Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Automatically Weighing and Discharging Successive Regulated Amounts of Granular, Pulverulent, or other like Material.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 26th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for
Automatically
Weighing and Discharging Successive Regulated Amounts of
Granular, Pulverulent, or other like Material.
I, WILLIAM EVANS of Colwyn in the County of Carnarvon, Grocer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of weighing apparatus into which a quantity of
granular, pulverulent or like material is fed continuously and is thereby automatically
divided into a number of smaller quantities of a regulated weight or weights which are
successively and automatically discharged from the apparatus.
In carrying the invention into effect, I mount a pair of suitably shaped receptacles
one on each end of a weigh beam, preferably by means of trunnions placed
approximately on horizontal axes passing through or nearly through the centres of
gravity.of the receptacles. Each receptacle is adapted to discharge at its outer end,
and the weigh beam is so constructed and operated, that, when one arm lies
approximately horizontal in the position for the receptacle to be filled, the other arm
is depressed into the discharging position.
At the
The material to be weighed is led from a feed hopper, which is preferably provided
with an adjustable regulating device, into a bifurcated feed spout, the two branches of
which have their exits located respectively over the two receptacles aforesaid.
junction of the two branches there may be arranged a suitable controlling device,
which is connected in any convenient manner with the weigh beam, or some part
moving therewith, in such a manner that, as soon as one arm of the weigh beam is
depressed to discharge the contents of its receptacle, the corresponding branch spout
is automatically closed against the feed, while the other branch is at the same instant
opened to feed into the other, or elevated, receptacle. The lower end of each branch
spout may also be provided with a cut off device which is automatically closed on the
downward movement of the corresponding arm of the weigh beam, so that the
material passing down the said branch spout is retained therein until the receptacle is
again raised to its filling position. The lower ends of the branch feed spouts are
preferably made adjustable in a vertical direction. By this means the exit orifice of
each spout can be placed in such a position, that, when the regulated quantity of
material has been nearly run into a receptacle, it shall fill or partly fill the said
orifice. The rapid descent of the material from the spout is thus checked and more
accurate weighing insured.
A suitable arrangement is provided for automatically tipping each receptacle as its
corresponding weigh beam arm is depressed. A convenient way of accomplishing this
is to connect the rear end of each receptacle, by a cord or otherwise, with a fixed
point above it, so that the receptacle is turned about its trunnions as the latter descend
with the arm of the weigh beam. Stops may also be provided for limiting the move-
ment of the weigh beam.
Each receptacle is counterbalanced during the filling operation by a weight,
mounted, either upon the opposite arm of the weigh beam itself, or upon the arm of
a similar beam moving therewith. The balance weight is so mounted that it can
move freely, in a longitudinal direction, upon its beam, so that as soon as a receptacle
is filled to the required amount and counterbalances the weight, the former descends
and the weight slides or rolls on to the other arm of the weight, or regulating, beam,
and into the position required to counterbalance the other, and empty, receptacle,
which has been brought into the filling position by the descent of full receptacle, as
before described. Suitable guides may be provided for the weight, and the regulating

page_text: beam is also furnished with adjustable stops, which limit the movement of the weight
in either direction. The stops may be adjusted so that the two receptacles may weigh
the same or different amounts.
The machine is applicable for weighing almost any kind of pulverulent or granular
material. It will be found especially useful for weighing grain, flour, salt, tea, sugar,
rice, etcetera.
Dated this 24th down of Inun 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Automatically
Weighing and Discharging Successive Regulating Amounts of
Granular, Pulverulent, or other like Material.
I, WILLIAM EVANS of Colwyn in the County of Carnarvon, Grocer 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 that class of weighing apparatus into which a quantity of
granular, pulverulent, or like material is fed continuously, and is thereby automatically
divided into a number of smaller quantities of a regular weight or weights, which are
successively and automatically discharged from the apparatus.
The invention may be described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in
which
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the machine, taken on line xx, Figure 3.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a plan of the lower portion of the machine, the parts being in the
positions shown in Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 are detail views, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the weight
regulating mechanism, Figure 4 being an elevation with parts broken away, and
Figure 5, a transverse section.
