weighing and recording apparatus
in such a manner that should the recording apparatus or the balance spring be
temporarily disarranged the weighing can be effected by hand.
In cases where the weighing apparatus is to operate independently of a crane,
(as, for instance, when one weighing apparatus is to be worked in conjunction with
two cranes) I support or partially support the bucket or receptacle by levers which
is or are held in position by springs or weights so that when the coal or other
material is delivered into the bucket the said levers will be caused to transmit
motion to a weighted lever whereby motion is given to a valve gear and pressure
admitted to a cylinder, the piston or ram of which will cause the cam support of
the bucket or receptacle to be withdrawn and the operation of weighing to be
performed.
The valve gear which I preferably employ comprises the weighted lever just
mentioned normally supported by a catch hook and adapted when released to
operate a valve for admitting water to one end of the ram cylinder, the said
valve being retained open by a tumbler. The weighted lever is restored to its
normal position by a rod operated by the ram and in being so restored is slightly
over-lifted for the purpose of disengaging the tumbler and allowing the pressure
to reverse the valve and admit water to the other end of the ram cylinder.
In order to check the exhaust from the ram cylinder to give time for the
weighing and recording operations I can employ a second valve which is put into
operation by the movement of the ram.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of weighing apparatus constructed according to
my invention and adapted to be operated by hydraulic gear:
Figure 2 is a sectional end elevation of the same:
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3, Figure 1:
Figure 4 is a section of a detail shewing one of the trunnions supported by
its lever or plate:
Figure 5 is a detached elevation of one of the cam arrangements for raising
the said lever or plate:
Figure 6 is a plan view of the said cam shewing the spring lever forming
part of the said cam and serving to temporarily support the bucket or receptacle:

page_text: Figure 7 is an elevation partly in section of a socket connection for allowing
the ordinary weighing and recording mechanism to be disconnected when
requiring to effect the weighing by a steelyard by hand:
Figure 8 is an elevation of the valve gear of the operating ram; and,
Figure 9 is a plan of the same; and
Figure 10 is a section on line 10-10 of Figure 8:
Figure 11 is a detached elevation of the tumbler mechanism of the said valve
gear for temporarily keeping the valve open:
Figure 12 is a side elevation shewing an arrangement of mechanism for opera-
ting the apparatus when a steam, explosion or electric motor is employed:
Figure 13 is a sectional end view of the same:
Figure 14 is a sectional side elevation of modified means for throwing into
gear the mechanism for operating the apparatus; and
Figure 15 is another modification of such gear:
Figure 16 is an elevation of other means for throwing into gear the mech-
anism for operating the weighing apparatus, such means being worked by the
crane or other lifting apparatus for depositing the coal or other material in the
said apparatus:
Figure 17 is an end elevation of the said means; and
Figure 18 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the same:
Figures 4 to 18 are drawn to a larger scale than Figures 1 to 3
a is the bucket or receptacle for the coal to be weighed and b, b are the
trunnions placed one at each side thereof as shewn in Figure 3, a° is a hopper
arranged above the bucket a; c, c are the levers or plates located beneath the
trunnions b, b as shewn most clearly in Figure 4, and hinged at a¹ to the frame
of the apparatus and serving, when raised by the action of the cams d, d to
temporarily support the bucket a and keep the knife edges e of the weigh beam f
clear of the bearing surfaces 9 on the bucket trunnions b. The cams d are
mounted on the shaft h provided with a crank arm i connected to the ram j
of the hydraulic cylinder so that when the said ram rises the cams d, d will
be moved from the position shewn in full lines in Figures 1 and 5 to that indicated
by the dotted lines in the said Figure 5 whereby the lower parts of the cams will
be brought beneath the ends of the levers or plates c and thus lower the bucket a
onto the knife edges e of the weigh beam f. The weigh beam is connected by
a strap and knife edge to a lever having a counterbalance weight m suspended
therefrom; n is the rod connecting the lever with similarly arranged levers in
the weighing and recording apparatus 2. The outer ends of the levers c, c are
advantageously provided with anti-friction rollers c°, c° to roll on the cams d, d.
o is the bar for effecting the opening of the bucket door p, Figure 2, hinged
at q to the said bucket; the bar o is carried at one end by a link pivoted to a
brackets and at the other end by a bell crank lever t pivoted to a bracket u and
to a link shewn by dotted lines in Figure 1 jointed to the ram j.
