An Automatic Weighing Machine.
Year: 1890

page_text: Dat of Application. 10th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 15th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Weighing Machine.
HENRY RICHARDSON, Miller in the employ of J. C. Richardson residing in the
Station Road Lichfield in the County of Stafford do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for AN AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE to be as follows:-
An ordnary double scale beam A working on its centres B with two pendants at
either end, one holding the weight scale C and the other the receptacle for the
material to be weighed, this latter being the principal part in connection with the
invention, it consists of a four sided box D, revolving on an axle E placed through
the centre, and carried by a pendant F which is suspended on knife edges from the one
end of the beam.
The box is divided into two compartments by a division placed across the middle
which forms the bottom of either compartment when it is in position for weighing.
When the quantity of material to be weighed has sufficiently entered the compart-
ment which is in position to receive it, the box or receptacle being released by a catch
revolves on the axle E placed through the centre, owing to gravitation, and the full
compartment on turning over empties itself, and the other compartiment already
being emptied owing to its inverted position comes into place to receive another
charge.
The material which enters the pan is shut off by two sluices, one sluice H partially
shutting off just before the quantity to be weighed is completed, the other sluice K
entirely shutting off, when the quantity is completed, both these sluices being
worked by connecting pieces L & L adjoining the beam, but the correct weighing
and balancing of the said beam is not thereby affected.
The catch M which liberates the revolving pan or receptacle is worked inde-
pendently of the sluices if required, but is worked as a rule, with the final cutting off
sluice K, so that the revolution of the pan or receptacle, is put into action at the same
time that the material entering the pan is cut off.
This catch and final sluice are put into action by the release of another catch O, which
comes into operation when the beam has reached the position when the material in the
pan, balances the weight at the other end of the beam.
A small regulator is in connection with the beam to assist in the correct balancing
and weighing of the machine when in action.
Also another regulator P to regulate the discharge.
Dated this 8th day of January 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Weighing Machine.
I HENRY RICHARDSON, Miller in the employ of James Cope Richardson residing at
the City Mill, Lichfield in the County of Stafford, 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 an automatic weighing machine for grain or other divided or
powdered material and it comprises; an ordinary double scale beam working on its centres
or knife edges; and pendants or hangers at each end of the beam, one pendant
supporting the weight scale, pan or box, and the other a receptacle for the material to
be weighed the arrangement and operation of this receptacle being the principal part
in connection with the invention.
This receptacle or hopper may be a four sided box or a vessel of any other suitable

page_text: The
configuration suspended from an axle or shaft placed in the centre so that it can
revolve on the axle, the axle or shaft working in suitable bearings in a pendant or
banger suspended from knife edges at the end of the weighing beam.
receptacle or hopper is divided into two compartments by a division placed across it,
which division forms in turn the bottom of either compartment when either is in
position for weighing the entering grain.
When the grain or other material to be weighed has entered that compartment
which is in position to receive it, in sufficient quantity, the receptacle or hopper is
released by the automatic disengagement of a catch and it revolves on its shaft
or axle by the gravitation of the grain it carries and turning over, it empties
itself into a suitable hopper or vessel. The other compartment, already empty
owing to its inverted position, simultaneously comes into position to receive and
weigh a charge.
The grain or other material which enters the weighing hopper is shut off
by one, two or more gates or sluices in such manner that the supply is
partially shut off just before the quantity to be weighed is completed and
entirely shut off when the quantity is completed, the gate or sluice being worked
by connecting pieces adjoining the beam and actuated by its movements in such
manner that the accuracy of the balancing of the beam is not affected. The catch
which liberates the weighing hopper is worked independently of the gate or gates,
sluice or sluices if required, but as a rule it acts in conjunction with the movement
giving the final cut off so that the revolution of the weighing hopper or receptacle
is put into action simultaneously with or immediately after the supply of grain or
other material entering the weighing hopper is cut off. This catch and final gate
or sluice closing are put into action by the release of another catch which comes
into operation when the beam has reached the position where the material in the
weighing hopper balances the weight at the other end of the beam.
A regulator is used in connection with the beam to assist in correct balancing and
weighing of the machine when in action and sometimes a regulator valve is used to
adjust the amount and direction of the discharge of grain.
Referring to the accompanying drawings;
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section and partly diagrammatic to illustrate an
automatic grain weighing machine constructed in accordance with this invention.
Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the triggers.
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic section on a smaller scale to show the division of
the weighing hopper more clearly and to indicate the action of an automatic stop
lever.
Figs. 4, 5 & 6 are diagrammatic elevations of the weighing hopper end of the
beam showing the relationship of the various levers in three positions of the
beam.
80.
In Fig 1 the beam A has fallen to its middle position when it is horizontal or nearly
The arrangement and action are as follow ;-
At one end of the beam A is suspended the weigh box B to contain the balance
weights at the other end is suspended the weighing hopper C shown here as of
circular configuration, depending from knife edges F by the hanger or pendant D and
having an axle or shaft E whereby it can freely revolve at the required time. The
grain to be weighed automatically flows from a supply hopper H and the flow is to
some extent regulated by the throttle valve I. The gate or sluice G pivots from
the pin G and is curved to cover the opening in H with accuracy when closed. The
lever G2 also pivots from G' and moves with G as it is fast to the connection between G
and G². The lever G2 is heavy enough to overbalance G so that the end G2 tends to
fall. It is supported however by the pin G³ resting in the stirrup K which hangs
from knife edges in the beam A and sometimes by the pin G moving in the
quadrant M3 and resting at the bottom of the quadrant as shown on Fig. 1. The
quadrant M³ is carried by and pivots on the pin M' in the T shaped lever M and the
weight M shown in dotted lines tends to fall in the direction of the arrow and
so carry with it the lever M and the quadrant M³. This movement is prevented till