In carrying the invention into effect, I mount a pair of suitable shaped receptacles A,
one on each end of a weigh beam B, preferably by means of trunnions a, placed on
approximately horizontal axes passing through or nearly through the centres of gravity
of the receptacles. The weigh beam is supported on knife edges upon the frame-
work C of the machine. Each receptacle is adapted to discharge at its outer end a³,
and the weigh beam is so constructed and operated that, when one arm lies approxi-
mately horizontal in the position for the receptacle to be filled, the other arm is
depressed into the discharging position, as seen in Figure 1.
The material to be weighed is led from a feed hopper D, which is preferably
provided with an adjustable regulating device d, into a bifurcated feed spout, the two
branches E E of which have their exits E' E¹ located respectively over the two
receptacles aforesaid.
At the junction of the two branches E E, there may be arranged a suitable con-
trolling device, which is connected in any convenient manner with the weigh beam B
of some part moving therewith, in such a manner that, as soon as one arm of the
weigh beam is depressed to discharge the contents of its receptacle, the corresponding
branch spout E is automatically closed against the feed, while the other branch is, at
the same instant, opened to feed into the other or elevated receptacle. In Figures 1
and 2, the aforesaid controlling device is shown as a simple plate F, hinged at the
junction of the two branches E E, as at f, so that it closes the upper end of one or
other of the branches according as it is swung to the right or left. The pivotf, which
moves with the plate, has fixed to it an operating lever f. Each end of the lever is
connected by a cord, chain or rod F', of a suitable length, with two points f' f' on

page_text: the weigh beam, one on each side of the fulcrum b, so that the oscillations of the said
beam will operate the controlling device as before described. The cords F¹ are
preferably attached to the beam B at such distances from its fulcrum that the cords
are kept taut during the upward and downward movement of the beam. Where,
however, this is not convenient and the cords have to be attached to the beam at
greater distances from the fulcrum, each cord may be formed wholly or partly of
elastic material so that the beam may descend after the plate F has come in contact
with one of its stops f³.
The lower end or mouth of each branch spout E may also be provided with a cut off
device which is automatically closed on the downward movement of the corresponding
arm of the weigh beam, so that the material passing down the said branch spout is
retained therein until the receptacle is again raised to its filling position. This may
be effected as follows:-
A slide G is mounted upon the branch spout at or near its lower end in such
a manner that it may be thrust across or withdrawn from the spout. The slide is
connected with one arm of an angle lever g, the other arm of which is supported
upon the adjacent arm of the scale beam (the latter being in its elevated position)
by means of a forked rest 9' or other suitable device. The rest gl is adjustable
vertically upon the beam, as at g², so that the particular point in the beam's down-
ward movement at which the material has to be cut off by the slide G may be varied
as desired. A balance weight may be attached to the lever g, as at g³, to overcome
the friction of the lever and slide, & so to close the latter.
The lower ends or mouths E' E' of the branch feed spouts may be made adjust-
able in a vertical direction. By this means, the exit orifice of each spout can be
placed in such a position that, when the regulated quantity of material has been
nearly run into a receptacle, it shall fill or partly fill the said mouth. The rapid
descent of the material from the spout is thus checked, and more accurate weighing
insured.
Or I may accomplish the same result by making the side e of the mouth E1
adjustable and retaining the exit orifice thereof at a constant height, preferably in
close proximity to the bottom of the receptacle when the latter is in its elevated
position, as shown at the right hand side of Figure 1. The side e may be hinged
at its upper end, as at e¹, so as to work between the two adjacent sides, and it may
be adjusted, as regards its distance from the opposite side, by a screw e² or other
convenient means. The side e is, by preference, so adjusted that the mouth E¹
shall be nearly full up to the slide G by the time the regulated quantity of material
has been run into the receptacle. The pressure of the material in the mouth keeps
the side e in contact with its adjusting screw e².
A suitable arrangement is provided for automatically tipping each receptacle as
its corresponding weigh beam arm is depressed. A convenient way of accomplishing
this is to connect the rear end of each receptacle, by a cord H or its equivalent,
with a fixed point h above it, so that the receptacle is turned about its trunnions a
as the latter descend with the arm of the weigh beam. The lower end of each
cord H is, by preference, attached to a wire or rod h² projecting from the rear of
the corresponding receptacle. Stops may also be provided, as hereinafter described,
for limiting the movement of the weigh beam. Also in some cases, it may be found
convenient to pivot each receptacle upon an axis a little to one side of its centre
of gravity, so that it will have a tendency to fall back into its normal position
when the corresponding arm of the beam is raised. In this case a suitable stop
device is fixed on the beam to prevent the receptacle from over-balancing itself.
