Improvements in Feeding and Weighing Attachments for Hat- forming and other Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1899
Improvements in Feeding and Weighing Attachments for Hat-
forming and other Machines.
I, PIERRE CROSBY WARING, of Yonkers, in the State of New York, U.S.A.,
Hat Manufacturer, 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:-
-
a
This invention relates to improvements in feeding and weighing attachments
for hat-forming and other machines by which a determined quantity of fur, wool
or other fibrous material is automatically weighed off and fed forward at such
predetermined periods of time as may be necessary for the proper working of
the hat-forming or other machine. The proper feeding of fibrous material in
accurately weighed quantities and at predetermined periods of time requires the
interruption of the supply as soon as the required quantity is weighed off, and
the return of the surplus fibrous material to the feed-hopper during the time
that elapses between the complete weighing and dropping of the required quan-
tity of fibrous material and the expiration of the predetermined interval of time
when it has to be delivered to the machine, after which the parts are restored
to their normal position ready for the next weighing operation. For carrying
out these purposes my invention consists, firstly, of a feeding and weighing
attachment for hat-forming and other machines, which comprises a feeding
device,
tilting
receiving-box arranged below said feeding-device,
a
ful-
platform adapted to close the lower end of said receiving-box, a
crummed counter-balancing scale-beam adapted to enclose the platform so as to
hold it below the lower end of the receiving-box, and means for conveying the
fibrous material to the machine that works it up into a hat or other article of
manufacture. Secondly, the invention consists of a feeding and weighing attach-
ment which comprises a fur-feeding device, a receiving box, a tilting platform
adapted to close the lower end of said box, a fulcrummed, counterbalancing scale-
beam having a pivoted finger or latch for engaging said platform, a stop for
arresting the scale-beam when in normal position below the receiving-box, and
means for conveying the weighed-off quantity of fibrous material to a hat-form-
ing or other machine that works it up into a hat or other article of manufacture;
and, lastly, the invention consists of the combination of a feeding and weighing
mechanism, with an oscillating deflector and means for actuating it at the
proper time so that the supply of fibrous material to the weighing-device is
interrupted and the supply-stream of fibrous material returned to the feed-hopper
until the charge weighed off is delivered to the conveying device and the mov-
able parts of the weighing-device returned to their normal position.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved feeding and weighing.
attachment, shown as applied to a hat-forming machine.
Figure is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.

page_text: Figure 3 is a detail side-elevation, drawn on a larger scale, and showing the
weighing mechanism and the mechanism for operating the deflector.
Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section of the weighing and deflector-operating
mechanism, on line 4-4 of Figure 3, and
2
Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams showing the different, positions of the weighing
and deflector-operating mechanisms.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Referring to the drawings, A represents the feed-device and B is the automatic
weighing mechanism of my improved feeding and weighing attachment, shown
as applied to a hat-forming machine. The weighing mechanism is located below
the fur-feeding device. C is a conveyor which, is located below the fur-weighing
mechanism, D a second endless conveyor, located above the first conveyor C.
E. E indicate a pair of endless aprons which connect the lower conveyor with
the upper conveyor. From the conveyor D the fur or other fibrous material is
conducted by. a distributing device G, either to a hat-making machine or to any
other machine by which the fibrous material is to be worked up into an article
of manufacture: When the attachment is used with a hat-forming machine the
fibrous material is fed by the quickly-rotating distributor G which takes up the
weighed-off layer or sliver of fur, to the casing F¹ containing the hat-body
forming cone 1, so as to be subjected to the suction-action of said cone, and M
is a mirror which is supported at a suitable angle above the upper conveyor in
such position that the attendant can readily watch through the glass the pro-
gress of the fur on the upper conveyor towards the forming-cone.
The feeding device A consists of an endless conveyor a, provided with pins
which take up the fibrous material from the supply-box A', the fibrous material
being removed from the conveyor by a rotary clearer A2 and dropped into the
receiving-box B of the weighing attachment B. A rotary-wiper A³ at the
opposite side of the conveyor a, regulates the supply of material to the receiving-
box B which is supported in any suitable manner on the casing of the feeding
device A. The receiving-box B is closed at its lower end by a tilting plat-
form that normally closes the lower part of the box or hopper B', as shown
in Figure 2. The tilting-platform B2 is applied to the end of a fulcrummed lever-
frame 13 which turns on knife-edges d of a supporting-bracket B. The tilting
platform B is engaged at its front-edge by a pivoted finger or latch b' at the end
of a fulcrummed scale-beam B35 which is provided at its opposite end with a
sliding weight 65 so as to regulate the quantity of fibrous material to be deposited
on the platform 12 before the same is tilted. The fulcrummed scale-beam B5
is supported by means of knife-edges 66 on the casing A¹ of the feed-device, as
shown in Figure 3. The end of the scale-beam B is prevented from being
moved in an upward direction by means of a stop 7 on the wall of the hopper A¹.