To a
bracket won the bucket a is hinged a bell crank lever x, y to one arm a of which
is jointed a slotted rod z in the slot b' of which is located a pin c¹ on the tail end
of a hooked or catch lever d¹ (Figure 2) pivotted to a bracket a² on the bucket a
and designed to hook over a stud e¹ on the bucket door p and thereby keep the
said door closed and also serving to release it at the required moment. To effect
this latter operation the bar o carries a tumbler or catch f¹ which is free to move
on its pivot g¹ in one direction against the action of a spring h¹ but which is
immoveable in the opposite direction by reason of the stop pin to which the
spring is attached bearing against the underside of the bar o. On the downward
movement of the ram j after the operation of weighing has taken place, the bar o,
through the medium of the link and bell crank lever t is caused to swing towards
the left hand and carry the tumbler or catch f¹ from the dotted position shewn
in Figure 1 to the position shewn in full lines during which movement the tumbler
comes against a pin j¹ on the arm y of the lever x, y and thus lifts the arm x,

page_text: rod z and tail end of the catch lever d, thereby releasing the catch from the
stud . The weight of the coal or other material in the bucket a then forces
open the door p and discharges itself into the shoot k¹.
is the catch on the bucket door and m¹ is the tumbler or lever hinged
at n to a bracket o' on the frame of the apparatus and provided with a pin b²
designed to engage one of the hooks or teeth of the catch when the door p is
opened by the outrush of coal or the like whereby the door is held open for a
sufficient time to allow the coal to be completely discharged. The tumbler m¹ is
shewn in Figure 2 in its raised position clear of the catch to which position it
is moved at the end of the downward movement of the ram (when the bucket a
is lifted by the cams d off the weigh beam f) through the medium of a slotted
rod in which is located a pin on the tumbler m², the said rod being jointed
to a bell crank lever q pivotted at 1 to the frame of the apparatus and
connected by a link s¹ to a crank t¹ fixed to the shaft h. On the tumbler m¹ being
disengaged from the catch the door p closes by its own weight and engages it's
retaining stud e¹ in the catch lever d₁, the slot b¹ in the rod z allowing the tail
end of the said lever to rise in order to admit of such engagement. When the cams d
lower the bucket a, the tumbler m¹ is lowered into position for engagement with
the catch as will be well understood, the slot u¹ in the rod p² allowing for a
difference in the extent of movement between the cam d and the tumbler m¹, the
said tumbler being limited on its downward movement by a stop pin v¹ on the
bracket o¹.
w', w are the radius arms or links for preventing the bucket a from swinging
or swaying during its descent in the action of weighing, the said arms at one end
being pivotted at r¹ to the frame of the weighing apparatus and to the bracket s
and at the other end at y¹ to the trunnions 6 of the bucket a and to the bracket w.
is the steelyard which I arrange in connection with the weighing and
recording apparatus & so that should the recording apparatus or the balance
spring be temporarily disarranged the weighing can be effected by hand. To
this end the rod n is divided at its lower part, as clearly shewn in Figure 7, and
one of the parts is provided with a socket receiving the other part, the two
parts being normally secured together by a pin f2 as shewn. When, however, it
is required to use the steelyard 21 the pin f is withdrawn in order to detach the
parts and the upper portion is attached to the steelyard as shewn, the two parts
of the rod n being then only connected by a pin 2 on the upper part located in
slots 2 in the socket e so that the said upper part can then slide in the said
socket without operating the weighing and recording mechanism d.
2,2, Figures 1, 5 and 6, are the levers which support the bucket a when the
apparatus is to operate independently of a crane and which, when the coal or
other material is delivered into the bucket, cause the valve of the hydraulic
cylinder k to be actuated so as to raise the ram j and withdraw the support of
the cams from the bucket. For this purpose the levers 22 which are in the form
of bell-cranks are pivotted at 2 to the cams & so that their upper arms form a
continuation of the cam surfaces and, in the position shown by the full lines in
Figure 5, support the free ends of the plates or levers c. To the lower ends of
the levers are jointed slotted links in the slots of which are located pins 13
carried by levers m³, m² on a shaft o² supported by bearings 7 on the frame of
the apparatus, a spring q² being attached to an arm n² on one of the levers m²
and to a bracket on the said frame. A rod 2 jointed to the arm n² of the said
lever m² extends downwards and is jointed to a hooked catch 2, Figures 8 and 9,
pivotted at 2 to the frame of the apparatus, the said catch by engaging a pin v²
on the weighted lever serving to support such lever until the moment when
the coal or the like is delivered into the bucket a, when the weight of the coal
will slightly depress the upper arms of the levers so as to cause the other arms
to pull against the action of the spring g² and raise the rod 2 through the medium
of the link and levers m³ sufficiently to release the catch 2 and free the weighted
lever which will then fall into the position shewn in dotted lines in Figure 8,

page_text: a block wo, preferably of wood, being arranged to limit the fall of the said lever.
