Improvements in Weighing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1855
Complete Specification Left, 24th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
Date of Application, 2411 Jall., του
Complete Specification Left, 24th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Weighing Machines.
We, CHARLES ANTHONY DUVALL of Deansgate Foundry, Bolton in the Counity
of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, JOHN SMITH RAWORTH of 24 Kirkstall
Road, Streatham in the County of Surrey, Mechanical Engineer, and EDWARD
BENNIS of Deansgate Foundry, Boltou, aforesaid, Ironfounder, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in that class of machinery for weighing
such material as coal, coke, ores, grain, cement, etcetera, in which the material to be
weighed is delivered to the weighing apparatus in varying amounts, as from trucks,
barrows, or what are known as grabs actuated by cranes.
The apparatus is intended to be used more particularly where hydraulic or
pneumatic power is available, and in order that our invention may be properly
understood we now describe the method of operation.
The material to be weighed is delivered into a hopper or receptacle which,
during delivery, is rigidly supported on a frame. As soon as the load has been
delivered into the hopper, and the weighing apparatus is required to come into
operation either automatically from the crane or other apparatus or by mechanism
worked by the attendant, the hopper is lifted off its seat by means of a weigh
beam, one end of which is connected with the recording apparatus and the other
is attached to a ram or rams of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, or to one or
the
more levers or their equivalent actuated by some part of the crane gear ;
hopper being suspended in the weigh beam by knife edge of the usual type.
The ram or rams are raised by the admission of water or compressed air into
the cylinders, either automatically by the crane or other apparatus, or by the
attendant; the weigh beam, and consequently the hopper, being raised for a certain
amount of time sufficient to enable the recording apparatus to perform its
functions. The valve admitting the water or compressed air is then reversed and
the hopper by its weight descends and rests upon the seating as at first.
Connected to the exhaust from the ram or rams, is a small cylinder fitted with
a piston, and arranged in such manner that as soon as the rams carrying the
weigh beam and hopper begin to descend, the piston is forced upwards by the
exhaust fluid from the ram.
On the hopper may be fixed a tappet connected with a latch, for keeping the
hinged bottom of the hopper closed, which tappet, on the descent of the hopper,
comes in contact with the piston of the small cylinder which has been raised by
the exhaust fluid from the main rams. This unlocks the door or doors of the hopper,
allowing the material to fall out.
The door or doors of the hopper are closed by means of a small hydraulic or
pneumatic ram fixed on the hopper, and which is supplied with fluid, either auto-
matically from the crane or by the attendant, and the apparatus is then ready to
receive a further supply of material.
Dated this 21st day of January 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the. Applicants.

page_text: We, CHARLES ANTHONY DUVALL, of Deansgate Foundry, Bolton, in the County
of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, JOHN SMITH RAWORTH, of 24, Kirkstall
Road, Streatham, in the County of Surrey, Mechanical Engineer, and EDWARD
BENNIS, of Deansgate Foundry, Bolton aforesaid, Ironfounder, 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 :-
Our invention relates to improvements in that class of machinery for weighing
such material as coal, coke, ores, grain, cement, etcetera, in which the material to
be weighed is delivered to the weighing apparatus in varying amounts, as from
trucks, barrows, or what are known as grabs actuated by cranes.
The apparatus is intended to be used more particularly where hydraulic or
pneumatic power is available, but for the sake of simplicity in describing our
invention, we will assume that the apparatus is worked by hydraulic power, but
we wish it to be understood that the mechanism can also be worked by compressed
air. We also assume that the material is delivered to the apparatus by a crane
and grab worked by the same medium that actuates the weighing machine.
The apparatus consists mainly of four principal parts, viz. :-
A main frame with fixed guiding shute or hopper, a weighing hopper, a weigh
beam, and a recording apparatus.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the general arrangement of the machine, Figure 1 being
the plan, Figure 2 the side and Figure 3 the end elevation of the apparatus; the
details being shown separately on Figures 4 to 7, the same letters refer to the same
parts throughout all the drawings.
A A shows the main frame, A¹ is the fixed hopper for receiving the material to
be weighed from the crane, B is the weighing hopper, rigidly supported while at
rest by the cones Cresting in the rings C, being parts of main frame, D is the
weigh beam, D' is the recording apparatus which may be of any suitable type,
E the hydraulic ram for lifting the beam when the act of weighing comes into
operation. The weigh beam has knife edges at D' where the end rests on the
recording apparatus, at D' for carrying the weighing hopper, and at D³ where it
is lifted by the hydraulic ram. B is a counter weight for balancing the beam,
so that when the hopper B is empty, the beam D, with the hopper is in equilibrium.
F, F are doors forming the bottom of the hopper, kept closed, while receiving the
material to be weighed, by the catches G, G connected by spring G³ engaging
with the projections G'. E' is the cylinder in which works the ram E, to the top
of which is attached the cross head E2 having knife edges D³ for lifting weigh
beam D. His a valve box fixed to cylinder for admitting the motive fluid for
actuating the ram, the valve being of the ordinary slide type with admission and
exhaust ports. H₁ is the valve rod which is controlled through the levers J J1 J2
by the rod J which is connected in any suitable manner with the crane, so as to
be worked automatically thereby, or it may be actuated by the attendant working
the crane.
