Improvements in Automatic Weighing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 25th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 11th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Weighing Machines.
I, WILLIAM EMERY NICKERSON, of 1722 Massachusetts Avenue, in the City
of Cambridge, County of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
follows:-
as
My invention relates to automatic weighing machines of that class which is
adapted to weigh granular or other material which is delivered to the machine in
a stream. It consists of several novel and co-operating devices, whereby accuracy
of weighing and simplicity of construction are attained.
The construction of my machine is, in brief, substantially as follows.
Upon a framework adapted to support the various working parts of the machine,
is mounted a scale beam, preferably of a ring shape, and through the opening of
which the chute which delivers the material being weighed oscillates.
From
either end of this scale beam a weighing bucket or receptacle depends by means of
a standard. Each weighing bucket is provided with a discharge door whose chief
peculiarity consists in its being pivoted to the sides of the bucket and constructed
on a curve eccentric with regard to the pivots whereby it removes itself at all
points throughout its opening movement from the edges of the discharge orifice of
the door thereby avoiding clogging.
The oscillating chute serves several purposes, first, to shift the stream of material
from the bucket which has obtained its full load to the empty bucket, and second,
to act as an intermediate mechanism between the weighing weights and trip devices
by which the weighing weights, of which there are two, are alternately supported
out of contact with the scale beam. The weighing weights are mounted upon
pivoted arms and serve alternately to oppose the weight of material in the loading
bucket, regulating its amount, and to cause the chute to oscillate by their gravity
when the full load has been reached.
The relative locations of the pivotal points regarding each other, as for
instance the main fulcrum of the scale beam to the pivotal points of the weight
arms and of the bearings of the bucket standards on the ends of the scale beam to
the contact points of the weight arms with the standards, form important elements
in my invention, whereby friction is prevented as does also the position of the
centre of gravity in the weights themselves.
The novel devices included in my machine may be briefly enumerated as
follows:-
Two weighing buckets, depending from opposite ends of the same scale beam,
the fulcrum of the beam being at or near its centre, combined with alternating
weighing weights.
In two weighing weights one for each bucket and each adapted to be raised by
its corresponding bucket upon a definite load being reached, and so supported as
not to interfere with the weighing in the alternate bucket.
In the adaptation of the weighing weights to turn upon a centre whose location
above the central knife edge of the weighing beam, is equal to the distance
between the outer knife edges of the weighing beam and the contact points of
the weighing weights, whereby a sliding motion is avoided as said contact and
one of rocking alone is obtained.
In the utilisation of the weighing weights to alternately shift the swinging

page_text: chute through which the material to be weighed is delivered to the weighing
bucket.
In supporting the inactive weighing weight by a trip device adapted to be
released on the movement of the scale beam when a definite load is reached.
In a discharge door constructed on a curve eccentric with regard to its pivots
whereby the door is removed at all points from the discharge orifice of the bucket
throughout the opening movement thereby avoiding clogging.
In placing the centre of gravity of each weighing weight and its arm taken as
a whole some distance above the engaging point, whereby said centre of gravity
rapidly approaches the perpendicular over the pivotal point of said arm thus
causing the weight to offer a decreasing resistance, as the beam moves under the
full load.
In the shifting spout as an intermediate link between the inactive weight and the
¿trip device.
In the use of a spring to aid in throwing the swinging spout out of contact with
the active weight at each descent of a loaded bucket.
In the latch device consisting of a latch having a shoulder.in connection with a
Troll mounted upon a fixed part of the frame, said latch being disengaged upon a
movement of the scale beam.
In placing the centre of gravity of the weighing weight approximately over
its.contact point with the weighing bucket, whereby the friction on the pivotal pins
of the weight arm is reduced to a minimum..
In a scale beam of ring-shape, whereby the delivering chute may be centrally
Flocated:
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
$
Improvements in Automatic Weighing Machines.
I, WILLIAM EMERY NICKERSON, of 1722 Massachusetts Avenue, in the City
of Cambridge, County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, United States
of America, Chemist, 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 automatic weighing machines of that class which is
adapted to weigh a stream of granular or other material. It consists of several
novel and co-operating devices whereby accuracy of weighing and simplicity of
construction are attained.
My improved machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which :-
Fig. 1, is a front elevation.
Fig. 2, is also a front elevation but with a portion of the upper framework
broken away to show the scale beam and immediate parts.
Fig. 3, shows the machine in vertical section.
Fig. 4, is a side elevation.
Fig. 5 is a plan.
Fig. 6, shows a portion enlarged.
Fig. 7, shows the machine in the act of discharging a loaded bucket, a part of
the framework being broken away as in Fig. 2.