The said lever for a certain portion of its length consists of two bars, as shewn,
kept apart but united by the pin 2, a pin and a block y³ and it is hinged on
the pin z² to a bracket a³. On the pin is hinged a plate or catch 63 which, when
the lever w falls, is pressed upon by the pin and thereby causes the rod ³ of
the slide valve d³, Figure 10, of the hydraulic cylinder k, to move the said valve
to admit water to the lower end of the said cylinder to raise the ram j and thereby
cause the cams d to lower the bucket a as herein before described. The valve d³
is of such a construction that the pressure of the water serves to move it upwards
when allowed by the lever w². e3 is the tumbler for keeping the valve d³ open
until sufficient water has been admitted to the lower end of the cylinder k to
completely raise the ram; the said tumbler is pivotted to the bracket a³ and a
spring tends to draw it towards the plate 63. In the raised position of the
weighted lever w² the hinged plate 3 is also in its raised position as shewn by
the full lines in Figure 11; when, however, the said lever falls, the plate 63 is
forced down below the tumbler e3 which then under the action of its spring f
rides over the plate for a short distance as indicated by the dotted lines in the
said figure and thereby keeps the valve open. The tumbler e³ is provided with a
tail in which is an adjustable screw against which the block y comes into
contact when the lever is sufficiently lifted and thereby moves the tumbler e³
from over the plate 63 and allows the latter to again move to the position
indicated by the full lines in Figure 11.
2 is the rod whereby the weighted lever w² is lifted; the said rod, provided
with a projection or tappet j³ which bears upon the under side of the said lever,
is jointed at to a bar 3 hinged at m³ to the frame of the apparatus and at n³
to the ram j so that the weighted lever w³ is lifted to its normal position just at
the end of the upward movement of the said ram thereby allowing the valve d³
to reverse so as to permit live water from the hydraulic accumulator to pass to
the cylinder to lower the ram, the water at the bottom being exhausted.
The cycle of operations is as follows:-The parts of the apparatus being in the
position shewn in Figures 1 to 11, the coal or other material to be weighed is
deposited within the bucket a. The weight of the coal or the like then causes
the levers 2,22 to operate the catch 2 to release the weighted lever w³ and move
the valve to allow the ram j to be raised and move the cams d, d to lower
the bucket a onto the knife edges e, e of the weigh beam f whereby the weight
will be recorded by the recording mechanism d. Just before reaching the end
of its upward movement the ram causes the rod to return the weighted lever wa
to its normal position thereby allowing the valve d also to return to its normal
position and open the exhaust to the lower end of the cylinder k whereby the
ram will be caused to descend under the pressure of water above it and open the
door to discharge the coal or the like, the tumbler m¹ being then in position
to lock the door in its open position. Near the end of the downward movement
of the ram the tumbler m¹ is released and allows the door p to close. The down-
ward movement of the ram also returns the cams d, d to their normal position
to raise the bucket a clear of the weigh beam.
When operating the apparatus by other forms of motor such as a steam,
explosion or electric motor I employ the mechanism shewn in Figures 12 and 13.
In this arrangement I connect to the lever arm m² a rod u carrying a tappet 54
which, when the coal or other material is deposited in the bucket a, moves the
said arm and lifts the tappet 64 which comes into contact with a lug c on a
tumbling weighted arm d and causes it to move from the position shewn in full
to that shewn in dotted lines in Figure 13. The said tumbling
ie connected by a link e to U bell crank f engaging one
part of a clutch keyed to a shaft h driven by the motor, the other part of
the clutch being loose on the shaft and carrying a pinion j engaging a spur
wheel having a crank pin to which is connected one end of a connecting
rod m³, the other end being connected to the lever i on the shaft h. The wheel
lines
arm

page_text: is mounted on a shaft n carrying a cam o' which, when the wheel has made a
complete revolution so as to move the cams d to lower the bucket a and again
raise it, comes into contact with another lug p' on the tumbling arm d' and
moves it back to its normal position thus moving the clutch part g' out of engage-
ment with the clutch part 2 and stopping further movement of the wheel_*.