K is a rod extending upwards from the lever J and engaging with a pin K
fixed to crosshead E2 in slotted hole K2 of rod K. L'is a tumbler weight for
retaining the levers J J J2 and the slide rod H¹ in position, either for admission
or exhaust during the separate operations. M is the supply pipe to the cylinder E',
N being the exhaust pipe from same. N' is a cylinder connected with exhaust
pipe N, N2 being piston working in the cylinder. N³ is cock or valve for
regulating the flow of exhaust Huid through the pipe N and cylinder N

page_text: 001 are levers pivotted at G2 and by means of teeth O' engage with each other,
so that when the arm is raised, the extensions O³ acting on the projections O*
open the catches G and release the doors F of hopper. P is an extension of
lever O P is a connecting rod, and P2 lever for working exhaust valve P³
on cylinder Q Q is a cylinder, and Q' is a ram working in it for closing doors
of hopper. R is crosshead of ram, and R' are levers connected to doors at R2.
S is a flexible pipe, preferably connected with the cylinder of crane for actuating
door closing rains. TT are exhaust pipes from valve P³ of cylinder Q.
Having described the various parts of the apparatus, we will now explain the
operations of our invention :-
The load having been delivered by the crane or other means through the fixed
shute A into the weighing hopper B (resting firmly in the rings C') the rod J³
is moved in the direction of the arrow, preferably by means of projection and
catch on crane post, but this is not essential, it may be moved by the attendant;
the levers J Ji J2 are thus moved into position as shown by dotted lines in
Figure 5 and the weighted lever L thrown over, the valve H on cylinder E¹
admits pressure, and the ram E lifts the weigh beam D and with it the hopper B.
the weight of the material (the weigh beam, hopper, etcetera, being in equilibrium
when empty) is thus thrown on the end of weigh beam resting on recorder, and
its weight is recorded.
When the ram E with the crosshead E2 reaches the top of its stroke, the
projection K raises the rod K, the weighted lever L falls over, and the valve H
opens to exhaust, as shown by full lines on Figure 5; the weight of the falling
load forces the water or other fluid through the exhaust pipe N, which being
throttled by the cock or valve N³ (Figures 4, 5 & 6) forces the piston N2 upwards
and the hopper descending gradually, the lever engages with piston N³ opening
the catches G, and releasing doors F of hopper, thereby allowing the material to
As the exhaust fluid passes away, the lever O, through the spring G³
forces down the piston N2. At the same time the catches G are released, the
extension P connecting rod P and lever P² opens the valve P³ allowing the
fluid to exhaust from cylinder Q, and the weight of material on the doors brings
down the ram Q' through the levers R¹. The hopper is now down in its seat with
the doors open.
fall out.
The closing of the doors is effected by the ram Q1 in the cylinder Q. The
flexible pipe S is preferably connected with the cylinder of the crane in such a
manner, that when the pressure is admitted to raise another load for delivery and
weighing, the pressure is at the same time admitted to the door closing cylinder Q.
The doors are by this means closed and held in position by the catches G, the
catches being independent of the levers 001 0³, though pivoted on the same.
centres, the valve P³ remains closed while the projections G¹ engage with the
catches G.
Figure 6 shows enlarged view of door opening and closing mechanism, and
Figure 7 enlarged section of valve P³.
The hopper is thus ready to receive another load, and the operations will be
gone through again as described.
In order to ensure perfect steadiness in the descent of the weigh beam and
hopper after the load has been weighed and the weight recorded, we sometimes
find it convenient to introduce, in the exhaust pipe N from the main lifting ram
in its passage to the cylinders N', a supplementary ram or accumulator having a
beavily weighted piston in such a manner that the weighted piston is raised by
the exhaust fluid and thus forms a store of energy for raising the pistons N2 in
cylinders N instead of their being acted on by direct pressure due to the falling
of the load and the main ram. A valve is placed in a convenient position so
that when the main ram has very nearly come to rest, the valve is opened and the
stored up energy in the accumulator forces the fluid to the cylinders N', raises
the pistons N2 and thus opens the doors of hopper and releases the load of
material.
.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination, with a hydraulic or steam crane or other mechanical lifting
or conveying apparatus, of a weighing machine provided with a door or doors in
the bottom of the hopper and with bydraulic cylinders and valves for lifting the
hopper and for fixing and releasing the doors, the controlling valves of which are
actuated automatically by the crane or by the attendant, or partly automatically
and partly by the attendant, and provided with suitable apparatus for indicating
or recording the weight of material to be weighed at each or all repetitions of the
weighing, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
2. In a weighing machine of the type described, the arrangement of mechanism
for opening and closing the doors in combination with apparatus for lifting the
scale pan or hopper off its solid supports in such a manner that the descent of the
said scale pan or hopper actuates the releasing apparatus of the doors or stores up
energy to be employed later for the same purpose.
Dated this 21st day of October 1805
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.