In the drawings A represents the principal framework of the machine and A¹ the
top frame upon which the scale beam, weight arms, chute and immediately
connected parts are supported. The scale beam S is made in the shape preferably
of an oval or elliptical ring (see Fig. 5), in order to allow room along the

page_text: perpendicular central line of the machine for the swinging chute C (by which the
material to be weighed is delivered to the buckets) and has for a central tulcrum
the knife edges S1 and S¹, one of which is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7 and the other
by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The scale beam S is provided with two other knife
edges S and S³, located at the right and left extremities respectively, which
serve for supports or bearing points for the buckets B and B₁ respectively
(Fig. 3). The buckets B and B' depend from the knife edges S2 and S3, by means
of the standards D and D' which carry the knife edge blocks E and E', and are
firmly secured by the spider frames F and F to their respective buckets (Fig. 3).
The central knife edges S' S' of the scale beam S bear upon the knife edge
blocks S S located on the inwardly projecting parts S S% of the frame A'. The
opening A' in the frame A¹ (Fig. 1) is provided for convenience, in the mechanical
operation of setting the knife edge block S into the projecting piece S' of the
frame. There is a similar opening in the back of the frame A' not shown in the
drawings.
Extending from front to back at the upper part of the framework A¹ is the
flat piece G, provided with an opening, here shown closed by a shut off slide, and
also with the downwardly projecting hollow part G₁ (Fig. 3). Upon the piece G
is placed the conveying tube G' connected with a bin, or other supply of material
to be weighed. To the part G', by means of the pins C C, is attached the
chute C, in such a manner as to be free to swing over one weighing bucket or the
other when so actuated.
The chute C swings within the oval opening in the scale beam S, and is provided
on either side with the latches H and H which are pivoted to itself and engage,
by means of the shoulders H and H³, with the rollers I and 1' respectively.
These latches H and H¹, are alternately lifted and disengaged from their respective
rollers and I, in a manner hereafter to be described, by engaging with the
pins J and J located in the standards D and D'. The chute C is also provided
on either side, at its upper part, with the strong projecting arms K and K whose
function will hereafter appear.
Directly above the scale beam S, are located two weight arms L and L', one on
either side of the chute. The plan of these weight arms L and L', shows them of
a semi-oval shape, surrounding the chute. They are pivoted independently of each
other on the pins L' L, about which they have a limited movement in a vertical
plane when actuated. They carry on their upper sides, the weight standards L³
and L, which hold in position the principal weighing weights W and W₁, and the
small adjusting weights W and W respectively. The weight arms L and L' are
further provided, on their under sides, with the knife edges L' and L, which bear
alternately on the hardened steel caps D2 and D', fixed into the tops of the
standards D and D' respectively (Fig. 6). The pivotal pins L L³, of the weight
arms L and L, are firmly attached to the upper frame A¹, by threads and nuts,
one at the front and one at the back of the machine, and are so located as to be
directly over the knife blocks S S of the scale beam S, and at a distance above
the edge of the fulcrum knives S₁ S¹, equal to that which the surface of the cap
pieces D and D³, are above the edge of the knives S and S³ respectively. The
weight arms L and L' are further provided with the projections L' and L³, which
engage with the cross beams A3 and A', and prevent the weight arms from
dropping below a certain predetermined position.
The mass of material in the weight arins L and I and the weights W and W¹,
is so distributed preferably, that the center of gravity of each weight and arm,
taken as a whole, shall be nearly over its knife edge L' or L respectively, when
the weight arms are in their lowest position, vz.: when the projections L' and La
are resting upon the cross beams A³ and A' respectively. This is preferred
because, under these conditions, the friction of the arms on the pivotal pins L' L³,
is reduced to a minimum.
The chute C, in addition to what has been already specified, is provided, upon
its front side, with a stud C' (Figs. 2 and 4), having an encircling groove near its

page_text: outer end, and which, in connection with a similar stud C³, (secured to the frame A"
at a slightly lower level than the stud C2, by the screw C' (Fig. 1)) serves as a
means of attachment for the wire spring C. The spring C³ impels the chute C
to travel the full length of its oscillation on either side of the center and thereby
assists in causing the latches H and H¹ to properly engage with the rollers L
and L.
The standards D and D₁ are provided with the projecting pieces D' and D'
(Fig. 3) which serve to limit the downward movement of the standards and
buckets, by engaging with the stop pieces D and D' respectively. The piece G
is provided with a shutoff slide G³ which carries in front the handle G (Fig. 5),
and serves to stop the machine by shutting off the supply of material to be
weighed. The weight arms L and L', are provided with the arms L and L10
which serve to engage with the arms K and K', whereby the chute is actuated
by the weight arms, and the weight arms supported by the chute, alternately.