Each receptacle is counterbalanced during the filling operation by a weight J,
mounted upon the arm of a similar beam K moving therewith about the fulcrum b.
The balance weight is so mounted that it can move freely, in a longitudinal direction
upon its beam, so that, as soon as a receptacle is filled to the required amount and
counterbalances the weight, the former descends, and the weight slides or rolls on
to the other arm of the weight or regulating beam K, and into the position required

page_text: to counterbalance the other, and empty, receptacle, which has been brought into
the filling position by the descent of the full receptacle, as before described. The
regulator beam K is curved upwards as shown, so that its weighted arm will always
lie approximately in a horizontal position when the receptacle which it is counter-
balancing is being filled. By this means, the slightest downward movement of the
filled or nearly filled receptacle causes the weight J to roll to the other side of the
fulcrum b towards the opposite end of the beam and thus hasten the descent of said
receptacle and the discharge of the material therefrom. The weight J is guided
upon its beam by any suitable device, such as the rails k, which rest within annular
grooves on the weight. The regulator beam is also provided with adjustable stops,
which limit the movement of the weight in either direction. These stops may be
formed of bent frames k, of light steel wire, which are each fixed at one end to an
internally screwed boss k² and at the opposite end are provided with shoes k³
adapted to bear against the guide rails k. Adjusting screws k*, passing through the
ends of the regulator beam, work within the bosses k² and are each provided with a
hand wheel k. The stops may be so adjusted that the two receptacles will weigh
the same or different amounts.
The inclination or movement of the weigh beam and regulator beam in either
direction may be limited by suitable adjustable stop devices, such as shown in
Figure 2. Each device consists of a screwed piece L, which is adjustable upon a
depending rod L' carried by the regulator beam at or near its end, and is adapted, as
the adjacent arm of the beam rises, to come in contact with a fixed abutment, such
as the slotted plate L2 mounted on the machine framework C. The jerk, caused by
the parts L L coming in contact, also assists in clearing the descending receptacle of
its contents.
The machine is applicable for weighing almost any kind of pulverulent or granular
material. It will be found especially useful for weighing grain, flour, salt, tea, sugar,
rice, etcetera.
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. A continuous automatic weighing machine of the kind described, comprising a
pair of receptacles balanced one on each end of a weigh beam and adapted to be
alternately raised into a horizontal position for filling and to be depressed for
discharging, a supply spout leading to each receptacle, means for automatically
cutting off the material from each spout alternately on the descent of the corre-
sponding receptacle, a device for automatically tipping each receptacle alternately
during its descent, and a counterbalance weight mounted on the weigh beam, or on
a regulator beam moving therewith, and adapted to move automatically from a.
given point on one side of the fulcrum to a given point on the other side thereof as
the filled receptacle descends, substantially as described.
2. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a weigh beam having
two receptacles, one at each end, so arranged that while one is raised into an approxi-
mately horizontal position to receive a regulated quantity of material the other is
depressed to discharge a regulated quantity previously received by it; a weight
adapted to balance the receptacle which is being filled and to roll or slide to the
opposite side of the fulcrum on the descent of the filled receptacle so as to balance
the empty one; and adjustable stops for limiting the amount of movement of said
weight on each side of the fulcrum, substantially as described.
3. In a machine of the kind described, a weigh beam having two balanced
receptacles, one at each end, adapted to be alternately raised and lowered so as to be
filled and discharged as described, in combination with a device connecting the rear
or closed end of each receptacle with a stationary point or points and adapted on the
descent of such receptacle to tip up the same and discharge the contents therefrom,
substantially as described,

page_text: 4. The continuous automatic weighing machine constructed and arranged as a
whole substantially as described and illustrated on the accompanying drawings,
whereby successive regulated amounts of granular or pulverulent material may be
automatically weighed and discharged from the machine."
Dated this 22nd day of Mauch 1900
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, and London, Patent Agents.