page_text: required by the projection L³ from the counter weighed lever L which engages a
projecting latch piece M'. The levers G2, M, and L pivot respectively from pins G', M
and L which pins are supported in a portion of the fixed framework of the machine
indicated by the dotted lines a, b, c. A pendulum lever N pivots at N2 which is
supported on the hanger D and is kept in position by the weight N', its upper end
carries the ratchet O pivoted to it at N³ and over balanced by the weight 0. The
trigger P pivots at P2 also supported by the hanger D and the catch end P¹ engages
the upper end N of the pendulum lever N, this holds N firmly against any tendency
to turn in the direction of the arrow across it around N? and so the stop Q firmly fixed
to the side of the weighing hopper prevents rotation of the hopper in the direction of
the arrows around its circumference.
When the weighing hopper is empty the beam A is overbalanced by the weight
in B and rises to its upper position as shown diagrammatically on Fig. 4. This causes
the gate or sluice G to open to its full extent; the gate or sluice being acted on by
the pin G³ lifted by the stirrup K suspended from the knife edge while the quadrant M³
allows the pin G to move freely to its upper position as shown.
When the grain has filled the weighing hopper to a sufficient extent the beam A
falls to the position shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 1 and the lever G2 falls with it closing
the gate or sluice G enough to diminish the feed of grain. The pin G rests in
the bottom of the quadrant and so the beam descends further under the action of the
slow feed until the projecting pin K' of the stirrup K strikes the end of the lever L
and so knocks from under the latch M the projecting pin L³. Under the action of
the weight M' the lever M at once falls and with it the quadrant M³ and the lever G².
The first action is therefore to close completely the gate or sluice G and stop the
flow of grain to the weighing hopper. When this is done the weight M' moves
with increasing velocity and the end M² rises to its extreme position d and strikes the
trigger P lifting the catch P¹ and so liberating the end N of the lever M.
pressure of the charge of grain in the hopper Ctending to rotate it in the direction of
the arrows around the circumference at once causes the stop Q to press it over
and escape the ratchet O and so complete a semi-rotation. The grain thus falls into
the receiving hopper from the aperture in the weighing hopper between C¹ and C²
while the aperture C³, C turns up again. In Fig. 6 the beam is shown in its
lowest position.
The
As the hopper rotates the weight N¹ brings back the lever N to be held by the
catch P and then the stop Q falls into the ratchet O, tooth by tooth settling in the
position shown in Fig 1 for Q. The sluice G then opens full again as on Fig. 4
and the pin G lifts the quadrant M³ into position above the projection L³ so that the
whole apparatus resumes the position required for another weighing.
The position of the division C³ of the hopper C is more clearly seen in Fig. 3 where
also an arrangement is indicated which is used to stop the weighing if the receiving
hopper should fill with grain. This arrangement consists of a lever e pivoting at f
and carrying a flat spade like end g of weight sufficient to keep the lever upright
when free to pivot on f; so long as the receiving hopper S is empty the stop Q
or Q¹ in the weighing hopper C freely pushes over the lever e as shown in dotted
lines and the weighing hopper rotates but when the receiving hopper is filled the
spade like end is prevented from moving by the grain and so the weighing hopper C
is prevented from revolving till the measuring hopper S empties. This stops the
flow of grain and the weighing until the receiving hopper S is emptied.
Although I have described this automatic weighing machine as constructed in a
certain manner it is obvious that various modifications may be introduced in the
details without departing from the essential features of the invention. An ordinary
bolt catch may be used for example instead of the trigger arrangement shown in
Fig. 1 at P, N and O and the end of the lever may knock out the bolt in a well
known manner.
The shape of the weighing hopper and the position of the partition may also be
varied and the relative position of the various actuating levers may be altered.

page_text: Two sluices may be used to shut off the grain instead of one G but it is found by
-experiment that one sluice answers all requirements and is simpler in construction.
In Fig. 1 various stops which limit the movements of the beam and the different
levers have been purposely omitted in order to simplify the drawing and
make it more easily understood. Several of these stops however are indicated in
Figs. 4, 5 & 6 and the positions required will be readily comprehended from the
drawings and description.
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 an automatic weighing machine, the use of a weighing hopper which
revolves on an axis and is liberated by the action of levers which are controlled by
the varying position of the weighing beam which levers also shut off the supply of
grain by a gate or sluice substantially as and for the purpose herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
(2) An automatic weighing machine consisting of the following parts in com-
bination; A counterbalanced weighing beam from which is suspended a revolving
weighing hopper such as C; a gate or sluice such as G shutting off the grain supply,
actuated by the over-weight of a lever as G2 and connecting to the weighing beam by
a suspended stirrup as K; a weighted lever as M carrying a quadrant as M³ in which
works a pin on a lever as G the weighted lever being held up by a projection
as L³ knocked away by the stirrup projection or a similar projection as K¹ and
so closing the gate as G completely and knocking away a trigger or a bolt
as P and permitting the weighing hopper to revolve. The whole combination
forming an automatic weighing machine substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated.
(3) In an automatic weighing machine the combination of parts acting as
hereinbefore described with especial reference to Figs. 4, 5, 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
e
(4) In an automatic weighing machine with a rotating weighing hopper, the use of a
lever such as Fig. 3 one end of which passes into the receiving hopper and by
becoming imbedded in grain prevents the weighing hopper from rotating until the
said lever has been liberated by the discharge or partial discharge of the grain from
the receiving hopper substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 9th day of October 1900 ·
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for Applicant.