The buckets B and B are each provided with three pivoted guiding arms, one
at the front, one at the back and one at the side, designated by the letters O and O¹
respectively.
The buckets are also provided with the discharge doors M, M' and M² M.
These doors swing upon pivotal pins attached to the sides of the buckets, each
bucket having one at the front and one at the back. The pins are lettered mm
and m m respectively. The doors M, M¹ and M2 M3 are provided with the
latches N, N and N¹ N', pivoted upon pins shown at n and n', and adapted to hold
the doors closed, by engaging with the pins and n³ respectively until tripped.
The latches are tripped, viz. lifted off the engaging pins, by coming in contact with
the stop pieces T, T and T' T₁, located at the front and also at the back upon the
frame of the machine as shown, upon a descent of the respective loaded bucket,
whereupon the pressure of the material within forces the doors open and a
discharge takes place into the supplementary buckets P and P¹ located beneath
the doors.
Attached to the lower edge of each door are the broad wing pieces R R¹
and R R³ (shown in Fig. 3 and by dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 7) extending down-
ward into the supplementary buckets P and P', and each pair preferably slanting
away from each other as shown. These wing pieces co-operating with the supple-
mentary buckets P and P¹ respectively, said buckets having discharge apertures
of suitable size, perform the important function of preventing the doors from
closing prematurely at the discharge of a load. Such premature closing would
otherwise result in the retention of a greater or less portion of the material within
the buckets, destroying thereby the accuracy of the weighing. The prevention of
the premature closing of the doors is accomplished by the wing pieces as follows.
When the load of material drops out of a weighing bucket into the corresponding
supplementary bucket it is temporarily retarded in the latter and by pressing upon
the wing pieces holds the doors open long enough for all of the load to have fallen
below the edges of the doors proper before allowing them to close whereby no
material can be retained.
Starting with the machine in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the operation
is as follows:-
The bucket B₁ is empty, and the chute C is directed towards the bucket B,
which is filling. The latter is prevented from descending until a definite load is
reached, by the resistance of the weight arm L' and weight W', on the end of the
scale beam opposite the bucket B. As soon however as a definite amount has run
into the bucket B it begins to descend, and the weight arm L' and the weight W',
begin to rise. The resistance of the weight arm L' and weight W₁, decreases as
the upward movement progresses, since the common center of gravity of the arm
and weight, is approaching the perpendicular over the pivotal pins L L, thereby
the bucket B, is allowed to descend with increasing power.
After the descent of the bucket B, and corresponding ascent of the bucket B',
has progressed sufficiently, the pin J¹ in the bucket standard D', engages with the

page_text: latch H. The latter on being slightly raised trips over the roller l' and the
cbute C is swung across over the bucket B¹ impelled by the weight arm L and
weight W, which were being supported by the arm K. As the chute swings
across impelled as above, the arm K' overtakes the arm L', carrying it upward,
freeing the beam S from the resistance of the arm L' and weight W¹, and thus
allowing the bucket B to descend freely, and in so doing, to cause the doors M, M¹
to open through the contact of the latches N N with the stop pieces T, T, whereby
the load in the bucket B is allowed to discharge.
When the bucket B has reached its lowest point, the weight arm L¹ has been
raised high enough to allow the chute C, assisted by the spring C, to swing far
enough to the left, to cause the latch H to lock with the roller I, and thereby
(acting through the chute) support the weight arm L' upon the arm K', until the
descent of the bucket B¹. In the meantime, the weight arm L has come to rest on
the cross bar A³, and is ready to balance a definite amount of load in the
bucket B¹.
The opening of the doors M M¹ allows the material to drop into supplementary
bucket P, in which by the joint action of the wing pieces R, R¹ and the said
bucket the doors are prevented from retaining any of the load, which would other-
wise happen.
The machine is now in the position shown in Fig. 7.
:
After the load has run out of the supplementary bucket P, the bucket B rises.
and B correspondingly descends, and the machine comes again into the position
shown in Figs. 2 and 3, except that the chute C is delivering into the bucket B¹
and the positions of the two weight arms and attached parts are reversed viz. the
parts on the right side occupying the same relative positions, which those on the
left did at the start, and vice versa. The bucket B and related parts now go
through the same evolutions which the bucket B has completed, and so on, the
machine automatically and continuously delivering definite amounts of material
from each bucket alternately.
It is obvious that the arm L and the weight W, might consist of one and the
same piece of metal, and be considered, taken as a whole, as the arm L, without
departing from the spirit of the invention.