The tilting finger or latch 61 at the end of the scale-beam B5 holds, under the
influence of the weight 65, the platform B2 in closed position; said finger engaging
the platform and preventing the downward tilting of the same.
As soon as
the required quantity of fibrous material is supplied to the platform B2, the
latter overbalances the weight on the scale-beam and causes the tilting of the
lever-frame B3 until the platform 132 clears the end of the pivoted finger or latch.
The platform B³ is moved under the weight of the fur into an inclined position,
as shown in Figures 5 and 6, until the quantity of fur collected thereon is
dropped on to the horizontal conveyor-apron C below the weighing device.
Simultaneously the scale-beam. is returned under the influence of its weight to
its normal position, until it is arrested by the stop 67.. As soon as the fur is dis-
charged on the conveyor-apron C, the platform is returned by its counter-balanc-
ing lever-frame 133 into its normal position, lifting the tilting finger or latch
sufficiently to permit its return into closed position at the lower part of the
receiving-box B¹. As soon as the platform 132 has passed the tilting finger 1,
it assumes its normal position at the end of the scale-beam B5, as shown in
Figure 3, so that the platform B is located above the tilting finger and permitted

page_text: to rest on the same, while the next charge of fibrous material is being deposited
by the feeding-device in the receiving-box B¹.
"
In connection with the weighing-mechanism is arranged an oscillating deflec-
tor by which the supply of fibrous material to the weighing mechanism is inter-
rupted, and the same returned into the feed-hopper, as soon as the required
quantity is weighed off, the return of the fibrous material to the feed-hopper
being kept up while the quantity weighed off is being delivered to the machine
by which it is worked up into proper shape, and until the platform of the
weighing mechanism has returned into its normal position at the lower end of
the receiving-box B¹.
It is evident that the supply-stream of fibrous material will vary in volume
according to the greater or smaller quantity that is in the feed-hopper, and also
that the supply-stream is heavier, when a fresh supply of fibrous material is put
in the feed-hopper than when it has been more or less broken up into small -
pieces by the stirring up it receives in the feed-hopper and the action of the
wiper thereon.
It is furthermore evident that the natural result of a supply of an uninter-
rupted, continuous, but constantly-varying quantity of fibrous material would be
the weighing off of the desired quantity of material at irregular intervals, which
quantity would be only approximately correct. It is important further that the
delivery of the accurately weighed fibrous material should be timed properly
for the machine, so as to be properly worked up by the same.
This is accom-
plished by arranging in connection with the feeding and weighing mechanisms
an automatically-operated deflector H, which is pivoted to a notched arm h
above the weighing-box B', and extended in downward direction into the upper
part of said box, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The pivot of the deflector H is
provided with a crank-arm h¹ which is connected by a cord h³ with a fulcrummed,
counterbalanced lever I, located below the counterbalancing scale-beam B5, and
provided at its end with a pivoted finger i. On the shank of the lever I is
arranged a grooved block I, which can be adjusted by. a set-screw on the
shank of the lever I, said block I being provided with an angular side-groove
that is engaged by the inwardly-bent end of a fulcrummed and weighted
lever I which is arranged on the side of the feed-hopper below the block I, as
shown clearly in Figure 3. The fulcrummed lever 12 is intermittently engaged
by a pin m that is carried by a pulley m which is located below the fulcrummed
lever 12 and which is driven by a belt and pulley transmission m², m³, "that
receives motion from a pinion m³ and gear-wheel m, as shown in Figures 1
and 3.
The operation of my improved feeding and weighing attachment is as follows.
As soon as the quantity of fibrous material which is to be weighed off, is fed
to the weighing mechanism, the tilting platform. B³ is dropped past the end of
the counterbalancing scale-beam B and passed on to the projecting finger i of
the fulcrummed lever I, which extends more into the path of the platform B²
than the finger 61 on the weighing-lever B The platform B² moves the lever I
immediately in downward direction until the projecting portion of the block I
abuts against the inwardly bent end of the lever 12, as shown in Figure 5. By
the downward motion of the lever I, the deflector H is oscillated from its vertical
position into the inclined position, as shown in full lines in Figure 5, so that
the supply-stream of fibrous material is not delivered into the receiving-box B¹,
but returned instantly into the feed-hopper A¹, as shown by the arrow in
Figure 2. The weighted lever I rests on the end of the lever 12 until the
pin m on the pulley m engages the lower part of the lever 12 and lifts the latter
so that the upper end moves into the grooved portion of the block I by which
the immediate release of the weighing platform B2 is produced and the quantity
weighed-off delivered to the conveyor C. Simultaneously therewith the weighted
lever I is retained by the weighted lever I until its end is moved entirely
clear of the grooved portion of the block I into the position shown in Figure G

page_text: and released from the grooved block I so that the lever I can be returned into
its normal position by the weight of the deflector H, which latter is returned by
gravity into its normal vertical position, shown in Figures 1 and 2. The return-
motion of the deflector H also returns the weighted lever I into normal position.