Instead of the arrangement of levers 22, 22 for operating the valve d³ I can
arrange that the coal or other material falling into the bucket a shall act upon
and depress a plate Figure 14, carried by a lever fulcrummed to the
hopper a, the said lever having connected to it the rod s and spring q³, the
rods having the functions of the rod s2 or u³. t is a girder forming a stop to
limit the downward movement of the plate q
I can also arrange the fulcra a¹, a¹ of the levers c, e to be movable as shewn
in Figure 15. For this purpose I arrange the said fulcra on levers u, uº carried
on a cross shaft on which is fixed a lever having connected to it the rod st
and spring q². By this arrangement it will be seen that the weight of the
material deposited in the hopper will move the fulcra a¹, a' downward and
thereby lift the rod to operate either a valve or throw a clutch into gear.
1
In order that a crane or other lifting apparatus for the coal or other material
shall be caused to operate the valve d³, I attach to the operating ram of the
crane Figure 16 a rope or chain y arranged to rotate a wheel (also shewn in
Figure 17) carrying a pin as which comes into contact with and moves a weighted
lever fulcrummed to the framing, the said lever being connected to the valve d³
by a rod c. In the drawing the rope or chain y does not directly operate the
wheel but passes around guide pulleys do, do and a pulley and is connected
to a fixed point, the said pulley being connected to a rope or chain e° passing
around a groove in the wheel and connected to the same.
The said rope or
chain thus serves for operating the wheel in one direction only, it being
operated in the opposite direction by a weight f5 on a rope or chain fo passing
around another groove in the wheel and also connected thereto. The pin a³
operates the lever through the medium of a pivoted spring catch the end
of which is free to move towards the centre of the wheel but is limited in its
movement in the opposite direction by a stop-pin, an arm fixed to the said
catch bearing against the said pin under the tension of a spring on the lever b³.
A projecting strip is also provided on the lever against which the pin a can
act. By this arrangement the wheel when the ram moves down, will rotate in
the direction of the arrow Figure 16 under the influence of the weight f5, and will
come into contact with the catch which is normally situated in the path of the
said pin and, being unable to yield by reason of the stop , will move the lever b
to the position shewn in dotted lines and thereby the valve d³ to admit water to
the cylinder to raise the ram j. The pin as after passing the spring catch also
bears against the strip and maintains the lever bin its raised position and
the valve open. When the pin a arrives at the end of the strip the lever,
being no longer supported, will fall and move the valve to exhaust the water
from the cylinder and allow the ram to be moved down by the pressure of
water above it. The ram will then move upwards and move the wheel back
to its normal position, the pin a moving behind the strip and catch g³, the
latter being deflected against the pull of the spring by the said pin as the latter
returns to its normal position. Figure 18 is a diagram illustrating the action of
the pin a, catch g5 and strip 5.
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;-
1. In a weighing machine the employment of means whereby the weight or
impact of the material to be weighed puts the apparatus into action, substan-
tially as described.
2. In a weighing machine the arrangement wherein the weight or impact of

page_text: the material to be weighed in falling into a bucket or receptacle sets the apparatus
into action, substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1
to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a weighing machine the arrangement whereby the weight or impact of
the material to be weighed upon a hinged plate or lever sets the apparatus into
action, substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figure 14 of
the accompanying drawings.
4. In a weighing machine the use of a weighted lever and valve adapted to be
operated by either of the devices referred to in the preceding claiming clauses,
substantially as herein before described with reference to Figure 1 and Figures 8
to II of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a weighing machine the employment of clutch gearing operated by the
weight or impact of the material to be weighed, substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described and as illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 of the
accompanying drawings.
6. In a weighing machine of the kind described in Claim 1, the employment of
valve actuating gear operated by the crane or other lifting apparatus substantially
as, and for the purpose, herein before described and as illustrated in Figures 16,
17 and 18 of the accompanying drawings.
7. The improved weighing machines hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
G. F. REDFERN & Co..
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.