The several novel devices and improvements in my machine, may be briefly
enumerated as follows:-
In the adaptation of the weighing weights to turn upon a center, whose location
above the central knife edge of the weighing beam, is equal to the distance
between the outer knife edges of the weighing beam, and the contact point of the
weighing weights, whereby a sliding motion is avoided at said contact and one of
rocking alone obtained.
In the utilisation of the weighing weights, to alternately shift the swinging
spout, through which the material to be weighed, is delivered to the weighing
buckets. In supporting the inactive weight by a trip device, adapted to be
released on the movement of the scale bean, when a definite load is reached.
In placing the center of gravity of each weighing weight and its arm above
5 the engaging point, whereby said center of gravity rapidly approaches the
perpendicular over the pivotal point, and the weight offers a decreasing resistance,
as the beam moves under the full load.
In the shifting spout as an intermediate link between the inactive weighing
weight and the trip device.
In the use of a spring to aid in throwing the swinging spout out of contact with
the active weight, at each descent of a bucket.
In the peculiar construction of the latch device.
In placing the center of gravity of the weighing weight approximately over its
bearing point upon the stem of the weighing bucket, whereby the friction on the
5 pivotal pins, is reduced to a minimum.
Lastly in a scale beam of a ring-shape, whereby the delivering chute may be
centrally located.

page_text: 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 :-
1st. In a weighing machine, the weights W and W¹, arms L and L' and
pins LL, said pins being located directly over the fulcrum of the scale beam S;
in combination with the scale beam S, buckets B and B' and chute C, said chute
being adapted to oscillate alternately over the said buckets, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
2nd. In a weighing machine, the weights W and W¹, arms L and L¹ and
pins LL, the center of gravity of said weights and arms (each arm and its
respective weight taken as a whole) being above the said pins, whereby the
resistance of said weights and arms decreases rapidly as they rise; in combination
with the scale beam S, buckets B and B and chute C, said chute being adapted
to oscillate alternately over the said buckets, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
3rd. In a weighing machine, the weights W and W¹, arme L and L' and
pins LL, the center of gravity of each of said arms with the weight, taken as a
whole, being nearly perpendicular over the point of engagement between the said
arms and the scale beam S, whereby the friction of the said arms on the said pins
is reduced to a minimum; in combination with the scale bean S, buckets B
and B¹ and chute C, eaid chute being adapted to oscillate alternately over said
buckets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4th. In a weighing machine, the weights W and W¹, arms L and L', chute C
and mechanism for connecting said chute with said arms, whereby said chute is
alternately impelled by said weights; in combination with the scale beam S,
buckets B and B₁ and necessary connecting mechanism, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
5th. In a weighing machine, the weights W and W₁, arms L and L¹, chute C
and latches H and H'; in combination with the scale beam S, buckets B and B¹
and connecting mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
6th. In a weighing machine, the ring shaped scale beam S and buckets B and B¹ ;
in combination with the chute C adapted to oscillate within the opening of the
ring shaped scale beam, and the weights W and W' and mechanism for connecting
and operating the weights and chute, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
7th. In a weighing machine, the scale beam S and buckets B and B ; in
combination with the weights W and W₁, arms L and L', pins L³ L³, pro-
jections L and L³, cross beams A³ and A', arms L° and L10, arms K and K¹,
chute C, latches H and H', rollers I and I¹ and pins J and J¹, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
8th. In a weighing machine, the scale beam S having the knife edges S' S¹ and S³
and S³, buckets B and B', chute C and appropriate connecting mechanisms; in
combination with the weight arms L and L' provided with edges L' L' and
pivoted on the pins L2 L2, and the pins L' L³, said pins being located the same
distance above the edges S and S³ respectively, whereby on a movement of the 4
scale beam S, and consequent movement of one or the other of the weight arms L
and L', the edges L' and Le have no sliding movement upon their bearing
surfaces, but one of relative rocking only, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
9th. In a weighing machine, the scale beam S, buckets B and B¹, chute C and 5
necessary connecting mechanism; in combination with weighing weights adapted
to engage with said scale beam, said weights being independently mounted upon
movable arms, and said arms and connecting mechanism, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
10th. In a weighing machine, the scale beam S, buckets B and B' weights W 5

page_text: and W₁ in combination with the chute C, spring C' and connecting mechanism,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth."
11th. In a weighing machine, the bucket, B, and the doors M M² adapted to
operate in connection with said weighing bucket; in combination with the wing
pieces R, R¹ and the supplementary bucket P, substantially as and for the purpose
Bet forth.
Dated this 25th day of Februa 1906
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.