As the platform 133 is returned into its normal position at the lower end of the
receiving-box B before the return of the deflector into its normal position, it
is ready to receive the next supply of fibrous material. As the pin m on the
pulley m has in the meantime been released from the shank of the weighted
lever I, the same is likewise returned into normal position ready for the next
operation.
The quantity of fibrous material which is thus supplied by the automatically-
operated feeding and weighing attachment and deposited on the conveyor C, is
distributed over the same by means of two rotary distributors C₁, C3, the fingers
of which spread the fibrous material evenly over the conveyor, as shown in
Figure 2. The layer or sliver of fibrous material on the conveyor C is then
taken up by the two endless aprons E E that are moved in contact with each
other by suitable motion-transmitting mechanism so that the sliver is tightly
held between the two aprons and delivered at the upper end of the same to the
upper horizontal conveyor-apron D. From the conveyor D the fibrous material
is conducted between a pair of closely-arranged feed-rollers c, e, to the rapidly-
rotated distributor G by which the fibrous material is fed either to the casing
of the hat-body forming-cone or into any operative machine by which the fibrous
material is worked into the required shape.
Motion is imparted to the different parts of my improved feeding and weigh-
ing attachment by means of suitably arranged power-transmitting shafts, belts,
and cross-belts, as shown in Figure 1, the motion of the operative parts being
so timed that a charge of fibrous material is fed to the weighing mechanism,
and deposited by the same on to the lower conveyor-apron, while a second charge
is passing along between the upright conducting aprons, and a third charge is
being conducted by the upper conveyor-apron to the distributing device. In
this manner a uniform feeding and weighing-off of the predetermined quantity
of fibrous material takes place by the automatic action of the attachment and
its intermittently oscillating deflector in a very accurate and reliable manner.
By weighing off the required quantity of fibrous material and delivering it
after a certain pre-determined interval of time in regular succession, the hand-
labour heretofore required for feeding and weighing off fibrous material for hat
forming and other machines is dispensed with and a uniform and predetermined
quantity of fibrous material supplied at regular intervals of time so as to be
worked up into the article required.
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 feeding and weighing attachment for hat-forming and other machines,
the combination of means for feeding fibrous material, an intermittently-actuated
weighing mechanism, comprising a receiving-box arranged below the feeding
device, a tilting platform adapted to close the lower end of said receiving-box,
and a counter-balancing scale-beam engaging said platform, the means for con-
veying the weighed-off quantity of fibrous material, and the means for delivering
the fibrous material for being worked into the required shape, substantially as
set forth.
2. In a feeding and weighing attachment for hat-forming and other machines
the combination of means for feeding fibrous material, an intermittently actuated
weighing mechanism comprising a receiving-box, tilting platform, a counter-
balancing scale-beam having a pivoted finger or latch which engages said plat-
form, a stop against which said scale-beam abuts when in horizontal position,

page_text: the means for conveying the quantity weighed off, and the means for delivering
the fibrous material for being worked into proper shape, substantially as set forth.
3. In a feeding and weighing attachment for hat-forming and other machines
the combination, with means for feeding, and means for weighing fibrous material,
of a deflecting device for returning the fibrous material to the feed-device upon
the weighing off of a predetermined quantity of material, substantially as set
forth.
4. In a feeding and weighing attachment for hat-forming and other machines
the combination, with means for feeding and means for weighing fibrous material,
of a deflecting device for returning the fibrous material to the feed-device upon
the weighing off of a predetermined quantity of material, and the means for
operating the deflector by the action of the weighing device at the, proper time,
substantially as set forth.
5. In a feeding and weighing attachment for hat-forming and other machines
the combination, with means for feeding and means for weighing fibrous material,
of a deflecting device for returning the fibrous material to the feed-device upon
the weighing off of a predetermined quantity of material, the means for inter-
mittently-operating the deflector by the action of the weighing device, and means
for intermittently releasing the deflector controlling mechanism, substantially
as set forth.
6. In a feeding and weighing attachment for hat-forming and other machines
the combination, with means for feeding fibrous material, and a device for
weighing off predetermined quantities of the same, of an oscillating deflector, a
fulcrummed and weighted lever connected with said deflector, and mechanism
for positively controlling the motion of said deflector-operating lever so as to
interrupt the supply of fibrous material to the weighing mechanism and re-estab-
lish it at fixed intervals of time, substantially as set forth.
7. In a feeding and weighing attachment for hat-forming and other machines
the combination, with a device for feeding fibrous material and a device for weigh-
ing the same, of an oscillating deflector, located above the weighing-device, a
weighted lever connected with the deflector, a grooved block on said weighted
lever, a fulcrummed and weighted lever adapted to engage said block, and the
means for intermittently moving the fulcrummed lever into or out of engagement
with said block so as to retain the deflector in inclined position for a certain
period of time and then permit its return into its normal position, substantially
as set forth.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.